Their feet were silent against the wetland bordering the small lake. They walked as fast as they could and when they got to dry land they kept to the shadows, running the rest of the way. The night had progressed and now dawn was fast approaching.
It was a long run especially since they had to keep their heads down and appear as invisible as possible. Eventually, they got to the street where Fredrick’s house was located. Now the next challenge was getting into the house.
They scaled the wall easily. It seemed that the men Fredrick had sent after them were yet to return.
“We can’t assume they aren’t inside,” Tshepo warned. “What is the fastest route to Fredrick’s room.”
“Come with me,” Nate said. They walked the length of the house, some of the lights were still on but there were no movements inside or signs of anyone alive in fact. It was eerie and the eeriness was only heightened by the boys' mission.
They came to a stop beneath a large window, adjacent to it was another window smaller in size but it too had a light on. As they watched a small figure came to a stop in front of the smaller window and a young boy picked something up from the ledge and stared at it for a while. He was only there for a brief moment but Nate caught the raven black of the boy's hair and the sharp features before he turned away and the sound of a closing door echoed softly.
“Are you sure this is it?” Tshepo asked.
“A hundred percent. I haven’t spent the last few months in this house just sitting in that room. I explored every inch.”
“Then who is that boy?”
Nate shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe one of Fredrick's lovers?” he took a deep breath. The boy had looked small enough from what he could see. Maybe Tshepo would handle him while he took care of Fredrick.
“Having second thoughts?” Tshepo asked when he continued to remain silent.
Nate looked him dead in the eyes. “Never. You’ll handle the boy if he poses any threat and I’ll handle Fredrick.”
Without waiting for Tshepo, Nate held onto the ledge of the bottom window and hoisted himself up. Tshepo did the same and in no time at all they were hanging on to the edge of the large window. Nate pulled himself up on his arms and peeped into the open window. The room was empty. There was no sign of Fredrick or the boy who had been there just now, or Fredrick’s men. The large room with a huge bed, a dresser with five drawers, a lamp stand, a huge closet, and three exit doors held no human occupant.
Frowning, Nate climbed through the window. There on the dresser which was the closest thing beside him, he noticed an open file. On it was Imprinted in bold block letters; THE WILL OF FREDRICK MADDEN. It looked like a page had been torn from it. Ignoring the little file Nate turned to help Tshepo when suddenly a door opened with a loud bang.
Shocked and filled with fear Nate swung around to face this new obstacle.
It was Fredrick.
The man was naked from the waist up. At first, he didn’t notice Nate standing there frantically looking for the nearest place to hide. Then he looked up and his eyes narrowed.
“You!”
Nate backed the window hoping to shield Tshepo from Fredrick’s sharp eyes as best as he could but he had no such luck because Tshepo, drawn by the turn of events was now climbing through the window.
“Stay back,” Nate ordered him.
“The boy!” Tshepo reminded him.
But there was no sign of any boy. And now that Nate thought about it through the panic in his head the door Fredrick opened was the same one leading to the room where they had seen the boy. If the boy wasn’t running out of the room to see what was happening then he wasn’t there anymore.
Where was he? He did not want anyone to witness what he was about to do.
He didn’t have time to think about this when Fredrick charged at him with his hands clawed and ready to latch around his throat. Tshepo jumped in to grab him just in time to avoid Fredrick’s assault.
As both boys moved from harm’s way Nate noticed with surprise that Fredrick was moving slowly. He was slightly hunched over as pushed against the window to regain his bearing.
He was breathing heavily from that slight exertion. He turned to Nate again.
“You bastard, you have come to take revenge haven’t you?” he coughed and gagged and frothed at the mouth.
“Something is wrong,” Tshepo whispered tugging at Nate’s hand. “Let’s go. Something is wrong with him. He looks like he has been poisoned.”
Nate realized with a start that Tshepo’s observation was correct. The froth on Fredrick’s mouth was now mixed with blood and his face was contorted in a look of anguish.
The boy! Nate noted. It had to be the boy!
“He tricked me…you tricked me…” Fredrick stammered now delusional from the poison making its way into his system. He stumbled against the dresser and reached for something on it. “You will never…n-never get my wealth!” he swung his hand and almost cut Nate’s throat with the letter opener he had grabbed from the desk.
Had Tshepo not pushed Nate away the blade would have ended his friend’s life. Instead, the blade struck Tshepo’s forehead, running across his right eye to his cheek. He cried out loud, holding his face as blood spilled out.
Nate rebounded grabbing Fredrick’s hand as the man advanced to end Tshepo’s life. Fredrick fought him hard, the older man though poisoned was far stronger than him so in no time at all he was pinned beneath Fredrick who wanted to ram the letter opener into his heart. The struggle caused the diamonds to fall out of Nate’s pocket.
Nate fought harder, heart beating fast, he panicked knowing that if he died Fredrick would kill Tshepo. And in the end, he will end up dead without accomplishing anything, bringing two of his most precious friends down with him.
That thought drove him mad as with a loud cry he pushed Fredrick’s hand, groaning as he did so. With all his might he twisted Fredrick’s hand and pushed.
Suddenly Fredrick stopped struggling. His eyes opened wide in stunned silence as he stared.
Then the blood began to pour from his nose, mouth, and the gaping hole where the letter opener had pierced his chest. Where Nate had pushed it.
Stunned, Nate scrambled out from under Fredrick’s limp body with a small cry. His shirt, now soaked with Fredrick’s blood, stuck to his body.
“What have you done?!” a bloody Tshepo cried running over to Fredrick’s body to retrieve the letter opener.
“I-I-I killed h-him.”
Tshepo gripped his hand. “Fuck! Let’s get out of here. Let’s go! Let’s go!”
He hadn’t finished talking when the door was thrown open and two dozen of Fredrick’s men ran in guns ready to shoot.
“Freeze!”
Nate stood in a dazed shock. He was a murderer. Murderer. Murderer.
He didn’t notice the gentleman who walked into the room, staring directly at him. The man walked in and held his shoulder asking, “Are you alright? Did he hurt you?”
He looked up and couldn’t respond. I am a murderer. I am a murderer.
“I killed him.”
“No you didn’t, boy,” the man said. “You are Fredrick’s heir. See?” he waved a file similar to the one Nate had seen on the table. “You are his heir. He left it all to you.”
“I killed him.”
“He did,” the man pointed to Tshepo who was now being held by two men. His right eye was bloody and in his hand, he held the bloody letter opener. “He didn’t hurt you and that’s what matters. You are Nathaniel Madden, Fredrick Madden’s heir…”
********** Present Time************
In the 48-floor building where Nathaniel’s office was located, he looked out at Gem Hills’ skyline as he thought about the journey of his life from the lowly son of a drunk to the heir of the 6th richest diamond merchant. His tentacles spread far and wide and in 15 years he increased Fredrick’s wealth by 100 folds.
He felt like an imposter. Worse yet he hated the man he didn’t know was his father all these years. He hated his mother more for being a whore.
His hate ruled his life. And he tried to taint everyone with his hatred of everything.
Until Vera.
Then Rachel…
His heavy office door suddenly opened and he turned away from the window to see his secretary and a tall dark man dressed in nondescript sweatpants and a white shirt. He had an eye patch over his right eye and the whitest smile that lit up the room.
His secretary blushed heavily as she let him into the office without a word.
“Nate,” the man said.
“Tshepo, old pal. What brings you here?”
He went straight to the point. “Jacob has Rachel.”