“I just hope you won’t do anything funny, because one mistake from you, I’ll press this button and the trigger would go off on your boyfriend.” The guy said as he brought the car to a halt about one hundred metres away from Mr Ayo Okorie’s residence which was well lit as a result of a power generating plant given to the soldiers by a rich man in the estate to keep the place illuminated and therefore guard the house and also the whole estate as well.
“I will uncuff you now and we’ll both go in there and fetch the map. You know how to get past those soldiers, therefore, I don’t need to teach you that.” He continued. Ngozi kept a straightface. She was afraid of the task before her, but her mind is on Tobiloba. Only God knows what the other guys were doing to him.
The guy uncuffed Ngozi’s hands and she became free agian but without any form of self security or defensive weapon.
“Now, move it.” The guy said pushing her forward. They both walked towards the gate and Rachel gently tapped on the gate gently.
“Who be?” A deep masculine voice asked as the gate swung open. The soldier was taken aback when he saw a lady dressed in her nightie and another well dressed guy. What could they be looking for at this stange hour, only God knows what they want.
“I am Detective Ngozi from the police headquarters. There is an emergency, we need to pick something real quiick from the underground.” Ngozi explained.
“Emergency? We’ve not been briefed about that. Well, I am sorry you can’t be allowed into the house.” The soldier replied and locked the gate.
“Wait! Wait!” She said. The soldier opened it wider, but his frame was blacking the opening such that no one could see what was happening inside the house.
“I tod you I am a police officer.” She said.
“Am sorry you can’t be allowed into the house.”
“Fine, I don’t have my ID card with me. But can I see whoever is in charge here?” She asked. The soldier scrutinized her for a few seconds by sizing her up with his eyes. He shrugged, and removed a device from his pocket. He radioed someone whom Ngozi concluded was his colleague or the boss in charge of the team guarding the residence.
Ngozi was praying that whoever was coming as the boss should at least know her as a police officer, because if it turned out that no one recognises her, she would be denied entry and another alternative is to put a call through to the Inspector Clement and that would automatically put her into trouble.
She looked at the man behind her, he had an expressionless look on his face. A senior millitary officer came around to the gate, he had no uniform on, but Ngozi concluded he would either be a leuitenant or a leuitenant colonel.
“Good evening sir.” Ngozi greeted.
“Good evening Miss Ngozi. Come on in.” The senior officer said and that was it. They walked in between tens of soldiers until they reached the front door, the door was opened by another soldier, this time from inside the house and they all stepped in.
“So, why are you here this late?” The soldier asked now that they are in the living room.
“Sir, we really need to see a paper map that actually led us into the underground and we needed to study it because it could also lead us into the Khal corp.” Ngozi explained.
“Where is it?” He asked.
“It should be in the room above the underground.” Ngozi replied.
The soldier led them towards the room and luckily for them, the electric shock attached to the underground cover has been disabled and Ngozi walked freely to the other end of the small room where the map was lying.
“Here is it.” She said showing it to the soldier. He collected it and studied it for a while before handing it back to her. Three minutes later, Hakym’s man was about cuffing Ngozi’s hands to the passenger seat.
“Please don’t.” She said as she freed her hands. The guy placed his hand on the red button on his cloth.
“No no, don’t. This is my hand.” After the departure of Hakym and his men, Ngozi and Tobiloba couldn’t sleep throughout the night. By the time Ngozi returned, Tobiloba had sustained a lot of injuries as a result of the beatings he recieved.
“Baby, am sorry about yesterday.” Ngozi said for the upteenth time as she massaged his body that early morning.
“What is there to be sorry about. A right thinking man will always do what I did for the woman he loved.” He replied.
“I know I don’t deserve you, after everything that I did to you. You still suffered because of me. Just find a place in your heart to forgive me.” She said. Just then a knock sounded on the door.
“Come in the door is not locked.” Ngozi said. The door was pushed open and their next flat neighbour walked in.
“Good morning Uncle and Aunty.” The woman greeted.
“Good morning mummy Chiamaka.” Ngozi replied.
“We all heard what happened yesterday. But what’s your business with those men?” The woman asked.
“We just can’t explain. It was a terrible experience.” Ngozi replied.
She glanced at Tobiloba and could see the angry look on his face. She knew something good is not likely to come out of his mouth if he decides to speak, so she had to take charge and give him no chance to talk.
“We won’t see such anymore in the name of God. Hope you weren’t wounded much? What did they take?” The woman asked.
“Madam, you heard when those men entered the compound. You should have called the police since you knew that the way and manner which they entered the compound looks unatural.” Tobiloba said.
