Beating the odds episode 21

Beating The Odds – Episode 21
 
© Brian Ngoma
 
Driving to the station, Shekinah couldn’t help it but think about who could have made a daring break into one of the most secured prisons in the country. Earlier that day, she received a call around 3am from the Permanent secretary that there was an incident at Mukobeko. She couldn’t wrap her head around the issue because to her, that was the most impossible thing that one can ever think of doing. Who had the balls to do that? She asked herself. Since it wasn’t her jurisdiction, she was only called to be told that the culprits might be heading to her town even though they were not sure. When she got to the station, she gathered her top detectives and officers and told them to set up roadblocks and ensure they check all cars coming from Kabwe. Everything was done per her instructions; Roadblocks and checkpoints were set. The detectives and officers were all alert, they checked each and every car that was heading to Lusaka but couldn’t find the culprits.
 
By the time it clocked 12pm, a lot were tired and were now aware that the plan was not worth the candle. The prison break was trending all over social media. Shekinah returned to the station and when she got to her office, she received a call from her officer friend telling her to switch on her TV. She switched on the TV and there was a press briefing and the Warden of Mukobeko medium prison was the one briefing. She knew him from way back and had major respect for him but what he said didn’t appease her at all. “Bulls***,” she turned off the TV.
 
There was a knock at the door. She shouted for whoever it was to enter. It was detective Boadi with a file in his hand. She motioned him to sit down. “What can i do for you Boadi?” she asked without looking at him.
 
“The actual driver and the convict were found in Chongwe, they are all safe. They all don’t remember what exactly happened. You watched the press briefing by the warden?”
 
“I did, i think it’s bulls***.”
 
“What if it’s the truth?”
 
She looked at him with an evil stare. “What kind of criminal would break into a security prison and leave without getting anything or anyone? Moreover, three officers were wounded of which one is in critical condition, tell me detective, does that sound right to you?”
 
Boadi was silent.
 
“Something is up, i can sense it. Sad it’s not in my jurisdiction, i would have gotten to the bottom of it.”
 
“Somethings are just the way they are, there is no need to think outside the box. You just think too much Chief.”
 
“When i received the call about the prison break, the first person i thought about was Elise Hamuumbu. I thought perhaps her children had tried to break her out but to my surprise, she’s still there and she’s the only powerful person I’d expect to pull off something like this.”
 
“They say they found a gun at the crime scene,” Boadi shifted in his seat. “I am sure they will trace it back to the owner.”
 
“Trust me, this investigation is bogus, it’s not going anywhere,” she sighed. “I have dealt with cases like this before. Let’s just concentrate on our own here, what have you got for me?”
 
“I have what you requested here, pictures of the criminals including our informant on Mr. Simfukwe’s case.”
 
“Good. He didn’t show up though, this is 4pm,” she checked her watch. “Do you think he might be aware of what’s happening? That chap seems dangerous. When i went to his house, i could see how confident he was but one thing that got my attention is how wealthy he is at that age. From what you told me, he has no education at all and he only runs Car wash and parks,” she nodded.
 
“You see and he is a smart criminal.”
 
“I could tell but we’ll trap him. With what we have, we’ll corner him.”
 
Detective Boadi left her office. She wanted to think about the prison break but she knew she would not go anywhere and that bothered her. She decided to concentrate on what she had on her plate when Boadi badged in. “Guess who is here?”
 
“Who?”
 
“Cayn Simfukwe.”
 
She quickly got to her feet following him to the interrogation room. They found him sited pressing his phone. Unlike all the times he had come to the station, he was wearing casual with a head sock. She entered the room and when he saw her, he smiled. She felt nervous. She wasn’t afraid of him but she was afraid that he might be a step ahead of her when she thought she was a step behind. She sat down while detective Boadi entered closing the door behind him. Looking at him, she could see he had an unfading smile on his face which irritated her. She also couldn’t help it but notice the bandage on his lower left eye. “Rough weekend ?” she asked him.
 
He looked at her thoughtfully. “On the contrary, best week ever, went on a cruise in the tourist city,” he smiled acknowledging Boadi in the room. “Sorry for the head sock, i have a wound, my doctor said i should cover it. I can take it off if you guys mind but i think it stinks,” he winked.
 
“Keep it on,” Boadi said passing the file to Shekinah.
 
“We won’t waste much of your time, i want you to take a look at these people and see if you can identify any,” she passed the file to Cayn.
 
He grabbed it and from it were a frame of passport size photos of men. He looked at it. While at it, he could feel their eyes on him. He kept a deadpan face and handed it back to her. “I don’t know anyone here,” he said looking at her.
 
