Column | The Greenkeeper Writes
Published on June 25, 2020The Day After: Epilogue
Roslan woke up with a groan. His body still ached, but today was the fourth day in the hospital since he was shot.
“Hi.” Rose was beside his bed. “Hungry?”
“What time is it?”
“It’s almost 12 noon.”
“I am hungry,” he said, smiling. He felt grateful for his wife, grateful for his life, grateful that a second chance was given. It is over between him and Nina, he decided, but then again; it never did start, did it? It was just a feeling he felt being so close to someone at work when his wife was so busy with hers, he justified. He wondered what happened to Nina and who she really was.
“Knock knock,” said a voice behind the door, already half-opened and Madam Wong’s pale face peered from behind it. “Heyyyy… how are you?” she walked in uninvited. That’s Madam Wong for you; always so presumptive, thought Roslan.
Roslan cleared his throat. “I feel better each day. Thank you, Madam. How did you get in? Isn’t there a police guard outside the door?”
“Aiyah… you know me lah. I can talk my way in.”
I know you all right, thought Roslan, you’ll get your way. Luckily, she has a high sense of ethics.
“How is the golf course? How is everyone? Was anyone else hurt?” Madam Wong was the first visitor he had outside of doctors, police investigators and all those were when he was still under painkillers. He couldn’t remember his answers, let alone their questions.
“From our side, only you were hurt. From the attackers’ side, we know that you shot one, Nina took down three others. An ambulance came to take them, but they never arrived at any hospital.”
“Wait. They’re gone? Disappeared?” He could feel his heart beating faster.
“Yes, it was all so strange. The police said they don’t know what happened to them.”
“What about Nina?”
“She’s gone too. We went to her apartment with the police. The owner allowed the police to break the locks. It was empty. Neighbours say they’ve seen a few girls who look almost alike enter the apartment, but they had never spoken to them. She has disappeared without a trace.”
“She’s no ordinary clerk,” said Roslan.
“She’s not,” Madam Wong agreed. “One of the men who came to my office asking about her said that she has three black belts and is a trained killer.”
“I saw her fight. I can believe it. No idea who they were and why they were after her?”
“One of the policemen told me; off the record,” her voice fell to a whisper, “they think Nina is part of a private security group owned by a local tycoon and was sent for extensive training overseas. She may have decided to leave the group, and the tycoon didn’t like it.”
“So it’s the private sector? Not government?” asked Roslan, now curious.
Madam Wong glanced around the room, and her whisper became even softer. So soft that Rose, who was listening quietly, subconsciously came closer and lowered her head to be at the same level with Madam Wong, her hands still holding a fork and a spoon, preparing lunch for Roslan. “I think the government has a hand in it. It’s a well-trained group that can do the stuff government agencies legally can’t or won’t, and the government can deny everything.”
Roslan was quiet for a moment trying to let that theory sink in, then decided his brain could not compute and asked a follow-up question.
“How’s the other staff?”
Madam Wong’s tone changed to a happier one. “Ah Seng can’t stop talking about that day; each time making it look as if he’s the hero of the day. Balan and Chong heard what you said about them after you were shot and are so motivated to work now. The rank and file staff; the grounds crew, as you call them, are worried about you and are working harder to improve the golf course so that you are happy when you come back.”
Roslan smiled and then his eyes narrowed, mockingly suspicious, “And the management?”
“I am happy that Chong and Balan have promised to keep to the plan of reducing cost by 40%. We will put up an ad to recruit new local staff to replace our outgoing foreigners. And… you know lah, if I am happy, the GM also happy.”
“Great. I can’t wait to get back to the office.”
Rose glared at him, and Madam Wong hurriedly said “Take your time lah. When you are okay, come to the clubhouse, meet the management team. The Day After that only you go to the golf course”.
Roslan smiled. That sounded like a great plan.
The End.