“We wanted to call the police, but the only police number we have is Aunty Ngozi’s number. We felt she would have called the police immediately they opened the gate.” The woman explained.
Tobiloba knew anybody could have called the police out of the four occupants in the compound, and their flat which was directly opposite the gate, they had the chance to contact the police, but because he was venting his anger on his fiancee, they were caught unawares.
Three minutes later, the woman had left with the excuse that she was going to work.
“But sweetheart, promise me you won’t ever cheat on me.” Tobiloba said.
“Like I told you, Kelvin ra.ped me. It was true that I ran to him after I left home, but I had no plans of sleeping with him. It is you I belong to.” She replied.
“I just can’t imagine myself sharing my woman with another man. Maybe we should report to the police.” He suggested.
“I have nothing to back my claims. I entered the hotel with him, it was not like he forced me or anything.” Ngozi replied. Tobiloba reasoned with her, that indeed is the beauty of dating a lawyer or a police officer, one would know a bit about the constitution and how things work in court.
“Promise me you will never raise your hand to beat me again.” Ngozi said.
“I cross my heart.” Tobi replied.
“Let me go and get prepared for work. You can call your boss at work and explain things to him.” Ngozi said walking out of the room.
“I thought we would be spending the day together.” He said.
“I wish we could but I need to be at work this morning. Don’t worry, I will do shift because of you. By twelve o’clock I should be home.” She replied this time from the bedroom.
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******
Dolapo was awake by the time Clement entered her ward with the doctor. “Dolapo.” He called as he moved closer to her bed.
“Uncle, why will you allow Darasimi to die?” She asked immediately she saw him and started crying.
“I wasn’t the one, she died on the way to the hospital.” Clement replied.
“You could have saved her. You could have saved her. God, you are wicked. Where is thy face?” She screamed. Clement turned to face Doctor Kolade with a are-you-sure-she-is-okay look. Doctor Kolade smiled and nodded in affirmation.
“Who shot Darasimi? Did you catch them?” She asked. Clement nodded his head in affirmation. “Who are they? What did they want? What’s our offence and why do they want us dead?” She asked.
“Its Deoye and his guys.” Clement replied.
“Where are they?” Dolapo asked.
“They are in custody, they’ll be tried in court before the end of the week.” Dolapo kept mute for a minute or two staring into space and slowly, a smile crept into her face.
“Doctor, I hope Tola is still in her ward?” She asked.
“Yes of course. Any problem?” Doctor Kolade asked.
“She deserved to hear this goodnews. It could bring her back to life.” Dolapo said making a move to get out of bed.
“No, you need to rest some more. You can go and see Tolani, but not now.” Doctor Kolade said trying to push her back unto the bed. Her small frame proved advantageous that moment because she was able to snatch her hand off his grip and raced out of the ward, even though she didn’t know the part of the hospital she was. But taking a gamble, she took the doorway marked ‘EXIT’ and found herself outside the hospital building.
She walked inside through the main door of the second building and started towards stairs, half running and half walking. Meanwhile, she was been followed cloesly by Clement and the doctor.
She pushed the door open and entered the ICU waiting room, the first thing that caught her attention was the fact that about three nurses and a different doctor were inside the ICU attending to a patient. One look at Tolani’s mum, she knew something was not right and she was bent on finding out. She burst forward towards the door and pushed it, but it didn’t open.
“Open this door for me.” She screamed, but it was of no use because the nurses inside the ICU couldn’t hear her. Doctor Kolade came forward and with the help of his keycard, opened the door and Dolapo sped into the room where, Tolani was gasping for breathe, fighting for her life.
“Are you going to stand there and watch her?” She screamed at the doctor. “Come on do something to stabilise her.” She added. She joined Tolani on the bed and turned her face to herself.
“Tolani please don’t leave me alone, please get well. The doctor will make you get well.” She said, but got no response and Tolani kept staring at her without blinking her eyes.
“Tolani, you have every reason to live. Deoye and his gang has been arrested and will go to court before the end of the week. Get well so we can watch them get jail terms and death sentences.” She screamed into Tolani’s ears. Then she got the surprise of her life when tears escaped from Tolani’s eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
Why was she crying? Is she seeing something that she cannot see? Were the questions on her mind. It was the popular believes among the yoruba, a tribe in the south western Nigeria that a person will always see death either few days or few hours before he give up the ghost, but he won’t be able to tell anybody. But something about him will change which not even his family members will notice, it is only after his death that they will remember those strange things. The person could be staring into space, others could be crying, another set of people will just become unecessarily nice, some people will start making mistakes which are unheard of.
