ANOTHER KIND OF DIAMOND (50 page)

I do that a lot! Whenever I go down, I never allow myself to stay down. That’s what I do! Oh my God. Denyse, what a great babe you turned out. You had it all figured out’ ha? As for me it was unthinkable years back that I’ll ever get into a college but here I’m . Anyway I owe it all to my husband. I’m still working on how to keep that man forever though, laughs.

Be good to him too! Love, trust, respect and understand him. At this point goals become one and you pursue in one mind and don’t you think that makes it a lot easier? But then allow each other some freedom too because everyone is an individual being. Give him space to do whatever he wants to do without ulterior controls and checks. If he wants to be with the boys let him go ahead and come back when he wants. Remember, you are not raising a kid but working with a partner to bring out the best in each of you. My husband is a medical Dr Like I said and sometimes I don’t get to see him in days but I never concern myself with any other issue other than his wellbeing because I know that at the end of the day he will return home. So far he has not failed me.

You are right! Denyse, it really pays to be prepared for life.

Sure! And every girl needs that. I’m a member of the Girls Guide and our motto is, Be Prepared. I thought about that for a long time before I figured that this is an important key to a girl’s future. The only thing is that even as a Guide these things are not well explained therefore even though she is already warned, she is still at a loss. Be prepared! How? Girls don’t understand. But is about a future you must build with all the implements you possess as a girl and how you must use the implements to better your course. Remember, all you’ll ever have is yourself as you begin your struggle through life, and only you can make things happen in your world.

That’s the kind of way I’m trying to lead my daughter, understand? I learnt my lessons the hard way and I vowed my daughter will never have to go the same way as I did, Carissa said.

You have a girl?

Yeah! My first blood is a girl named Christiana. You need to see me with her and the way we do our stuff together, it is amazing. I tell you some, I started early with her and I’m gonna keep it going because she needs to get it right. That’s it! I remember this Halloween that I bought her a Medical Doctor’s costume and she loved it so much. Oh you should’ve seen how she carried herself in that outfit showing off to everyone she sees and I was intrigued by the effect of it all ‘cause I never seen my daughter act on a Halloween the way she acted that day. Since then it’s always that important someone on Halloween and every hero of her Halloween reinforced at Christmas!

Good! Once you succeed in building that foundation, she will do all she can to stay with it. I work so hard with my two daughters also.

I’m really proud of the way you turned out Denyse.

You too Carissa! You are not doing badly at all! Ehen! Before it escapes my mind again, this thing about Isabel Diamond blew my mind completely! I know she used to act in certain ways in those days but I thought it was all gonna go away with time, get what I’m saying? I never ever imagined it will come to this, just like what we have been talking about, right? This diamond just wouldn’t glitter and all that glisten is not diamond. Denyse stressed.

I’m yet to come to terms with the whole thing even though it’s been years, Carissa continued. There are people you just don’t forget so easily!

I understand! It’s so bad she got herself into this mess, Denyse continued.

I don’t really know what happened but I still love that girl like a sister, get what I’m saying? We were living happily together and then suddenly, boom! Everything went up in the air. I know you guys talked about her in those days’ like that weird girl and stuff but I wasn’t seeing that. She was ok with me and we did things together like sisters would!

Nice to hear that though but what bits me is that after everything they still found her, Denyse said. The whole thing is nonsense to me! She should have stayed put no matter what! It is all a mess!

You said they found her? Carissa reacted spontaneously. What does that mean?

I mean she is been found by the Police and returned to LA. Denyse continued.

How? When? Carissa continued.

So you have not heard? It was on the late news yesterday and because I stayed up to write my articles I heard them talking about it. It was on the news again this morning and has been on all day. She was discovered by some hospital staffs way back in the country of South Africa and has since been extradited to the US. She and that guy she went away with are back.

You mean Wallis?

Yes! I believe that’s the guy’s name. I thought you knew already, Denyse asked.

No! You see, because we operate only one car we leave home very early because my husband have to drop me off and then take the kids to school before he goes to his job so we hardly turn on the TV in the morning and as you can see I’ve been in school all day. But then I called my husband earlier in the day and he didn’t even mention anything like that. I lost contact with most of my old friends when I changed my number after I got married. Are you serious about this? Carissa continued.

See, it’s even here in the Daily Sunshine and made it as a head line News. Could be your man wanted to tell you in a nicer way so forgive me for being so mouthy, Denyse apologized. I actually thought you already knew.

No! No! No! Don’t misunderstand me! You did me a great service by letting me know, Carissa said, snatched the paper off Denyse’s hand and staring her in the face was a boldly written caption. ‘ISABEL DIAMOND IS NICOLE FISHBUMPS.’ What? What does this mean? She asked, looking up to her companion for answer.

Read! Denyse responded.

And she went through the papers as carefully as she could. It was a lengthy story about how Isabel was discovered by some hospital staff through blood sampling in South African. The US Police through the Interpol has been on her tail through blood type and other characteristic futures and when some hospital staffs made the discovery they contacted South African police who handed her over to the waiting hands of the USA Police force. Also arrested was her ex-husband named Wallis Mellows. Then the story went into details on how the two left the country on assumed names, Loretta Rowland and Barry Pickles. Their escape to South Africa and how they’ve been living there since then, got married, divorced and even established a thriving business and concluding with, there are speculations in some quarters that the girl known as Isabel Diamond may infect turn out to be “the ghost” of Nicole Fishbump. You see! See what I’m talking about! Carissa reacted. The paparazzi aint even sure of anything, they’re just guessing! Anyway, does anyone know where she is right now?

For me, I’ve no idea! Denyse responded.

