PREYS AND PREDATORS

Chapter 6

I marvelled at what Wick said. It didn't seem to make sense to me."What are you talking about? I didn't pull the trigger, I thought I said that."

He could suss out my questions before I voiced it out."Yeah I know,you didn't. But these guys are lunatics, they simply don't care. Besides the other guy might not have seen who took the shot, okay? You gripped your guns in front while they ran."He saw me nod urging him to proceed."The short one was ahead the r****t and witnessed his friend descend helplessly on the ground, took a quick glance at you and Roland who still had your guns levelled forward and scurried away.

It's practicable he didn't see who took the shot. Hence if they wish to revenge they would have to assassinate you both."

It was then I sensed the farsightedness in what he uttered.

"So I suggest we put you.."

Discerningly I could tell what was coming so I cut him short.

"Uh-huh. Don't worry about me. I'll be just fine."To be fair I didn't want anyone taking risks for me when I knew I had limited time anyway and I wasn't prepared to inform him about my condition yet.

"But Addy, this ain't some joke..."

"Like I exclaimed earlier, just fine."

He looked at me like he was going to throttle me notwithstanding the look didn't last long.

Somehow the yearning to get drunk had left me. So as to catch Sonita performing a freestyle song I wanted to take my leave. I figured it might help. But a question arrested me for a moment."One last question, Wick?"I thrust the picture on my side back to him."Shot on the forehead and stabbed in the neck? Seems to me like overkill. Why?"

He shrugged,"I don't, maybe they're trying to prove a point."

"That they're armed? Dangerous? Back off? And don't bother investigating?"

"Correct. Like cults do they are trying to make themselves appear dangerous."

"Except they are. If not any other cult this one is. The red horn has been existing for more than twenty years now I guess."

Afterwards I told him to inform me if he perceives anything worth telling on the case then I took my SUV.

Wick home wasn't so remote from mine so I approached home soon.

My house wasn't so exciting like few other nearby houses. It was a bungalow with a chimney on the top. I had it painted after my foster daughter's favorite color, red. Mine would have been a more seemly preference but I didn't mind even do she wasn't appreciative about it. There was a tree long in length in the compound. Though it never produced fruits it seemed full of life and its roots were embedded deeply in the ground that it stood unflinchingly many steps away from the house. Breeze wouldn't stop kissing the leaves.

When Sonita was little I wanted to make it a tree house but it turned out not to be big enough. My car was parked and I walked towards the front door. A thought occurred to me so I changed my mind and considered entering the back door was a more better selection if I didn't want her perceiving my presence.

Along the way I could already hear her inaudible soothing voice. She was a singer, to my pride a very good one at that. Her voice like her mother's, high-pitched,smooth and soothing. Normally she couldn't rap but her ability to make rhymes even while doing a freestyle was like top rap songs. Like a regular father astonished at such talent I was anxious to help her release her first single but she insisted she needed more training. Accordingly I hired her a music teacher and expert.

The back door led to the kitchen and unknown to her I opened it halfway watching her do her thing. Seated on a stool her voice,flow were just wonderful. It went like this.

Love is knocking on the door, love is knocking on the door.

Of your heart, toxic love }2×

I need you more than I need any other one.

My heart,my soul you can have it if you want.

Time's running out,my little hope's fading

My heart broken and amended, I feel missing.

Have been in darkness,deep in sorrow.

Thrust my face in my pillows I don't care about tomorrow.

But I've never felt so free since I loved you.

I wish we could stay, play and cuddle.

When I voice out my feelings you ignore.

Usually that gets me angry,what do you take me for?

I promised myself I won't fall in love anymore.

But just a smile of yours changes my decision.

Love is knocking on the door, love is knocking on the door.

Of your heart, toxic love }2×

If only I could find someone who would love me.

Then I won't be so lonely.

It ended there. Taken aback and lost in her melody my mouth gaped as I watched her, reminded of my past with Rita,her mother. I failed her. I loved her considerably. But I snapped out of it soon and started clapping and cheering as I entered. At the outset she was startled and frowned at me. I didn't mind, I've seen that a million and one times.

I grinned."Wow wonderful!"

With a unconcerned look she stood up to face me."You invaded my privacy."

Since all these years I still couldn't understand if Sonita was a stickler for privacy or it was me she didn't want to see. Simply because her only excuse of being irritated at my presence at times was my invasion of her privacy.

It occurred many times so I concluded she always said it on purpose. Sometimes I felt dissapointed at myself. She was twenty years of age and there are yet some things I didn't comprehend about her. She used to be gentle and respectful when she was young. Why the change?

I, who had forgotten about her privacy rules, grinned on and joked in correction."I invaded my kitchen."

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