“Omotolani. Stay with me and lets make history, you will be allowed to write your exams and I promise to help you through it.” Dolapo continued.
“Tell me, why the tears? Are you seeing something that we can not see? There is no cause for alarm, we are safe now.” She said and Tolani breathe her last. This is not happening.
“God!! Kill me too.” She screamed so loud that tears escaped from even the doctor’s eyes. Clement couldn’t stand the scene, he had to walk out. Tolani’s mother was lost, she could neither laugh nor cry. What’s the gain? Sitting in the hospital sleeplessly for the past two to three week because of her daughter who would later die. God must be a wicked man afterall. The elderly woman concluded.
She felt pity for the lady crying beside her daughter even more than herself.The nurses succeeded in taking Dolapo back to her ward and was sedated and immediately fell into a deep sleep.
“I really appreciate your efforts Doctor.” Clement said as Doctor Kolade walked him to his car.
“Thank you very much sir. And am sorry for the death of Tolani.” Doctor Kolade replied.
“We all know that doctors only try their bests, God heal whosoever he wish to heal.” Clement said.
“You are very understanding. Some people see we doctors are God that gives life and taketh life.” Doctor Kolade replied.
“I guess, her parent will make arrangement of how to get her out of here. That aside, put her bills on me. I’ll pay.” Clement said unlocking his car doors.
“Mr Clement, but we doctors around here, especially those that in one way or the other admistered a treatment or the other on the late Tolani have decided to pay the bill incured and also provide ambulance to transport her corpse to her parents house.” Doctor Kolade explained. But they said doctors and nurses are heartless. Maybe the man before him is not a doctor. Or maybe he didn’t learn the heartless aspect of the profession.
“That’s very nice of you.” Clement said shaking hands with him and a few minutes later, he was driving out of the hospital.
It was still very early in the morning, the time was 9:56am and with the list of things on his table, he needed to first visit Doctor Rapheal and make immediate arrest after Deoye and his gang confessed overnight to the police officers on duty that Rapheal is their doctor.
“Hello, Mike. Take some men with you and go straight to Doctor Rapheal’s residence in Ikoyi while I go to his place of work. He could be in either of the two.” Clement said as soon as Mike picked the call at the other end. “Make it snappy please.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Akpan was cleaning his room and his eyes fell on two complimentary cards or buisiness card. On it was inscribed, ‘THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL (TNSC)’ Then he remembered how he came about the cards, the two men who came about a month ago and another two men who came about three weeks ago asking after either his boss or his wife. How could he be so stupid to forget about the cards. He must give it to Clement as soon as he returns from work or when his madam wakes up from her post morning sleep.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Good morning Doctor Rapheal.” Clement greeted as he eased himself into the doctor’s office who froze on seeing him.
“Good morning Mr Clement. How may I help you?” Rapheal replied.
“I came to question you.” Clement replied.
“About what?” He asked seeing the serious look on Clement’s face.
“Well, the police force made a mass arrest yesterday on a group of boys suspected to be members of a notorious cult group in the university of Lagos and during the course of interrogation, your name was mentioned as their visiting doctor who administers treatment anytime they are injured. You are not being questioned because your name was mentioned, but the main concern of the police is the reason why a professional doctor will decide to treat a gunshot wound without a police report. Its illegal.” Clement explained.
“So do you want the police report now or what?” Rapheal asked.
“Mr man, I am not here to play. Answer my questions here and follow me to the station to write a statement.” Clement warned. Just then his phone rang, it was Mike.
“Hello Mike.” Clement said. He listened for a few seconds before he spoke.
“Have some men search his house while you drive down here to make the arrest.
“Why will they search my apartment without my consent? Its against the law. First you accused me wrongly for what I didn’t do, secondly you are harrassing me inside my office all in the name of questioning and now you asked your dogs to search my home. Its a breach on my right as a citizen of this country.” Rapheal ranted.
“Well, you are involved in illegal treatment, therefore its legal for police to suspect you as an accomplice. Everyone knows that the police are your friends, therefore, it is your duty to answer their questions if the need arises. And lastly so many rights are being violated as a result of one misconduct or the other. Co-operate with the police now or you get yourself locked up.” Clement replied. Raphael kept quiet and kept staring at the blank tv screen at the far end of his office.
“Now, back to my initial question. Tell me what you know about these cultists and…” Clement was saying when he cut him short.
“And what again? And how I fvcked your slutty wife? And how your bitchy wife screamed and moaned beneathe me?” He said. Clement’s mouth was left agape, he didn’t know what he was hearing or what it meant. But a picture of the man before him and his wife in a compromising position told him all he needed to know.
–to be continued–
