BLOOD AND MONEY

BLOOD AND MONEY EPISODE TWENTY ONE

Willis got so scared that he forgot about his bed and breakfast so he had to spend the night at that woman's place after he was given some water to shower and one of the boys lend him his clothes as he had left his in his car. There was no way he was going back out there...

That night he could not sleep. He could not believe that he actually got slapped with someone he couldn't see and it's not only the slap that bothered him its the fact that the slapper kept switching the headlights on and off and he could not see anyone. Was it a night runner playing tricks on him?..

In his bed, he turned and tossed and finally the morning came. He woke up and waited for everyone else to wake up before they had breakfast then the guys took him to the spot where he had left his car. The car was intact, the keys were intact and nothing had been damaged.

He got in the car and started it and this time it started without giving him any trouble.

The boys didn't know what was going on with him but one of them let him know that on that same spot, Gerald was killed and they didn't believe in ghosts so maybe it was just a night runner having fun.

Willis couldn't stay another day after that experience so he made sure his mother was in the mortuary and after that he travelled back leaving his rented car at the airport, he inquired if the car had any issues but the car was good so no one could explain why it just stopped moving the previous night..

Robert had not shown up at my place and so the wires Mark and I set up didn't capture anything yet. The day after visiting Serena Mark came over to my place to hang out and teach me a few paper works, some things I needed to know before the next board meeting.

Me: I need to know all these?

I asked flipping through the bunch of papers.

Mark: not all at once, I will tell you what's necessary for each meeting.

I breathed.

Mark: you will be in control soon.

Me: how did you know all these while you were undercover?

Mark: I listened in on your fathers meetings the same way I did when you attended the meeting. I was your father's ears just in case something passed him.

Me: I see.

I closed the file with the papers and leaned forward and looked at him.

Mark: what?

Me: I think willis was responsible for the shootout at the company.

Mark: you think or you know?

Me: I don't know but I think I confirmed it after speaking to Serena his daughter.

Mark: Willis has a daughter?

Me: and a wife, you haven't done your homework properly.

Mark: he has never been my project. What did you hear?

Me: its not what I heard. Its what I saw.

He was keen.

Me: Rhoda told me about willis and his team planning to kill me and they want to use Serena to lure me in.

He looked at me then rested his back on the couch.

Mark: Willis is getting desperate. Without you in question the company is automatically off the table.

There was silence for a moment.

Me: I was thinking, how about we use Serena to get back at them instead?

Mark: that is risky. What you will be doing is getting Serena to turn against her father. She will not pick you over her father.

Mark had a point. I saw the look on Serena's face earlier. She didn't know I knew about her father being the shooter but the look on her face when she covered for him, she would never give him up.

Me: what do we do Mark?

Mark: we take a different approach. Seduction won't work because she pulled that move on you first.

Me: torture?

He nodded.

Me: she is just a girl Mark..

Mark: a girl?

He made me sound like a joker but promised that he would help me find the right way to go about everything.

Jabali after having a narrow escape from willis' home the other day showed up at Della's place. He knew the place because he had dropped off Della several times and when she opened the door, she pushed it to close it but he put his foot on the door and she left it open anyway. She walked away from the door and Jabali followed her inside.

Della: why are you here?

Jabali: to apologize for the other night.

Della: I'm not interested in listening to your apologies.

Without saying another word, he walked up to her and attempted to grab her waist but she took some steps back.

Della: stay away from me.

Jabali: come on Della, don't be like that.

Della: do you know how humiliating what you did was, that night i was feeling horrible and I needed you to wrap your arms around me and tell me it was going to be okay. You literary threw me out of your house.

Jabali: I'm sorry babe, I was going through something too and the last thing I needed was you all over me. I really never meant to hurt your feelings and I would never do that on purpose.

Della: you have apologised now get out of my house.

Jabali: come on D..

He said moving towards her but she pushed him out of her way and grabbed her bag from her dresser.

Della: as you can see, I was leaving..please get out.

He couldn't convince her any more so he gave her a hard stare and walked out anyway.

Oscar: its been one hour since you left. Have you seen the woman?

The guy in the black jeep asked as Robert prepared to leave his place.

Robert: what woman are you on to now?

Oscar ignored him and continued on the phone. His guy from the other end told me he had not spotted the girl since morning but he was working on it.

Oscar: I need good news by the end of today. Kidnap her and bring her here.

He said then hanged up and looked at Robert who had his eyes fixed on him the entire time.

Oscar: are you going somewhere?

Robert: I have not been at Owens place for a while. I need to check in lest he thinks there is something I'm hiding.

