by Anthony Mugo
The two talked at length but couldn’t agree on how best to handle Willy. Afterwards Diana thought she had been unfairly hard on Kelvin. She called him.
Chapter 14
Willy turned up at seven and ordered for scrambled eggs, fruits and bread spread with honey and margarine. Diana dispatched Kelvin on the motorbike for the items. She did her best to keep Stacey out of Willy’s reach.
“The police can’t know of our deal,” Diana told Willy after he had eaten breakfast. “You are doing this for your daughter.”
“Of course, babe.” The ‘babe’ and the grin almost made Diana puke. “First things first. I want a road map to my money. I need dates.”
“I can’t do that and you know it.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Look, the police are waiting.”
“They will wait as long as you want them to.”
“A little trust will take us a long way.”
“Trust?” Willy said. “Delilah should have been the last woman to peddle ‘trust’ to a man.”
Diana lost her head. “I don’t work for the insurance company, okay? I only happen to be a beneficiary in a claim. As things stands, I am a cheat in their books. How am I supposed to give you dates, eh? Answer me!”
Willy smiled warmly. “Wow! You are a beauty when you get worked up. One more thing.” He dialled a number. “Stan, we are up and running. Talk to her.”
Diana pulled back two steps. Willy put the phone on loud speaker.
“Four million, right?” Stan said.
“Answer him!”
“Yes,” Diana said. “Four million.”
Willy ended the call. “Let’s do this.”
The two walked to the main road to catch their bus to town. They were entering the police station within twenty minutes. They approached Pai at his desk and to him that they were ready for the test.
“Who is he?” Pai asked.
“He is Stacey’s father,” Diana said.
“You said he was in jail!”
Sanse walked. “I know you,” he said.
“It is good to be known,” Willy said with a smile.
“You are Willy the Brute,” Sanse said. “You should be in jail.”
Sanse pulled Pai aside and briefed him on Willy. “I had a watertight case against that rat. If he is here then he escaped from jail.”
“Would he walk in here after an escape?” Pai asked.
“Just check.”
Pai slapped handcuffs on Willy. “Oh my, is this how you treat visitors? To hurry things up call Inspector Jacob Soja. Kindly say hey to him for me.”
Pai stormed Boko’s office.
“Just a little inconvenience, darling,” Willy assured Diana who looked lost.
Sanse stood at a distance studying Willy.
“Word on the streets has it that you were shown the door,” Willy said.
Sanse embarked on clicking his knuckles.
“Old habits die hard,” Willy said. “The comb is next.”
Pai returned.
Willy said coolly. “My babe tells me that you are withholding her husband’s body. That is gross.”
“Why are you not in jail?” Pai asked.
“You are asking the wrong questions.”
“What are the right questions?” Pai asked.
“Is Stacey your daughter?” Willy said. “Will you submit to a DNA test? Here are the answers. We met five years ago, isn’t that right babe? Yah, five years ago. There was this magnetism between us. We hit jackpot on the first night. The product is the cutest doll ever.”
Boko appeared at the door.
“Oh oh,” Willy said. “Here comes.”
“Remove the cuffs,” Boko said.
“What?” Sanse said. “This scoundrel belongs in jail. I had a tight case against him!”
“I know how you feel,” Boko said.
“Trust me, you don’t!”
“Maybe I don’t,” Boko said. “But it is beyond me.”
“Aren’t they feeding you?” Willy said. “Oh, I almost forgot, Chei whacked your cook!”
“I will kill you,” Sanse said charging at Willy. However, Pai and a fellow officer proved too strong a wall to get past. Sanse seized a chair and flung it to the far wall. He stamped his foot on the ground, swirled on the spot twice then went very calm. He regarded his audience as though he had just roused from a deep slumber. Pai knew his ex-partner was far from done. He approached him.
“Don’t,” Sanse said gesturing violently.
“You should get a hold of yourself,” Pai urged.
“Please don’t!”
“You’re out of here for the rest of the day,” Boko said.
Sanse walked out of the room muttering to himself.
“What the hell was that?” One of the officers asked amid nervous laughter.
Pai undid the cuffs on Willy.
“Thank you,” Willy said massaging his wrist. “You should be my bodyguard. Now let’s get down to business.”
Chapter 15
Willy and Diana walked out of the station after half an hour. Diana felt so subdued she planned to head straight home. Willy stretched and yawned then said, “I have every reason to celebrate.”
It came to her in a flash. Bringing Willy closer was better than avoiding him. Willy was the enemy now hence the need to know him better. She could always work a plan out of her fix on the move.
“Sounds enticing,” her face had lit up in a disarming smile.
“I know a perfect place,” Willy said.
“Really?”
Willy hailed a taxi. The two got in.
“Buffalo Resort,” Willy told the driver.
“You already know my town more than I do,” Diana said.
“When you have money knowing where to spend it is easy.”
Buffalo Resort was a kilometre out of town.
“This looks like a good place to blow away some money,” Willy said on stepping out of the taxi. “Don’t give me that look. Money is earned to be used.”
The two settled at a table.
“So you know Mr Sanse,” Diana said.
