“That is massive have you told anyone besides me?”

Slindile shook her head putting back the pendant back on her pocket “Do you mind if we can go through my father’s case, maybe we can catch something that the police had missed. “

Samuels looked hesitant a little but nodded anyways.

She didn’t want to tell anyone else just yet, just in case it was all just a wild goose chase.

They hurried to the room where files were kept, and searched through her father’s file. It had accumulated some dust as it had sat there for so long.

She felt weird going through it. “It said here your father had a pendant in one of his belongings, it was supposed to be brought back to you when they were done looking for any DNA on it.”

Her heart thumbed on her chest, she shook her head “I never goti it.”

“It says here the person who had to do the handover is,” before Samuels could continue they heard a clapping of hands and a little bit of laughter.

Slindile quickly turned and was stunned to see lieutenant James.

“You figured it out.” He said standing a couple of feets away.

“You,” Samuels said in an accusatory voice “It was you.”

Everything clicked into place as Slindile registered the whole thing, it was lieutenant James who had killed her father, but why? she wondered.

She refused to cry as she looked him, she had looked up to him so much that she had considered him as her mentor.

“Why?” She asked.

“I was jealous,” He said in a defeated voice, “Your father’s career was rising so well that I felt stuck, your father was about to get the position of being a lieutenant and I didn’t want that so out of jealousy I kiled him.” He said, he looked so relieved as finally spoke like he had been carrying a heavy load of concrete bags on his shoulders.

“I am sick.” He stated “I have a tumor on my brain and it is growing so fast that the doctors can’t do anything to help me, I just have to wait for my death knowing that there is nothing I can do about that. I watched you grow and I knew that I wanted to tell you some day about what I have done. I am sorry for taking your father away from you.” He was now crying, the anger that she had felt for so many years had disappeared into thin air as she looked at lieutenant who looked rather pathetic as he sobbed.

She was now free all the burden that she had felt had completely disappeared along with her anger.

“We can have him arrested I have his full on confession that I recorded, Samuels said.

Slindile shook her heard “No, jail will be too kind for him. I will just let karma deal with him.” She said as she walked out, as she walked out of that stuffy room she felt lighter knowing that she meant every word she had said.

****

1 week later

“Are you sure that you want to leave?” Samuels asked.

Slindile nodded “I just need time to regroup.” She said looking at him, she knew about the connection they have but she chose to ignore it for now, it was no time to think about any of that now.

She was happy that lieutenant James had resigned with immediate effect the day after his confession and had to find out that he was severely ill and he is only left with 6 weeks to leave. She soon realised what the initial J.I had meant J had stood for his name and I came from the word Impeccable tgat they had gave to each other.

It gave Slindile a great satisfaction knowing that he was suffering. “I’ll see you in 2 weeks,” She said getting inside the car “If there is a case that needs me feel free to disturb my time to group.”

He smiled as he closed the door for her “You know I will.” He said as she started driving.

She smiled after so long she could now finally breath freely with no pain lurking about threatening to destroy the little sanity she had left on.

She was now free.