 
“Take a look again,” she passed it back to him.
 
“If there was anyone i knew here, i could have identified them right away, don’t you think? Is there anyone i am supposed to know? Point them to me i see if i can remember them.”
 
Shekinah was burning with fury. She kept her cool on the outside. She was now sure she was dealing with a gentleman criminal but only needed to beat him at his game. “Okay thanks Mr. Simfukwe,” she stood up. “You can now go.”
 
They watched him leave. Shekinah was quiet while Boadi waited for her to speak. She kept staring at the file. “He recognized him, i saw how his right eye twitched. He was shocked but he kept his face stolid. You were right Boadi, he is the true definition of a gentleman criminal.”
 
“Now we have him. We’ll catch him when he least expects. And i think the underground company is true. We just have to find the entrance,” Boadi said confidently.
 
Cayn got to his car and let out a long breath. He had recognized one of the men in the file. He was surprised and only hoped they didn’t notice. His eye somehow made a slight, sudden movement that he couldn’t control when he identified the person. He drove his car to Long Acres where Dr. Kunda’s clinic was located. After parking the car, he stepped out and stood for a while to clear his mind. He went back to four years ago when he disbanded Yohane’s gang. Not all of them were happy especially when they found out that he was starting his own operation but there was this one chap that kept pestering him. He wanted in on his new gang but he refused claiming he was out of the game. The chap was so obsessed with him that he would follow him everywhere until he told one of his men to beat him up. That’s how he went quiet and that was the last he heard of him till the picture at the station. Now the big question was, how the hell did he know of all his plans?
 
“Hey,” Sky interrupted him.
 
“Hi,” he said smiling.
 
 
She walked to him and hugged him. “What were you thinking about? Everything aright?”
 
“Everything is fine,” he answered letting go of her but still held her hands. “How does leaving the county sound to you?”
 
She looked at him confused. “You are kidding, right?”
 
“Me, you and Mayi, out of this place for good?”
 
“That would mean the world to me. There is nothing i want more than to be with you. But wait… the business and operations?”
 
 
“We quit, i am tired. Everything i did was for Mayi and now that i have gotten her out, i see no reason for it. I just want to live my life, with you and Mayi.”
 
She looked at him and knew something had happened at the police station. She sensed the urgency in his voice. “What really happened at the station? Please tell me.”
 
He looked at her knowing he could trust her. “You remember that time i found you, i told you that i had just disbanded a group of forgers. It’s not like i did it happily, no i just didn’t trust them. I wanted to find my own people, those were Yohane’s people. From those people, there was a persistent doofus who wanted in with what i was planning. Despite telling him that i wasn’t going to start anything, he was convinced that i was planning something new. He irritated me and i had him beaten, that’s how he got off my back. Now the same kid, seems to be the informant of Blank Shot and Shekinah.”
 
“Is that so?”
 
“Yes.”
 
“I can take care of him,” Sky said.
 
“No No No, the chap does things irrationally, he might hurt you.”
 
“Since when did you start getting afraid of me having a face off with anyone?”
 
“Things are different now Sky.”
 
“But you know i can quickly take care of him. He would be dust before he even drops to the ground.”
 
“No, Franklin is too dangerous.”
 
Sky went mute.
 
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
 
“You said Franklin, did you?”
 
“Yes.”
 
“Tall, slender, light and has a scar on his neck?”
 
“How do you know?” he asked curiously letting go of her hands.
 
She got her phone and logged into Facebook. She went to a profile and viewed a profile. “Is this him?”
 
The profile read, ‘Franklin Sakala TrailMar’.
 
“Yes, how do you know him Sky?”
 
She was quiet lost in her thoughts.
 
“Sky!”
 
“I dated him.”
 
“What?”
 
“Yes, some months ago. After a while, he was obsessed with you. He couldn’t stop talking about you and he really wanted me to introduce him to you. I thought he was weird, i broke up with him.”
 
“Sky!” he called her again.
 
“Yes.”
 
“Where do you keep our operations schedule?”
 
“In my phone, why?”
 
“You sold us out.”
 
“No Cayn,” she tried to touch his hand.
 
He stepped back. “Leave!”
 
“What!”
 
“I said leave. Get out of my sight!”
 
“Cayn don’t do this.”
 
“I don’t want to see you, go away Sky!”
 
“But what did i do? What of Kayila?”
 
“She’s not your mother, I’ll take care of her. Please leave my sight. I don’t want to see you now.”
 
“Cayn,” she said tearing up. “I didn’t know please.”
 
He walked out on her leaving her standing by his car. She watched him go and knew that there was nothing she could do to change his mind, he was hærd-headed like that.
 
 
To be continued