Glittering Gallows

Chapter 41

251 C Chapter 41 egis and Aluwani lay on a patch of lawn among flowers. They were on their backs, side by side watching the stars, exhausted but radiant with expectation. Their plans were on course. Regis was looking at his life in retrospect and telling Aluwani about his ex-girlfriend, Agnes Lamola. He told him about the afternoon Agnes and he visited his uncle for introductions; the reception and the promises of a Jaguar XKR-S or the latest Lexus, and a sponsored honeymoon on a nuclear-powered yacht from the Caspian Sea via Gibraltar all the way to Cape Town. “You and your stupid girlfriend sat in your uncle’s damn house and listened to that trash?” “I believed him. The man has enough money to do anything.” “But crap is crap, scamp.” He told Aluwani about the impromptu celebration, and how he woke up several hours later lying in a bathtub, blood-splattered and clutching Agnes Lamola panties. “That’s a damn Agatha Christie mystery. If she were alive you’d sell her the story. You would’ve been farting rich. You wouldn’t be planning a damn bank robbery.” “Recently I stalked Agee to her lodgings, I think for the fourth or fifth time. I entered her shack.” “Where was her godforsaken husband? You told me she was married.” “The cripple was out drinking.” He added that the man, an alcoholic, had gone drinking at a shebeen, a private house turned into an illegal beer outlet. The shebeen was in their neighbourhood. “Agee became hysterical. She screamed and attracted her neighbours. They came with knobkerries, crankshafts, crowbars... all sorts of things.” “They hit you with all that?” “They looked at me and thought I was a madman. They let me go. Agnes was too shaken to say anything.” R 252 “They were damn right; you look like a nut.” “You too, Alu.” “I look like a coalminer. I know it.” “Days later I bumped into her here in town. I’ve the good fortune of bumping into her once in a while, but the bad fortune of being at the receiving end of her spittle.” “She spits at you like a damn snake?” “All her demons seethe when she sees me.” “Damn! Why do you bother?” “Something happened at the mansion. She can’t tell me and she can’t face it in her head.” “How does that damn affect you? Does it stand between us and Binomial?” “There’s a prophesied role I must play to save our family.” “Outside, you’re a tramp, but there’s a real nut inside you. You’re talking about stupid prophecies in this day?” “The events at my uncle’s place turned me into a pauper. I know he’s a bad man, but I’ve no evidence to give me the guts to act.” “Just damn act. Confront the bastard and kill him.” “That’s how the Jews killed an innocent man.” “Are you damn preaching to me, pauper? Nothing on you is enviable. God turned His back on you before you were born.” “I’m Catholic and proud of it. St Christopher and Archangel Michael, the patron saints for paratroopers, firemen and US marines, will stand by me in the bank.” Aluwani giggled. “You believe in goddamn angels and demons? If we’re going to be shot dead in that bank, I pray they drop you first. I’ll laugh at you before they kill me. Or I can surrender and go to jail.” “That’s an evil prayer, Aluwani. Retract your words.” “That cannot save you if you’re meant to die in the bank and I’m meant to go to jail.” “We’ll make money–period.” “We’re mongrel dogs, Reggie. Mention every saint you want, but you can’t enter Heaven.” Regis sighed angrily and looked away. 253 “Are you chickening now just because I said words?” “I’m no turn-back, Alu.” “We need smart casual or they won’t let us into the bank.” “That’s not a problem, coalminer.” “You’ve the cash to buy a damn Armani or Roberto Verino suit?” “If we’re too gentlemanly it would raise suspicion, Alu. We’ll steal ordinary clothes from washing lines in the neighbourhood.” “You said we’d make a hovel. Where do we get the material?” “Junk is plenty-plus in garbage bins. If we can’t...