Chapter 3 — Chapter Three

Chapter Three
T he most important part of any con job is research. It’s not
glamorous or exciting, but it’s necessary. You have to know your
victim – uh, client – inside out. You have to know who he is, where
he comes from and what buttons to push to get what you want. This
job came with a bonus, because in addition to doing my homework
on Jasper, I also had to read up on Ayanda.
The day after my Vrst session with Jasper, Husi and I went to
an internet cafe to do a little digging. It turned out that my beloved
came from a prominent family. Ger father, Zideon Bwane, was a
multimillionaire. That’s right – multi. Ge made his fortune when he
found a natural spring on his farm. zeing a smart businessman, he saw
the potential immediately and AmaSi Wpring Nater was born. “ot that
I was interested in his money. It was Jasper’s money I was after.
Husi whistled as he scrolled down the page. L”ooks like lots of
companies want to buy him out, but he’s not selling.U
LDh huh.U I was scrolling through the company website, searching
for Ayanda’s photo on the sta! page. Ah, there it was, right under the
title L”egal MivisionU. Whe was a lawyer? zeauty and brains. Oy heart
jumped. Nas it all in my head, or did she get more beautiful each time
I saw herE

”CHK zA31 -‘
LNife deceased. Cnly surviving heir is his daughter,U Husi went
on.
LOmhmm,U I murmured. I was now going through Ayanda’s soR
cial media proVles. LWhe’s incredible,U I sighed. L”ook at all the charity
work she does? And she’s a brilliant lawyer, and she runs marathons.U
I whistled, taking in her detailed 3H. LWhe was on the debate team in
varsity, involved in about a hundred extracurricular activities, always
in leadership positions...U
LWhe sounds like a handful.U
LGey, when you’re rolling with the top dogs you have to keep up,U
I replied, annoyed by his tone. LYou don’t understand how tough it is
for a woman to make it in a man’s world.U
Husi glanced at me. LNhatEU
I pointed at an essay she had written for a women’s magaSine. L
PFaised by a single father who was always at the o2ce, and living in
a mostlyRwhite area, I knew that only one thing would allow me to
compete on an even playing Veld. I had to be the best.’ U I shook my
head. LWhe’s a superhero.U I opened up the AmaSi Wpring Nater webR
site again and copied the company’s contact details into my phone.
Husi rolled his eyes and returned to his screen. LGey, AmaSi Wpring
Nater is hosting a fundraising dinner event at the Zalwegian Kstates.U
I leaned over to see. LIt’s on Waturday. Zood. That gives us enough
time to prepare.U
L:repare for whatE Ne’re not going to get Ayanda and Jasper back
together, and she’s obviously too good for you.U
I gave him a dirty look. LYou’re free on Waturday, rightEU
L“o, actually I was...U Ge paused as my implication sunk in.
LNhatE “o way. You can’t be serious, man. Gow the hell are we going
to get into an event like thisE Gave you seen the price of the ticketsE

-4 7IMK” “AOIWI, 3GKFY” W. “TDOY
Ne could live on that money for a month?U Ge shook his head in his
typical pessimistic fashion. LNe don’t even have the right clothes.U
Husi, Husi, Husi, always nitRpicking. L”eave it to me. Gave I ever
let you downEU
Ge thought about it for a second longer than necessary. LYes.U
LAg, come on.U I slapped the back of his head and he winced.
LKverything’s going to go according to plan.U
LCh, now you have a planEU he sco!ed, following me out of the
cafe.
LYes. It’s brilliant.U
LYour plans are always brilliant, and yet they never work.U
LWeventy per cent success rate, Hus,U I reminded him. LTrust me,
it’s going to work. zut Vrst we need to do more research.U
7or the next hour we paid very close attention to Ayanda’s life. Nell,
I paid close attention and Husi called me a psycho stalker. The point
is we learned some important things about the love of my life.
The woman didn’t have a paranoid bone in her body. Whe was
open and warm on social media, as if her thousands of followers
were actually friends rather than random strangers who yearned to be
touched by her angelic glow. Whe shared photos of herself at work, at
the orphanage, out with friends. Whe was conVdent and hardworking.
Whe was also the sweetest person in the world. Ger followers adored
her. Whe posted cute uplifting messages and insightful articles. Whe
spent her time trying to make the world better. Cbviously we were
meant for each other. Nith my big ideas and her big heart, we could
change the world.
Ayanda clearly didn’t believe in solitude. Whe was always surroundR
ed by people. Kverywhere she went she was accompanied by colleagues
or friends. I learned from her social media that her entourage was made
up of three people* :recious, Thandeka and Oandla. Cne of them

