The Mystery Man

Serah Pink stood in the ensuite bathroom of her townhouse, presumably she was getting ready to get dressed for work. The black strap of the Movado watch was covered with lather. Her thoughts had strayed though and she had been in the bathroom way too long.

"Serah!

"Why are you washing your hands and face so often? You have been in the bathroom for half an hour. What's the problem honey?" Sabastian asked.

"I don't know babes. My hands just feel dirty or maybe it's this case that I have been on for the longest while," Serah replied.

Serah looked at her reflection and frowned. Her elbows where dripping wet and she watched the expression of her husband change slowly.

"You, have never carried home your work before honey, what is so special about this one?" Sabastian leaned his head sideways as he watched Serah for a response.

"It's just the pressure. My boss told me last week that his boss, the Minister wanted results because the Prime Minister wanted to make some big pronouncement and we got an anonymous tip that the Shadow had executed a don in Grants Pen. It just never felt right or his M.O but you know I am a stickler for following orders, and I was told to send the info over to my liaison in Force, Tashima Bent and I did. But something just does not feel right. Our profilers have never pegged the Shadow for a killer, he is much suaver than that. He reminds me of the Phantom or even the Saint in those old movies that we watched growing up," Serah replied.

Her expression changed gradually and Sabastian was taking notice. She started to wash her hands again.

"Honey, stop, I am beginning to think that your obsessive-compulsive disorder is flaring up again. Maybe we should take a break for a while. The politician I am sure has gotten his way and pressure is off. Let's take a week off and hit the north coast to chill and unwind," Sebastian begged.

"No, Sabastian, I can't too much loose ends," Serah replied while she started to scrub her lips again.

A tinge of guilt crawled down her spine, Sabastian did not know that the Shadow was in their bedroom the same night he had allegedly killed the don.

"Serah, take it easy please, I don't want you to start stressing again, we can't afford your health to deteriorate. Maybe you should leave this one alone. Hey, did you hear the news last night. Some hot shot lawyer guy burnt to death in his car in the sunshine city?" Sabastian replied.

"No, Sabastian, have you ever known me to back down?" She focused on his other statement. "Poor fellow, I didn't I was so busy, who is it?"

"You know I hate lawyers babes, I didn't catch his name, but they said he was once married to some senior judge's daughter," Sabastian replied nonchalantly.

Serah gasped.

"Fudge, Sabastian, I have to run."

Sabastian watched as Serah wiped the soap from her face and arms and rushed into her closet. Within five minutes she grabbed her bag, kissed him and headed for her car. He was her latest in a string of lovers and she really liked him but he was starting to get on her nerves. She subconsciously compared all her trysts to Reggie, her husband. Well, technically they were going through a divorce but it was not final as yet so they were still married. The problem was all the men she dated fell short…well except for the Shadow. He had come the closest to meeting the mark. She sighed as she sped to work. Her life might be a mess but at least at work she had it all together.

Earlier that night

Kiesha danced on the stage of the bamboo-walled club in the centre of Old Harbour Bay, but the pickings were slim and only a few patrons sat focused on their drinks and paid her very little attention. As soon as her set was finished and, on her way, back to the change room. She heard a voice.

"Hey, Kiesha how would you like to earn twenty thousand to give my friend a lap dance up the road?"

She could not make out the face, but the wad of cash caught her attention.

Moments later Kiesha walked slowly against the fence. The white body-hugging suit printed all her curves including the intimate places.

"Security, can I get a glass of water? I'm thirsty," she whispered.

The man yawned and rubbed his eyes at the site of the lady of the night.

"What a gwaan baby? You sure is only water you thirsty for?" he said while he grabbed his crotch.

"I'd take a thing from a big strong buck like you right now big man," Kiesha replied.

"Come in for dat water nuh," the security replied flashing a toothless smile.

"Boy, Bruno," he said as he pushed the dog with his steel tipped boot. "Watch enuh, because mi ago score."

Within a few minutes Kiesha started to quench his thirst with enthusiasm. The men who had earlier parked a white panel van without licences plates across the road from the Mosque on Old Harbour Road. Three men alighted clad in full black and walked in the shadows towards the back fence of the warehouse complex, clutching bags under their arms.

The universal key opened the lock on the first attempt, just as the security lights went dark. They released the contents of their bags. The cats screeched and hissed. The lonely guard dog barked and chased after the cats pulling his leash from where the distracted guard had tied it.

Equipped with night vision googles and quickly moving they loaded four pallets of vaccines in the hybrid vehicle. Quietly they drove past Kiesha as she walked down the road to the bamboo walled club, counting the wad of cash she had received earlier.

The Haitians smiled as they offloaded the parcels of medicine that were still cold in the waiting go fast boats in the dark Quay along the deserted Old Harbour Bay coastline.

"Pleasure doing business with you," they said with their heavy accents as they passed over the duffle bag containing the cash in small denominations.

A few hours later the Shadow smiled as he read the headlines on the electronic newspaper: Malfunctioning refrigeration unit at offsite storage sites results in thousands of Covid 19 vaccines to be destroyed. The Minister demands a police investigation