Day 36 - David's side of the story

"Teresa I need to know the truth."

I had finally managed to get a chance to be alone with Teresa. We were staying in separate rooms at a small run down guest house, about 100 meters from the small health center where I had come back from the dead. I had been discharged a day earlier. According to the African medical guy, only my will to live had kept me alive because I had apparently lost a very huge amount of blood. Whatever he meant I knew that it had something to do with Teresa. The woman who was now slipping out of my hands even as I watched.

We were seated at the rather pleasant garden at the back of the establishment under a grass thatched umbrella-like structure. It succeeded in keeping away the heat.

The smell of the fresh wild flowers from the small garden in the vicinity was strong and pleasant. The garden was hardly cared for and looked wild and unkempt. Still it more than made up for the poor facilities in the guesthouse.

"Can we talk about this later?" She said, trying to play her usual games on me.

“This won’t work Teresa. I have a right to know and I would like to know now. Quit playing games on me.”

“And what gives you that right? We had a contract remember.”

That remark stung me. My heart felt like it was butter and a hot knife was slicing through it.

“So I’m really just wasting my time here am I?”

“You probably are,” Teresa said coldly.

“Well, I’ll tell you one thing. Whatever it is you are keeping from me had better be worth it. I have information that you’ve been convicted as a pickpocket or something.”

That got her attention.

“W-who told you that?”

“Never mind.

“You had no right checking on me like that.”

“I think I do Teresa. You can be sure of one thing, I may be a dump guy who signed some stupid contract. But I’ll get to the bottom of this, if it’s the last thing I do.”

“How dare you. You have no right. You’re just a junkie.”

I stood up, seeing a new side of Teresa that I had never seen before. A side I didn’t like at all. “Well this junkie saved your ungrateful ass, remember?”

I turned and walked away, feeling emotions I had never felt before. At least as far back as I could remember. It was always me who had rejected the women. Now a woman who I had feelings for that I didn’t know I was capable of having for any woman, had finally put her cards on the table. She had revealed her true nature.

As I limped away headed for my room, I heard Teresa apologizing behind me. But it was too late. I was no longer interested. I was done with her. As far as I was concerned it was all over.

Despite everything we had been through together, it was all over. And what a fool I had been. Never again, I vowed to myself.

Day 35 - David's side of the story

That single incident put a great strain on our relationship with Teresa. Yes, we still talked and smiled at each other a lot. But at the back of our minds there was this unfinished business. These unexplained issues that kept on haunting our every word of conversation.

It was an unbearable anti-climax. Where we had both thought there was plenty to be discussed, now all of a sudden there was almost nothing to discuss.

I sadly watched as Teresa slipped back to her old self of putting road blocks on certain routes leading to certain no go subjects.

As I continued to recover from my bullet wounds, I also grew desperate that our relationship was falling apart and there seemed to be nothing that I could do about it. I racked my brains for a solution, but there seemed to be none. All the answers seemed to be locked up by two persons, Teresa and the mysterious snake-bite-Kevin.

Since Teresa was not talking, I felt that the only way to save the only meaningful relationship I had ever had in my life was to somehow speak to this Kevin.

Teresa was staying somewhere close to the health center, I didn’t know exactly where, and she usually came in every day with food and stuff. One of the topics that Teresa did not want to discuss was what we were going to do when I recovered well enough to leave the health center. This was going to happen in just a few days, as my recovery rate had been extremely fast ever since I had recovered consciousness just three days earlier.

I knew that Kevin had to be somewhere in the health center and I could not bear it anymore. On that third night when I was sure that Teresa had gone for the day, I made my way around the small health center determined to find Kevin.

The place was really badly run as no nurse or doctor seemed to be in sight and nobody challenged me. But turning round the corner on the corridors, my attention was attracted by a small private room that had a single armed policeman seated at the door. Could this be Kevin’s room?

I approached him and he looked up at me with lots of interest. I must have been quite a sight with my heavily bandaged open chest, unbuttoned brown shirt and creased cotton white shorts. I was still weak and I walked very slowly.

“What is your problem, sir?” the African policeman asked in very good English.

“I would like to have a brief word with the gentleman I believe is inside this room.”

“Mr Kevin Seymour?”

