QUARANTINED EPISODE SEVEN

The Long Night

“You caused this Jane. You could have waited till morning for us to confirm the state of James!” said Grace as she tried to ramble with the police officers refraining from being handcuffed. “James was involved in an accident with my daughter, your niece. The girl that is always fond of you and you of her. That should ring in your head Grace!” cried out Jane as she held Grace’s shoulders. 

Grace looked at Jane with a queer smile, held her hands and comforted her. “I know sister, we shall go through this together and soon, this cuffs will be off our hands.” The three ladies were helped to get into the land cruiser by the officers who at that moment were trying to communicate with their senior to cover them in case Mr. Alfred reached out to them. 

Brian’s body was charily carried and laid on the right seat. Rose moved from where she was sitting and sat near Brian. She was in extreme pain. She had lost everything. Her brother James, her boyfriend Brian who happened to be the father to her unborn child and now her freedom. 

Why would the police do this to her? She didn’t deserve this, neither did Jane and Grace. They were not prostitutes but well raised and groomed girls with utmost respect and discipline. Referring to them as prostitutes was a toxic gesture invigorating their image. “We are innocent and you know it!” said Rose as she looked at the officer who turned his head and looked outside. “Brian, please wake up. Wake up and tell these people we are innocent. Aki Brian you are not being fair to us.” she moaned as she put her head on James’ right hand which was dangling on her laps.

“Take us to where you picked these ladies!” Shouted Mr. Alfred. 

With the police car leading the way, both vehicles took the third route on the roundabout and headed towards Haile Sallasie Avenue. They passed through the CBD and went down to Marikiti and continued on Ladhies Road which connected them to Jogoo Road. 

They cruised along and arrived at City Stadium. To the officer’s surprise, there was no activity going on at the exact spot where the said accident had occurred. The officers had cleared up and gone. “Sir, this is where we arrested the murderers!” Said the police officer who was on the wheel. “I cannot see any sign of accident here. Is this the spot where you arrested these girls?”asked Mr. Alfred. “Yes sir, this is where we arrested the prostitutes.” Answered the officer while he alighted from the back of the police car. 

Mr. Alfred walked around and saw an electricity post that had bent. The post had fresh balck colouring which signalled it had been hit by a car .He moved closer and keenly observed it. He summoned his security guard, they exchanged a few conversations secretly as they looked around. They began walking back to their car when Mr. Alfred heard a phone ring. They both looked around but could not see the phone. They followed the track from which the phone was ringing from, it was in a trench. 

It was an IPhone X phone. He picked it and gave it to his security guard. “Who’s speaking?” Asked the guard. “This is Victoria, where is my husband? And what are you doing with James' phone. Who are you?”Bubbled the voice on the phone.

“My name is constable John, I am here with my Boss and we just picked this phone in a ditch along Jogoo Road, City stadium to be specific. What did you say your name is please? Alfred’s security guard answered as he looked at Alfred who was then staring at two police officers. “I said I am Victoria, James' wife. How did James’ phone get in a ditch?” Constable John cut the conversation and asked her to appear at the Makongeni Police station the following morning for more information. 

“Something is not right!” Said Alfred. “Yes sir, we are missing something here. The two officers are not being straight with us.” Affirmed Constable John.  Alfred called the two officers and asked them to release the three ladies to them. The ladies were brought forth and Alfred asked one question. “Who is James? 

“My boyfriend,” Jane answered. “James is my brother.” Added Rose as she looked at Jane. “ He’s my sister’s boyfriend and the father to her daughter, Princess!” Alfred took the phone from Constable John and asked them to call the phone. Unfortunately, their phones had been confiscated by the police officers at Makongeni police station. In his quest for the truth, Alfred decided to go to Makongeni police station to get the phones. He called the two off the officers and ordered them to drive to their base station

Immediately, the officers ascertained that Mr. Alfred was determined to get the truth. “Forgive me sir, but we should dispose off the body at the mortuary first before heading to the station.” Said one of the officers. Alfred gave him a hard glare and walked to his car. “Lead the way to your base station.” Said Alfred. 

The police officer scratched his head and looked at his colleague as they got back to the car. They drove for  about one and a half kilometers and made a U-turn to get at Makongeni Police Station. When they approached the gate, constable John noticed a cloud of smoke. “Sir, there’s so much smoke emanating from the police station.” He stopped the car and dashed towards the police station which was blazing with huge ambers of fire but he was  pulled back by the huge sparkles of the inferno.

 “Call the fire brigades immediately!” Shouted Mr. Alfred. 

The constable went back to get his phone. He dialed the Nairobi Fire Brigade service number but the phone rang once and went off. He ran back to Alfred, “sir, my phone has gone off. It has no charge!” Alfred went to the car and took his phone to dial, only to be smacked with a very disconcerting message. ‘YOU ARE FIRED!’ 

He held the phone as his hands trembled. The content of the message which had come through his email handle read as follows;

Alfred, you have been and will always be a good friend to me and my family. You have been a pillar in my life. You were an unstoppable chariot that breathed fire and developed ecstatic campaign ideas and strategies that propelled me to amazing success and enabled me beat my opponents. We have celebrated and mourned together, We have been at the top and bottom together, we simultaneously traversed through the painful and sweet moments collectively. However, due to the pressure piling up from the deep state players and main decision makers in this game, I have to terminate your services with immediate effect as you receive this email. Enormous and grievous allegations of corruption, embezzlement of funds that were supposed to help in the mitigation of Covid-19 pandemic  leveled against you are so catastrophic and have affected my  legacy. The international community is watching and we risk further funding by the International Monetary fund not forgetting the World Bank. I wish you would approached me before approving the 40 billions shillings that is purported to have been used to cater for breakfast and airtime for the ministry of health. As my chief of staff and head of civil service, I entrusted you as a signatory of so many essential budgets but on this my friend, you got this wrong. I have been forced to enact this decision to  ensure the safety of my nation. Furthermore, I  received intelligence of your proclamation and confirmation of your undivided  support to my deputy who at the moment does not understand my vision  and that of the party of providing peace, unity and development to the good people of this nation.

Alfred did not finish reading the email, “Constable, I it’s over. Let’s go home!” He shouted. Constable John did not hear what Alfred was saying. He was trying to get sand to put off the fire while the other police officers helped. Jane and Rose had also been uncuffed to help put off the fire which was now gazzling like a wild storm.  As John was dashing to get more sand, he saw Alfred fall down. He threw away the bucket and rushed to help Alfred who had suffered a cardiac arrest. He tried to resuscitate him but Alfred did not respond. He called on the two officers to help but there was nothing they could do. Alfred was in another world. 

At this moment, Jane, Rose and Grace were looking on as life snapped out of the only person who could help them. “He’s gone!” Said Constable John. 

Jane did not believe this was happening. Just when they had been assured by nature that the truth was going to be given a free rein for them to be set free; the same nature came around and spontaneously snapped life out of the only person who held the key to their liberation. They were left with the two monsters, hungry to crash them, disentangle them with the free world and throw them in darkness. It was indeed a long night.