Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

As usual the police seem not to have any answer to the problems. “The once peaceful Brass City’s become a violent and intolerable place for business”, Imara said one right. “ I don’t think so”, Klara replied. “Why? What’re your reasons for thinking otherwise? Imara queried. “The city is preferable and lively than that hole you call a hotel”, Klara replied with sarcasm. In their heart of hearts, Imara longed for the peace and serenity that she had enjoyed for that period she was in Bakka peninsula with Fela. Since that was not available right now, she continued with life as usual. At night she was taken out by her expatriate’s customers to plush restaurants or parties with top politicians. Though she enjoyed the outings and the money but she was sad at the manner her body was being ravaged night after night. Gradually her mind began to roam into the future even allowing herself the luxury of a quick escape from this shameful way of life. Coming home one morning from a party with an elderly Lebanese hotelier called Abude Fawazz; she saw a figure at the door. She slowed down in her strides. There were so many dangers at night in Brass City cultist, ritual killers and area boys who attacked prostitutes returning home from a right out. The Lebanese hold tightened on her arm as a voice called out. “Is that you, Imara? It’s Fefah and I need your assistance for old time’s sake”, he said. As they got closer, Imara could see the features. It was Fefah alright. Imara knew this was disaster but calmly she fashioned a way out. “Just a minute”, She said to her companion. “It’s a friend. He has information for me. Just go in, my assistant will open the door for you”. “Okay no problem”, her customer replied doing as he was asked to Imara quickly dragged Fefah to a corner, “What a pleasant surprise, by the way what do you want in Brass City?” Imara asked.“What do I want? Is this how you show loyalty to my friend Thounder?” Fefah fired back “No, you’re getting it all wrong”, Imara replied defensively. “That man is also trying to help Thounder” she lied, she took in Fefah’s appearance. He was looking unkempt and dirty. It was likely things were not working for him anymore. “So what’ve you been doing with your life? “Imara asked. “Things got out of hand with Thounder’s fall the rest of us were abandoned and chased out of Cape Coast like rabbits”. Imara was touched by his situation; they had all been doing odd jobs for politicians in Cape Coast and Madira but the honeymoon had ended suddenly. Opening her handbag Imara gave him two hundred naira and said, “Go down the road, by your left you will see a food vendor get yourself a meal” Imara instructed. “Thank you very much”, Fefah said grabbing the note. He did not return for three hours by which time he was drunk and noisy. By this time, Imara had concluded her transaction with Abude Fawazz who had department fifteen minutes ago in a chartered taxi. Imara sat in her night gown as she waited anxiously for news of Thounder. “Apart from Tunde being in prison in Lagos, I’ve got no other information”, Fefah said. Imara was disappointed. Fefah looked noisily around the parlour. “My goodness, how do you get money to feed your self. You must be doing well in your job”, he sneered. “Big house”. Imara;s heart missed a beat. Fefah did not know that she was a professional hooker could she trust him?” She wondered. “But how did you find this place? Imara asked. “Thounder described the place to me the last time, when we came to Brass City together he showed me the place said you were staying here, “Fefah replied. “I see”, Imara said nodding. “Did he tell you who own this house?” “No be didn’t, Fefah answered. “Well that’s unfortunate because Thounder is the landlord of this house”, Imara told him.“What, the sly old fox saving for the rainy day huh”, Fefah said. “But then how do you survive generally?” Imara’s heart missed a beat. Certainly Fefah did not know that she was a professional whore. She would have to watch her statement so she doesn’t give herself away. She ignored the question. “By the way, who’s this standing by the door way? Oh I see your body guard?” Fefah said sarcasm. “Don’t be ridiculous”, Imara said. “We’re flat mates”.

At a sign from Imara, Klara silently left for her room, though she had waited in vain for a sign from her born to throw out the noisemaker instead she had been asked to leave. “Any way I intend lying low for a long time, “Fefah informed her. “Cape Coast’s a very hostile ground right now”. Imara gave him a sympathetic grin while her mind worked hard to derive story to fool Fefah. He could not be trusted to keep his big mouth shut. He must not know the truth. “I work with a construction company at the Tinapa complex”, she informed him. “That’s great so you’re not in the whore business then?” Fefah asked amazed. Imara feigned anger. “Me? A whore with all the crimes and dangers in town? Of course not, for goodness sake. Thounder would strangle me if I were” “So you still tell good old Thounder, then what you were doing with that Lebanese cow?” He asked slyly “Like I told you, we were all returning from a party at the governor’s house”, Imara replied” Then he promised to press button to affect Thounder’s release”. Fefah shrugged. “Well you never know with this Lebanese they have connections everywhere. Any way thank God you’re going fine. By the way what of Queen?”