Oscar: I need you to do something for me.

Robert: what?

Oscar pulled a drawer on his table and pulled out an develop with a big photo in it and handed it to Robert who opened it immediately.

Robert: this is mark, he is a cleaner at the company. What do you want with him?

Oscar: do not be naive Robert. What do you think, that Gerald was going to leave you his company?

Robert: what do you mean by that?

Oscar: I did my investigations while at the funeral. This guy was there, not as a cleaner but smartly dressed with his eyes on Owen like a hawk. I kept my eyes on him and I realized he had a gun.

Robert: you think he was trying to hurt Owen?

Oscar: I don't know but don't you think that an ordinary cleaner would have a gun and not feel threatened at all by the presence of heavy security?

Robert: I dot get it, why are you after him if you don't think he is out to hurt Owen?

Oscar: the thing is, anyone who wants Owen dead is welcomed to dine at my table and I want you to find him. You can track him down and find out what he is up to. Find out why he was at the funeral and why he never talked or associated himself with anyone.

Robert put back the photo in the envelope and stared straight at him looking a bit confused.

Oscar: you have failed at executing tasks that involve Owen. You fail at this and I will not have use for you.

Robert: what exactly do you want me do, just get you the information about him?

Oscar: yes, then capture him and bring him to me dead or alive. About the attack at the company, why isn't Willis in prison?

Robert: I don't know. I couldn't just report him without evidence. Willis is powerful and it would be his words against mine. I wouldn't go up against him.

Robert folded the envelope then left the guy's office.

Della left a few minutes after Jabali left and got in a cab so that she could go and see Adana. Adana had called her about Leonard going to her place and harassing her so she needed to go there and be with her, maybe she would feel better then. Della's car had some issues and the mechanic needed to check it out so meanwhile she was using cabs to take her places. After the incident with kizito and Jabali, Della had been so frustrated that she kept drinking and didn't even report to work. She had called in sick and the boss gave her a one week sick leave.

Della got to Adana's court and the cab dropped her inside just a few metres from Adana's place. She got out and paid the guy and on her way to the house she met one of Adana's nosey neighbors who were out there as Adana saw kizito off.

Neighbor: excuse me.

Della: yes,

Neighbor: you must be Adana's friend.

Della: yes I am.

Neighbor: not that I want to poke my nose into your business but I feel like Adana is playing you and I thought you should know that she is not a good friend.

Della: how do you mean?

Neighbor: I saw some guy drop you off here several times and pick you up, tall light and he looked very expensive, I think I have a photo of him.

She scrolled through her gallery and showed Della the photo. On the photo, kizito had opened the passenger door for the front seat for Adana and when Della saw it, her face lit up.

Della: when did you take this photo?

Neighbor: her few days ago. The man has been here more than twice and he usually leaves late in the night. Its none of my business but I hope he is not your man.

Della walked away without uttering a word to that lady. She was mad but she needed to hear from Adana. How did she even end up with kizito in her house and why was he leaving her place late in the night?

Adana was pressing her neck with some towel soaked in hot water after Leonard left it stiff when he attacked her. She heard the knock and got up to go open it but Della let herself in before Adana could get to the door.

Della: hey girl?

She asked finding her way towards her totally hiding the fact that she was awere of kizito having come to Adana's place.

Adana: hey.

She dipped the towel in the basin again and did the same process but Della got the towel from her and helped her out.

She looked at Adana who had a small dent on their fore head, a dent caused by Leonard when he hit her.

Della: he did this?

Adana: yes...

She turned and looked at her.

Adana: I thought this time he was going to kill me Della.

Della hugged her as Adana broke down. She badly wanted to know what kizito had come to do there but maybe it was not a good time so she decided to play cool to see if maybe Adana would tell her herself but she didn't. It was a secret that she was not suppose to find out.

After Adana calmed down, Della started talking of how she missed kizito and how she was feeling awful for taking to him the way she did just to see Adana's reaction but she remained calm.

Della: do you you think I should get back with him?

Adana: if you love him, there's no need for dumping him.

Della: do you think he is a perfect match for me?

Adana: he's not bad but if I were you I would pick a younger guy like Owen or Jabali. I would choose between the two.

Della: what if I want them all?

Adana: its your life Della, the decision is yours... Can I get you something to eat?

Della nodded then Adana got up to go find her something when the door was knocked and Della said she was going to open it.

When Della opened, Adana's landlord was there with a receipt in his hand.

Landlord: where is your sister?

Della: she is inside.

Landlord: she is lucky her guy came through for her otherwise I would have thrown both of you out.