”CHK zA31 --
seemed be at her side at all times, usually Oandla. I got the impression,
from the photos, that he was the gay best friend. Kither that or he was
really into pink.
7inally I logged out and stood up. LNe need to do a little Veld
work,U I told Husi with a wink.
LNhat does that meanEU Ge followed me out of the cafe.
I looked up and down the street, then crossed over towards the taxi
stop. Ckay, so I didn’t exactly have a plan. I had the skeleton of a plan.
Nell, more like part of the skeleton of a plan, but it was better than
nothing. After all, this time I had serious motivation – Ayanda. To
have the chance to Vnally win her heart, I would have to devise the best
plot of my career.
As we walked, I whipped out my phone and dialled. Nhen someone
picked up, I put on one of my tried and tested voices – “umber 5, the
Impatient Tycoon. LGelloE AmaSi Wpring NaterE ”ook, I need to get
hold of Jasper “dlovu right away.U I rolled my r’s just enough to show
that I had lived abroad. I grinned at Husi. Ge looked dubious, as usual.
LNhat do you mean he’s in a meetingE Ge was supposed to meet me
an hour ago?U
LI’m so sorry, sir,U the secretary said, sounding 6ustered. L”et me
check his schedule, maybe there was a mixRup.U
I gave her a minute to check. Husi nudged me, and I held up one
hand to silence him.
LI’m sorry, but he only had two meetings scheduled for today,U the
secretary said after a moment. LThe next one is for two p.m.U
LNhereE I’ll try and catch him. Ge’d better have a good excuse.U
Whe hesitated. LI can’t give out that kind of information.U
LAre you jokingEU I shouted. A few passersRby turned around to
stare at me. LNhat kind of outVt are you people runningE The man
made an appointment with me, I cleared my schedule, and he didn’t

-q 7IMK” “AOIWI, 3GKFY” W. “TDOY
bother to pitch up? Ge didn’t even have the decency to call to cancel?
If this is the way you do business, I have to seriously reconsider my
investment? In all my years working in this city, I’ve never –U
LThe :rotea Gotel,U she blurted out. LGe’ll be at the :rotea Gotel.U
Jackpot. L:at yourself on the back, my dear,U I said in my haughtiest
tone. LYou might have just salvaged a very proVtable partnership.U
I hung up and turned to Husi just as a taxi screeched to a stop beside
us.
LNhat was all that aboutEU he asked warily. LNhere are we goingEU
LNe’re going to Wandton to check up on our buddy Jasper. Ne need
to know everything we can about our competition.U
LYou mean your competition.U Ge climbed into the taxi after me.
I shrugged. LOinor detail.U
888
LYou know that this is craSy, rightEU Husi sank low in his seat in the
hotel lobby. LWtalking people is against the law.U
LNe’re not stalking him.U I peered over the edge of the chair,
scanning the lobby. LNe’re observing his movements.U
LGe’s late anyway.U Husi glanced at his phone, then popped up for
a peek. LIt’s already three minutes past two.U
At that moment I spotted Jasper. Gis tall frame and broad shoulR
ders made him hard to miss. Ge entered the hotel with a short man in
his late forties, an Alfred “tombela type.
L“ope, he’s right on time,U I whispered. LMoesn’t that man look
familiarEU
LJa, he looks like the guy that’s going to get us thrown out of here
when he realises we’re spying on him.U

