Chapter 4 — Chapter Four

Chapter Four
I t’s important to plan each step of a scam carefully. I knew that I
wanted Ayanda to think of me as the hero who found her stolen
bag, but I wasn’t ready to meet her in person yet. I still had to work on
my disguise. So how was I going to create the idea of a kind, noble guy
without actually meeting her? Easy. Word of mouth.
I walked into the Amazi oxces the neVt morning and went straight
to the reception desk. “usi’s shirt and shoes were a little big on me, but
he had only worn them once and they still looked brand new. I had
cut my hair to make sure I came in looking fresh, and I had borrowed
a nice leather briefcase. I smiled at the receptionist. She smiled back.
G”ood afternoon,v I said in my best priZate school accent. GI’m
here to drop this oO.v I held up Ayanda’s bag. GIt belongs to Ayanda
!wane. Am I in the right place?v
GYhLv she gasped. GSomeone grabbed it while she was outside the
court yesterdayL Where did you Bnd it?v
GYne of the kids at the shelter where I Zolunteer had it.v I shrugged
sadly. GI asked him where he got it but he was too scared to tell me. I
assume the police haZe already been notiBed?v
GCes, of course.v
I nodded. GI guess there’s nothing I can do about that now. I assure
you, I gaZe him a serious talking to and his guardians promised me he

KY“E 4A7H j–
would be disciplined.v I sighed and shook my head as if the weight of
the world was on my shoulders. GNe’s Must a kid J his whole life will be
ruined if he’s arrested. Tothing is missing. Ne swore that eZerything
was Must the way he found it, and I belieZe him. 4ut I completely
understand that Diss !wane has to do what she thinks is best. ;ust tell
her I’m so sorry about all of this.v
Phe receptionist melted. GIt’s not your fault.v
GI feel responsible for those kids,v I told her. GWhen they fall back
into their old habits, it’s such a blow.v
GKook, she’s free right now. Why don’t I call her and you can
eVplain eZerything to her? I’m sure she’ll understand. She loZes kids.v
Ces, Ayanda did loZe kids, and I knew that there was no way she
would let a poor street kid get arrested. Phe bag was back, nothing was
missing and there was no harm done. She was a big softie. She’d call the
cops and tell them to drop the whole thing.
I shook my head again. GI can’t wait. I haZe a plane to catch and I
can’t aOord to miss my meeting in -ubai. 4ut giZe her my best and tell
her I’ll be happy to discuss it at the charity eZent.v
GCou’ll be there?v Phe woman’s eyes lit up. I had her wrapped
around my Bnger.
GYf courseF it’s the eZent of the yearL I haZe to go now. NaZe a loZely
dayLv I started to walk away.
GWait, what’s your name?v she shouted after me.
I stopped and turned around with a smile. GSenzo. Senzo...Sedib
eng.v Phen I walked out like a boss.
“usi was waiting for me around the corner. GNow did it go?v he
asked.
GRerfect. Phat receptionist is practically in loZe with me.v I
laughed. GI can picture what she’s going to tell Ayanda. A sophistiU
cated, kindUhearted, handsome stranger walked in and saZed the day.v

jq 8I-EK TADISI, 7NE*CK S. TP#DC
“usi arched his eyebrows. GNandsome?v I nudged him with my
elbow and he cackled. GSeriously, you think this is going to work?
Rretending to be rich to impress her?v
GYf course. We Must need to conZince ;asper to cough up the twenty
grand so we can buy tickets and clothes to blend in.v
GWhy would he do that?v
I grinned. G4ecause he’s stupid.v
999
I set up social media accounts so I could follow Ayanda and track
the progress of my plan. It worked like a charm. Ayanda put up not
one, not two but three posts about the Gknight in shining armourv
who returned her handbag. 5DyNero 5Tice”uys8inish8irst 5NopeU
forDankind. Phen she posted a 0uery asking if anyone knew Senzo
Sedibeng.
GPhis is dangerous,v said “usi. GWhat if there’s some guy out there
with that name and he comes along and she ends up liking him?v
4ut I refused to get paranoid. Ayanda was already falling for me and
she didn’t eZen know it. I read the posts oZer and oZer again until my
battery died.
8riday night came and “usi and I went to the restaurant where
;asper, ”ideon and Ayanda were scheduled to meet for dinner. Phey
say knowledge is power, but when we sat down at a 0uiet corner table,
I didn’t feel powerful. I felt anVious.
GStop rocking the tableLv hissed “usi. GI’m already stressed by the
prices on this menu. We can’t order anythingL Tot eZen waterLv
G;asper will pay,v I assured him, scanning the restaurant. We were
seated across the room from the table ;asper had reserZed, but he

KY“E 4A7H j1
hadn’t arriZed yet and neither had the !wanes. G“us, I haZen’t seen
her in ages.v
GCou saw her Must now on Instagram. And the day before yesterday
in the 2esh.v
GPhat doesn’t count, it was from a distance.v I sighed and doodled
on the menu with my Bnger. GWhat if she’s changed? What if I don’t
recognise her?v
“usi stared at me as if I’d lost my mind. GNow much could she haZe
changed in a few days? Stop rocking the tableLv
GI’m notLv
GCou’re tapping your feet and your knee is knocking the table.
Cou’re supposed to be the calm one, remember? We can’t both start
freaking outLv
I took a deep breath. Ne was right. I had to keep it together. Ayanda
wouldn’t see us, so there was no reason to be nerZous.
GPhere’s ;asper,v said “usi.
I followed his gaze. ;a, that was ;asper, looking as smug as eZer in
his threeUpiece suit. 4ehind him was ”ideon !wane, and behind him
was...Ayanda. Dy heart Mumped. She was eZen more gorgeous in the
2esh. Ner hair was tied back and she wore an elegant blue dress. Ner
Bgure was curZy perfection. I had seen it before in photos, but I neZer
trusted anything I saw online. ;ust as I had eVpected, Ayanda !wane
was still the most beautiful girl I had eZer seen.
8or a long time I Must stared at her. ;asper reached for her hand and
when she moZed it away I almost cheered. I didn’t understand what
she was doing with him in the Brst place. Now could a woman like that
be fooled by ;asper’s swagger? Phere had to be a rational eVplanation.
Daybe she felt sorry for him.
A waiter approached, blocking my Ziew. I let “usi order for me
while I tried to see past the waiter.

