CHAPTER SIX

It had been weeks—three weeks and two days to be precise, since Gil’s departure. His prolonged absentia from his tree worried a couple of young boys who had always enjoyed making fun of him. They informed their parents about his absence. He was reported missing to the police, and a search was declared. For a week, there was a search party out looking for him, but the search came to a stop when a few people began suspecting him of the break-in. There was much strife about it, as many felt he could not do such a thing and was generally not capable of doing anyone any harm whatsoever.

Some assumed he had committed suicide. It was not a ridiculous assumption as the life he was living had all the ingredients for one to take his life. Gil had no idea about the fact that he’d been declared missing. Actually, he cared less about what was happening back home or anywhere in the country for that matter. His car, which he considered fully his, was now registered, courtesy to the officer he’d bribed. With that sorted, the only thing he cared for was the fast life in the city, which he was starting to blend into rather perfectly. He realized he’d been missing out on the good life this whole time—the partying, clubbing, drinking sprees, and, hell, the ladies! He came to enjoy the city’s fast life and made friends just as easily.

He first met Maider at one of the pubs one night. She was stranded, in desperate need of a lift, and he offered her one. They drove around the city for an hour or so before he dropped her off at her place. He was about to hit the acceleration paddle when Maider called out to him. He rolled the window down and popped his head out.

“Gil…it’s kind of scary out here at this time of the night. You can use my spare bedroom if you don’t mind. I cannot make it through the night alone.” Maider was offering herself more to him than she was a room. He was silent for a moment, thoughts and images running through his mind before he could respond. “I won’t mind that,” he said while reversing to slot the car at a more convincing parking position. After getting out of the car, he walked slowly towards the door, his mind elsewhere. All he could see was a naked Maider…it’d been years since he last got laid after all. Before the auctioning of his property to be precise.

That’s how he got to know Maider: a lift he offered, followed by a drive around the city, and more enticing, an offer of a spare bedroom that was not being used that night. They slept on the couch, making love most of the night. After all this, they remained just friends.

**********

Jane Paul was slowly losing hope of ever finding her car and money. She had made multiple inquiry visits to the police station but was told nothing concrete each time. Eventually, she resigned to the fact that she would never see her car again. To flush off the pain and loss she was going through, she decided to take a leisure trip. She thought about the places to visit. Gaborone was like a home to her, so she canceled it out. She’d just visited Kasane the previous month and it turned out to be her favorite destination. And well, she’d explored Maun en route to Kasane. Francistown topped the list, she had not been there in a while and the change would do her some good.

Saturday morning, Jane went to the village bus stop and caught the10a.m. bus. The trip seemed longer than she had anticipated. It was her second visit to the city since her first one when she was doing her first year at the university. It was a five-hour journey. She had earlier on called an old friend and told her she was visiting. The buildings and the rank astonished her. The last time she saw the rank it’d been an eyesore. She made her way through the masses of people to the waiting room. She looked for an empty seat and relaxed before making a call to her friend for pick-up.

“I will be there in ten minutes,” Maider informed her. She placed the phone in her handbag and sighed. This is the place. She stared out through the window, a row of minibuses and taxis were lined up for passengers to board. A vendor passed by with a basket of goodies, and shouted, “Sweets and chips for sale!” Jane glanced at her wristwatch; eight minutes gone. She glanced at the floor, a brochure was lying on it, and she picked it up. It advertised the best hair salon in the city.

The click of heels approached her; she tilted her head to see who was making the sound. A smart, middle-aged lady was smiling in her direction. She was not sure if it was Maider. It is her, wow. She had changed over the years and blossomed into a rather striking beauty.

“Jane, how are you, my dear?” It appeared she’d had no struggle recognizing her. They hugged and Jane took a few steps back to scrutinize her friend in approval, then, almost as if squealing, said, “I didn’t recognize you at first.” They giggled at the remark and hand in hand they marched out of the waiting room. They got into a taxi. Within some minutes, they pulled up at the gate, paid the man, and stepped out. Jane was ushered into the three-roomed house made up of a kitchen, a bathroom, and a large living room. The house which stood proudly in the center of the yard was fully furnished mostly in modern and the latest furniture.