”CHK zA31 -9
LMon’t be so paranoid.U I waited until Jasper and his companion
had their backs to us, then I leapt to my feet. L3ome on?U
The older man walked briskly, like every minute of his time was
worth a million rand, and Jasper hurried to keep up. They were deep
in discussion, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. I had to get
closer.
Womeone up there must have been on my side, because at that
moment the older man suddenly yanked Jasper’s ear. Jasper yelped.
LYou did whatEU the man bellowed.
LYou said to use whatever means necessary, 3hairman,U Jasper
countered, rubbing his ear. LAnd I had to act fast. It’ll work, I assure
you. I hear he’s very experienced in –U
LGow do you think I became one of Africa’s leading businessmenEU
3hairman interjected.
Jasper hesitated. Lzy bribing your way to the topEU
LYes? I mean no? zy being ruthless.U The man took a menacing
step towards Jasper, and even though Jasper was twice his siSe, I could
tell that my old nemesis was scared. 3hairman whispered something
I couldn’t hear. It must have been a threat, because Jasper’s eyes
widened and he nodded meekly.
Nhat was going onE Nas 3hairman just another business partner,
or was Jasper mixed up in some interesting extracurricular activitiesE
They continued to speak in hushed tones. I strained to hear, and at one
point I was almost certain I heard Jasper say Ayanda’s name. Nhat did
she have to do with anythingE I inched closer.
LAnd you’d better stop bringing those other girls to your place,U
said 3hairman.
Jasper laughed. Lzut I’m a redRblooded man, 3hairman. I have
needs.U

-0 7IMK” “AOIWI, 3GKFY” W. “TDOY
Guh. I knew it. Jasper had been a player in school and it was no
surprise that he hadn’t changed.
LI’m not saying stop, I’m saying Vnd a new playground,U the older
man replied. LIf you screw this up because you can’t keep your trousers
on...U
LDnderstood,U said Jasper nervously. LI’ll be careful.U
I had to Vnd out what those two were plotting. zut Vrst I’d need
more resources. I pulled out my phone, ducked behind a pot plant
and called Jasper. Gis phone rang shrilly in the lobby and he stopped
to answer it.
L”et me take this <uickly,U he said.
3hairman just kept walking.
LYes, why don’t you go ahead and I’ll meet you at our tableEU
Jasper called after him. LI’ll be right there.U :oor guy, trying so hard
to pretend that he was in control, when it was obvious he was nothing
more than a puppet on a string.
I looked at Husi and held a Vnger up to my lips. Jasper’s voice came
over the line.
LNhat do you wantE I’m busy.U
I shook my head. LIs that any way to talk to your prophetEU
Jasper sighed. L7ine, I’m sorry. Nhat can I do for you, :rophetEU
LThis case is very complicated,U I told him. LNe’re going to need
more time. And money.U
LGow muchEU
I arched my eyebrows at Husi. Ge shrugged. I fumbled for a number
and picked the Vrst one that popped into my head. LTwenty thousand
rand.U
Jasper coughed and spluttered. LAre you out of your mindE Nhere
am I supposed to get that kind of moneyEU
LMo you want your lover back or notEU

”CHK zA31 -5
There was a brief silence. I stole a glance from behind the pot plant.
Jasper was pacing the 6oor nervously. Zood, let him sweat.
L”ook, I’m very busy and it will take a while –U
LOaybe you can borrow from one of your other girlfriends,U I
suggested.
Jasper froSe. Jackpot. LGow soon do you need itEU
LTransfer it into my account. I’ll WOW the details. I’ll resume
working as soon as the money clears. zy the way, when will you see
Ayanda againE At the o2ceEU
L“o, I won’t be going back to the o2ce today. zut we’re having
dinner with her father tomorrow night to celebrate his birthday.U
LNhich restaurantEU I demanded.
Jasper hesitated. LYou’re not going to show up there, are youEU
LMo you want my help or notEU
Ge sighed. LI’ll send you the address.U
I hung up and sneaked another peek at him. 3hairman had enR
tered the hotel restaurant, leaving Jasper standing alone in the lobby. I
grinned at Husi, then sent Jasper my banking details. A moment later
he responded with directions to the restaurant.
LThis is deVnitely the worst idea you’ve ever had,U said Husi.
LYou always say that.U I turned away from Jasper and moved toR
wards the hotel entrance.
And just at that moment, Ayanda walked in. I was so shocked
by her presence that I shoved Husi to one side, 6attening both of us
against the wall so she wouldn’t see us.
LOmhhmmngg?Usaid Husi.
LWsshhhh?U
I watched Ayanda walk across the 6oor, graceful like a gaSelle in the
savannah, or something. Whe was dressed in a black skirt that showed
o! her gorgeous Vgure, a grey shirt and high heels. Whe walked like a