“Ah Queen is history” Imara began glad that the conversation had taken another dimension. “Queen’s off to Madira with her husband”. “Anyway that’s not an issue”, Fefah said. “Can I stay the night till tomorrow?” “You’re welcome” Imara said relieved once more that he had stopped probing. “I’ll send you a blanket; I’d better get some sleep too. I’ve got to go to work” grumbling under her breath, Klara brought the blanket and threw it at Fefah’s feet. “Hey beauty why don’t you come and warm me for the night”. Fefah teased. “Oh sure, your mother will do that for you”, Klara replied sarcastically as she left for her room. Soon they all settled down for the night, Imara in her big six feet bed, Klara in her room and Fefah on the sofa. Imara was very tired and so slept heavily waking up very briefly only once when she thought she heard a movement in her room. But then she sleepily dismissed it and dozed off again. Imara was awakened at daylight by a series of loud thumps and Klara’s voice calling her. Staggering out of bed, she opened the door to the sitting room and groped. There was no sign of Fefah, except for a note on the Sofa. The room was a mess, drawers were open. The rug was pulled out and wardrobe cupboards had all their contents spilled out onto the floor. “Oh, my God”, Imara cried, “the crooked bastard, I should’ve known better”. Klara had been locked in her room and was almost tearing down the door with her pounding when Imara unlocked the door it was as if she were releasing a wild animal, Klara charged out and ran into the parlour as if Fefah would still be there. “Calm down, the rogue’s gone, Imara said. “ I knew it!” Klara exclaimed. “You should not have allowed him to sleep here. He had the hook of a thief written all over him”. But Imara was taking stock of things and had gone very quiet. Stepping back into her room, she looked into the wardrobe and there, staring at her, was the precious cashbox lying upside down and empty. “Goodness me! He’s pinched everything! Imara cried, all my letters, complimentary cards and Thounder’s ring, how do I get out of this mess?” “Let’s go to the police at once”, Klara said. “Put the rogue where he should really be!” “What’s the point? Imara asked. “The police are worse than that infernal rogue”. “Why do you say no? Klara asked frowning. “Can’t you se if we go to the police we’ll be asked to give statements and then pay for fuel that the patrol van will use to look for Fefah, I don’t have time for that”, Imara stated flatly. “What a force we have here, no wonder the thieves are having a field day”, Klara observed acidly. “Fefah can have the money it’s no use going to the police. I will try and get my letters and cards. But I feel sad without Thounder’s ring and it was the first one he ever gave me”, Imara lamented “Thank God your money’s in the bank”, Klara observed. Imara sighed as she kicked the blanket that Fefah used away. “: Right, my mind’s made up”, she said flipping on the sofa. “I’m quitting before Christmas. I’ve had it up to my throat,” there was nothing to say so Klara remained quiet. The next day, Imara visited some of the shady spots in the area looking for Fefah, but did not find him. The following day she got news that Fefah had left town, one of the bartenders told her. He had been at his bar the previous day. “I guess that does it then”, Imara said. He might have torn up the letters. I will probably never see him again talk less of retrieving the letters, so it’s no use worrying. But she could not help worrying a little, some of the letters and cards were pretty sharp and were from some customers who had put pen to paper, just thanking her for the services rendered to them. The determination to start a new life remained with her and got stronger with each passing day. Increasingly she longed to be free, to get away from this mess. She loathed the stench and evil that clung to her way of life like big maggots eating dead carcass. Her attitude to her current way of life had been changed by that holiday at Bakka peninsula. Things had changed too terribly every day. The dailies were filled with stories of prostitutes being killed mostly for ritual purposes and the police were never able to arrest the situation. Fortunately in their second meeting, Abude had informed her of his big hotel in Maffia Island she had been amazed but after explaining she would accept the offer and quit this filthy life for good. Afterward lying on her sofa, Imara would dream of the blue skies and the golden island on the beach. How she loved the winding path to the ocean and the ocean itself in its fun as it rushed towards the shores she also relished the feeling of high winds on her skin Imara had taken in all the sights and sounds that the peninsula had offered in her two weeks holiday. Now she laid thinking about Maffia Island in her flat in the city of Brass City armed with the roar of traffic which sounded loud through the window. Although it was still just a dream, she knew that she just had to go to with Abude. She was not ready yet, she needed an international passport and cash since Fefah had stolen all the spare cash. it was just on well she had put that twenty five thousand dollars away, otherwise he would have had the entire money stolen. Imara was mostly disturbed by the loss of the letters, they were sensitive documents that Thounder must not see and she hoped that Fefah’s conscience would prick him after he had read the letters. He might, she hoped, send them back to her. So, keeping hope alive, Imara concentrated on her work, satisfying the desires of Abude Fawazz and other regular clients. She had to do it to keep up till I’ve saved enough to cover unforeseen expenses,” she said to herself. just like she had told Klara earlier by the end of the year she would quit the messy business and go off with Abude to Maffia island to start a new life.