I was amazed at my luck. But then this place was small. “Yes, please.”

“You can not do that sir. He is a suspect.”

“I need a few minutes, please.”

“It is against regulations for suspects to be allowed visitors of any kind.”

I felt in my pockets for the local 100 shs bill Teresa had left me with, incase I needed something. I was desperate. Would it be enough, I wondered? I didn’t know, but it was worth a try. I removed it and pressed it into the policeman’s free hand.

“Five minutes.” He said holding the door open for me.

From the open door of the tiny room I could see the small pale frame of this man who held all the answers. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be asleep.

I walked in and the policeman carefully shut the door behind me.

I would have to wake him up, I thought, as I sat on the side of the bed. But the moment I reached out, he opened his eyes wide.

“David, the junkie.” He said.

“I’m no junkie.” It was then that I noticed one of his hands was handcuffed to the bed.

“Who let you in here?”

“I just wanted to ask a few…”

“Ask what?” he almost shouted. “Get the hell out of here, right now.”

I was shocked at this man whom I had never met being so angry with me. What had I done to him? I stood quickly as the policeman opened the door.

The venom still very much in his eyes, Kevin burst out; “I have evidence to prove that your lover is a murderer, a con artiste and has a criminal record for pick pocketing.”

Those words hit me. They really did. I had no reason to believe this bitter man, maybe even some of the snake venom had made its’ way to his brains. Still I had a strange feeling that what he was saying was true. At least it would explain why Teresa had so many areas in her life she never wanted to discuss.

And who had told him she was my lover? That was yet to happen.

Day 34 - David's side of the story

At first I thought I was dreaming. It was Teresa calling out to me and she was at the entrance of some distant tunnel where there was a bright light.

I could not see her clearly so I moved closer and closer as she continued to call my name.

I opened my eyes to see her looking down at me.

"David, you were dreaming."

I gave her the best smile I could master under the circumstances.

"I'm glad you're fine." I managed to whisper.

She started crying.

"I've been such a fool. You wake up after risking your life for me and the first thing you say is..." she broke into sobs. Some of the tears fell on my face. No woman had ever shed tears for me before.

“Don’t cry Teresa, everything is going to be alright.” I whispered.

Teresa tried to control herself as best as she would. I marveled that I was with her once again. For a long time I had thought I would never see her again. I was very excited and I wanted this moment with her to last forever.

I had learnt the truth; I wasn’t the tough guy I kept on pretending to be. I needed somebody to care for who would also care for me. And that person would have to be Teresa. Nobody else.

My mind went back to the excitement I had felt when I saw Teresa’s shoe. Maybe somebody else would have been worried that she was dead. Not me. I somehow suspected that she was still alive. And besides after all the agony and uncertainty I had gone through, I wanted to get to the bottom of this matter and know for sure what had happened to her.

My Masai friends took me to the spot where they had found the shoe. Within a short time we found the suspicious looking compound. Don’t ask me how but I somehow sensed that Teresa was there.

But the bat-eared man told us she wasn’t. There was something about him that was very scary. It was probably his eyes. He looked like he was high on drugs or something.

Then I heard Teresa’s voice calling out and I just went berserk and charged at the Bat-eared guy although he was holding a gun in his hands. I heard the loud bang of the gun going off long before I felt the searing pain on my chest. The last thought on my mind was Teresa, how could I die and leave her in danger? This was no time to die.

“There is so much we need to talk about, honey.” Teresa told me.

I closed my eyes for a moment to absorb that statement. She had called me ‘honey’. That single word seemed to bathe my whole soul with joy and pleasantness that I wanted to last forever.

“Are you in pain?” I heard her worried voice enquiring.

“No, Teresa. I’m just happy.” I whispered.

“About what? Something you’d like to share?”

“About you. About being with you. I thought I’d lose you.”

“Oh my darling, you’ll never lose me. I promise.”

Again the words sunk deep into my soul and the impact was too much I had to shut my eyes in sher pleasure again. This time Teresa had an idea of what was happening. She gently kissed me on my lips and I could swear I started feeling stronger and better immediately.

Suddenly there was some commotion outside.

“Don’t go anywhere, I’m coming back,” Teresa joked as she walked out.