-(cid:75) 7IMK” “AOIWI, 3GKFY” W. “TDOY
model, conVdent, beautiful...did I say beautiful alreadyE Whe carried
one of those huge fancy handbags that women like, the ones big
enough to hold a small person. I wondered what I would Vnd if I got
my hands on that bag.
LDnnnnngphhh?U said Husi.
I watched Ayanda until she vanished into the restaurant. Nhat was
she doing hereE Nas she also meeting 3hairmanE Womehow I doubted
it. Nait a minute, had she followed Jasper as wellE If she was suspicious
of him – and who wouldn’t beE – then that made sense. Whe was a
lawyer after all. Whe could probably tell when her useless boyfriend was
keeping secrets. Cr maybe she was just there to meet someone else.
Wuddenly she emerged from the restaurant, walking very <uickly.
Ger lips were pursed. Whe was deVnitely not happy. Whe hurried out of
the hotel, obviously lost in her thoughts. I was now convinced that she
had followed Jasper, and was unimpressed to see him with 3hairman.
Cnce she was gone I turned to Vnd out what Husi was trying to
tell me. That’s when I realised I had pinned him down with his face
s<uashed against the wall.
LKish, sorry bra.U I released him.
LYou could have broken my jaw?U he snapped, touching his face
gingerly.
LI’m not that strong. Husi, I have a plan to Vnd out more about
Ayanda.U I led him out of the building.
Ge made a face, testing out his jaw. LI think my tooth is loose.U
LNe’re going to steal her handbag.U
LOan, I really think you broke my – KhEU Ge turned to stare at me.
LMid you say stealEU
Lzorrow.U
LMid you hit your headEU

”CHK zA31 -(cid:76)
I grinned. LIt’s perfect. Ne get her bag and we can Vnd out all kinds
of things.U
LJa, like what lipstick she likes. WenSo, we’re almost criminals alR
ready?U
I rolled my eyes. Wometimes I wished Husi had a little more imagiR
nation. LNe’re not going to take it. Ne’re going to get someone else to
take it.U
LNho would be stupid enough to –U Then Husi remembered.
LCh.U
888
Wipho was one of our best clients. Ge was what we called a Lspecial
caseU, the kind of customer who could show up Vve times looking for
a solution to the same old problem. Ge was a middle aged guy built
like Mwayne LThe FockU Johnson, but had a highRpitched voice. “ot
highRpitched like a woman. GighRpitched like Alvin and the 3hipR
munks. Ge came to me for help and after charging him the usual
treatment fee, I explained that the ancestors had given them that voice
as a gift, to build character or something. Ge bought it. Wipho was
a dieRhard believer in my prophetic powers, and would do almost
anything for me. I mean, for :rophet OaSinga.
I sat on the mat in the consulting room in full costume, waiting for
him.
LThis guy is always late,U Husi grumbled from behind the curtain.
LWshh? I think I hear somebody.U
The door opened and Wipho came in. Ge looked excited to be there,
as usual.