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Before coming to the Atlantic nation of Itharkar on this business trip, Abude Fawazz owned and managed one of the most popular hotels in the Maffia islands, Forcados Island and Hangolar. But political unrest and unfavorable government policies had made him dispose off the hotels in Hangolar and Forcados Island. He had held on to the hotel on Maffia island majorly due to the fact that the island itself was a tourist’s haven, beautiful and well developed beaches with gulls flying overhead. It was a It was a place to be especially during heat periods. Abude had arrived Zomaliland before war broke out with just the clothes on his back. But by dint of hard work and a stroke of luck. Abude had made it big as a hotelier. He had given his all in a bid to make something out of life. While he had succeeded in the business front his home had suffered. Abude had opened more hotels in the European continent and in the united state of America, but at the end of it all he had lost his family. Abude’s wife had carried their three children and departed Zomaliland while he was away on a business trip to Europe. Efforts to bring them back had failed as his wife had formally filed for divorce; she had denied Abude custody of their three children, while Abude had won the mere rights to visit the children whenever he wanted to. Though sad at the turn of events, he had thus taken solace in his work. But deep down he was sad, he longed for the warmth of a family to return to. He had not thought too much on this area till he set eyes on Imara. Apparently he had seen her at a party given by the governor of the state of Malabor, then they had met again at another party in Brass City. They had chatted, danced then gone home to her apartment where they had made love. He liked Imara very much; she was pretty and experienced in many ways. Going back to the islands with him to manage the hotel there would be a big plus for both of them. Imara would love the place of that he was very certain and a place like Maffia islands would definitely do her more good. But the question was would she go? He wondered. The last time they had been together, he had brought up the issue again. “Just give me time to think about it”, she had replied. “Okay take all the time you need”, Abude had told her. Abude could not understand why she needed so much time to take a decision that would change her life for good. However, I will not pressurize her, Abude resolved quietly. Imara’s presence would help curb the pilfering that went on behind his back and now that they were lovers nothing stopped them from becoming husband and wife. It was a good idea, He thought and he would pursue it to a logical conclusion. That weekend at Abude’s insistence, Imara agreed to follow him to the cattle ranch, you’ll like the place, Abude said to her smiling. “Really?” Imara asked “okay we shall see”.

“Of that I’ve no fear. Let’s just get there and you shall see, what I mean”, Abude motioned. “Well I’ve never been that way before”, Imara said after a moments silence “Then I can assure you, that this is one decision you’ll never regret taking”, Abude added. “What’s more the beautiful environment will enable you think well and decide towards joining me in my hotel at Maffia island”. Imara remained silent as the taxi sped towards the airport.” In the past getting to the ranch was a very grueling affair”, Abude began. “You had to motor almost across the entire length of the state and then on reaching the area, you would continue driving up steep bends and hills before reaching the ranch but…….” “You’ve been there before? Imara interrupted. “Yes, I’ve been there. But that was about seven years ago”, Abude replied. “And things were different then”

“What do you mean have things really changed now” Imara asked. “Ah plenty”, Abude said smiling. “Now we don’t have to drive across the state we’re flying straight to the ranch. There is an air strip up for there for Turbo engine planes”. “It’s alright, Thank God for that because I’m sure it’d have been very boring and tiring traversing the length and breadth of the state”, Imara said. “Are you happy to go with me?” Abude asked. “Ah why not” Imara replied sharply. “I’ve got nothing to lose in going to the ranch with you”. “Sir, we have reached the airport”, the taxi driver announced. “That’s alright and how much is your money?” Abude asked. “Two thousand naira sir”. Abude paid without delay picking their bags, they walked through the departure lounge to the booking office in charge of flights to the ranch. Abude paid for two tickets and they went back into the lounge to wait for their flight. By quarter past three in the afternoon, the call to board was given. Abude and Imara boarded the turbo engine aircraft belonging to the aviation development company . Thirty minutes later they were airborne and the trip to the cattle ranch was on. “Enjoying yourself?” Abude asked smiling. “I’m sure you’ve flown before?” “Of course I have but it was in a bigger aircraft” Imara replied. “Here this brand of planes are used because at the ranch. It’s just an airstrip, landing will be difficult for bigger aircraft”, Abude explained.