When she returned, her whole face was pale and she looked scared of something. She was talking half to herself as she approached my bed.

“They’ve just brought in Kevin with a snake bite. He should be dead. I’ll tell the doctor to make sure he does something to make sure he dies.”

“Whose Kevin?”

“It’s a long story David.”

“And why do you want to murder him.”

That froze Teresa. She looked at me opening and shutting her mouth like a fish. I could see she was scared. But scared of what? Who the hell was this Kevin guy and what did he know, that he now had to die for? I was worried, this was a side of Teresa I had never seen before and it scared me. I lay there patiently waiting for the answers I knew would never come.

Day 33 - David's side of the story

I opened my eyes and saw a white dazzling ceiling. At first it seemed too white and hurt my eyes. But after a while I got accustomed to it. Where was I?

There was some serious pain coming from somewhere on my chest and I winced in pain, when I tried to move.

I remained there trying to turn my head around the small room, which appeared to be some sort of stone-age or 18th century hospital. No equipment just bare metal hospital beds.

Where the hell was I?

Then it all came flooding back. Some crazy African man with large ears had shot me, shortly after I had heard Teresa's voice. Teresa’s voice crying out in terror.

What had become of my dear Teresa? Was she safe? Had the crazy guy killed her? Where could she be? Worry flooded into my mind even as the throbbing pain on my chest continued.

“How are you feeling now?”

I turned my head to see an African man standing by my bed. The white coat he was wearing implied that he was a doctor or some sort of medical person.

“My chest is hurting like hell…”

“Yes, you were very lucky the bullet went into the right side of your chest, far from your heart. But you’ve lost a lot of blood.”

“Please can you do something about the pain on my chest?”

“I am doing that.” I saw the syringe for the first time as he held it up to suck in the liquid from a tiny bottle.

The next minute I felt the needle penetrate the side of buttocks and I winced in pain.

“The pain should be under control in a few minutes. We had given up hope on you, that’s why you were not under any medication.”

This doctor sure gave a lot of details. Where I came from they just asked lots of questions and nodded in response. They never volunteered information unless you really asked for it. And many times they never gave any information to patients, even if they asked.

So they had assumed that I was going to die? But who had brought me to this place? How far was I from Teresa? Endless questions to ask. I didn’t know which one to start with first.

The pain had reduced but now I was feeling drowsy. I drifted back into a troubled sleep.

=========================
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Day 32 - Kevin's side of the story

The snake moved with lightning speed and struck at my right foot sinking its' fangs deep into my flesh. I cried out in pain.

I screamed again in great pain as the fangs remained in my body for a moment. The snake then slithered into the bush and disappeared.

I fell down, the pain still almost unbearable. The blood was now beginning to trickle out making crimson spots on my trousers.

It had to have been a very poisonous because I could already feel my body weakening rapidly from the venom it had injected into my blood stream.

My mind raced trying to remember every first Aid tip I had ever read on how to deal with snakebites. There was this thing about stopping blood flow by tying something tightly around the limb, close to the snakebite.

I tore a section of my shirt and desperately tried to tie it on my sheen just above the bite. Already I could feel that I was weakening by the minute. My leg was now beginning to swell around the area where the snake had struck with its’ deadly fangs.

I finished tying the cloth as best as I could and wondered just how effective it was going to be.

I had no alternative now but to rush back to the health center. I had no choice, even though Teresa wanted me dead. It was better to die at the small health center from a bullet than to die out here all alone from snake venom. I turned around and retraced my steps, limping badly but hurrying as much as I could manage, knowing that time was against me. I had to get medical attention for the snakebite fast.

Even as I limped along I knew that there was no way I would make it to the health center alone. The only thing that could save me was if the Masai had pursued me. There was a chance that they would get me treated first. But so far there was absolutely no sign that they had followed.

I could feel myself passing out and I desperately tried to shout for help at the top of my voice. But even the strength to lift up my voice was now no longer there. I forced myself to keep going, keeping my eyes on the path directly ahead of my feet. I was now feeling very dizzy so I held up my head and looked to the horizon to try and reduce the feeling.

Peering into the distance, I could still not see the health center ahead. I must have ran quite a distance when I was getting away from Teresa and the Masai. I kept going, hoping and praying that I would somehow catch a glimpse of the Health Center.