q(cid:77) 7IMK” “AOIWI, 3GKFY” W. “TDOY
LGello :rophet,U he said, taking a seat opposite me. LI’m happy
you called. Mid you Vnd out who keeps pissing on my wallEU
I cleared my throat. LThe ancestors say there is a man in your hood.
There’s bad blood between you that goes way back...U
Wipho frowned. LThat could be anybody.U
LGis name is coming to me...U I started to wave my arms like I was
having a Vt. LAaahh...1kkkkk....Wssssss...U
LWbu?U Wipho shouted. LI should have known.U
zless the guy, he made my job so easy. LIt was a di2cult task to
Vnd this man,U I told him solemnly. LThe ancestors want you to do
something for them in return.U
Lzut I gave you Vfty rand last time.U
I looked at him. LIt’s an honour to be asked to serve the spirits in
the great beyond, Wipho. If you refuse...U
That was Husi’s cue. Woft wailing came from behind the curtain.
LNoooooooooooooo?U
Wipho jumped. LZahh?U
LNooooooo...Wipho...U
LI’ll do it?U he shrieked. L:lease, please, tell them I will do whatever
they want.U
The wailing stopped. I nodded. LNise choice, Wipho. Nise choice.
“ow, this is what you must do.U I took out my phone and showed him
Ayanda’s photo. LYou see this girlEU
LOmm? “ice.U
LGey, focus. You must go to the o2ces of AmaSi Wpring Nater,
where she works. I’ll give you directions. You must get her handbag
and bring it here.U
Wipho shifted uncomfortably. LAh, I don’t know. Nhat if she calls
the policeEU

”CHK zA31 q‘
I gave him a look. LNe both know you’ve done this many times.
You’re a pro. You can do it without getting caught. Mon’t worry, I’ll
make sure she gets the bag back. This is a test to see if she is worthy. If
you are worthy.U
Wipho’s eyes widened. LI am? I always do everything you ask.U
LYes, you’re very loyal. And if you continue to serve them, the
ancestors will reward you.U
Ge nodded slowly. LI will make sure you have the bag before the
end of the day.U
I smiled. That was exactly what I had hoped to hear.
888
A few hours later Wipho sent one of his boys, a kid of about Vfteen,
with the bag. I knew he would pull it o!. Although he was trying to be
a lawRabiding citiSen, Wipho kept backsliding into his old ways. Ge had
thousands of contacts all over the city who could make things happen
<uickly.
LYou should stop bullying Wipho,U said Husi, as I unpacked AyanR
da’s bag. LGe’s trying to be a decent guy and you keep getting him in
trouble.U
LTrust me, he’s happy to help,U I assured him.
The bag contained the usual things – makeRup, a pack of tissues,
some mints, an address book, a big folder full of papers and a cellR
phone. I jumped on the phone, thrilled that we had found something
so personal. 7rom what I had seen on her social media I could tell that
Ayanda was an open person, so I guessed her phone wouldn’t have a
password. I was right. I looked through the contact list. There were
only a few familiar names – her friends, Jasper and her father.

q4 7IMK” “AOIWI, 3GKFY” W. “TDOY
I decided to read some of her messages, just to get an idea of the
kind of person she was. The most recent one was from Jasper, and she
hadn’t replied. Geh heh? Zood.
LAre you reading her messagesEU hissed Husi. LWies?U
LThere’s nothing secret here, relax.U
I 6ipped through her photos. Oan, this woman took a lot of selVes.
WelVes at the o2ce, selVes at the gym, selVes at lunch with her z77s. In
all the pictures she looked happy. There was even one with Jasper at
the beach. Whe looked amaSing in her red bikini and Jasper looked like
he just won the lottery. Oy insides twisted with jealousy. I <uickly put
the phone town and picked up the folder.
LYou shouldn’t read that,U said Husi nervously. LThat’s private
work stu!.U
LI’m not going to sell it on the black market, Hus. 3hill. It’s boring,
anyway.U
Husi leaned forward to get a better look.
LAh, now you’re interestedEU I held the folder up so he couldn’t
see. LIt’s some kind of contract between AmaSi Wpring Nater and
Investor.U
LNhich investorEU
I shrugged. LIt just says investor. I guess they give the same contract
to everybody and Vll in the names afterwards.U
I put the folder back into the bag and picked up the phone again.
This time I steered clear of the photos and went back to the messages.
Cne thing I had learned in my years of researching scam victims – I
mean clients – was that most people were sentimental. They kept all
kinds of things in their bags, cars, drawers and phones, and they never
deleted anything until their inboxes got full. Ayanda was the same.
I ignored the messages from people I didn’t know and searched for
the ones from Jasper. Oost of them were short and boring, because

