Marie sat lazily on a couch in the facade. Her stomach had started to bulge. She looked into her phone repeatedly like she was waiting for a call. The call came and she picked up with a broad smile.
“How was it?” She asked. “It was a success, but we have a constraint. They want to go for the same data you sold to Lense Clinic,” Luke said from his end.
“No way, l made an exclusive deal with Lense Clinic, we can’t possibly sell to another company. Let them know it’s not available,” Marie responded.
“We should have removed the data from the list since it is no longer available,” Luke said.
“Yeah… who knows they would go for it,” Marie said. “Anyways what do we do? That’s what they picked and guess what? They are willing to pay double the amount you received from Lense Clinic,” Luke said.
“Are you serious? Did you inform them that the data has been sold?” Marie’s voice boomed from the other end.
“I did. They are informed,” Luke said.
“Wow! Give me some time to think, I will call you back,” Marie said and hung up.
“Lense Clinic must have underpaid me for another company to be willing to pay double after being told the data has been sold. It’s time to make cool cash,” Marie thought and put a call through to her partner.
“Hello, we are rounding the deal but I will be out of the show. You will fix it. I can’t be carefree, Lense Clinic threatened that I am under their watch. I don’t want to throw caution into the wind. Seeing me at Dec would raise suspicion. You come over and let’s plan how to wrap this up.”
“Alright, I will be with you shortly,” Luke said. “Be fast about it, we shouldn’t let this slip,” Marie said and hung up.
“To hell with Alexander Peterson! Who cares if he is dead or alive,” she muttered. “Do I need to get rid of this?” She asked and rubbed her hands over her enlarged stomach.
******
Lisa drove back home and was surprised to meet Jane waiting for her. Jane was disturbed. She had driven down to Lisa’s right from her parents’.
She was determined to bring up the rape case and encourage Lisa to look into it before it escalated. She had the premonition that it was similar to Sandra’s case.
Lisa turned in and bursted into tears. Jane could not comprehend the situation.
“What the heck! Is Alex alright?” Jane asked in confusion.
“I have been duped, I have been lied to all my life,” Lisa said and wept.
Jane’s heart skipped a beat, she thought her assertion had already become a reality.
“Lisa, can you please tell me what’s going on before I die of curiosity!” She yelled.
“Alex never had a vasectomy, he lied to me!” Lisa yelled.
Jane scoffed and covered her mouth. “Are you serious!?… But he did not lie to you. You chose to believe your assumption. He never told you had had the vasectomy, you chose to believe he had it. it’s purely your choice… Did he tell you why he insisted he wasn’t responsible for the pregnancy? He mentioned something about a proof, ” Jane asked.
“A proof? Oh! He said he overheard Marie’s friend advising her to push the responsibility on him. Is that the proof?” Lisa yelled.
Jane heaved a sigh. She held Lisa by the shoulders and looked squarely into her eyes.
“Listen. I know you are upset and disappointed but dear, there is no going back. You have gone too far to turn around. All you can do now is to trust your man. Don’t think, just do it. You have to do it if you want to remain sane,” Jane advised.
Lisa tilted her head up and looked questioningly into her friend’s eyes.
“Yes, I mean it, Lisa,” Jane said flatly.
“You know what? He asked that I stopped investigating the arson all because Marie might be the culprit,” Lisa mumbled.
Jane cleaned Lisa’s tears and looked straight into her eyes. “Lisa, can you hear me? Are you listening at all? I said do not think. Just trust your man! It’s a command. Your sanity is more paramount!” Jane yelled and shook Lisa slightly.
Lisa shuddered and freed herself from Jane’s grips. She took a seat.
“Have you told him about his surgery? Has a date been fixed?” Jane asked. “I just told him about it today, we will discuss it elaborately tomorrow.”
“Alright that is good,” Jane said and strolled out of the house. She knew she can’t bring up the rape case with the situation at hand.
Lisa curled up on the sofa, she was perplexed. All that she held onto had just fizzled out like a wave. She was back at the first square and all she heard was trust, trust, trust. This is a matter of the heart. Trusting an infidel is not that simple.
Jane left before nightfall. She knew Lisa wanted her to pass the night at her place but she needed to think. She was scared for Lisa. She prayed her rape case would not boomerang. She could not bear to think of Lisa passing through such trauma after all she had been through.
Patrick’s investigation on the rape case had come to a stand still. Nothing could be made out of the pictures they got from the bar. They were too blurry.
Jane wished she could bring up the case with Lisa. She has answers that could help the investigation. Like the hotel she had woken up in. She also wanted to ask if the culprit took her pictures during the act.
Her phone beeped suddenly, it was Jeff.
“Babe, how was your trip back to your base?” Jeff asked.
“One of dad’s drivers dropped me,” Jane responded.
“You don’t sound fine. What’s wrong? Should I show up?” Jeff asked in concern. “Not really, just a little concerned about the case I went to investigate.”
“Oh, is that it? Common, don’t be too drawn into the cases you handle. Isn’t it one of the rules in your line of work? Do not worry, we would discuss it over drinks tomorrow. I’d come around to take you out,” Jeff said.
“Oh, thanks Jeff, I would love it out there… I think I should cut myself some slacks. I have been too serious lately,” Jane said. “Tomorrow, it is… sweet dreams,” Jeff promised and blew out a kiss before he hung up. Jane smiled wearily.
“What the heck! Man! You’re becoming a lover boy! Did you just blow out a kiss?!” one of Jeff’s yelled.
“Common! You know it’s all for a show… I’ve to make it real,” Jeff responded.
“Guy, you gotta be careful. Don’t get trapped in love… You know how we roll,” another one of Jeff’s friends said and puffed out smoke from his cigarette.
“I am thinking of billing my big fish again,” another guy said.
“Isn’t twice enough? Don’t overdo it. You might get caught,” Jeff warned. “Common Jim! I don’t need your advice. Don’t tell me you’re embittered because your last deal did not click. You daft!” The guy replied.
“What the fuck!” Jeff yelled angrily and rushed at him. He hit him hard on the face and a scuffle ensued. Others laughed and watched the two as they battled it out.