That is what I was trying to do when I felt myself passing out. The last thing I remember was the ground rushing towards my face as I lost consciousness.

=============
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Day 31 - Kevin's side of the story

Teresa held my small revolver with both hands and was pointing it directly at me. There was no doubt on my mind that she was serious about murdering me in cold blood. The woman had just lost it. This was not the Teresa I knew intimately.

The two Masai wariors holding me firmly in their grip, were the first to react, they scrambled for safety not wanting to be accidentally in the way of the deadly bullet intended for me.

Since I had come into the room a few moments earlier, I had not moved from my position, which was very close to the door. That is probably what saved my life. I dived for the door, which was still slightly ajar since the Masai warriors had come into the room.

The loud bang of my revolver going off filled the room once more just as I stepped out and started my mad dash into the bush. I knew I was running for my life and although I was in poor shape, I didn't notice as I hurtled through the bush as fast as my legs could carry me.

I have no idea how long I had been running by the time I stopped briefly to catch my breath. My whole body was drenched in sweat. I hid behind a large tree and listened, my heart beating fast.

Had the Masai warriors followed me? Were they this minute tracking me down through this bush they must know like the back of their hands? I listened carefully for any sound. There was none to alarm me. Just the usual chirping of birds. It seemed that they had decided not to pursue me. But why? It didn’t make sense.

I did not want to believe something that did not make sense, at least not to me. They would be here soon enough and they would kill me. Teresa wanted me dead.

I tried to think. What would I do to get out of this fix now? Without a gun and in the bush, my situation was now difficult. Could I make a deal with the Masai, like junkie had obviously done? But then I did not have any cash on me. There was no way those savages would take traveler’s check. They were even unlikely to accept dollars even if I had them on me. My guess was that they would prefer the local currency. Where would I get that here in the bush and in the middle of nowhere?

What if I found a way of somehow reaching my room at the lodge in the Mara? That would dramatically improve my current situation. But how would I do that, it was at least an hours drive in my Land Cruiser. Then there was the threat of the Masai. I was convinced that they would pursue me.

Once again I ran like crazy through the bush. I had to put as great a distance as possible between the Masai. There was no trusting those savages, they could easily spear me to death the moment they set their eyes on me.

This had to be my lucky day because I somehow saw the danger moments before I was on it. I stopped dead on my tracks, horrified. The snake was larger than any snake I had ever seen in my life. It was lying on the path directly in front of me. Had I taken a couple more steps, I would have trodden on it. I’m not an expert on snakes, but this one was definitely of the poisonous type. That much I could tell. In fact I was convinced that she was of the more poisonous type.

The snake must have already anticipated my arrival in its’ path, by whatever way snakes sense people, long before they are in view. I knew this because she was poised to strike. Her head was drawn back ready to pounce with lightning speed and sink her highly poisonous fangs into me.

I was frozen on the spot, not daring to move and at the same time being very aware of the danger right in front of me. I had read somewhere that snakes usually waited for people to move in these situations for them to pounce and strike. So I dared not to move an inch. And yet everything in my being was crying out to me to get the hell out of the place as quickly as possible.

Day 30 - Kevin's side of the story

"What forgery?" Teresa asked.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten how we financed this whole operation."

"You forged the signature. I only provided the account number, and you tricked me into doing it in the first place."

"Doesn't that make you an accomplice in the crime?"

"You tricked me."

"Don't tell me that you gave me that account number not knowing what I was going to do with it?"

"I trusted you and I really regret it now."

"You think anybody will believe that?"

"You can't prove my involvement."

"You don't think I was stupid enough not to take certain precautions, incase you turned against me."

"You're bluffing."

"We'll see about that."

My mind went back to the day I had convinced Teresa to give me Ed’s bank personal account number. The account I had already carefully gauged was the safest to withdraw funds from without causing any suspicion. We were in bed after a passionate session of lovemaking. It was a lazy Saturday afternoon and I had organized the whole rendezvous knowing in my mind exactly what I wanted to achieve out of it.

“I really miss that with Ed,” Teresa purred.

“Ed can’t really be all that bad.”

“He is and then some. And don’t forget he’s sick and it’s beginning to show.”

