Born Bad…

AARON ANSAH-AGYEMAN

BORN BAD

A ChrisEffe Thriller

CHAPTER 5

Jonathan Afful parks the car in front of the Kedem Residence.

It is night, and Effe is sitting in the passenger seat. They have just returned from dinner at one of the prestigious restaurants in town.

Effe turns slowly in her seat and looks across at him.

The only lights in the car are the ones from the dashboard, and he reaches up and puts on a small light around the driving-mirror.

He looks at her, and his heart thumps with sudden love when he sees just how beautiful she is looking in her black evening dress.

Sometimes her beauty just blasts him, and he feels like he is looking at some ethereal being.

“Dear Lord, Ef. You’re so beautiful. Are you sure you’re human, and not some special angel hiding in a human flesh?” he says lovingly.

She giggles happily, reaches over and takes his hand.

“An angel. Your angel, Jon. So soon, for the first time ever in my life, I’ll be leaving home. Tomorrow will be the beginning of a new life for me.”

He smiles at her and touches her cheek gently.

“Scared?”

She laughs and shakes her head.

“Naah! Excited, more like! But I’m happy you’ll be around, that you’ll be with me in Densua, working as a Pediatrician, wow. It’s going to be exciting, I know.”

“Yes, darling. You’re going to enjoy it. You’ve packed already?”

“Yes, of course! Ready for tomorrow!”

“Good. I’ll pass by the Head Office early tomorrow morning to pick up a cheque from the Fund, for a woman in Densua needing a bypass surgery. From there I’ll come and pick you up.”

“Alright, sweetheart. I’ll be waiting. Will you come in for a while?”

“Hmm, tempting, but I have to pass. I have to do a bit of packing myself. See you tomorrow, love.”

He gets out and opens the door for her.

They hug, and he holds on for a while, until she giggles and disengages herself.

“Your hugs are becoming longer and tighter nowadays, love.”

Afful smiles.

“Because you’ve become this irresistible woman I can barely breathe without!”

“Hmm, all your fault, sweetheart. I’m ready to marry you, right here and now if you want. It’s you who has been putting it off.”

Afful laughs and kisses her cheek.

“Get settled in first, my love. Next year we’re definitely on.”

“I hear you, handsome. I can’t wait though. It’ll be the most beautiful cherished day of my life. Good night, love.”

“Good night, sweetheart. Sleep bliss. Angels guard you.”

He watches her as she goes inside, walking with so much grace and rhythm.

He sighs deeply and gets into the car.

As he reverses he takes out his phone from his inner coat pocket, drags down the settings and takes the phone off flight mode.

Almost immediately there are several dings as notifications from WhatsApp and Messages come through.

He notices that most of the messages and chats come from one number, and as he grimaces his phone begins to ring almost immediately.

The call is from the same number, and the saved name of that number is Baaba Brooks.

***

Elaine picks up an earthenware jar and throws it across the room at Chris’ head as she screams shrilly with the depths of her feelings.

Chris ducks, and it smashes against the wall.

They are in their rented house.

It is night.

She is dressed in a fetching orange and black negligée.

He is wearing white boxers and a singlet.

Elaine is hurt, and in the dim light her face is covered with tears.

“You bastard, Chris! You are a real bastard! You promised!” she screamed painfully. “You promised me! Damn you, Chris! Damn you to hell!”

She picks up a plate to hurl at him.

Chris covers the space between them quickly and grabs her tightly. She struggles, but he holds her tight.

“Oh, Elly! Please, please, forgive me, love! I’m sorry!” he says, contrite. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, love! That’s why I didn’t lie! I’m so sorry, Elly!”

“Damn you, Chris! How long do you want to hurt me? Damn you, damn you, damn you!”

He holds her tightly as she struggles and weeps, and eventually she stops struggling.

He holds her at arm’s length and stares at her, and his face is genuinely remorseful.