“It is way better than mine,” she said as she accepted a glass of orange juice. An LG Plasma TV was playing classical music. The old friends were facing each other on the black leather couch, catching up. When she shared her story about her stolen car, Jane realized it’d been exactly four months since the incident occurred.

“God will wipe your tears.” An emotional Maider assured her.

“I have given up Maider; I have no hope at all of ever recovering my car. I will buy another one, one day.” She showed no signs of distress. She took the glasses to the kitchen and wiped them with a damp cloth as Maider prepared a bath for her.

“Come and have a bath, Jane.” She shouted from the bathroom. Spending most of her weekends alone had turned her into somewhat of an alcoholic. She was happy to have some company for a change.

Jane bathed quickly and sprayed deodorant over her body. The wall clock read six-fifty-nine. “After the news broadcast, we are going out, right?” Without waiting for a response, she cheerfully added, “I can’t wait to feel the night bliss”.

“Okay, we will. I better call a cab.” As was the plan, they got themselves ready after the news broadcast. Maider called a cab, and while they waited she filled Jane in on life in Francistown. The horn signaled the arrival of the cab, in response to which they stood up and hurried excitedly. Jane was wearing skinny jeans and a white T-shirt, hair tied back into a neat ponytail. She looked stunning and sexy, a real African beauty. Maider’s fashion sense, on the other hand, was untamed and by all means unconventional: a mini-skirt, which exposed most of her thighs, and a tight pink T-shirt that said 'Groovy.' Her short hair was unkempt.

After twenty minutes they were at the Area W shopping complex. They went inside the EXECUTIVE BAR where they were greeted by a soft tune from Adams playing in the background. They forced their way to the counter, now and then noticing longing glares from the males.

Maider ordered two Amstel Lagers. They spotted a table that was occupied by a single young man and moved to it slowly, making sure to avoid stepping on others. Maider recognized the man and whispered something into Jane’s ear. They burst into laughter. Maider smiled and winked at him before introducing the two. Jane repeated the name in her head, it sounded familiar but she could not recall where she’d heard it so she brushed the thought aside with hopes that she’d remember if it was important.

Gil froze in panic. He was spooked. Seeing Jane was like watching a walking dead person roaming the streets. It was the last thing he’d ever thought could happen. Was it a coincidence? he wondered. He dropped his shoulders and almost collapsed behind the table. His fingers were rapidly drumming the table, his mind on overdrive with questions. What if she recognizes me? The most worrying fact for him was that she was with Maider which meant it was easy for her to trace him if she ever grew suspicious.

He restored his cool to avoid selling his uneasiness away. They pulled the chairs, Jane sat to the left of Gil and Maider in front, facing him.

“Hey Gil,” said Maider, and before he could respond there was a “Hello” from Jane.

“Hi girls, how are you doing?” He responded, fighting to keep his calm.

“We are fine thanks and you?” they responded simultaneously.

“Just cool…”

“By the way, this is my friend Jane, she is a teacher at Rakops Junior, and I’ll bet it’s your pleasure to meet her, huh?” Gil nodded at the introduction. All the while something inside him was yelling at Maider, telling her to shut up. He already knew who Jane was and from whence she came. Matter of fact, he knew what she did for a living. Needless to mention, he knew Jane a bit more than just to that extent, he’d seen her naked before, had felt her breasts, hell, he even knew the smell of her feminine fluids against his finger! He brushed the lustful thoughts aside and shifted his focus to the real threat: Jane. She was here, next to him, not in imaginations.

Though he’d always longed to see her, the way it had happened was unexpected and indubitably unnerving. “This is Gil, Jane…” she giggled and gestured towards him. “…We had a one-night stand, you know… Anyway, he is a sweet buddy.” She chuckled with a blush.

A long silence succeeded, each of them absorbed into their own world and perhaps fantasies. Jane sipped her beer and gently placed it back on the table.