“Me and you, is it just sex Teresa?”

“That’s an unfair question, Kevin.”

“But can I get an answer?”

“You know I care about you and you are still a married man as of this minute. What should I expect?”

“You’re also married.”

“Yes, but you know we no longer even share a bedroom with Ed.”

“But I need you to go back to his bedroom.”

“What the hell for?”

“To prove that you love me, or care for me, or whatever your feelings for me are.”

“How do I do that by going back to Ed’s bed?”

“I’ll tell you after you accept.”

“How can I accept when I do not know what the motive is.”

“The motive is for you to make up with a poor dying man.”

“Even if I accepted, how would I go about that? He hasn’t said anything to me. How do I tell him I found out he was dying.”

“You don’t have to tell him. Just show concern for the way he looks so pale these days. You know the drill.”

“No Kevin, I don’t know the drill.”

I could sense that this conversation was going dangerously out of control and I had to do something about it, fast. I did.

“Do you care enough about me to trust me?”

“Yes.”

“You’re sure?”

“Of course I’m sure.”

“Then I’ll tell you what I need, you don’t ask me any questions. You just tell me if you can do it or not.”

“Okay.”

“I need the account number for his main personal checking account.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

“That is easy.”

And that is how easy it had been getting the information from her.

But now my mind was rudely dragged away from the past to the present and immediate danger. Because Teresa had grabbed my revolver from the floor and was now aiming it at me. I froze in fear regretting the fact that I had underestimated her. Was it going to cost me my life?

Day 29 - Kevin's side of the story

"Are you going to murder me in cold blood in front of all these witnesses." Teresa posed calmly. Actually too calmly.

"What witnesses?" I asked with the gun still pointed at her heart.

"They are all over the place in this building. The noise of your gun going off will bring them all here in seconds."

"That’s really not a problem. I'll just shoot my way out."

"The way your partner, Douglas tried to do."

Something just wasn't right here. This woman was just too cool and calm with a gun pointed at her, like in a badly written novel. I knew this woman fairly well. She loved life and had gone to great lengths to get a huge sum of money. Suddenly she wasn’t scared of death. It just didn’t add up. Could it have something to do with David.

"Where's David?" I asked.

"He's in the next room, dying."

That was a relief. No loose ends. So Teresa had actually fallen in love with the drug junkie. I just couldn't understand women. What was it the guy had? Definitely not cash. The sex perhaps. The sex, most probably.

“So you really do love him.”

“Yes.” It was almost a whisper.

“So our no-sex contract counted for nothing.”

“That stupid contract that you keep on bringing up was the most stupid, idiotic thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

“So it is really the sex?” I persisted. I was curious, I just had to know.

“Can’t you think of anything else you idiot,” she raised her voice and this was enough to bring a number of Masai warriors rushing into the room. I had no idea where they had come from and I really didn’t care, I had the gun.

The first shot I fired, miraculously missed Teresa by what had to be a fraction of an inch. What I saw was the wall directly behind her chest taking the bullet, but it didn’t touch her. My next shot hit the roof because there were already two Masai men holding both my hands up in the air. And the guys were quite strong because they twisted the firearm out of my hands the way you snatch a dangerous toy from a kid. Almost effortlessly. They handed it over to Teresa. She placed it carefully on the floor next to her.

The man who appeared to be their leader spoke out to Teresa in their language. A young boy dressed in what appeared to be a school uniform, translated for Teresa.

“He say they not kill white men, because the last time they kill one, many white soldiers come and they kill many Masais. His grandfather told him. Otherwise this coward white man who shoots at a woman would be meeting his ancestors now.”

A chill went through my spine as I heard those words. This was no idle threat coming from these crazy Masai warriors.

“What does he suggest we do with him? Is there a place he can be locked up?” Teresa asked. The warrior spoke rapidly in dialect again after receiving the translation of what Teresa had asked.

“He suggest we take him to police.”

“I have a few words to say to him first,” Teresa told them. She walked straight to where I stood and spat in my face. “I should kill you myself, Kevin. Only that you’re not worth it.”

“I just have a small question to ask,” I said trying to buy some time to think my way out of this situation.

“What are the police going to charge me with?”

