10 CHAPTER TEN: THE KNIFE

Alex's Residence

15:28

After Caesar's encounter with the thugs in Sandy's Bar he decided he had had enough excitement for one afternoon and went straight back to Alex's bungalow. His old friend wasn't around but his fiancée was preparing lunch in her ultra modern kitchen. She offered him chicken and rice and he wolfed it down despite the meal he had had in Vera's place. Anyway the afternoon's episode had made him hungry again. After his lunch he proceeded to chat her up.

" So you are feeling much better now?" Caesar asked casually

" Yes, thank you" replied Isabelle smiling.

" I hope you forgive me for barging in like that."

There's problem. Truth is I don't even remember you coming in that night."

Caesar frowned inwardly. Girls never seemed to remember anything these days. First Vera had denied meeting him before now this.

" Would you like some tea?" she asked.

"Thank you. That will be nice. "

She set about making the tea while Caesar watched her discreetly. She looked very inviting. He wished the Tempter, who was sitting on his shoulder, would go away. She handed him the steaming cup. As he took it, their fingers brushed. He was aware of the transfer of electricity. Damn! He thought. She took a seat near him and began to sip her own cup of tea.

" So where did you do your schooling." He asked conversationally.

" Blessed Mother Girls High School."

" Hmm. That reminds me. I met a lady who went to the same school. Her name is Vera."

He was surprised to see a look of fear enter her eyes and disappear quickly.

" I see" she answered carefully, "what about her?"

" There was a photo of all these girls in her album. You were among them."

" Really? I'm sure I have a copy somewhere in my room."

" Are the two of you still friends?"

" No."

Hmm. Maybe that's why Vera had spoken of her in the past sense.

" I see. Why not? Or is it a personal question"

" It is but I'll tell you anyway. Vera killed her twin sister Venus."

" What?"

" She was a twin. I don't know whether she told you that. Vera is a very evil person and so was her late twin sister. Then they had a heavy disagreement and one night Vera tricked Venus into escorting her to some remote part of the marsh and she murdered her there. The body was eaten by crocodiles before anyone else could get to her. Not a trace of her was found."

"Mary Mother of God."

" Ever since then I and other school friends of her tended to avoid her. I hear she is a prostitute now."

" Oh dear." Though that wasn't what Vera told him. Apparently.

" Let me give you some advice. Run as far away from her as you possibly can.

You have no idea what she is capable of. Her heart is as black as her skin complexion. Haven't you seen her eyes?"

" Remarkable ain't they? "

"They are the eyes of an underworld creature. Personally I don't think she's human. She must be either some reincarnated demon or a mermaid."

" These are serious allegations you are making don't .you think?"

" It's the truth. Stay away from her or you will only have yourself to blame."

" I'll be sure to take your advice."

" Good."

" Er… one more thing. Last night I mistakenly saw a tattoo on your… chest. What is that?"

" High school madness. Nothing else."

" It doesn't mean anything?"

" No."

"Alright then."

Tony's Residence

19:33

Later that evening Caesar went to see Tony at his end. He found the young officer immersed in his photos. He reported to him what had happened in Sandy's Bar.

"So thugs actually tried to kill you in the bar?" Tony asked incredulously.

"I think that was the general idea" Caesar said dryly, "Though maybe they just wanted money. But I'll bet it all had something to do with the killings."

"Hmm. The plot gets thicker," remarked Tony, "But what does Ani have to do with anything? He's just a bartender."

"I have no idea. This whole scenario is becoming more and more complicated with each passing minute."

"You and I should go to the bar and see him. I'd like to wring some answers from him."

"Good idea but I'll bet my left bullock that he won't be around."

Sandy's Bar

19:48

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Caesar was right. When they got to the bar he was nowhere in sight. However the waitress gave them his contact address. Caesar suspiciously asked her where she had been all afternoon and she told him that Ani had told her to take a break.

Undisclosed Address, Kebby Creek

20: 10

Ani's contact address was a run down block of flats that had been uninhabited for years. No other dweller within a kilometer radius had ever heard of him.

"I don't believe this" announced a bemused Tony.

"I couldn't agree more" replied a sardonic Caesar, "I'd like to take a look at the murder scene myself later on in the evening. Will that be alright?"

"I suppose so," he replied reluctantly, "But if any cop nabs you don't even mention my name."

"Trust me."

The Marshes

22:09

Taking a torch and his Browning he drove out to the spot in the dead of the night when he least expected anybody else nosing about. When he arrived at the spot it looked like he was at the end of the world. To the east were miles and miles of marshland right to the horizon. He could hardly see anything in the pitch-blackness even with his torch at full beam.

He meticulously began to comb the area, after making a perimeter around the spot in question. After an hour of splurging through mud he came up with nothing. He increased the perimeter and continued to look. Still nothing but just mud and more mud.

He had practically given up hope when he caught a glint of metal in the halo of the beam. Moving closer, he saw it was a can. He drew out a hanky and used it to pick it up. It was a perfume can. He sighed in disgust and was about to toss it over his shoulder when he stopped his pivoting arm.

A perfume can? What it doing so far out have in the marsh? Of course someone must have thrown it away because it felt empty but still he had learnt never to overlook any thing no matter insignificant while investigating a story. He shook it absent-mindedly and squeezed a shot into his palm. He sniffed it.

Suddenly he felt his mind explode like a helium bomb and he found himself flat in the mud with stars twinkling in his eyes which they didn't belong to the night sky. He lay stunned for a while and later managed to drag himself to his feet.

Goodness! He thought, what the hell was that? He went over to where he dropped the perfume can and picked it up. He stared at it in honor. Something really potent was in this can.

When he thought he had finally pulled himself together again he began to search around at random. Thirty minutes later he spied yet another metallic object almost submerged in the mud. He went to fetch it.

Bingo, thought Caesar triumphantly. It was a knife and it was blood stained. It was small in size with a heavy black handle. The blade was as sharp as hell. Caesar smiled broadly. What a find!

Bagging his booty he made his way back to the car. While he was still walking towards it he suddenly heard the growl of a car engine start. He looked at the Benz in surprise. It was silent. 'Then where…?' he began to wonder then the sudden roar he heard told him the car was behind him.

He whirled around to find two big headlights bearing down on him. There was no way he was going to get out of the way in time.