The Wall

54

Nozipho listened through the wardrobe door. The room door had been shut from the hallway. She was trying to hear what the two whites were saying. She recognized the voices. That wasn’t difficult. But she couldn’t make out all the words.

“…car…,” she understood. High Voice.

And again: “…car…,” this time Deep Voice.

The same word again and then once more, then several words from High Voice, “…we couldn’t have guessed… what’s actually going on here?… other plan…”

The other man said something, but for a long time, all she could hear was the voice and not the words it was saying. Then the voice grew clearer. Perhaps he had turned around. “I won’t haul her off in an open vehicle.”

Footsteps. The garage door slammed shut. Squeaking. A motor turning over, then the sound of the garage door again.

“What are they doing?” she heard Thembinkosi say.

“Something with a car.”

“They’re going to dump the body.”

“Not yet. Not with that car. People can see in it.”

“What now?” Thembinkosi asked.

“How would I know? In any case, one of them has left. To get another car.”