Bit by bit things started to drop into Jane’s head, weaving a web she hoped would make sense at some point. A few weeks ago, a worn-out photo was brought to her to examine and determine whether the man in it was the one who’d broken into her house. Fortunately, she had made something of the picture, albeit insubstantial.

The picture might have been a bit worn out, but the eyes, nose, and a few other facial features were still recognizable. If the person holding the picture already knew the one in it, they would’ve surely been able to tell whose photo it was. From the little she could recall from the photo, she saw the same stone cold blue eyes, now live in front of her.

The kind of eyes that could wear a naked evil and yet again look dazzling and incredibly sexy at the same time. Gil had them. Was she hallucinating? Or the pain of losing her assets was deluding her into suspecting everyone she met? But there was something else about this Gil boy; the Gil who’d been reported missing at Rakops was Black too. The oval to round face concluded her suspicion she was now certain that every feature about him resembled the guy in the picture. She raised her gaze and fixed it on him directly.

“Not sure, but have we met before?”

Gil almost dropped the bottle he was holding…that was the last question he expected, innocuous as it might’ve sounded to the next person. Did she perhaps sense his tension and was now playing mind games?

“Where? I’m sure you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

“There was a Black guy at Rakops, who looked just like you. He was reported missing so I thought it was you.” He picked up his bottle and emptied its contents. His throat had gone dry at the statement.

“He was very poor and lived in a shanty shelter, a native of Rakops.” He listened with as much interest as he could feign. Gil stared at her; there was something special about this woman. Something he had not seen the night he broke into her house: a well-toned oval face, with a flat but cute nose, her marble eyes brown and innocent. She was pretty with small tight lips and a well-curved body with the bust pointing out to seal the package.

He opened the second

bottle of beer poured it into his glass and took a big gulp.

But something was unsettling about this particular man. She felt she had seen him at Rakops sometime before the break-in and that perhaps he might just be the missing Gil of the village.

She trusted her gut instinct, and adding to her suspicion was the way he was freaking out in her presence. Why should he? It was their first encounter, so why was he so unsettled? She resolved to not be haste but instead set a trap for him. Stalk him wittily, like a lion hunting down its favorite prey.

Maider left them for the counter. She bought herself another bottle, Jane had declined the offer of a second drink. After receiving her change, she paused by the jukebox, inserted a coin, and punched some keys. Seconds later, a heavy burst of rock ‘n’ roll followed. She started dancing as if the sounds of Metallica’s Stranger were driving her crazy.

“Nice moves, she can dance,” Gil remarked. Jane woke up from her imagination. The thought that the man seating next to her might be the one that had brought her so much misery brought back agonizing emotions, most of which she had long buried. They shifted from pain to anger, then hatred, all of which she projected towards Gil.

She tried not to recall the events of that night, the humiliation she’d faced, how she had felt naked and helpless in front of the shameless monster. A tear almost rolled, she managed to fight it back. She couldn’t show him any sign of suspicion. Not now at least.

She nodded instead to the remark passed by Gil about Maider’s dance moves and added “Yes, she’s fantastic at that, it’s just that now she has put on a bit of weight… can you dance?” She asked, flirtatiously.

“I have never danced in public before, but I'm sure I can—not today though.” An awkward silence followed.

It’s him, he’s the scoundrel that robbed you, the voice inside her head screamed. She turned to look at him, and their eyes met and locked for a while. Gil felt the tension exerted by her eyes. He has paved a way for the trap, she thought, all I’ve to do is to lay it now.”

“You seem to be a smart guy, the kind to get the the attention of any woman.” She put her plan in motion.

“Thanks…” and he gave a thoughtful smile to the compliment. Maybe she’s into me. Dating her was a possibility he was willing to explore, although he thought it too risky. What if things turned out bad? The part of his mind that was still sane knew he had to maintain a safe distance from her. He weighed his options. What if she had already discussed her suspicions with Maider and was now trying to get proof? Perhaps the reason she was here was for that sole reason. And baiting him in love would be the easiest way to trap him. With that in mind, he couldn’t toy with the idea of dating her. He opted to play it safe instead.

