Suspects: murder case

Chapter 46

Chapter 46

‘’No, I would like to talk to you about something personal and I hope whatever we discuss stays between us.’’

‘’Okay.’’

‘’I need a huge favor from you.’’

‘’A favor? From me?’’

‘’Yes.’’

I reach for a paper and write down my address at the back.

‘’That’s my home address, I need you to come over this evening.’’

‘’To your house?’’

‘’Yes, I will explain everything.’’

‘’Are you sure everything is okay?’’

‘’Yes.’’

‘’Okay.’’

I pull out my purse and remove some hundred kwacha notes and hand them to him, ‘’you can use this for your taxi, 7 P.M. I will be waiting up for you don’t disappoint me.’’

‘’Sure,’’ he stands up and walks out.

I know this is like the stupidest thing I have ever done but I am desperate.

7 P.M, I get out of the taxi and walk to the door, I hesitate a little before knocking on Stella’s door.

I don’t even know what I am doing here, what does she want to talk to me about?

Stella has never talked to me about anything unless it is to yell out her demands and give me orders. What’s also confusing is how polite she acted this afternoon, she didn’t shout, she didn’t demand, she said she wants me to do her a favour. This is beyond surprising and my heart can’t stop racing because I don’t know what to expect.

When Stella opens the door clad in a pair of very short shorts and a tank top, I swallow hard and try not to stare.

This is the first time I have seen her look this casual, she is always wearing formal clothes at the office. She opens the door for me, guiding me inside. We enter into the spacious, elegant living room and she asks me to sit down.

‘’My maid just finished preparing dinner, I hope you don’t mind having a meal with me,’’ she says.

‘’I am fine,’’ I lie. I am actually starving, I haven’t eaten today apart from the glass of coffee I drank at the office in the morning. My groceries have run out and I don’t have any more left on me to spare. I am saving up for Joan’s medication.

‘’No offence but you look malnourished- like you haven’t eaten for days, it will do you good if you join me, come on.’’

I stand from the couch and she proudly leads me to the dining room, ‘’please take a seat,’’ she says and I do.

Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and spaghetti catch my eye as she dishes up for me, my mouth waters, I haven’t had a proper meal in a long time. We eat in silence, trying to hide how nervous I am, I keep my eyes on the plate. The food is amazing, her maid sure knows how to cook, when we finish eating, she pours some wine into two glasses and hands me one.

‘’Thank you,’’ I say. Then I stand up and try to clear the table but she asks me to leave everything on the table.

She leads me back into the living room and we sit down, for a moment there is silence, then she grabs her glass of wine, drains the glass and places it back on the table before she says, ‘’I have a preposition for you.’’

‘’Okay,’’ I casually respond.

‘’First things first, how old are you and are you single?’’

‘’Madam Msizi, I don’t understand what this is all about--.’’

‘’Stella,’’ she corrects. ‘’Please just call me Stella, you are making me look old.’’

I shoot her a quizzical look.

‘’I know all this sounds crazy but please answer my question, I would like to know how old you are and your marital status before we continue, I will explain everything in due course.’’

I clear my throat, ‘’I am thirty years old and I am not seeing anyone at the moment.’’

‘’That is amazing news.’’

‘’Oh!’’

‘’I am quitting my job at Msizi daily mail.’’

My jaw drops, ‘’why?’’ well everyone knows that Stella and her father don’t get along but she loves her job, why would she think of quitting? What will happen when she leaves? Will the news even run as smoothly as it currently does?

‘’You must be aware that Mr. Msizi has stepped down as Chief Editor and his daughter Kenzie has taken over.’’

‘’Yes.’’

‘’You and I both know I was the right person to take over from him but he betrayed me, I can’t continue working under such an environment so I am leaving, I have found a job at Sondashi Inc. as a Marketing Director.’’

‘’Why are you telling me this?’’

‘’I need your help.’’

‘’What kind of help could I offer you?’’ I ask, confused.

‘’Sondashi Inc. hasn’t officially hired me because apparently they want someone who is married or family oriented. I was desperate because I need this job so I lied that I am traditionally engaged and will soon tie the knot. The problem is that I am not seeing anyone at the moment and that is where you come in.’’

‘’I don’t understand.’’

‘’I would like to offer you a job.’’

‘’You want me to be your assistant at your new job?’’

‘’No, I want you to stand in as my fiancée.’’

‘’Pardon me?’’ I stare at her motionless.

‘’I know this is crazy but I am desperate, this is just business, I will pay you a lot of money if you agree.’’

I stand up, ‘’ you must be joking right?’’

‘’No, I am not joking, I have never been more serious than this in my entire life.’’

‘’I am sorry but this is absurd, you and I don’t even get along, how am I supposed to stand in as your fiancée?’’

‘’Just say yes and we shall work this out, please.’’

‘’Please?’’ I laugh. ‘’Stella Msizi just said please?’’ I laugh even louder.

‘’I will pay you and we will sign a contract, this will only last for six months and then we are done.

I want to walk out but then she talked of paying me and I am in desperate need of money, I need to keep my daughter alive. I hate this woman with a passion but then this is business right and I have nothing to lose.

‘’How much are you willing to pay?’’

‘’Name your price!’’

‘’Thirty thousand that’s all I want!’’

‘’Let’s make it fifty,’’ she says and I gape at her.

‘’Money is not the problem here, I am just doing this to get back at Mr. Msizi.’’

‘’You don’t even like me, why would you want to pay me that much to pretend to be your fiancé?’’

‘’I know you are not fond of me either so we are even, like I said this is business.’’

‘’So what exactly am I expected to do?’’