“Every criminal knows Mr Sanse because he is their worst nemesis. Back in jail he is a hero. He nabs you in such a way you can’t help but admire his genius.”
Diana was lost in thought for a moment. “How many people have you killed?” she asked.
“I don’t stick around to see whether they die or heal.”
“How can you live with yourself?”
Willy gave her a chilling stare. “How does the teacher or the preacher live with themselves?”
Diana recoiled. “What is your full name?”
“William. William Daka.”
Willy ordered for fish and mataha. Diana went for chicken soup and white rice. Neither had had a proper dinner.
“Have you ever thought of changing?” Diana said. “Maybe have a family, a normal life?”
Willy smiled. “This is normal to me.”
“I can help you get on your feet again.”
“Really?”
“On the day we met you said I am the most beautiful girl in the world.”
“Did I?”
“Now my husband is gone.”
“What is on your mind?”
“Take a guess.”
In answer Willy placed his hand on her thigh. “Don’t you think this conversation demands some privacy?”
“How thoughtful of you!”
They cleared their meals and paid for a room. Diana called herself names as she closed the door behind her. This is going too fast. Was she getting through Willy or was he getting through to her? She flinched as he reached for her breast. She brushed his hand away.
“What now?” Willy asked.
“I need to visit the washroom.”
Diana dashed to the washrooms. She sat on the basin in deep thought. He is a killer, she told herself. He is possibly a rapist. You have to do something but this is madness. She recalled how beast
ly he was the first time and wondered what else she could do to avoid parting with her money. The DNA test had transferred her headache from a dead body to a living one. And there was a big problem. Willy had no conscience. She wondered how she had missed his true character on their first encounter. But how was she to tell that their paths would ever cross again?
Diana stormed out of the washrooms and made for the hotel’s exit. It was time she stopped the madness. However, she lost steam at the reception. Walking away meant she was ready to part with four million. The thought shook her to the core. You did it before; you can do it again. Do it for Oscar. Do it for Stacey.
She walked to the bar and bought a packet of condoms. When she rejoined Willy she was smiling. Willy laid on the bed smoking. He was naked.
Diana wriggled her body erotically to imaginary music.
“I knew I would get pregnant when I slept with you,” she said.
She unbuttoned her blouse still dancing.
“Oscar was an impotent fool who deserved what came his way,” she said. “One is as much of a man as one can perform in bed, right?”
She threw her blouse at Willy. Her hands reached for the zip at the back of her skirt.
“The moment I saw you there was this intense feeling. I felt I belonged to you.”
She was taking an eternity to get to bed but Willy was in no hurry. As a matter of fact he was enjoying it.
“I would love my daughter to live under her father,” Diana said.
She threw her bra at him and jingled her breasts.
“Vacancy! Vacancy! Husband wanted! You know what? Nobody else qualifies.”
She chuckled as her panties landed on Willy’s face. She crawled to the bed.
“We shall make more babies.” She stroked his manhood. “Cute babies.”
She slid a condom on him. She stifled a scream as Willy grabbed her and pinned her to the bed. He pried her legs open and forced himself into her. He charged like a buffalo, putting the last ounce of energy in every thrust. He was tearing her apart! She was about to shout for help when Willy released a primitive groan and buried himself deep in her. He rolled off her.
“Sweet, sweet freedom,” Willy said gazing at the ceiling vacantly. “You are the first in two years.”
Diana hated herself. She should have left.
“How does it feel to live with a man who shoots blanks?”
Diana said nothing.
“Did you kill him for the millions? Come on, don’t be shy. For ten million you have nothing to be ashamed of. This is Kenya my dear. I once killed and got away with twenty thousand .With ten million you can be as white as snow.”
“I didn’t kill him.”
Willy got off the bed and started to dress up.
“What are you doing?” Diana asked.
“I am getting dressed.”
“I meant every word I said.” Diana’s voice was hollow and she cursed.
“Did you?” Willy chuckled. “What a pity. I am the wrong man, babe. This is Casanova, not Romeo. I have laid more women than I can recall. To this moment I can’t place you. I have but one girl who never disappoints. She is the sweetest. I live for her. I have killed and will readily kill for her. Her name is money.”
An evil smile was dancing on Willy’s lips. “If you cross me I will kill you and feel nothing. This time I will stick around to make sure that you are dead.”
He buttoned up his shirt smiling to himself.
“Maybe you are considering getting rid of me,” Willy said. “It would be a silly move. There are a number of people in this. You know, it requires muscle to have a ‘technicality’ in a murder charge. If you’ll excuse me I have a bus to catch.”
Willy opened the door and closed it behind him. Diana buried her head in the pillow.
She was crying.
Chapter 16
Sanse staggered out of Busy Bee some minutes to nine. He was oblivious to the two men who stated following him at a distance. The moment Sanse turned the corner the two closed the gap. It was dark here and they quickly caught up with him. The taller of the two seized him by his throat and heaved him up as his companion invaded his pockets.
“Nothing but a cheap phone,” the shorter of the two said.
