Themba put her face in her hands and moaned softly. The two thugs were out on the streets peddling drugs because of her.

What did they want with Happiness at the Walmer Mall? Then it struck her. They must be using the business to get drugs through customs or something like that. She thought of all the bags, purses, belts and accessories that were in the shop.

Was Happiness helping them, she wondered.

“I have to phone him on his cell,” Themba said out loud. She still had Lucky’s mobile number. He was the right guy. He was the embodiment of what a policeman should be like. He was out for the good of the people. Themba scrolled through her list of names on her phone, stopping at Lucky’s name.

“Hi Lucky. This is Themba Khathi,” she said, when he answered.

There was a moment of silence. Then he said, “Yes, I’d recognize your voice anywhere, Themba.”

“I think we’d better meet. I need to talk to you.”

“Where are you?” he asked, in that same soft voice.

“I’m in Port Elizabeth central,” she said. “I called in to the station to see you.”

“By any chance does this involve that incident at the hospital, Themba?”

She couldn’t believe how easy it was. He wasn’t angry or reprimanding her in any way.

“Yes, it does,” she said. “I’ve seen the two men from the hospital. The tall one calls himself Solomon now.”

“Mnn,” he said. “So those two rise again! We got a tip-off a few weeks ago but it didn’t work out.”

“I’ve got pictures for you,” she said.

“Pictures! How on earth did you manage that? I hope you didn’t put yourself in any danger, Themba.” His voice was full of concern.

“I saw them at the Walmer Mall. I’m not sure if they saw me but I’m frightened, Lucky. I’ve got more information for you.”

“I called at the hospital to see you a while back.” Lucky had driven straight to the cafe to meet her.

“Really!?” Her face brightened.

“They told me you had resigned. I figured you wanted to be left alone; not reminded of the case in any way.”

“I got a job as a carer through a friend of my Dad’s. Well my mother used to work for this lady many years ago. She asked for me after she had a stroke.”

“A carer, Themba! Aren’t you a qualified nursing sister?”

“Yes, I am. But to be honest I was a wreck after that incident at the hospital. Someday I’ll go back to nursing.”

“Good,” Lucky smiled, then his face became serious. “What is the name of the woman you are looking after?”

“Miriam Mokala. Why do you ask?”

“Mokala?” he echoed. “She was your mother’s employer. Wasn’t she?”

“Yes, she was. Do you know her?”

“I went to see her when I was reviewing your mother’s disappearance.”

“Really? She never said a word to me.”

“I’m not surprised,” Lucky said.

“What do you mean?” Themba asked.

“I had the feeling – and still do – that Miriam Mokala knows more than she is letting on about your mom. She was the one who started the rumours about Zinzi having a lover. She suggested as much to me.”

“Why would she do that?”

“It’s just a hunch but I think she wanted the police to stop investigating her disappearance. But I’m not sure if she knows where Zinzi is.”

“Do you think she’s still alive?” Themba asked.

“It’s possible that Zinzi wanted to disappear.”

“But why?” Themba’s voice caught in her throat.

“If we knew that, we’d get to the bottom of the mystery,” Lucky said. “I’m sorry, that the police have never been able to close this case.”

Themba stared at Lucky, and nodded her head. “I know the police did everything they could. My Dad and I couldn’t ask for more than that.”

“Now tell me about these two guys,” Lucky said.

Themba told how she had seen Solomon with Happiness at the accessories shop in the mall. Then as she was leaving the building she had spotted the second drug smuggler in the Wimpy.

She took out her phone and showed Lucky the two pictures she had sneaked.

“Can you forward me the pictures?”

She did it straight away. As soon as Lucky had received the pictures she deleted them from her phone.

“It just gives me the creeps knowing they are on my phone,” Themba explained.

“It’s scum like that I have to deal with every day of my life,” Lucky said. “I’ll get a few officers together at once and see what these two are up to.”

“Wow – I can see now why you make such a good detective.”

“Who said I was a good officer?” he joked.

“The papers. I read all about your perlemoen bust in the Herald.”

“That was some bust alright,” Lucky said. “But as soon as you catch one lot of criminals another lot springs up someplace else.”

Lucky’s phone rang and he answered it straight away. As soon as he stopped the call he said, “I’ll have to go, Themba. I’ll give you a ring later on. Please be careful until we catch these guys.”

“I will,” she promised him.

*****

Later that same night on the way past Miriam’s room, Themba opened the door softly and peeped inside.

Miriam was sitting propped up with several pillows behind her head.

“Are you OK, Miriam? Is there anything I can get you?”

Miriam stared at her with a look of complete puzzlement for several seconds.

“Are you OK?” Themba walked closer to the bed.

“Oh it’s you – Themba!” Miriam said. “For just a moment I thought I was seeing things.”

“Who did you think you saw?” Themba asked, having a feeling she knew exactly what Miriam was going to say.

“I thought you were Zinzi. You know, you look exactly like her.”

“Do you know where she is?” Themba asked, feeling now was as good a time as any to find out what Miriam really knew.

“I wish I did,” Miriam sighed. “Zinzi fooled us all.”

The venom in her voice startled Themba.

Back in her own room, Themba began settling Maggie down for the night.

“Nosy girl. Nosy girl. Get rid of her!” the parrot said in a startlingly similar voice to the one Miriam had just used.

Themba could feel the panic rising inside of her. Who was a ‘nosy girl’? Then she admonished herself.

She was just been paranoid. Maggie was forever repeating snatches of conversation she heard on the television.

Nonetheless Themba lay awake most of the night. Her breathing was fast and deep.

***

Tell us what you think: Is Themba’s mother still alive?