“How about attempted murder? We have witnesses right here.”

“If I go down, I go down with you Teresa."

"For what?"

"How about forgery, and all the associated conspiracy charges that you and I were involved in to get at Ed’s money?”

=====================
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Day 28 - Kevin's side of the story

"Hello Kevin, I've been expecting you," Teresa's voice greeted me the moment I entered the small health center's reception.

For a moment I froze, confused. I was looking for her but I had not expected to walk into her like this. I quickly recovered. I could still feel the tiny revolver inside my pocket but I hadn't removed it yet.

"Hello Teresa, I've missed you."

"Have you? Is that why you left me with that lunatic?"

"You mean Douglas. Now what did you guys do to him?"

"He messed with some of David's friends, actually even killed one of them."

"Since when were the Masai David's friends?"

"The guy just hit it off in Africa, has tons of friends."

"He's a friend of yours too."

"He's my husband."

"Huh. Your-marriage-of-convenience husband."

"I don't see what concern it is of yours."

"You don't? You mean what we had didn't matter?"

"I don't trust you anymore Kevin. It seems it was all a performance."

"A performance? Damn you Teresa, I loved you more than I loved any other woman in my life."

"And then you wanted me dead, right?"

"No. And then you went and fell for some out-of-luck-junkie I helped you pick from the streets."

“That’s beside the point.”

“It isn’t. Teresa look at me straight in the face and tell me that you don’t love the junkie.”

“I’m looking at you straight in the face and I’m telling you that I love him. More deeply than I’ve ever loved any man in my life.”

“So what is it about him? The sex?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“You went and had sex with him when you and I had agreed they would be no sex? We took the trouble to put it down in his contract. Teresa, you couldn’t wait just a few weeks for me?”

“Kevin, I told you, who I sleep with is none of your business. I don’t ask you when you have sex with your wife.”

“So there was nothing between us?”

“Our relationship was a big mistake.”

“Yeah you can say that now but I remember you licking your lips at the mention of two million dollars. Remember?”

“That’s the past.”

“You’ve changed now? No longer interested in money?”

“I’m in love now.”

I knew this was the moment to work up some false anger and end it all. I looked round the reception area for the first time. It was empty. There was nobody else in the room. I put the show on the road.

“I can’t believe my ears. I risk my life, my reputation and my everything to help you out and then you go and sleep with a junkie and get all mixed up like him. I can’t take it Teresa. No way.” I whipped out my small revolver. I could see fear coming to her eyes and I knew this was the moment that I had to press the trigger otherwise I would change my mind.

I released the small safety catch and aimed carefully.

Day 27 - Kevin's side of the story

I must admit that quite a number of unexpected things happened to derail my original extremely well-laid plans. Had everything gone according to the way it was planned by the time I was in the restaurant with Teresa that night in LA, I would not even have been here now – chasing people around in the African bush. More likely I would be lazing at some Caribbean beach somewhere without a care in the world and with money literally coming out of my ears.

Still I was somehow able to find a solution each time things went wrong, that kept me on course for the two million dollars pay day.

The first thing that went wrong was that Ed Ross suddenly and unexpectedly died more than four months too early. There were rumors about him having paid off some people to end it all early for him. If it was true, Ed was too smart and there was no proof. So he was quietly buried by close friends and relatives in a small private ceremony.

But I guess the biggest surprise came from his will.

It surprised all of us, including me - one of his lawyers.

Ed had always been a control freak and it seemed to me that somehow he did not want to relinquish control over people even when he was in the grave dead and buried.

One of the surprises was that his wife of 10 years, Teresa was only to inherit the cash on condition that she re-marries. I found that very odd, even sick, coming from Ed. But then the guy never liked it when people figured him out and he often went to extremes just to make sure people didn't figure him out. Always talked about life being like poker game and that you were at great disadvantage if people could read you like a book. Even said that “this secret” (as he called it) had been the main reason behind his becoming a millionaire.

Still I imagined that he wanted to make life uncomfortable for Teresa forcing her quickly into remarrying.

Even stranger his estate was to pay for Teresa's honeymoon in Africa at the Masai Mara when she re-married. Apparently Ed had taken a holiday there once and loved it to bits.