Sanse collapsed in a heap as the muscleman let go. He collected himself a while later and resumed his journey. His windpipe was on fire. The piece of wood on the muscleman’s arm almost flattened his Adam’s apple. Twenty minutes later he was was standing outside his room. He pulled the padlock whose loop popped free easily. He was home. But for a two-by-six mattress, one blanket and a bag half-full with clothes the nine-by-ten room was empty. He was snoring inside ten minutes.
Six found Sanse locking his room. He always arrived late and left early so that he remained a stranger to his neighbours. He entered Busy Bee the moment Pewa opened and sat at his customary table. His neck was still on fire. He was still at the table half an hour later when two men walked into the pub. He got his comb and concentrated on combing his hair as Pewa served the two. After five minutes he joined them at their table.
“My room-mate at college smoked Ten Cents,” Sanse said. “I hated him for it. Everything he touched smelled of nicotine. In fact you could tell whether he had visited the loo for the day.”
The taller of the two studied his cigarette before he crushed it on the ashtray.
“Take your drunken talk away,” the shorter of the two said.
“Why don’t you chop off the extra finger?” Sanse addressed the second man. His right hand had a sixth finger. “Not only will you resemble the rest of us, you’ll also take less time emptying pockets.”
The two men exchanged glances.
“Has it occurred to you that you could hang for stealing a one-thousand shillings phone?” Sanse asked. “It is called robbery with violence.”
“Who the hell are you?” Ten Cents, the taller of the two, asked.
“I am the man you shouldn’t have robbed.”
Pai walked in and came over to Sanse. He was angered because it was the second time he was running all over the town looking for Sanse.
“We need to talk.”
“Not before you handcuff these cretins,” Sanse said. “You can as well shoot them if you’re in the mood.”
Ten Cents dipped his hand inside his jacket pocket and placed a phone on the table.
“There,” Ten Cents said. “We are sorry boss.”
“So you are.”
“We promise to change,” Eleven Fingers said.
“Why change?” Sanse said inspecting the phone. “There’re enough fools breaking their backs to find money which you can nick. Then there are policemen begging for someone to shoot.”
“We’re sorry,” Eleven Fingers said.
“Of course you dumped the SIM card.”
“We will get it for you,” Eleven Fingers said.
“And the money?”
The two exchanged glances. “What money?” It was a chorus.
“Five thousand.”
Eleven Fingers gasped. “There was no money!”
Sanse cuffed Ten Cents’ right hand, passed the cuffs round the leg of the table to slap them on Eleven Fingers’ left hand. “I knew I would end up pressing charges. Robbery with violence it is.”
Sanse led Pai to his customary table as an argument broke out between the two outlaws.
“Let me guess,” Sanse said. “Not only am I fired, I must pay for the chair.”
“The test results are in,” Pai said.
“What test?”
“Paternity DNA between Willy and Stacey.”
“Was Willy at the station for a DNA test?”
“Willy is the father.”
“Is the ascertainment of Stacey’s fraternity proof that the body is Oscar’s?”
“You sound like the insurer,” Pai said.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“As far as your employer is concerned the body is Oscar’s,” Pai said. “You should
dance to the same tune.”
“Hey, man?” Ten Cents called. Sanse joined the two outlaws. “Your money is in the house. We will get it for you.”
“I knew there is some sense in you,” Sanse said. “You have ten minutes.”
“Kindly allow us to fetch it,” Eleven Fingers said.
“Nine and a half minutes.”
Ten Cents started dialling his phone rapid-fire. He talked animatedly for a minute before his companion took over.
Sanse joined Pai. “Now what?”
“Wachira and Gethi lied to us,” Pai said. “I just had an interesting chat one of Gethi’s neighbours. Isaac is the name. He claims he saw Gethi arrive at three in the morning.”
“What took him so long to come forward?”
“On the material day he was expected in Nairobi at six which called for an early start. He returned yesterday.”
“That is interesting,” Sanse said.
“According to him the fund-raiser didn’t raise much.”
“Then how did Gethi’s family manage the operation?”
“It gets better,” Pai said. “Gethi and Wachira had a grudge against Ciuri.”
“Is that so?”
“Wachira, Gethi and Bildad Mbotie were best of friends. The Hague killed Mbotie. Ciuri financed his bring-back from Meru.”
A man walked in and joined Ten Cents and Eleven fingers. The three conversed briefly before Ten Cents called Sanse and handed him a bunch of notes. Sanse pocketed the money without counting it and undid the cuffs.
“Next time go for millions,” Sanse said. “That’s how you become a hero.”
The two outlaws walked out.
“Ten Cents should be banned,” Sanse muttered to himself.
Oscar Ciuri’s funeral procession was making its way out of town when Pai and Sanse left Busy Bee.
Chapter 17
It took an hour to pick Gethi and Wachira. The two were kept in separate rooms. Pai and Sanse went after Gethi first.
“I hate being lied to,” Pai said.
“I told you the truth. I…”
Pai’s open palm landed on the table. “You arrived home at three in the morning!”
Gethi’s eyes oscillated between Pai and Sanse. “Do you have any witness or evidence that I killed Ciuri? Do you? You don’t because I didn’t kill him. Oscar owed other people as well. Why aren’t you pushing them?”