CHAPTER 13

Days flew by fast with the police trying to dig in more into the Kenneth issue, Helen trying to figure out her master plan and the two friends figuring out how to keep the marriage as private as they could. The plan was to make Joshua pretend to be Raymond for as long as he can but that had Joshua laughing loud and asking the ultimate question

"What happens on the wedding night?" he asked at some point when they were out for a drink at the club

"I will kill you if you touch her." he snapped making Joshua laugh again.

"You do know that this plan is lame right?"

"I know, more please." he said to the bartender already looking drunk. It was final Joshua was driving them home that night. In two nights he was getting married all thanks to friendship and there was nothing he was going to do about it.

****

"You are quite generous Julia. If i were you i would never have agreed to a court wedding, not when i am marrying a loaded man like Raymond." said Amanda munching on a piece of meat at lunch hour

"We will have the bigger wedding later. Its just the circumstances right now and i love Raymond so i will do what it takes to be with him."

"By the way i have something to tell you....i wont be able to be with you on your wedding day Julie. My little brother called saying mom is not doing too well. I will be traveling home tomorrow i am so sorry Julia." The words hit hard on Julia, she had hoped at least one person would be around but it seemed she was going to be all alone no family no friends just Raymond

"Its okay. I totally understand i just...i had hoped at least someone from my side will the there but its okay, go take care of mom okay?" Amanda enveloped her into a tight hug feeling very apologetic. Her mother had been on and off in sickness and she could not risk not going to see her in case she needed hospitalization.

"I'm sorry Julie." she whispered

*****

A meeting amongst the nation's greats was drafted as soon as Kenneth's saga was made known to the world. Walking in feeling high and proud Richard took a seat inches away from the president anticipating his praises for a job well done

"Ministers, thank you for making yourselves available today." the man said earning nods from the cabinet

"What Kenneth did was rather inhuman and cruel. It is quite unfortunate that as the nation's leader i was unable to stop it at the earliest and i partly take the blame for that. The main reason for this meeting is to have a word with all of you in regards to my decision before announcing it to the entire nation."

"Go on Mr President." said one of the men

"As you all know, the vice presidency seat is now vacant and one of you by right is supposed to take over." the men looked at each other before staring back at the president, "Before i name anybody i would like to publicly thank our minister of Finance for taking it upon himself to uphold justice and expose crooks like Kenneth and because of that i would like to personally thank him in front of everybody this afternoon." Richard was now smiling from ear to ear receiving handshakes from ministers sitting nearer to him

"I was originally going to give the seat to the minister of finance, but for now i would like it to stay vacant until i am sure i am making the right decision, thank you." with that he got up and headed out leaving the ministers mumbling to one another. Richard felt like he was dreaming, it was the day he was supposed to be promoted but the president chose otherwise. He had worked for it and splattered blood just to get to the top only to receive devastating news

"I will leave first." he said pacing out numerous eyes following him. He got into the lift straight to the first floor and out of the president's house his thoughts scattered all over. Was it because of the police? It had to be because the police had suddenly showed interest in him as soon as they found out the video footage was sent by him. He got into the car and the driver drove off, it was then that his phone rang caller's identity being Timothy. He ignored it and looked out the window trying to get his thinking straight but the phone wouldn't stop ringing

"What?!" he snapped even scaring the poor driver

"You have become the center of investigation sir. The police request to have a word with you. They think you know something that they don't and were at the office today looking for you." That was enough to finally get his thoughts straight and think strategy

"What did you say to them?"

"I told them you had a meeting with the president, sir you will have to be careful from now onwards because they think since you sent the footage, you killed Kenneth. They might also link you to the death of the other three shareholders. We have to be cautious."

"I will call you later Tim." he cut the call, all of the news he has received in a single day becoming too heavy to carry. On one hand it was the Vice Presidency seat while on the other the police investigation which might either ruin or make him. He has to think of something, an ally was all he needed and that too fast.

******

Helen drove over to Joshua's house the following night gaze sweeping over to her handbag then back to the road. She was too concentrated on her mission and nobody was going to stop her

"Hey Josh are you home?" she asked over a call

"I am, why?"

"I had a fight with father. Mind if i come sleep over? I will be a good girl i promise."

"Its okay. I will do with some company." said Joshua sighing before cutting the call. All smiles Helen pulled over at his house and Joshua could see her driving in via his CCTV footage at the far corner of his screen. He sighed sipping another drink trying to forget the happenings of the following day. He was getting married, and there was no turning back. He watched Helen walk into the house calling out his name and strangely peeping around before walking over to the kitchen where she unloaded her grocery bag taking out a bottle of his favorite wine and pouring it into two medium sized glasses

"I have got wine! Are you in the study?" she screamed out making Joshua smile but the way she kept gazing around was rather strange. Zooming the video clip he noticed her taking out a small plastic paper and pouring in the contents into one of the glasses before mixing it and pacing up the stairs to his study. It seemed she had not done her homework properly after all.