By Amie Sillah
Business Partner Patrick
He entered the office and threatened Gasim.
“Are you playing games with me? Where is my share of the money? I am giving you up to Monday next and if you don’t settle me you’ll see hell fire.” He rushed out and met Kanku by the door she heard the threats and went panicky.
Kanku
She went into Gasim’s office shaking like a leaf.
“What is it sister?” Gasim asked.
“I met a man coming from your office threatening hell fire and that makes me very afraid. What has happened between the two of you?”
Gasim
He laughed over it.
“Oh Pat he likes to blow things out of proportion, don’t mind him. He is just blowing hot air, there is nothing to panic about I’ll settle him in due course.”
“I am afraid oh! I am afraid!”
She visited Chaa at home.
“I came to collect supplies but I cannot go back without saying hello.”
“Just like that? But you have to find time during your off days to come and visit with Alhajj you are always welcome my good sister, you are very kind to me and I do appreciate.”
Chaa gave her some gifts and she went back to the village.
Kanku
She visited Sir Njogu their uncle and explained the threat from the business partner and he panicked as well.
The Dream
Kanku dreamt that a coffin was brought into their father’s compound but she could not recognize who has died but she wept bitterly and woke up incold sweat. She went to visit Sir Njogu and narrated her dream.
Sir Njogu
After Kanku finished narrating her dream he got excited.
“What a coincidence! Since you told me the threat, I kept dreaming about it every other day.Let usgive out charity to save my elder brother’s children. But don’t tell your mother andelder brother they are very rowdy,” Uncle advised.
The Shock of their Life
An assassin came into his office and pulled the trigger; his secretary Njombat screamed and fainted.
Biram his manager was shock nearly came face to face with the assassin. He rang Chaa and told her that her presence was needed that there was a break in at Gasim’s office.
Chaa
“But I have spoken to him some minutes ago; where has he gone? I am coming in a jiffy.”
She came and still her husband has not shown up.
“Has Gasim not been informed of the break in? Where has he gone to? What’s wrong with his phone it kept on ringing and he is not picking but that is not my husband; he always answers his phone. Where is Gasim? You are making me panic. Is he hurt?”
The Police
They came and broke the news to her and she fainted. First Aid was administered on her and she woke up still thinking it was a bad dream.
Kanku
The strange dream was experienced again and she decided to ring and warned her brother.
“Brother I do not mean to disturb you but since I witness that threat from your business partner I am no longer myself and this dreadful dream keeps oncoming to me every other day; I told Uncle Njogu but he asked me not to share it with anyone to even you but it is getting too much as a burden on me. You have to be very careful.”
Gasim laughed over it and joked.
“My elder sister and your dreams; I’ll be fine nothing will happen to me in God’s name.” He reassured her but she is not convinced.
After her call Chaa called her again sobbing vehemently.
She was shaky and her voice cracked.
“What is it? Is everything alright?”
“The unthinkable!”
“Has he carried out his threat finally?”
“What are you saying? Which threat are you talking about?”
“He did not tell you? That day I visited you I met his business partner who came to his office to threaten him and since then I had been having bad dreams about it. Tell me that it is not him.”
“Unfortunately it is him; Gasim was gunned down at his office just few minutes ago, I am shattered you can inform the rest of the family I tried them but to no avail.”
“It has finally happen oh! It has finally happen! I’ll go now and inform the family.” She sobbed bitterly.
The Family
The family was shattered
“The light of our household is gone! Why shouldI live? God killme; Idon’t want to be alive again.” Mama Rosa Rugi sobbed bitterly.
Lama
He wept bitterly and lamented.
“Our sunshine is gone! He promised me fortune after I made progress in the business he set for me. Now he is gone and his greedy wife will fight over the wealthandher sonwill inherit everything whenhe grew up. I need to get married and inherit the wealth for my family.” He posited.
Kanku
She rebuked him.
“Look at you idle man! Where were you when the couplelaboured for their wealth?Youshould be happythat he was generous enough to helpyou many atimes to be useful to yourself but to no availmama’s boy! Leavethe widow to mourn her husband andtake care of his wealth until their songrew upand takes over is my candid advice; Chaais agraduateandknows her right.” She chided.
Funeral at the Village
The funeraltook placeinthevillage and was attended byfriends, relatives from other towns andvillages. Everyonetalks good about Gasim and how he washumbleandhelpful to friendsandfamilyalike. And how he hashelpedhis family to the best to hisability. Chaa was also paid tribute to for being a very good wife, mother and an in-law.
The tradition is that when a person dies mysteriously the parent puts ina cutlass and broom for the spirit to fight his/her course if he/she is wrongly killed is the belief.
When mama decided to apply that tradition Lama protested against it.
“Mama we are Christians for God’s sake we should not engage in diabolical beliefs.” He argued but mama insisted.
“My sondiedamysteriousdeathandI must find out who pulled the trigger at himandkilled a very good son and a productive member of society.” She criedhysterically.
The Arrests
Njombat, thesecretary, and Biram, his manager, were arrested and tortured but were later released as they were cleared of any foul play.
They came to visit Chaa when she returned to the city after the funeral to continue managing the family business.
They paid their condolence and she absolved them.
“I never believed any one second that youhave a hand in my husband’s death. Now that the police have cleared both of you free; you can work for the family business if you like or you are paid of.”
They praised her and paid their condolences.
Chaa informed the police about the threatfromhis business partner Patrick and directed them to his home;they went there but found himout of jurisdiction.
“We will be back.” They told his wife and children.
To be Cont.