All this really complicated my plans because it brought in an extra person, really unnecessary person who would cost me - David the ex-junkie. I would have gladly married Teresa myself only that I was already married and getting a divorce would have been too complicated for my plans, besides I was not really up for divorce for the time being.

Yes, it had all been quite a mess and even now as I approached Douglas’ homestead still driving at high speed, it seemed that his wife was not in to give me the information I wanted so urgently. Douglas’ wife was an amazing plump lady that had stuck with him through all the difficulties and problems. I had no idea how she took all the abuse from the man, which was regular. I would obviously not volunteer the information, but the abuse had now come to an end forever, at least it would not be coming from Douglas anymore.

Douglas’ 14 year old boy was there and his English wasn’t too bad. He gave me the directions to the nearest health facility, which was surprisingly close.

After a short 10 minute drive I was there.

I parked and thought through my plan carefully. It was simple really, whatever I did, David and Teresa would have to die. I came out of my car and made my way inside the tiny health facility. I didn’t know it at the time, of course, but the shock of my life awaited me inside.

Day 26 - Kevin's side of the story

As I drove through the bush at high speed headed for Douglas' house (the late Douglas) my mind went back to the meeting I had with Teresa which had set this whole crazy adventure in motion.

Strangely enough the thing I remembered most about that night was not even our discussion but they way she looked at the restaurant in LA. Teresa wore a red flowing evening robe that I had never seen her in before. It hugged her just enough to send any man's blood racing.

I stood up as she approached, enjoying the attention we were getting from the other tables. I sensed that Teresa did too.

"Hi, sorry I'm late," she said. Her crimson lipstick was glistening and my eyes remained there for a moment before I could tear them away. I've never seen lips that are so ready for a serious kiss.

"That's alright, Teresa, I'm just glad you made it. You look gorgeous."

“Thank you. I can tell from the way you’re looking at me.”

We ordered and I forced my mind to the business at hand.

"I want to advice you not to go ahead with the divorce." I told Teresa. That got her immediate attention, as I knew it would.

"I'm confused Kevin. I thought that's what you wanted, you said you wanted to marry me."

"Yes, I still do. I love you Teresa, always will. But you'll have to trust me."

"Before you tell me, you should know that just the site of Ed these days makes me want to throw up."

I laughed so loudly that I startled her.

"What's so funny?"

"I'm just imagining you throwing up on the shoes of Ed, the impeccable investment banker. He'd have a fit. He's too clean and neat to have the contents of your guts all over his black shiny shoes."

"And that's the problem, he’s boring and bothersome. I don't know what I ever saw in the man."

"You saw money my dear. Lots of money and power."

"Kevin are you calling me a gold digger?"

"Not exactly my dear. You have too much class for that. But you're still human and you are a woman."

"Kevin, you're sounding strange tonight and you've not even finished your first glass of wine."

"Let me explain myself. Do you know how people used to get married in the Stone Age?"

"No. But where is all this leading to?"

I now had her full attention and I was enjoying every moment of it.

"Two savages would spot a woman they wanted and they'd fight to the death for her. The winner took the woman home to his cave. You know how that applies to you?"

"No," she said with an incredulous look on her eyes.

“The big turn on for women has always been the power men wield. In the stone age it was physical power, these days it is dollar power. You’re just a normal woman Teresa.”

“Yes, but he was such a gentlemen when we first met.”

“Still is. Only that you know him better now. Much better.”

“I can’t stand the man Kevin. We sleep in separate bed rooms but even the brief moments we meet are too much for me.”

“Why do you hate the man so much Teresa? He’s a very rich man.”

“He’s so mean and self centered.”

“That’s how he got rich in the first place.” I could see she was getting upset and so I changed tact.

“Teresa, you’ll soon be rid of him for the rest of your life with no chance of ever seeing him again.”

“Can that happen immediately?”

“He’s dying Teresa.”

“What?” she had lifted her wine glass and it stopped in mid air and froze there for a moment.

“The doctors say in another six months, the cancer will have eaten up most of his insides.”

“H-How did you find out that?”

“I’m his lawyer, remember?”

There was a long pause where neither of us talked. I could almost hear her think, her brain creaking around in deep thought and scheming trying to find a way to gain maximum from this new information she had just received. I could almost read her mind and this is why her next question did not surprise me at all.