“I may be attractive, but I’m currently not dating anyone.” He emptied his glass. Jane had her focus on the glass than on him, that was now his seventh glass and it now mostly influenced what he said.

“You mean I am not hot enough to make you rethink your decision. I think I’m attracted to you.” A very brazen move on her part. “Will you drive us home after the pub closes?” She was teasing his index finger.

“I will see.” He was totally enticed by her. A tiny touch of her hand to his sent a chill running down his spine, he longed for her. The chill surged deep inside him, he felt his manhood dancing up to his arousal. She stretched her arms and yawned, making her shirt expose her belly. Gil stole a peek, “Wow, you’re fucking sexy.”

Jane giggled at the comment and said, “If you are lucky you can have time to see just how sexy it gets and even explore further.” He chuckled at the invitation, and Jane felt the need to press him harder since it seemed like the plan was unfolding as she wished. She believed that making him her boyfriend was the only way she’d get to know him better.

Gil was silent for a while…getting involved with Jane was likely to spell trouble, more so that he too sensed her suspicion. He had to do something that would thwart the direction in which things were headed. But still, turning her down might cause trouble for him and he could just as easily end up in the interrogation room. If he went out with her he could manipulate her. He forced his mind to reject her. His body and rebelled against him. Besides, there was something magnetic about Jane that he could not resist.

Could he just have one nightstand? How would he then break their connection since Jane was friends with Maider? He resolved, for the time, to be careful around her lest he gets screwed.

He stood and whispered, “I’m off to the men’s room”. She watched him as he snaked his way past the crowd. He had on black denim skinny jeans, a Royce Family half boot, and a black T-shirt printed Iron Maiden; he was a rock ‘n’ roll fanatic. Her eyes searched for Maider but did not spot her. She went over her plans. What to do first? Finding out this guy’s real place of origin ranked first on her agenda. She thought about her car and money and a tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it with the back of the hand as she saw Gil and Maider approaching, laughing. They paused as Maider went to the music box, pushed a coin in, and pressed some buttons; Feel of the dark by Iron Maiden brought the room to life. A couple of people in the bar yelled out the lyrics in unison.

Gil pulled a chair next to Jane and sat. “She is about to get out of control now, that’s her favorite song. She’s simply crazy.” Jane looked at her watch.

23:37

“I can see she is going crazy, but it’s almost time to leave”.

“Maider won’t move her ass till they close, and that’s at 0100. Do you want to leave?” He asked her.

“Will you give me a ride?” She asked as she yawned. She followed him past the crowd and out of the bar. The breeze was cool, and the skies were clear. The stars were shining bright as they went past rows of parked cars, and finally, they approached a BMWZ4. It was light blue, with stripes running along its vertical length and the windows were tinted black with the print ‘GIL’ on them. She felt a chill run down her spine, abruptly paused, and forced the words through her now dry throat, “Nice car.” Her voice was groggy.

He nodded at the remark, the weight of his guilt getting the better of him. He unlocked the car and waved her inside; she stepped in and heard the lock turning. Closing her eyes, Jane took in the smell that used to cover the interior of her car, it was not yet totally gone. She opened her eyes and stared at the starring wheel. She had held it not more than twenty times and now here she was sitting in what she believed to be her stolen car.

The seat was lush and comfortable. Eyes darting around the car, everything seemed familiar to her, only the outside had changed. She sighed heavily and her eyes coincidentally met the clock. Midnight, an hour more before the pub closed. She tried to block her mind from thinking, but the only thing she could think of and focus on other than her car was getting Gil under her spell. She hoped all this wouldn’t take long; she didn’t want to catch feelings for him in the way. Sometimes it gets hard for one to separate reality from make-believe if the latter is drawn out too long.

Gil prayed that the look he just saw across Jane’s face wasn’t recognition of her stolen car. He hoped Jane wasn’t at all aware that she was sitting next to her perpetrator. Despite those vain prayers, deep down in his heart of hearts he knew that she knew. Jane had already accused him by comparing him to the missing Gil of Rakops. He wondered what her next step might be.