3(cid:73) 8I-EK TADISI, 7NE*CK S. TP#DC
GStop staringLv said “usi.
GI can’t help it,v I sighed. GKook at herLv
4ut “usi was right. We were there on a mission and I had to focus.
We watched them J or I watched them while “usi tried to make sense
of the menu. ;asper did most of the talking. Ayanda was subdued,
attentiZe toward her father but a little dismissiZe of ;asper. At one
point ”ideon left the table and ;asper leaned close to say something to
Ayanda. She was 0uiet at Brst, but when he reached for her hand again
she didn’t pull away, and she let him kiss her cheek. Dy heart sank. She
might not haZe agreed to his proposal, but they were still together.
GKooks like the ancestors haZe done their work, Rrophet Dazinga,v
said “usi wryly.
GShut up,v I grumbled. GWe both know ;asper’s no good. Yne of
these days Ayanda will realise it too.v
GWith your help,v said “usi.
GWith our help,v I corrected him.
999
I saw a few clients the neVt morning, but by lunchtime I’d had enough.
It was impossible to care about loZers’ spats, Mealous colleagues and
erectile dysfunction when my future with Ayanda hung in the balU
ance.
GWe’re closing up,v I told “usi.
Ne emerged from behind the curtain. G;a, it’s time for lunch and
I’m starZing.v
GI mean we’re closing for the day. We need to go somewhere.v
“usi groaned. GI don’t eZen want to know.v
I grinned at him. GWe’re going to Amazi.v

KY“E 4A7H 3(cid:74)
Nis eyes boggled.
G-on’t worry, we’re going in disguise. Rrophet Dazinga needs to
keep a close eye on his customer ;asper. 7an you belieZe the guy still
hasn’t sent the money?v
I dragged “usi along, me in my Rrophet Dazinga outBt and him in
cracked shades and a beanie. We loitered outside the Amazi oxces for
a while, waiting to see if anyone interesting turned up, then I decided
it was time for decisiZe action. I strode towards the entrance.
GWhat are you doing?v hissed “usi.
G”oing in. Cou wait here.v
I walked right up to the reception desk. Phe receptionist looked at
me like I was a stray goat that had wandered in by mistake. If only she
knew that the dashing Senzo Sedibeng was hiding under there.
G7an I help you?v she asked.
GI’m looking for Dr ;asper TdloZu.v
Ner gaze moZed down from my wig to my shoes, like she was
scanning me for concealed weapons. GEr, he’s not in at the moment.
Was he, uh, eVpecting you?v
GWhen will he be back?v
GI’m not sure.v
GI’ll wait.v
She looked like she wanted to say something to stop me, but
couldn’t think of a polite way to let me know she didn’t feel comfortU
able letting a scruOy guy in Blthy shoes make himself at home on the
suede sofas. So she said, GI...er...oUkay.v
I thanked her and took a seat. Po my disappointment there was no
sign of Ayanda, but BZe minutes after I sat down ;asper walked in.
As he passed the receptionist, she stopped him and whispered a few
words. Ne turned towards me and his eyes widened. 8or a moment I
thought he was going to scream.

3(cid:75) 8I-EK TADISI, 7NE*CK S. TP#DC
Ne came marching oZer to me, scowling, the Zeins in his neck proU
truding. I remembered this ;asper. Phis was the ;asper that rearranged
my face that day in school after I’d already got a hiding from the
teacher. Phis was the ;asper that liked to break fragile things, like
people’s noses.
GWhat the hell do you think you’re doing?v he hissed, when he was
out of earshot of the receptionist. GAnyone could walk in and see you
hereLv
GTot eZen a greeting.v I shook my head in disapproZal. GCoung
people of today. To manners. It’s no wonder you’re so out of touch
with the ancestors.v
;asper took a deep breath. GNello, Rrophet Dazinga. What are you
doing here?v
GI told you I needed more money. I’m still waiting.v
GCou’ll get it.v
GI need it now, or I can’t help you.v
Ne glared at me. I glared back.
GCou’ll get your money as soon as possible,v he said.
GIf I don’t haZe it by the end of the day, you can say goodbye to
your lost loZer,v I replied solemnly, getting to my feet. G*emember, the
spirits can help you...or they can hurt you. Cour choice, my friend.v
I patted his shoulder and left. Ynce we were out of sight of the
entrance, “usi hurried to Moin me.
GSo what now, Dr. KoZer 4oy?v
Dy phone beeped. I looked down to check the incoming SDS
and let out a burst of laughter. ;asper had always been an easy mark.
Dy account balance now stood at a whopping *(cid:75)(cid:73),(cid:74)(cid:73)(cid:75). I looked at
the number, closed my eyes, opened them and looked again. Pwenty
thousand rand. In my account. #nbelieZable.

KY“E 4A7H 3(cid:76)
I looked at “usi, smiling so much my cheeks were starting to hurt.
GWhat’s your suit size?v