He didn’t finish before Farhan turned Risha around, putting himself as a shield.
Abbas smiled, “well my friend, it would seem you haven’t been totally honest with me have you? I would love to hear the undoubtedly romantic love story that exist between you two, but I don’t have the time.” He said. Then becoming serious, he continued. “Now my friend, unless you don’t want to see her die in your arms, you will tell me where it is.”
“I am telling you the truth,” Farhan spoke.
“In that case, tell me the lock code to your save.”
When Farhan didn’t move, he collected the gun and pointed it at Risha’s head.
Farhan watched in horror as he cocked the gun, Risha cried silently clinging to him.
“You have until the count of three, 1, 2…”
“It’s on the table over there,” Farhan spoke looking down.
Looking sceptical, at Farhan, “check it” he said to one of the men.
“He is telling the truth, it’s here boss,” the man said holding up the paper.
“Let me see Abbas said collecting it. After looking through, he smiled at Farhan shaking his head slowly. Incredible, it was here all along?”
“You bastard Saleem roared, it was here all this time?” He said pointing his gun at Farhan. “You should have let me ransack the place” Saleem bellowed.
“And risk contaminating the crime the scene?”
“What scene Saleem” asked angrily clearly frustrated.
“The suicide scene of cause,” Abbas replied enjoying the power he was having over everyone.
“suicide?” Risha asked looking at Abbas.
“Oh sorry, I have not brought you up to speed, you see my dear, we plan on framing Farhan here for your father’s as well as your death also, after which he was commits suicide as a result of the guilt. Everybody knows the story of how you and your father treated him.
“My God” Risha whispered looking at Farhan in horror.
Now that all that is out of the way, we must be on our way, you will be coming with us dear niece. Saleem you will do the needful, and remember it must look like suicide, understood?” He spoke to his brother.
“No…no, leave me” Risha screamed as one of the men pulled her away from Farhan.
Farhan tried to stop them but was met with a punch to the gut, he doubled and fell over, he heard Risha screamed as she was pulled out of the room.
Giving Farhan a last look of respect, Abbas smiled, “can’t say I have enjoyed this my friend, it has not been a pleasure, I could really have used a man like, with that he nodded to his brother and walked out, leaving Farhan with his brother.”
Slowly, Farhan got to his feet, trying to steady himself.
“Well now” Saleem said smiling, “I guess it’s just you and me now.”
Farhan looked at him, standing up straight, he pinned the man with a daring stare, “you are a fool you know,” he said smiling at the man, “Your brother just played you.”
“what’s that?” Saleem asked glaring at him.
“Oh, don’t tell me you haven’t figured it out yet?”
“Figured what out?” Saleem asked defensively.
“Your brother thinks you are a fool, and he is right if you haven’t figured out what just happened. You have just been placed as a snack for the police, he played you” Farhan smiled.
“Shut up, now, right now” Saleem said pointing the gun at Farhan.
Farhan looked at him straight in the eyes and continued. “If I am correct, Hanifah my secretary has called the police already, they will be here anytime now. Your brother knows this and has left you here as the diversion.”
“That is not true,” Saleem said, though he tried to control himself, Farhan could see his hand start to shake. “it’s not true.”
“Then why else will he leave you here?” he could have asked one of your goons to do this, but he singled you out, why is that?”
“Shut up you fool,” the agitated man said, his voice raising even more. “He left this to me because this is important, it is too important to leave to the others, so stop taking rubbish or I will just shoot you right now.”
“He is a smart man you know; he knows you don’t have the patience to do anything right, go ahead and shoot, you will just be playing into his hands. I bet this whole ruse was his idea, right?”
Saleem cocked the gun “You think I won’t?”
“I believe you,” Farhan continued confidently “and that will only prove my point that you don’t have a mind of your own, that you are not smart enough to even control yourself.”
“Shut up, you bastard, I am as smart as Abbas, maybe even smarter, all these was my idea, mine, I planned everything, the accident, getting those greedy vultures at the office to our side, everything,” the man shouted proudly.