”CHK zA31 q-
Jasper had no imagination. “o soul. I miss u, call me. Gey beautiful.
:ick u up at 5. A lot of them were apologies. I didnt mean it baby. :ls
qgive me. Im sorry Aya. It was clear that he spent a lot of time screwing
things up and trying to make up for it. Mid u get the 6owersE Mo u like
the dressE I got u the Wwiss chocolates u (cid:78)-. Mo u like the earringsE
Ayanda’s responses were often brief and impatient. You can’t Vx
this with earrings. Thank you for the chocolates, goodnight. I said I
need time. :lease stop, I’ll call you when I’m ready.
I was about to leave the phone again when one conversation caught
my interest.
I saw you with Oarcus Withole today.
WoE Ge’s a family friend.
You didn’t talk about AmaSiE
Ja, a bit. Ge still thinks a partnership would be great. Wo do I.
Oy father has made his wishes clear. :lease don’t go behind his
back.
I’m not, we were jst chatting. Felax.
I looked up at Husi, who was busy studying Ayanda’s makeRup
for some strange reason. LGey, where have I heard the name Oarcus
WitholeEU
LGe’s the telecoms guy,U Husi mumbled, opening a tube of lipstick.
Ah, yes. “ow I remembered why 3hairman, the man I had seen
with Jasper, looked so familiar. Ge was Oarcus Withole. Ge really was
one of the most successful businessmen in Africa, as he had told Jasper.
Although everyone knew him as Lthe telecoms guyU, he had di!erent
business interests all over the continent as well as overseas. Ge was
worth millions, and it looked like he was one of many who wanted
a slice of AmaSi. I had to be right then – ayanda had followed Jasper
because she suspected he was meeting with Withole.

qq 7IMK” “AOIWI, 3GKFY” W. “TDOY
LGe’s 3hairman,U I told Husi excitedly. LGe’s the guy we saw with
Jasper? Apparently they’re family friends.U
LI’m not surprised,U said Husi. LI told you Jasper’s dad hangs out
with bigshots these days. Gey, how much do you think this costsEU Ge
held up Ayanda’s mascara.
I stared at him in confusion. LGow would I knowE Nhy are you
looking at makeRup anywayE Mo you have a secretEU
Ge <uickly put the makeRup back into the bag. LGayi, shut up.
Banele likes mascara. I was thinking maybe if this job works out I can
buy her some nice highRclass stu!.U
Ch Zod, that was most pathetic thing I had ever heard. The man
was so whipped it wasn’t funny. I shook my head with a mixture of
pity and disgust.
LGey, don’t look at me like that?U he cried. LIf you hook up with
Ayanda you’ll have to start caring about stu! like clothes and lipstick.
Nomen get upset if you don’t notice those things.U
LYou mean when I hook up with Ayanda,U I corrected him. LAnyR
way, 3hairman and Jasper are deVnitely more than family friends. You
heard them talking at the hotel. They’re working together.U
LCn whatEU
LThat’s the <uestion, Husi, that’s the <uestion.U
The two of us packed the bag and Sipped it up. I thought back
to the conversation I had overheard between 3hairman and Jasper. I
knew one dirty secret already – Jasper was cheating on Ayanda and
had no intention of stopping. zut I also wanted to know what he and
3hairman were up to. That was no ordinary business meeting, unless
earRpulling was some new corporate tactic. If Jasper was scheming
behind Zideon’s back and I revealed the truth to Ayanda, I’d be a hero
in her eyes. Just to be clear, I was doing this for Ayanda. zut the hero
thing certainly wouldn’t hurt.

”CHK zA31 q9
Nhich brought me to the next phase of my plan. I had originally
asked Wipho to return the bag, but now I realised that I had a golden
opportunity in front of me. I got to my feet and picked up the bag.
LNhere are you goingEU asked Husi.
LI need to borrow a nice shirt. That one Banele got you for her
sister’s wedding. And the shoes.U
Gis eyes narrowed. LNhyEU
LI can’t rock up at AmaSi in torn jeans and old takkies. 3ome on,
Hus. I’ll look after them, I promise.U
Ge sighed and got up. LNhat are you up to this timeEU
LI’m going to be Ayanda’s hero.U