Della didn't say a word but watched him move to the next house. What guy was the landlord talking about because Adana didn't have a guy besides the crazy Leonard. Did he really pay her rent?

Adana: who is there, she asked coming towards the living room and their eyes met. She walked up to her and gave her the receipt.

Adana: oh this!

Della: the landlord brought it.

Adana: yeah thanks.

She took it from her and placed it on the table.

Della: you got a new man I know nothing about?

Adana: no. Why?

Della: who paid your rent.

Adana: a friend.

Della: do I know this friend?

Adana: you don't. I don't want to think about the fact that I was almost kicked out of my house so can we talk about something else?

Della: I've got to go. I just needed to check on you and now that Leonard didn't strangle you to death, means you are okay. I have to be somewhere.

She didn't wait for Adana's reaction. She picked her bag and left in a hurry.

Della got herself a cab and issued direction of where she wanted to go.

She got out her phone and got busy on it.

"I have her on sight sir" one of the guys said as he started the car to follow the cab that Della was in.

Oscar: bring her here alive and do not pluck a hair from her head....

"We need to talk "..

I got a text from Robert saying that and I thought it was about time. What did he want to talk about and why did it seem so serious?

I texted him back and asked if he wanted to meet at the pub but he said no. Then seconds later he said yes and said we could drink at the pub then maybe go home together.

Robert left and once Oscar was certain he had left the building, he asked another one of his guys to follow Robert and if he was meeting Owen, the instruction was to kill both of them.. That was after Oscar knew that the task he had given Robert was impossible for him. Robert was not good in finding out things and he was the type who never wanted to be commanded around either. How did he even meet that guy and why did he agree to work for him?

Willis called Jabali to let him know he was coming back and they needed to meet up and make a few decisions. That came as a surprise to him because he had not even been gone that long. By that time, Jabali had been in the hospital checking up on Serena who was now better and ready to go home. Maggy was working on the discharge as the nurse helped Serena get ready.

Serena: I thought my dad was coming.

Jabali: didn't your mum tell you he travelled?

Serena: to where?

Jabali: to up country. Your grand mother is dead.

Serena: Agrippina is dead?

She didn't seem that shocked but why would she even feel bad for her. She literally mistreated them and ganged up with Willis to make her mums life miserable its a miracle that Willis stopped being her wind monkey.

Jabali: you don't seem to have liked her that much.

Serena: she didn't make herself likable. She didn't even have time for me and I barely had a relationship with her. I'm sorry she is dead but that does not give me a sleepless night.

She took Jabali's hand in hers.

Serena: can I ask you something?

Jabali: sure

She stared at him for a few seconds but before she could ask whatever she wanted to ask her mother walked in and her eyes rested on their hands. Jabali tried to pull it off but Serena held on to it.

Maggy: the doctor says we can now go home.

Serena nodded.

Maggy: Jabali can you help her on the wheel chair please?

Jabali got up and carried her but Serena asked if he could just carry her the the car instead of pushing her on a wheelchair and making her look like a cripple. Jabali did what Serena had requested and the look on Maggy's face. What was Serena doing, did she know of the affair brewing between her mother and Jabali, she liked Jabali but why did she get all clingy all over sudden?

"Madam, do you know that vehicle?" The cab guy asked as Della quickly turned to have a look.

Della: no. Why?

Driver: it has been on to us since we left the estate. I think we are being followed.

Della: come on then, loose it. Take a different route or something.

Driver: hang on...

The driver sped off and took a quick turn on his left and when the guy in the other car saw that, he sped off after them. He knew they had known he was following them and he needed to do something about it. On an ordinary day, he would have just fired shots but the instructions was to take in Della alive.

The guy drove at an even higher speed and hit the cab like twice and it got off the road spinning around before making a stop. He drove slightly past it and got out hurrying towards the cab with his gun pointed at the windscreen already.

He opened the door to the car and pulled Della out letting her know that if she screamed he was going to kill her. Before forcing Della into his car, he shot at the cab driver in the head then fired shots in the air to scare off the people who might have been watching and drove off in the verge of everyone running for their lives.

Della: who are you?

The guy didn't respond and when Della threatened to open the door and jump out of the moving car, he stopped the car, got to the back and taped her hand then taped her mouth as well to make her shut up...

I got to the club first so I ordered for some wet fried beef as I waited for Robert to show up. I was hungry as I had not eaten well in days.

The place was noisy music as usual but there is a spot where Robert and I sat all the time, it had less noise and the temperature was quite okay compared to the inner part of the club.

