Chapter 9: Broken Trust

Maya and Knox kept staring at each other. The words had abandoned him, everything he had rehearsed to say to her that morning went into the gutter and all he did was admire her black lustrous hair tucked behind her ears. As for Maya, the fear was gone. She was curious to listen to what he had to say with no intention of calling the cops on him. Wasn't that aiding and abetting? What did she know about the law anyway. Right in front of her was a man she had been waiting to meet in recent times, a man created by God during his free time. He was taking her breath away.

"Are you just going to stare at me or grow a set and say whatever it is you've come to say"

"Oh yeah. Got lost in your eyes for a minute there. How are you?'

"Not fine. A mad man was following me around this morning"

"You reported?"

"Yes. Detective Stewart is working on it. He thinks it's you"

"You told them it's me?"

"What would you have me to think? Anyway, we don't have the whole day K or that was your name right?"

"Yeah. My name is Knox" he exhaled some relief after saying that loud, "I liked you the moment I lay my eyes on you and forgive me for dreaming but I was hoping you'd ignore the circumstances in which we met for a day and go out with me. I'll explain everything"

Why was she feeling butterflies in her abdomen? He was a criminal for Christ's sake. In a fight of dominance between the heart and the mind, the former was winning.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. Dead serious"

"Aren't you worried that I'll call the cops on you? It’s dangerous to live this reckless I wonder why they haven’t nabbed you already"

“I have been living dangerously since I was 12”

“And what makes you think I like you enough not to call the cops?”

"You would have screamed the moment you saw me but you didn't. I'm just working on faith here. Honestly I don’t have a way out..."

A knock on the door interrupted them. She looked at him with calmness.

"Come in!"

"Maya, the manger wants to see you in his office"

"Give me a minute"

"He said it's urgent" she insisted not leaving the door.

"Okay, sit tight sir. This won't take long" she left her seat and followed her colleague leaving Knox frozen on his seat. It was time he thought of that way out because he was lying, one of his rules was he never enter a room where there were not more than three exits he could use.

"Hermes, did you clone her phone?"

"Yes sir"

"Let's hope she won't rat me out"

Maya walked into the manager’s office looking confident as ever as though she was not hiding the man who caused the bank a hundred thousand dollars a couple of days ago.

"Sir"

"Take a seat" the manager said his head buried on the computer.

"Thank you sir" she sat on the couch fumbling with her phone. There was no way she was going to trust Knox and just like him she had her own ways of knowing what he was up to. Lucky for him. He was just looking around.

The manager kept typing for some time, sent the file to the printer and waited for the printout, signed and put the paper in an envelope.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Although you're our loans and recovery officer you're very brilliant. I can tell from the interactions we have had so far and also feedback from your colleagues"

"Thank you sir" where was that headed? It couldn't be a promotion she had not been there long enough to earn that.

"Due to the recent events the board of management has suggested that we involve a private security consultant to help analyze the strengths and weaknesses of our system"

"Okay. And where do I come in?"

"You'll be in charge of the negotiations starting next week and help the consultants with their work. The selected company is Boyd Security and safety consultants"

It wasn't a promotion but a show of faith in her abilities which was more than she could ask for. Maya had set out on a mission to excel in everything that she did and it was those small wins that affirmed she was on the right direction. A girl with the Midas touch. Except this time there were some unseen forces of fate in play and a little bit of the irony of life.

"I'm very grateful sir. Thank you for trusting me with the project you will not regret"

"No, I won't. That's all"

"Thank you sir"

Maya hurriedly went back to her office, she found Knox seated with his legs crossed. He was reading a paper, too comfortable for a man of his kind.

"I'm back. You were saying?"

"I took a risk. Every minute I'm here is a risk"

"Am I worth it?"

"You're worth more than you think. Give me a chance to show you"

She exhaled slowly leaning in, her elbows pivoted on the mahogany desk her hands supporting her chin. Knox wasn't keeping his eyes off her.

"You know what I can't wrap my head around is why? Why do you do what you do?"

"Life is not always black and white, it's a million shades of grey"

"Okay. Shakespeare. When and where?"