“His will?”

“Forget it Teresa, you know who he’ll leave most of his money to.”

“Edgar his son from his first marriage, he adores the boy.”

“Exactly.”

“All the more reason why I should go ahead with the divorce.”

“There is a better and easier way.”

“If you stay married to him until his death, I can guarantee you two million dollars. We split 50/50. A million for you and a million for me.”

“But how?” she asked. I could see that she had licked her lips at the mention of a million bucks.

That’s really the moment I knew that I had her and that the plan I had in place would work like a dream.

Day 25 - Kevin's side of the story

I drove the Land Cruiser through the bush at high speed, my mind racing.

Finally the moment of truth, the moment that I'd been dreading all along had arrived. Today, I would have to kill a woman that I deeply cared for. And I really had very little choice in the matter.

Yes, I cared for Teresa deeply. Maybe I even loved her a little.

For weeks I had dreaded this moment and I had done everything possible to postpone it and put it off. This moment when I would have to face her, tell her the truth and then kill her. Why was I such a damn romantic? Why hadn’t I just had her killed the moment she was taken hostage? Why this need for a last meeting? Did I just want to see her again? One last time? Deep inside, was I hoping to find a reason to change my mind about killing her?

No I didn’t think so. She knew too much, the whole plan for getting the money had been centered on her. There was no way that I would keep both the money and her. I had feelings for her but the money was important. Two million dollars was not exactly the sort of money that one came across every day.

I tried to console myself in the fact that this was business. Teresa just had to die and there was really nothing I could do about it.

I felt for the small revolver inside my pocket. It was still there. After emptying the bullets into Teresa and that mad African who had been guarding her for me - what was his name again, Douglas - I would bury it in the bush somewhere. It would never be found and if all went according to plan, I would be on the flight back home tonight… two million dollars richer. I would also bury the two bodies. Who would find them here in the bush in the middle of nowhere?

I would then pin everything on David. I would organize for him to be arrested when he went to pick up the money. Nobody would believe his story. It was all neatly arranged, just how I liked all my plans to be. I was soon going to be two million dollars richer, albeit without Teresa. But with that kind of money I’d probably find 10 Teresa’s in a hurry. I was home and dry…

That is if everything went according to plan, but as I rapidly approached the hut where Teresa was being held, I could clearly see that something had gone wrong. Terribly wrong. My heart skipped a beat. What had gone wrong? Surely not now.wrong now.

There was a body lying there, close to the entrance of the hut. Douglas? Yes it was. What the hell happened here?

I stepped on the brakes hard and brought the speeding car to a halt. Rushing to Douglas' side, I immediately saw the spear wounds. Masai spears.

Now why would the Masai want to kill him?

I didn't have to go into the hut to know that Teresa was no longer inside. I went in anyway. There was no evidence or sign of her ever being here. Oh wait a minute. There was a small scrap of cloth on the floor. I examined it carefully. It looked like part of Teresa’s blouse. Had the Masai raped her before taking her away? But that just didn’t make any sense. What was going on here, I wondered, more puzzled than ever.

I needed to think fast. I reviewed the events in the last half hour or so.

I had spoken to Douglas on his mobile barely 15 minutes earlier. Meaning that this must have happened just a few minutes earlier.

Then it was possible that I would still be in danger. Were some of the Masai and whoever they were taking orders from still around? I peered outside carefully, again, to ensure that nobody was around. I slowly and silently searched the entire place. There was no sign of anybody here.

But there were just too many questions that I could not answer. Why would the Masai harm Douglas? What interest would they have in Teresa?

My eyes caught site of a tiny trail of blood. Somebody had been carried away and they were bleeding badly.

Then it dawned on me where I should go to start looking for some answers. The trail of blood led off into the bush. Whether the person was dead or alive, the party would have to end up at the nearest health facility. So all I would need to do is hurry and get to the nearest health facility.

And I knew just the person to help me do that.

I would have to somehow find Teresa and she would have to die before I could breath easy again. I had made a mistake not having her killed earlier. A stupid mistake that might just cost me two million dollars. But as of now, not all was lost. I got into the Land Cruiser and drove off at high speed.