CHAPTER 15

A number of shiny black cars pulled over by the police station before a number of men in similarly black suits walked out to open the door for a smiling Richard. He walked out of the car and was embraced by numerous clicking sounds of cameras and journalists trying to get an insight for their stories. Squeezing his way past them his guards helped get him into the police station smoothly to meet anxious prosecutor Dylan Shumba

"Minister sir...thank you for availing yourself. To my office please." he said leading a reluctant Richard to the office by the corner where he settled down at the back of his mind calculating his answers

"I heard you were looking for me at the office prosecutor. Ensure that never happens again you caused a scene."

"Well i am sorry sir, i can say i was just doing my job."

"Just ensure it never happens again." he said firmly, tone full of threat

"I would like to ask you a few questions sir in regards to the death of Kenneth Khetha. I realize that he is suffering the same fate suffered by the other former shareholders of the Havani mine. Sir, are you sure you have nothing to do with this?" Richard shot him laser stares his breathing hitching instantly, already feeling angry at the accusation but managed to maintain his cool

"No. I did not have anything to do with their deaths."

"Then where did you get the video you sent to the police?"

"It was sent to me anonymously."

"Wow...instead of the police the person saw it best to send it to you? Is that not quite..."

"Are you accusing me Prosecutor?"

"No no its just that your statements are just not really adding up. Where were you on the night of the shoot?"

"I was at home with my children. You can ask them."

"Thank you for your cooperation sir we really appreciate it." he said getting up and stretching his hand for a handshake which Richard reluctantly took before pacing out of the room his guards running after him. Dylan looked on his face plastered with doubt. He had been on these cases from the beginning and the way they were aligned was quite suspicious. The first three shareholders of the Havani mine died one after the other and few years after Kenneth buys some shares under the same mine he dies as well. Everyone was dying except Richard...or was he next? Dylan sighed in frustration as he threw himself onto his office seat his calculations not doing him any justice either. There was only one person whom he was positive had the answer to his questions.

"A.S.2." he whispered sailing to and fro on his chair. On the night of the death of the first shareholder of the Havani mine he had an encounter with a masked figure but never got to see whom it was. The police had arrived at the scene pretty late to save the man but he had put up a fight with the masked figure trying to escape and the only thing he managed to do was rip his shirt revealing a stamped tattoo on his lower back written A.S.2. Over the years that was the only clue he had but he never really got to find the person. To fuel things even further the incident of the Chigaco plane crash proved to him that there was actually more than what met the eye in that case. He had travelled over to Chicago to study the crime scene and coincidentally came across a body with the tattoo A.S.3 which instantly took his memory back to A.S.2. Although for sometime he thought it was a coincidence because he had no evidence and had failed to identify the body, his conscience kept hinting that something was amiss and he was determined to solve the puzzle. If he was to get answers, he most definitely had to fish out A.S.2 and he was determined to it.

******

Julia stood all smiles before "Raymond" ready to recite her vows before the jury. It was the happiest day of her life and all she wanted was to get it over and done with at the earliest. Joshua kept stealing glances at Raymond regretting ever agreeing to such an agreement. His gaze swept back to meet the judge's stare before he faked a smile making Raymond giggle

"Is everything okay Mr Raymond?" he asked Joshua who looked over at comfortably sitting Raymond before remembering that the judge was actually speaking to him. He was Raymond from that day onwards and the sooner he got that the better.

"I uhm...i am just nervous." he eventually said trying hard to fake Raymond's voice

"It will not take long at all. Would you like to say your vows to each other?"

"No! Yes!" they said simultaneously causing friction within the place. The few number of people they had paid to come witness the wedding in order to strengthen their lie gazed at them sharply making it all awkward

"I mean...Of course...please." Joshua stuttered feeling like running out of that place there and then

"Mr Raymond Mathe, kindly recite your vows." Joshua swallowed hard as he reached for the ring and took Julia's hand. Looking at her face he noticed the smile was no longer fully there. Did she notice? Clearing his throat he began reciting the vows he had crammed from the internet, determined to erase the doubts in her mind if there were already any:

"I Jo...i mean...I Raymond Mathe take thee Julia Cassandra Riley to be my lawfully wedded wife...to love and to hold..." Listening to Joshua say all that to the woman he loved made Raymond drown in guilt. He wished it was him over there and wished things were different but reality seemed to laugh at him in the face. Seeing Joshua slide the ring into her finger and the smile plastered on her face brought a slight sense of insecurity but he kicked it off. He trusted Joshua strongly and besides, Julia was never and would never be Joshua's type. Right..? As he anticipated Julia's vows his gaze involuntarily fell on a lingering figure by the entrance and it was then that he saw Helen's shocked face. Quickly getting to his feet and rushing out he viciously grabbed her arm and pulled her out

"Leave me!" she spat releasing her already swollen hand from his grip

"You followed me?!"

"Whats going on?"

"I said did you follow me?!"

"What was that happening in there is Joshua getting married? He cant!" she screamed trying to run past him but he wouldn't let her

"Raymond how could you do this to me? You know exactly how i feel about Joshua!"

"He doesn't feel the same way about you. You cant force him."

"So you saw it best to let him marry a blind girl. That blind ugly girl? She is a gold digger and how did she even get him to marry her she has bewitched him you have to..."

"Shut up! Just shut up. I will not have you talk like that about my woman!"

"Your woman? Raymond what game are you playing and don't lie to me we both know that Joshua is not marriage material! What is going on?" Raymond breathed hard trying to get a hold of the situation. He did not mean to say that it happened to slip out. Julia was his woman and he was likely to defend her if anyone said anything about her

"Listen Helen, this is more complicated than it looks.:

"Then uncomplicate it. What is really happening?"

"Joshua is doing this for me. Helen you must never breath this to any soul."

"Its okay i'm your sister tell me."

"Julia thinks she is getting married to me and i have to keep her around till i deal with the Grace issue. I love her and she is all i want but you know father would not allow it. Everyone in there has been paid to keep the secret and even if its my name being called out, its actually Joshua's name written on the papers its all an act even the judge is part of it. Helen, you must never tell this to father, not even Grace please. You will not, right...?" Helen stared at him like she had seen a ghost. Raymond then waved his hand over her face snapping her back to reality

"Brother, this is excellent!"

"Huh?"

"I mean...i get to keep your secret and you will automatically owe me, right?"

"Helen..."

"Relax i wont ask for anything beyond your reach, its all within your grasp. A favor, just a favor." Sighing in frustration Raymond regretted saying anything to her. Its not like he he didn't know his sister, nothing was ever for free when it came to her

"Okay fine!"

"Fine?"

"Yes. Name anything you want Helen, and i will give it to you."

"Anything?" she probed further a sly smile playing on her lips

"Yes, ANYTHING."

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