“Derek,  My name is Rita Demien, a professional nurse and I am responsible for the death of your father” she said.

“What are you talking about Rita?  Derek asked, looking confused.

“Derek,  please don’t make this harder than it already is. Let me finish talking. I promise you will understand everything when I’m done” Rita said.

Derek agreed to stay quiet and listen to whatever Rita had to say.

“Three months before your father’s death, his food had consistently been poisoned. It wasn’t meant to kill him, it was just to make him sick and keep him bedridden. Somewhere along the line, his body could no longer handle the poison… That led to the heart failure that eventually killed him. So I am responsible for the death of Rev Bernard, your father.

The broken chair Mansa sat on at church was also my doing. But she was lucky. The intention was to paralyze her but God’s hand apparently was on her.

Derek, I am a criminal. I was paid to do this, but my conscience now wages war against me. You are a good person and I love you. ” Rita said.

Derek was speechless. This was unbelievable. He wanted to ask so many questions but he was too stunned by the revelation to speak.

“Look behind you” Rita continued.

Derek turned and saw two gentlemen sitting right behind them.

“They are policemen. I brought them here to arrest me after talking to you. They are waiting for me, Derek” Rita said as tears began running down her cheeks.

Derek didn’t know what to do. He just sat down there and tried to process everything he had heard.

“I’m sorry Derek. Forgive me for all these. I love you” She cried and called out to the officers

“Officers, I’m done ” Rita said.

They immediately came over, handcuffed her and led her away. As they exited Eddy’s, Derek ran towards them.

“Officer! wait, wait” he said.

“Rita, who was paying you to do this? Derek asked.

“Is that not clear enough? I’ve done my part. It’s now up to you but make sure you understand the reason for all these before you act. “Rita said as they led her away.

Suddenly, everything became clear. This revelation actually justified that conversation he heard between Rita and his foster mother.

It was very obvious who was behind this.

He wondered how he was going to deal with the situation… Should he confront her directly or find some other means?

Mansa was at home when she received a call from a number she didn’t recognise. It was a guy’s voice.

ON PHONE

Mansa: “Hello”

Caller: “Hello Mansa, meet me at D Avenue House number 37 within the next hour. There is something I need to let you  know”.

Mansa: “Obed, is that you?

The caller didn’t answer her. He hung up. She tried calling back but the phone was not reachable.

Mansa for some reason didn’t feel right about this meeting.  She tried calling Derek but his phone too was off. She texted him and gave details of where she was going.

Mansa left the house in a hurry, so she could get there on time.  She knew that if the caller was really Obed, then she would need to be on time. Obed never joked with his time. He was always punctual.

Mansa arrived the meeting place and discovered that houses in the area were very few. After several minutes of trying  to locate the particular house, she found it in a secluded portion. The surrounding of the house looked unkempt and bushy.

It immediately occurred to her that Obed would never opt for a meeting place like this. She quickly tried calling Derek again but his phone was still not reachable. She then sent him another text.

Just as she finished sending, a young man grabbed her by the hand and said

“Follow me”.

Something wasn’t right about this. It looked like a kidnap. The young man took her inside the unkempt house and to her surprise Alice was there seated on a chair, waiting for them.

Alice was still not aware that Chris, her boyfriend, was in police custody. She thought Chris had outsmarted her. The only revenge she could think of was to eliminate the one she assumed was between them, Mansa.

“Tie her up against that Chair” Alice instructed the guy who had brought her in.

The young man tried doing as he had been instructed but Mansa was faster. She attempted to free herself from the guy’s grasp. He, however, quickly gathered himself and tightened his grip. He then landed a heavy slap on Mansa’s face.

The slap made her weak to her knees and made it easy for the man to tie her to the chair.

Alice stood up, took a syringe from her pocket and injected herself right in front of Mansa. She drew some of her own blood.

“Chris thinks he can infect me with HIV and get away with it.  I don’t need you for anything. I know Chris has his eyes on you and that is why he is not giving me attention. I am going to inject you with my blood and get you infected as well. This is just the beginning Mansa. You evil girl!” Alice said.

She came closer to Mansa so she could inject her with the infected blood.

“No, no please.  I have nothing to do with Chris. Please” Mansa cried and begged Alice.

As Alice inched closer, Mansa just closed her eyes, bent her head and begun praying silently. She knew that the God who healed her at the hospital didn’t heal her for nothing. She knew that she wasn’t healed of paralysis to get HIV.

Before Alice could inject her blood into Mansa’s system,  policemen came rushing in. They pounced on Alice and her accomplice. The syringe was taken from her and she was handcuffed.

Derek was the one behind the rescue. He quickly rushed to Mansa’s side and untied her. Mansa embraced him as soon as she was untied. She felt very relieved and grateful… That was one close call!

Back at the house, Mrs Bernard had a visitor from the church. He came to deliver a letter summoning her to come before the board within the next hour.

She laughed out really hard upon seeing the letter. She had actually been expecting it.

She got dressed and went with the messenger to the church where the board had convened.

She arrived and saw all the board members seated behind a big round table, waiting for her.

Mrs. Bernard was not the least bit nervous. It was obvious that she had really prepared  for the meeting.

The chairman of the board welcomed her and immediately commenced with the purpose of the meeting.

“Mrs. Bernard, upon reviewing the church’s financial statements, we notice that there are several withdrawals which are unaccounted for. Those withdrawals were made by you. Can you explain the withdrawals and give the board the details of your expenditure?” said the chairman.

Mrs. Bernard stood up but before she could open her mouth to talk, a team of policemen led by Rita arrived on the scene…