The waitress brought my food and smiled at me before she left. She did that every time she served us. We were regular customers and I paid attention to details.

A few minutes later Robert checked in and walked to the table a bit gloomy than usual. Robert was very noisy and everyone would know of his arrival but this time it was different. We exchanged greetings then he signalled the waiter before our eyes met and he looked away. He was avoiding me..

Me: what is that look, are you dying?

He looked up at me and smiled briefly before the waiter came.

He placed his order then watched the waiter walk away.

Robert: there's something I need to tell you.

Me: okay, what is it?

Robert: I haven't been a good friend to you. I know we have grown up like brothers and your parents treated me like one of their sons but I did something wrong.

Me: get to the point Robert what are you talking about?

Robert: I got involved in something that could have caused your fathers death unknowingly.

I moved in and looked him in the face.

Robert: your father sent me to go and oversee the GnW branch that had currently been launched and on my way there, I got kidnapped by some gun men. They wore a black sack on my head and we drove off to some place where I met the man who had ordered my kidnapping.

The waiter came with Roberts food and placed it on the table then placed the bill and left.

Robert: the man threatened to kill me if I didn't cooperate but I wanted to live so bad and he gave me a choice. To die or to work with him and help bring your father down.

Me: bring my father down, how?

He was about to answer that when the glass window to the place we were seated shuttered and everyone got to the floor. I crawled on the floor to get away from that table and when i saw a guy walked in with a gun with his eyes surveying the room I pulled my gun and fired shots at him but he quickly took cover behind a wall. I grabbed Roberts arms and we ran towards the kitchen, to find another exit or something like that. The guy saw us moving so he shot at us and I shot back but none of us got the other. His bullet missed and hit some woman who didn't get down when everyone else did. She had a plastered leg and the bullet that hit her chest sent her down causing a distraction.

I didn't have time to play doctor so we found the exit with the help of the waitress and got out.

Robert didn't have a gun with him so I had to cover both of us.

When we got out we both ran to Roberts car because it was nearer and the moment he started the car, two gun men came from nowhere and shot at us. One of the bullets hit Robert on the shoulder and he let go of the streaming wheel and the car started swaying in the middle of the road. We had not even driven far off from the club and from the look of things, Robert was hurt and he couldn't take control of the car. I stepped on the gas and took control of the car from where I was and sped off.

Me: hold on Robert, we need to loose them first.

I tried finding something to put pressure on Robert's wound and it was damn hard to multi task. I couldn't drive properly from the passengers seat so I stopped the car and quickly got out and went to Roberts side. I got him out and held his arm dragging him to the other side of the car. I helped him to the seat then pushed a jacket I had found on the back seat to his shoulder.

Me: hold here Robert, put pressure on it.

He did and just as I was going to the other side, the car that the guys got into caught up with us and I reached for my gun. I took cover on the front side of the car as I shot at the car that was coming from a distance. They were shooting at us too.

I asked Robert to get his head down as I went to the other side shot the driver of that car and he lost control. The car swayed and hit another car then spined on the road before hitting a pole. I rushed towards the scene and finished off the other two guys who were in that car before I got in my car and drove off. That was my first successful kill in fact I had killed three guys with my gun and now I think I was getting better at this shooting thing.

We got home and the first thing I did was to get Robert out of the car and fix him before he actually died on me.

I got out my "doctorly" tools and had him seat on a chair in the guest room. He had really bled out..

I took off the jacket and sanitized my hand and the wound itself before digging in to find the bullet that had been stuck on the shoulder.

Robert: s**t man!

He shouted and I looked at him. The thing is I wanted him to feel the pain of his betrayal even though he had not really told me what had happened and why he said he had been a bad friend..

Me: so are you going to finish off your story?

Robert: come on man, can't you be a little easy on that wound?

Me: I'm removing a stuck bullet and I have to dig in. Who were those guys and why were they after us?

Robert: Oscar Dangote ordered them. They are not after me but you.

Me: who is Oscar and why is he after me?

Robert: he is after the company and with you alive he can't get access.

Me: you mentioned something about you helping him bring my father down how involved were you?

He didn't answer that but looked down in shame.

Me: okay, I will make the question easier for you.. on the day of my parents burial I saw you get out of a black jeep, the same jeep I saw parked across my house. Tell me something Robert did you kill my mother and hang her by the window?

He didn't answer that either so I got up and paced a little bit. here i was almost hanging Della yet the main culprit was here but if he did, how did he do it because he dropped me off that day, did he come back to the house?

Robert: Owen, I'm....

Owen: tell me the truth damn it,...did you kill my mother?.....