Chapter 63: Chapter 63

Chapter 63 Kate was tight-lipped

Tony pulled over the scarcely lit tunnel and ear-splitting hooting of the horn came from his car, calling on the attention of the Mexican blonde standing by the corner; as soon as the blonde noticed him he started prancing to him and finally hopped into the car.

Tony greeted, “Hi what’s up.”

The blonde shook his head, staring around the expensive interior of the car. “This is a new one. Congratulations, boy, your drugs and sex tape business is paying off.”

“You can say that again, “Tony beamed, “When folks like you keep patronizing me, the whole world will come bowing to me.”

The blonde chuckled, dug his hand into his bag and pulled out two wads of dollars which he slapped into his palms.

Tony’s lips curved in smile. “Which of my products do you want?” he inquired.

“Any sex tape?” the blonde demanded.

“Yes I got a new one, well edited at the best studio in town,” he construed.

“Heh, I need it unedited this time. The faces of both partners must be seen so as to attract huge viewing base. I want to get value for my money,” he said in Mexican.

Tony scrutinized the white face of the blonde and sighed. “Come on that is too demanding. All the sex tapes I have been selling to you feature me and my girlfriend and you demanding for the impossible is just maddening. I have done you enough favor by showing her face. What could be ample than that?”

The blonde stroked his short-hair. “Come to think of it, what could inspire you to do this to the girl you claim to love?” he obliged Tony with his concern.

“Whatever I do with my girlfriend is none of your business. Are you here to trade or you are here to give me your poorly bake sermon?”

The blonde replied, “To trade of course.”

“Now pay for your iniquity and get the hell out of my car,” Tony commanded with eyeballs rolling from edge to edge. His hostile looking face held fire.

Perceiving the anger that sat on Brian’s face, the blonde slid out a wad of dollars, to continue his business. “Where is the tape?” he demanded.

Tony fondled his hand into the backpack and came out with a flash drive, which he held out to him. “It is on this flash. I muted our voices, scrapped off my body and surrounding. You earned for yourself her body and face alone. This should remain between us. If I ever get snitched, I will hold you responsible and cancel Christmas on your ass. Am I understood?” he said.

“Your immunity is assured. You got nothing to worry about,” the blonde conversed and counted the wad of dollars before handing it over to him. “When will you have drugs?” he inquired.

“As soon as it is ready I will put a call to you,” he replied and tossed the wad of dollars into the backpack. “Nice doing business with you, buddy.” They shook hands and the blonde alighted.

Tony brought out the wad of dollars once more, wiped it in his palms repeatedly, stamped a kiss on it and punched into the space.

Kate waited with contempt at the visitors’ room for her father, Mr. Fanny to walk in through that door so she could behold his face once again. Since her father was convicted and sentenced to jail, she had been frequenting the authorities at the jail to accord her a day of visiting her father. At first she was weak-kneed when she thought of Inspector Fred Brian being of help to her. When she finally summoned the effrontery to source for his help, it was just a phone call that made the difference.

Now she was here, she glared around and studied the noise from inmates and their gabble and she became sober at the thought of most of the inmates destined to spend the rest of their declining lives behind bars.

“May I not be a victim of this mundane solitary,” she whispered within herself and started counting with her fingers the year her father’s jail term will be over. “Oh my God. In the year 2042!” she exclaimed as her face went crimson at once. “By then I will become a mother.” She snorted in disgust, sighed, stroked her hair and clicked her fingers irritably. “Would dad be alive to witness his release? What would be his fate by then? Oh my God,” she said thoughtfully as her face was evinced with hurt and peril.

She gazed upon her father the moment the door creaked open and Mr. Fanny accompanied with a thick, bald, head prison warden walked into the room.

“Have a seat,” the prison warden obliged Mr. Fanny and to Kate he beamed, “You have fifteen minutes. No touching, please.” he stood aside. With his unfriendly long face held straight.

“Dad,” Kate called, beholding the weal on his right cheek; the bruise on his brow and the black eyes that bulled his looks. “Who did this to you, dad?” she asked, as she barely could relate his present looks to his former one; he had lost his toned skin, became muscular and kept scraggly mustache.

“Don’t bother my daughter. This is prison, where some imperious inmates dare to trample on you. You got to fight back.”

“Did you off your gloves with someone?” she asked, curiosity walking in her eyes.

“Never worry sweetheart, I don’t want to pester you with my shortcomings. Besides I have got it sorted out. Nobody dares thread my path in this jail any more. Come on. Perk up,” he said and she tried to touch his cheeks and nurse it only to be warned by the warden;

“No touching,” the prison warden warned loudly.

And she withdrew her hands and touched him in her head. “I miss you so much dad.”

“I miss you most, darling. How are you getting on with life and school?”

“Everything is fine dad, except that we need you back home,” she lamented and pondered briefly if she should tell him everything that had happened since he left; their house that was gutted with fire and her mother cheating on him with the lawyer, and her plan of divorcing him. She was out-and-out to tell him everything, even though Mrs. Coleman had made her see reasons not to do so; within herself she was still bickering over her father committing suicide at the news of her mother cheating on him and planning a divorce. “Can I ask you a question, dad?” she queried.

“Yes, darling,” he replied.

“What is that thing that can make you commit suicide?” she asked coldly.

He raised his brow. “Why the weird question?”

She protested, “Answer me, dad.”

“Well, what could be more suicidal than twenty years imprisonment? Alas I am stronger by the day. But to answer your question; the day I will lose the two women in my life, you and your mother, will be the day I will lose my breath.”

She rubbed her eyes of the tears that wanted to rain down her cheeks. “A lot has happened since you left,” she said and her lips molded to a pause.

“What is it? What happened, Kate?” he asked as curiosity hung over him. “Talk to me. I am all ears. ”

“Your time is up,” the prison warden said and came at once to drag him.

“Talk to me, Kate, be fast. What happened? Kate! Kate!” he called as the warden dragged him away out of sight; into the prison yard.

Kate was tight-lipped…