Preston Arina was working on his laptop late at night, well, past 10 o'clock, at his desk in his home. He had a glass of Vendaval Merlot, a ruby red wine with an intensely fruity and smoky taste beside him. The wine was a gift from his brother Teddy, who had visited a few weeks ago for work. When Teddy showed up at his doorstep holding the bottle, Preston assumed it was his brother's way of apologizing for the sudden visit.

As he took a sip of the wine, Preston thought about Sandy's remarks.

Did Gerald Rucho leave out some of Diane's things from the box intentionally? What about the diary? Who tore the torn-out pages?

Preston came up with two possible scenarios: either Diane herself tore the pages or the person who killed her did it. Regardless of who did it, both scenarios lead to the conclusion that someone did not want the contents of the diary to be revealed.

But Preston could remember the crime scene. The place had been wiped clean of any fingerprints. If at all the killer went through the trouble of tearing out pages from Diane's diary, then it meant the diary was evidence. Probable motive.

Preston kept a side note to himself that on Monday morning, he would have to hand the diary to the forensic team to have a look at.

Preston had spent over an hour searching for Dr. Elvis Onyancha online but found nothing until now when he stumbled upon an article titled "SILENCED VIOLENCE" by Nancy Mwanzi. The article was published on August 23rd, 2023, just a few weeks ago. It included a passport-sized photo of the author, who had a round face, sharp dark eyes, and a sad mouth behind thin spectacles. Preston thought the author looked familiar, but couldn't place where he had seen her before.

The article discussed the difficulties faced by victims of gender-based violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and hate crimes. It also featured an interview with Dr. Elvis, during which Nancy Mwanzi asked for his opinion on the rising violence against women. Dr. Elvis Onyancha responded that society was headed in the wrong direction and expressed his concern about the growing hostility. He believed it was time to take a stand against this problem and find solutions to address it.

When asked if the Nairobi Hospital would provide data on patients who were victims of violence, Dr Elvis insisted that the hospital maintained strict patient-doctor confidentiality and that he could not disclose any information.

Nancy Mwanzi then asked if the hospital provided therapy for patients.

Dr. Elvis responded, "Yes. This is at the core of what we do to ensure that victims can overcome their ordeals."

Preston believed that the article was honest in acknowledging the harsh reality of violence against women and the need to take action to address it.

However, he was puzzled by the presence of Dr. Elvis Onyacha in the interview. As far as he knew, Dr. Onyacha was not a psychologist or a therapist.

Why was a medical doctor interviewed to discuss the issue of gender-based violence?

Diane Rucho had been a victim of assault. It was Dr. Elvis, who treated her.

Preston entertained the thought that maybe Dr Elvis had some sort of specialization in psychology.  Perhaps after having graduated from medical school, he decided to dip his toes in the profession. That would explain the interview.

Preston's phone suddenly rang. It was Michael Tanui on the line.

"Tell me you have something good," he said, taking another sip of his wine.

"Depends on your definition of good," came Michael's voice.

"Okay, go ahead."

"I was able to obtain the number plate of the white van that was used in the kidnapping of Gary Wako. The Traffic Enforcement Cameras along the Southern bypass captured an image of the vehicle. Its registration number is KBD 412A, a 2004 Chevrolet Express model. It belongs to a sturdy middle-aged man named David Wekesa who lives in Adam's Arcade, Woodley Estate. Here is where it gets interesting. David claims the vehicle was stolen from his parking lot two days ago at night when he was sleeping. At first, I doubt the story. But then it checks out. The guards at the estate say a group of three armed men attacked them at the gate, bound their hands behind their backs, and then proceeded further into the estate. They were wearing masks. The estate is big, with more than twenty bungalows, so they didn't see which house the kidnappers went to. A few minutes later, they saw a van drive past them. David filed a complaint at the Kibera Police Station the next morning. There's an OB number of the complaint in the system."

"A stolen car? That's a lot of trouble to go through just to kidnap someone. Why not use their vehicle?" asked Preston.

"Maybe they don't have one. Or maybe they know that if they use their vehicle, we would be able to track them down. It's better to be careful," replied Michael.

"Well, using a stolen car would raise more alarm. I'm sure an APB has been issued. That puts them on the radar. Either they are stupid or clever."

"I'd say they're clever," said Michael.

"Why do you think so?" asked Preston.

"The vehicle was found abandoned at a warehouse in Syokimau, with no sign of Gary inside. It was discovered today in the evening around 5 p.m. It has been towed to the Kibera Police Station. I'll head over there in the morning and have a look at it. There could be evidence left behind," explained Michael.

Preston thought about Imelda Wako, Gary's wife. He wondered what she would think about the discovered vehicle with no trace of Gary.

"We could be searching for a body," Michael whispered.

"Let's hope not. Tell me, how did you know Gary?"

"That's a long story."

"Am all ears."

Michael replied, "Okay. We met about a year ago in a bar in the back alley of downtown called Top Lounge. They have remarkable drinks and the best cocktails. I wasn't there for the expensive stuff, just wanted to cool off after a rough day at work. I saw Gary alone at the other end of the bar, and when he caught me staring, he asked me over. He bought a couple of rounds, and we talked about anything and everything, mostly his work and politics. We exchanged contacts and met a few more times, but when I told him I was an officer, he stopped coming to the bar."

"Sounds like a man with a great deal of guilt.

"Well, whatever it is. It has gotten him in trouble."

"There has to be a connection between Gary and Diane Rucho. The story about finding Diane at the roadside doesn't make sense."

"Do you think he assaulted her and then drove her to the hospital?"

"It's a possibility. They had an argument, he hit her and then took her to the hospital."

"Then why did Diane lie about it? Why say that he found her at the roadside? It still doesn't add up. If he was the one who hit her, why take her to the hospital?"

"Maybe he felt guilty. He regretted what he did and wanted to make it right."

"Based on what I know about Gary, he doesn't seem like a violent person. He's all talk, no action."

"Regardless, we need to investigate him more thoroughly. His job, his friends, his personal life. We need to learn everything we can about him."

"Alright, understood. I'll look into that after I finish checking the van."

"Before you check out the van, let's go down to Karen and see the restaurant. I won't be available in the afternoon."

"Sounds good to me."

"There's something else," Preston said.

"What is it?"

"The doctor who examined Diane Rucho passed away due to food poisoning a few days ago."

"That's quite suspicious. Do you think there's a connection between his death and Diane Rucho's case?" Michael inquired.

"I believe so. Several weeks ago, the doctor gave an interview with Nancy Mwanzi, and the topic of discussion was gender-based violence. I think the doctor may have triggered some old wounds of Diane's, and someone didn't want him to speak up about it," Preston speculated.

"We got ourselves a killer who is willing to murder just to conceal the truth."