“Listen, Elly. This is the last time I’m ever going to be with any woman for money, okay? I did this to help Mama out,” he said gently. “But believe this, no matter what, it is always going to be you and me. No more third parties, okay? You will not con any man again, I will not con any woman again. We’ll find other ways of making money, okay?”

She looks into his face, and even through her pain her eyes rove his face earnestly, seeking to believe.

“You really mean that, Chris-Love? Really?”

“Cross my heart, love. Look, I’m tired of this too. Being with all those lecherous women who want nothing from me but sex is taking a toll on me. As soon as Mama gets out of that hospital, we’re getting married, okay?”

She puts her arms around his neck, and a glorious smile spreads across her face. Tears fall down her cheeks again, but this time they are tears of happiness, of relief, of real joy.

“Finally. Your wife. My greatest wish, Chris-Love.”

“Nothing will make me prouder than to be your husband, Elly. I love you, always will!”

They kiss passionately. His hand creeps across her right breast, and he lovingly caresses her nipple.

She moans and reaches down to caress him, and that is when the headlights of a car sprays into the room.

Both of them freeze, and look towards the window.

Chris releases her and walks to the window. He parts the curtains and stares into the yard.

A metallic black sleek Nissan Highlander has entered the yard.

Elaine joins him at the window.

“Is it Steve?”

“Yeah. Steve. From the Big Boss.”

Elaine turns from the window and crosses her arms under her breasts.

Her lovely face is worried as she stares at Chris.

“I thought you said you’ll not run operations for the Big Boss ever again, Chris-Love. I thought you said the Koforidua deal was the last.”

Chris looks at her and sighs.

His eyes are hard now.

“I’m sorry, love. But I still have about fifteen thousand to clear for Mama’s surgery. I called the Big Boss. He promised to give me the difference if I help Steve pull off a caper tomorrow morning.” 

Elaine places her hands on his shoulders.

There is real fear on her face now.

“I understand, love. But I know how the Big Boss operates. Apart from the drugs and the armed robberies I’ve heard rumours that he is not past murder, love. I’m scared anytime you get involved with him!”

“I know, Elly. But shit, I have to get the money for Mama, you know. Tell you what, this is really the final operation, okay? After this, I’m done.”

There is a knock on the front door.

Elaine turns from Chris and enters the bedroom.

Chris goes to the door and opens it.

Steve Hollison is standing on the top stair.

Steve is thirty years old, and he is the right-hand man of the Big Boss.

Steve is tall and lean, with a hard, wiry frame.

He has cold eyes, a thin moustache and a red lower lip. His rugged appearance gives him a semblance of attractiveness, but his cold soul is something that sets him apart from other men.

A look at him and people shudder. Some have variously described him as a devil, or that he reminds them of the devil.

Wicked and unrelenting, he is the only man that seems to know the real identity of the mysterious man known as the Big Boss.

Chris has worked for the Big Boss for some years now, mainly fighting in high-stakes fist-fighting gambling competitions or going on robberies for the man.

Chris comes out of the room and walks a little way towards the black car Steve has brought.

“Chris. How have you been?” Steve asks.

“Surviving, Bro.”

Steve nods and takes out a wrapped marijuana joint from his pocket. He sticks it into his mouth and lights it with a gold lighter.

“Big Boss sent me. We pick you up at one o’clock in the morning, bro. We’ll be hitting the main road. Hitting on the bullion van for the Loft-Prosper Bank.”

“Yeah. How many in the team?”

“Six, plus you and me, making eight.”

“No killings, Steve. No killings. I made that clear.”

“And you got it. Here, take your Bag.”

Steve opens the passenger door and brings out a big knapsack.

Inside that sack would be a pistol and an Uzi semi-automatic gun.

There will also be a white gown, a mask, knives and combat shoes.

Chris takes the knapsack.

“Alright. Cool,” he says.

“Will pick you up at dawn, bro. Say hello to Elaine for me. Go grab some pussy, bro.”

He exhales marijuana smoke, gets into the car, starts up, reverses, and soon it disappears into the darkness.

Chris picks up the sack and goes to his room.