"You pick the place you'll be comfortable with, you're doing me a favor here so call the shots. Besides I love it when my women are in control" Knox threw the ball in her court, Maya went to thinking mode.

"I'm going on a date with you because I want to not a favor. You prefer a bar or a restaurant? You look like an alcoholic"

"Ouch! I'd love anywhere with nature. Serenity, ambience"

"Hmm. The founders park. What time?"

"Daytime at 11?"

"Perfect. I'll be going to see my mother later in the afternoon. You have a date handsome"

Knox smiled liked a kid receiving candy. Maya rolled her eyes.

"Don't push it"

"You called me handsome"

"It was a complement"

"I don't care"

"Shoo! Leave!"

"Thanks mum" he packed his stuff back in his leather suitcase.

The door flung open and the manager walked in carrying a sheaf of papers, Maya felt a wave of panic prick every inch of her skin while Knox emerged from his magic suitcase with a pair of black plastic frame glasses that changed his looks entirely.

"Not the right time?"

"No sir, I was just leaving she is all yours" he met the manager at the door on his way out leaving him glued in the middle of the office.

"Was that guy bothering you?"

"No"

"You look nervous"

"He is just an important client I'm hoping he will take the deal"

"Okay I need some help with something"

Meanwhile, Knox managed to walk out of the bank like he came in. As a casual businessman, carrying his suitcase and whistling happily as he walked into his car. A rented Volvo XC40 just in case someone was watching. And they were watching just not the people he thought or wanted to watch his movements. The boys. The uncle’s boys who paid him a visit the previous night.

"Hermes, log out of her phone. And download the data from the glasses"

Well, turns out his glasses were not just fancy for nothing, they were AI smart envision glasses.

"Copy that sir"

"How long will it take?"

"A minute sir. Someone is trying to access the office"

"Who?"

"Last night’s guest. Should I ask her to leave?"

"Text her. Get Katarina on the phone she should have left what on earth..." She picked before he could finish venting, "kindly send the lady home she is trying to access my office you know that's off limits"

"Okay sir, she woke up late. I'll send her on her way. Anything else?"

"Pick out some casual clothes for a date tomorrow. I can't decide what to wear"

"Noted"

Hermes automatically ended the call, "Sir the data from the glasses is ready I think you're being followed"

"Had a feeling. Send the data to my tablet"

He put the car on auto drive and took out his tablet. Amateurs who couldn't rent a car to tail him, he recognized the plates having driven the car himself. Upon zooming in he recognized their faces.

"Hermes, you remember Maya said she was being followed? I want you to compare the plates to the car that was involved in a car chase today morning between 8:30 and 8:35 on the southern bypass"

"Not a match sir"

"If it wasn't them then who was it? Find out everywhere they have been today"

"The car hasn't been around Club Scorpion your office and it's currently following us at a distance"

"Okay. Let's wait for them" he switched the car from auto drive and parked by the roadside.

Minutes later their company showed and went past him, they also pulled by the roadside three cars away. Knox took his rubber gun and left the car hiding the gun under his coat and looking around cautiously. He jumped in the back seat of their car and before the guy in the co-driver’s seat could pull out his gun Knox had his on the nape of his thick neck.

"Trust me you don't want a bullet in there. It might not kill you but you'll be a potato. See, I know you boys too well this is always armed"

"Dude, you can't pull a gun on us. We are family"

"Why are you following me without my permission? I think I made it clear that am not in dire need of a babysitter"

"Boss’s orders. He is worried about you"

"No, he is invading my privacy. You guys don't trust me anymore?"

"Dude, you went back to crime scene we don't do that and all for what? That girl? The bitch is gonna get your ass killed"

"Call her a bitch one more time and see what happens" he cocked the gun just in case they thought he was kidding.

He didn’t open his mouth.

'"That's what I thought. Tell the old man I'll see him in the evening" Knox withdrew his gun, kept it away before leaving the car.

"Sir your heartbeat has increased exponentially. Are you angry? I can suggest some relaxation techniques"

"No need Hermes" he jumped in the car and drove off.

The rift between Knox and the uncle was getting wider. That

evening, one of the two remaining pillars holding their relationship in place was going to fall.