Andiswa was all nerves as she filled in her form at EezyLoans!. But she wasn’t another innocent lamb entering the wolf’s den. She was here to get proof that Xavier Bhuphoto was scamming people, including her friend. She was here to take photographs of documents on her phone of the files he kept with the information he needed for his scams. She was here to take the wolf down. And she was excited.

Adrenalin and nerves gave her goosebumps. All she could picture were the awards she would get, and the lectures and talks she would give. Being the youngest journalist to uncover a scam like this would give her an advantage in the university’s journalism department. She hadn’t even started her first year and already she was out in the field.

Luckily, Xavier couldn’t have seen her with Bongi at the party, because when he opened the door, he was all smiles.

“I’m Xavier,” he said warmly, extending his hand to Andiswa without standing up.

“Andiswa.”

“So, tell me a bit about yourself, Andiswa?”

This is just how Bongi had said her interview had started. But Andiswa was prepared.

As she talked, Andiswa discreetly looked around and saw the filing cabinet. That must be where the forms were. One of those forms had all Bongi’s details on it but with someone else’s photograph attached, and all she needed was to photograph it.

“I need a loan, Mr Xavier…I’m desperate. I need more clothes and…I have many extra-curricular activities, and I’m afraid I’ve…well, I haven’t been able to make my credit card payments. And my father can’t find out…”

Xavier’s eyes focused on Andiswa. He was studying her features.

“Have we met before? I think I’ve seen you somewhere. Wasn’t it at that party?”

Andiswa’s heart stopped. So he had seen her at the party. Her cover might be blown.

“Believe me. You would remember if we’d met,” she tried to flirt.

She was saved by Xavier’s phone ringing. Julian had come through for them. He had rung Xavier right on time. The plan was working. Julian had agreed to pose as a parent, keen to get his child into university, who would offer a lot of money. He would phone Xavier when Andiswa was in the office to give her time alone to photograph the evidence. He would ask Xavier to come to his imaginary office to discuss details and to receive down payments. And he would need to come now.

“Excuse me. I must take this.”

Xavier got up and went to speak outside. As soon as Andiswa heard the door close behind her, she opened the filing cabinet. She searched for Bongi’s name and pulled out the file. There it was. At the top was a photo of Bongi. She looked more closely and then she saw that it wasn’t her friend. The likeness was uncanny, the photo a bit blurred. But this definitely wasn’t her friend. Andiswa took a photo. She was just putting Bongi’s forms back in the folder when a loose sheet fell out. She looked at the writing across the top in red ink. Steadfast Insurance. She had seen that somewhere before. Then she remembered Nana’s WhatsApp messages. She took a photo of that too.

She was just sliding the door shut of the cabinet when the door opened.

She quickly dropped her phone and pretended it had fallen and she was picking it up.

“So clumsy,” she told Sharon, who looked at her like a piece of dirt that she had dragged in on her stiletto.

“Mr Xavier said you can leave your forms, you’ll be contacted by email soon,” she ordered.

“But my interview wasn’t done. I can wait.”

“He won’t be back today. Business emergency. Come back another day or leave your information here.”

Andiswa stood. She’d gotten enough evidence for a first-timer. She handed her application papers to Sharon with a smile.

“Thank you for your time,” she said, relief flooding her veins.

Tell us: what was Xavier doing with Bongi’s university forms?