“And yet, here you are, the man who planned everything” Farhan smiled “so the man who planned everything has been left for the police to pick up, you really don’t see it?” Farhan asked still smiling.
Though he was trying to hide it, Farhan could see that Saleem’s hand had begun to shake visibly. Pressing on his advantage, he continued.
“Though your brother is smart, I am smarter as I will show you soon” Farhan continued confidently.
Saleem scoffed, “Really now?” he said smiling a little, you know what? Enough of all this delay, move, walk to that chair and sit, do it slowly”
“what if I tell you that if you shoot me, you will never get a dime of Alhaji’s money?” Farhan asked as he walked.
“I will say to hell with you are all your lies, sit” he gestured.
Farhan chucked, “Just think how your brother might react when he finds out that the will he now has in his possession is not in fact Alhaji’s final will, I will love to see the look on his face” all these would have been for nothing you see.”
“What nonsense are you talking about now?” thundered Saleem.
Farhan smiled, “You see I was actually telling the truth earlier when I told Hanifah that Alhaji came to change his will, and he did. Only I know where that new will is. What your brother has in his possession is useless, he may have taken it in other to falsify another, but what happens when the real will is released?”
“You are lying,” Saleem whispered trying to read Farhan, “Even if that is true, what does it matter? You will be dead anyway and no one will need worry about what you have or do not have.”
“Is that so?” Farhan continued pinning the man with a glare “what I did not also tell you guys is that Alhaji already knew about your plots, he knew what you were up to and warned me, hence I took necessary precautions, even in the eventuality of my death, that copy will be released to some trusted members of the company.”
“You are lying,” Saleem bellowed, he was beginning to sweat now.
“Maybe I am, and maybe I am not, but can you really take that risk?” Farhan demanded confidently.
Clearly becoming nervous, Saleem started to pace, then he reached for his phone and dialled a number. “Hello? Abbas, there is a new develop…no I haven’t done it yet.” He flushed angrily, “I am not playing around so listen, he says that there is another will, a more recent one, that what you have with you is useless.” He listened for a few minutes, “Will you return?” he waited then looked at Farhan “Ok” he said hanging up the phone.
“I knew you would call him, what if I lied?” Farhan said.
“Did you?” Saleem screamed pointing the gun at Farhan again.
“No” Farhan said “I simply expected smarter man to take the document for himself”
“Where is it” he asked.
“It’s right here” Farhan pointed at his pocket.
Looking suspiciously at Farhan he stepped closer, “what?” he asked.
Farhan brought out an envelope, holding it up.
“Put it on the table” Saleem instructed.
Farhan obeyed.
“Now, what is to stop me from killing you?” He asked.
Farhan looked amused, “How are you even sure that is it?”
Losing his temper, he reached for the envelope, all his attention on it, as he opened it and pulled out the paper, “what the hell?” this is not…
He couldn’t finish as Farhan jumped at him and grabbed at the gun, they struggled, Saleem taken by surprise tried to point the gun at Farhan stomach, Farhan using all his strength twisted, two shots fired missing Farhan as they struggled on.
Desperate to regain control, Saleem released his hold on the hold with his left hand and tried to topple Farhan over. Anticipating the move, Farhan acted fast, side stepping Saleem, he stepped on the man’s foot and head booted him on the nose, Saleem doubled over falling to the ground holding his bleeding nose, as he tried to hurry back to his feet, he was greeted by the barrel of the gun pointing at his face.
“Where?” Farhan asked breathing hard, he was shaking, “where?”
“What?” Saleem asked.
“Abbas,” Farhan said “where is he?” it was hard to believe that this was the man that was speaking calmly only a few minutes ago.
“I won’t tell you” Saleem declared glaring at Farhan.
Farhan aimed and fired, the bullet missed Saleem’s head by a few inches, “The next one will be between your eyes?” He said in a matter of fact way.
With his ears ringing, Saleem looked at Farhan, fear evident in his eyes.
When he didn’t speak, Farhan aimed again.
“Stop” the man pleaded, they are at…
“Good, now, you will do exactly as I say.” Farhan said.