How do I find her? Carissa insists. If I know where she is staying I’ll like to go see her right away, understand? I need to go see things for myself ‘cause I have no clue what is really going on here. And all these name calling and name swapping what does it mean? I can’t understand a thing, get what I am saying? These paparazzi folks can be funny at times, you must know that! So the way I figured is that the best thing for me right now is to go see her so she can explain to me what this is all about. It’s been really long years and if it’s true that Isabel has been found I need to know where she’s been all this time and why she left without saying bye. And then all I had to go through because of the way she left me! Oh no! I need to go see her right away!

What you can do is go to any police post, introduce yourself and tell them Isabel was your former roommates. I believe the Police will understand and let you see her, Denyse suggested.

I do hope so. I’m calling my husband to come pick me up right away.

I understand how you feel but you’ve got to take it easy. Anyway, keep me posted with developments, alright? Hope to see you in class soon, Denyse said before Carissa stepped out of her office.

Chapter Twenty-Nine
 

S
ited in his room in an Assisted Living Facility where he preferred to spend his retirement, ex officer of the LAPD Thomas Jenkins tuned to channel 8 to catch up with events like he always does in the mornings and was getting the feedbacks he desired when the news of Isabel and Wallis came up. And the moment he realized what was going on he sat up on his chair. Now, some officers of the LAPD were on stand describing the events that lead to the discovery of Isabel Simon and Wallis Mellows in South Africa and their subsequent extradition to the USA. No charges are being pressed at the moment but ongoing investigation will determine our next line of actions, the officer continued.

Bingo! That’s what I’m talking about! Jenkins exclaimed, overtly exited. I knew it! I know it was a matter of time before those two get caught. Yes! He shouted out in triumph. You don’t mess with my men, oh no! I worked on that case until retirement and I’m almost losing hope of something ever showing up in my life time and then it happened, bam! You don’t commit a crime under the jurisdiction of the LAPD and expect to go free. No! They’ll fish you out one way or the other no matter where you hide or how far and fast you run. It may take time, years if possible, it may take resources, a lot of it if necessary, but at the end of the day, you’ll pay the right prize for the crime committed here. With the caliber of force we created, there is no hiding place for those who chose to break the law. By now he was addressing Samantha, his caretaker who was in the room providing him with his morning grooming.

They finally caught up with those two, ha? She added. I was about Twenty years old when that thing happened and now it seems like yesterday. I actually thought both of them are dead or something. I’m sure one of them killed that guy they’ve been talking about.

She did it! Jenkins contended.

So you walked on the case?

Yeah! That case was assigned to me and was one of the cases that continued giving me nagging headache until my retirement. I consider it a failure of my carrier that I was unable to net those two before my exit, you know. Although I had strong feelings right from the start that the girl has something to do with it but because I had no prove I continued working underground hoping to get that break I so much desired but unfortunately that never happened. I think is a flaw in the force that you must dig up all evidence that has to do with some crime to prove it, even when it is clear that your suspect is the culprit. It is what they term burden of prove and I hated it while I was in the force because it is very detailing and nerve racking.

Maybe it’s because they don’t want to send the wrong guy to jail or something! Samantha added.

I know that, but it still sucks, continued Jenkins. One thing though, it helped create a diehard police force. That is why I laugh at those who get into police chase each time I watch them from this my TV wondering why they commit such blunder since they ought to know the final outcome. They are not ever gonna get away because robots never let go. The only resolution there will ever be in a matter like that is that the criminal will have to buckle. So, why they continue to dare my men, I don’t know! I can only say that fools mingle among men out there. Samantha continued to nod in approval while performing her routine.

I need to make a call to the LAPD right away he said. She then dialed up the number as he read it out and handed him the receiver.

Officer James picked up. Thomas introduced himself giving his badge number and what have you.

Nice to hear from you again sir. Yes. You are right. They are back in the USA. You may want to come down to the Office for debriefing if you can, otherwise, we shall make arrangement to send an Officer to you, and James told him.

My greatest wish right now is to be there with you guys at this event but I hardly can get out of my room these days, continued Jenkins.

Don’t worry sir. A meeting is coming up in a short time and after that I’ll see to it that an officer comes to give you updates, okay?

Thanks a lot officer. What again you said your name is?

James! James Benson.

Ok James! I’ll always be here waiting, his husky voice concluded.

Orlando Fernando is the new head of the investigation unit in this highly explosive A++ case as it was designated in the Police files. And just like Jenkins his predecessor, he is an austere old officer with years of experience in the investigative unit. He has eyes for details and knows how to put bits of information together to make a whole piece. He also understands his unit thoroughly since he has had the chance of working in close contact with almost every single officer in his department. It is therefore no surprise that a case of this nature was assigned to him.

One of the things Fernando did as soon as this case opened afresh was recall Officer Gary Hanford from vacation since his own case is another one on hand for the LAPD. For an Officer of Fernando caliber, Isabel /Wallis plus Gary case is a web woven by a single spider. Therefore, even though he may be working on it from different angles, he has only one goal in mind, that is, catch the spider that wove the web. Gary is of a different Police unit from that working directly with Isabel/Wallis case, yet some last minutes reshuffling brought him directly into the matter.

One of the topmost secrets of the LAPD was the relationship between Gary and Isabel but what effect that relationship brought to bear on this case is still a mystery which the police was determined to solve together with the whole case. The hope of the LAPD was that Gary would have ultimately lead them to wherever Isabel/Wallis were to be found, dead or alive, but from the turn of events, that did not happen. Even then, the charges the police have on him as one of the suspects in the case continued to stick and Fernando convinced that Gary still holds that key that will ultimately open the door and lead him to what he is looking for as far as this Isabel/Wallis case is concerned. .