THE FIRST CRACK
1152 Words
Portia's smile remained in place, but Naledi had seen the fear behind it.
It was gone almost as quickly as it appeared.
“Richard?” Portia repeated.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
Naledi watched her carefully. “You knew him.”
Portia glanced at Naledi's father.
“Of course I knew Richard. Everyone in your father's business circle knew him.”
“You didn't just know him,” Naledi said. “You worked with him.”
Portia gave a small laugh. “Is that what we're doing now? Digging through things that happened more than a decade ago?”
“We're trying to understand why a man who supposedly killed himself had eleven million rand moved out of his company shortly before he died.”
The colour drained slightly from Portia's face.
Naledi saw it.
So did Maseko.
Her father turned toward the window.
“That's enough.”
“No,” Naledi said. “It isn't.”
“Naledi.”
“You knew Richard was murdered.”
Her father's shoulders dropped.
Portia's eyes sharpened.
“Who told you that?”
“My father.”
Portia looked at him.
For the first time, the perfect mask slipped.
“You told her?”
Her father didn't answer.
Naledi stared between them.
There it was.
Not guilt.
Not yet.
Something worse.
A shared secret.
Portia slowly placed her handbag on the chair beside her.
“Richard was complicated,” she said.
“That doesn't answer anything.”
“He was under enormous pressure.”
“From whom?”
Portia looked at Maseko.
“Why is he here?”
“Because he's my lawyer.”
“He's your father's lawyer.”
“He's both now.”
Portia's jaw tightened.
Naledi stepped closer.
“Where did the eleven million go?”
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I don't expect anything from you.”
The answer hurt more than Naledi expected.
Portia had always spoken to her with warmth. Even during arguments, she had called her darling.
Now she sounded like a stranger.
Maseko broke the silence.
“We need the truth, Portia.”
She looked at him.
“You're very confident for someone who has only recently entered this family problem.”
Naledi noticed the way his expression changed.
“You knew him before,” Portia continued. “You know how your father operates. You should know better than to involve yourself.”
Maseko's voice remained steady.
“I'm involved because someone is trying to put your stepdaughter in prison.”
Portia's eyes moved to Naledi.
“I would never allow that.”
Naledi almost laughed.
“Wouldn't you?”
Portia stared at her.
“I've spent twenty years protecting this family.”
“And now I'm being accused of stealing twelve million rand.”
“I didn't accuse you.”
“You didn't have to.”
The room fell silent.
Her father finally turned around.
“Portia, leave.”
She looked at him.
“Excuse me?”
“I said leave.”
Something passed between them.
Naledi couldn't understand it, but she could feel it.
Portia picked up her handbag.
“Fine.”
She walked toward the door, then stopped beside Naledi.
“You're making a mistake.”
Naledi looked at her.
“Maybe.”
Portia lowered her voice.
“You don't know what you're digging into.”
“Then tell me.”
“I can't.”
“Or you won't?”
Portia's eyes hardened.
Then she walked away.
Naledi waited until the sound of her heels disappeared.
“What aren't you telling me?” she asked her father.
He sat down.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
“Your father isn't the man you think he is,” Maseko said quietly.
Naledi turned toward him.
“My father can speak for himself.”
Her father looked tired.
“Richard discovered that money was being moved through companies connected to people he trusted.”
“Portia?”
“I don't know.”
“But you suspected her.”
“I suspected everyone.”
“Did you tell the police?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I had no proof.”
Naledi's anger rose again.
“You had years to find proof.”
“I was afraid.”
She stared at him.
Her father rarely admitted fear.
“What happened to Richard?”
“He called me the night before he died.”
“What did he say?”
“He said he had found something.”
“What?”
“I don't know.”
“Dad.”
“He wouldn't tell me over the phone.”
“Then what happened?”
“He was dead the next morning.”
Naledi sat down.
Maseko leaned against the desk.
“Did he leave anything behind?”
Her father hesitated.
“A key.”
Naledi looked up.
“What key?”
“I don't know what it opened.”
“Where is it?”
Her father looked toward the desk drawer.
“I don't have it.”
“Who does?”
Silence.
Naledi's heart sank.
“Portia?”
Her father closed his eyes.
“I don't know.”
Naledi stood.
“You're still protecting her.”
“No.”
“You are.”
“I am trying to protect you.”
“You're doing a terrible job.”
She walked toward the door.
Maseko followed.
Outside, the afternoon heat pressed against them.
Naledi stopped beside the car.
“I don't know what to believe anymore.”
Maseko looked at her.
“Then don't believe anything yet.”
She looked up.
“That's your advice?”
“Yes.”
“How do you live like that?”
“Carefully.”
Naledi smiled faintly.
“You're impossible.”
“And you're stubborn.”
“You noticed.”
“I noticed a long time ago.”
She looked at him.
There was something in his eyes that made her forget the investigation for a second.
He stepped closer.
“You need to understand something.”
“What?”
“If Portia is involved, she won't stop because we discovered Richard.”
Naledi's smile disappeared.
“What will she do?”
“She'll protect herself.”
The words had barely left his mouth when Naledi's phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?”
No one spoke.
Then a man's voice came through.
“Your mother knew.”
Naledi froze.
“What?”
The call ended.
She stared at the phone.
Maseko immediately noticed.
“What did he say?”
Naledi looked at him.
“My mother knew.”
“About what?”
“I don't know.”
She looked back at the house.
For the first time, the mystery wasn't only about Portia.
It had reached her mother.
And Naledi suddenly wondered whether the family had been lying to her since before she was old enough to ask questions.
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