“Austin, grand pa is here,” Edwards jnr announced to his son who was sitting as he walked into the living room.
Austin was watching a movie alone in the living room when his father walked in from the hallway. He got up from his seat immediately he heard his grandfather and walked to the window immediately he heard his grandfather was around. He opened the curtain and confirmed as he saw Paul Edwards car parking in their garage.
He stood and watched as Paul stepped out from the backseat of the car, there were two other men sitting at the front. Paul whispered an instruction to the driver before he turned and walked towards the house.
“Welcome Dad,” Paul was welcomed by his son who opened the door for him.
“Good evening son,” Paul answered and looked around the living room. He located Austin who was still standing at the window side. He proceeded forward to the sitting area.
“Good evening Grandpa!” Austin finally greeted as he walked to meet the FOX chairman.
“Good evening grandson,” Paul answered in a mischievous tone. He unbuttoned his suit jacket before he settled on the sofa. Austin sat on the sofa at the opposite side.
“Your father said you asked for me,” Paul went straight to the point, glancing at the father of re teenager who just settled beside him on another sofa.
“Yes Grandpa, but we have to talk about it alone.” Austin replied, moving his gaze from his grandfather’s face to his father.
“Your father has to excuse us right?” Paul proposed. Edwards was already getting up to his feet.
“No, we go somewhere else.” Austin replied and got up before his father.
Vincil, Bethanna.
22:49PM
A Lexus jeep and a SUV drove into the Hotel one after the other and drove straight to the garage. Hutton was in the Lexus, sitting at the passenger’s seat in front. Three people were at the backseat of the vehicle, Wilson sitting at the center with Hutton’s men at each side. The SUV had five other men in it.
The hotel looked so busy. It wasn’t a friday night but many people were trooping in and the bars and the recreation centers looked so busy.
That day was the birthday of the traditional king of Benuit, and the place had welcome so many visitors from around the country and Africa. The partying was still on even after the main party held at the hall of the hotel ended hours ago. Most of the guests were lodged in the same hotel and even people from around chose to wait and continue in the drinking and merriment.
Hutton took a look around the environment. He wondered why Carl had choosen such a place for them to meet. It was a proof that Carl indeed only wanted to return Pitt to him like he claimed and wanted nothing else.
Hutton took out his phone and dialed Pitt’s number. The call was answered without delay.
“I’m there,” he said briefly into the device, believing Carl was with the phone.
“You came with company, are you planning a confrontation?”
“No confrontation, you said you didn’t want any. I had to bring them just to be prepared for anything,” Hutton replied.
“There are so many people here, you know I wouldn’t want anything around here.”
“Where are you?” Hutton asked impatiently, looking around the whole place without any idea of where Henry was answering his call from.
The hotel environment was noisy that night but Henry was speaking to him without noise at the background, and at the same time also knew when he had driven in. It made him wonder where the noiseless place in the hotel was.
“Let one of your men step out with Wilson,” Carl ordered.
Hutton raised a brow. “I wanted to come with him myself,” he argued.
“We agreed it’s going to be on my terms, I don’t lie.” Carl retorted.
“I don’t take chances neither,” Hutton fired back.
“You have no choice now,” Carl snapped. “Let a man step out with Wilson.”
“I need to bleeping know where you are first,” Hutton insisted.
“Give me a minute,” Carl replied. He spoke again in less than a minute, “Look straight at the hall.”
Hutton took the phone off his ear for a minute. He began to look around for where the hall was situated.
“Hey!” he signaled quickly to the driver to sit with his back rested. He located the hall at an opposite distance several metres away from the garage.
“I’m at the entrance,” Carl added.
The people passing by made it difficult for Hutton to identify Carl and it took some time for him to finally do. He recognized Carl by his body stature.
Carl was standing at the center of a balcony, directly under the light. He was dressed in blacks and looked like one of the security men working in the hotel. He had a headset covering both ears.
“Can your man step out with Wilson now?” Carl’s voice broke into Hutton’s thoughts again.
Hutton turned back immediately and signalled to the man sitting at the left hand side of Wilson.
“Step out with him,” he whispered.
The man stepped out of the vehicle first and asked Wilson to follow.
“What next?” Hutton placed the phone close to his ear again. He looked in the direction of the hall and still saw Carl standing in the same position.
“Your man takes Wilson to the circular garden at the other side of the main building for the exchange,” Carl replied.
“How sure am I that you aren’t leading us into a trick?” Hutton questioned.
“I won’t move an inch from here, you only stay in your car with the rest of your men.” Carl explained. “I’ll send you a link to connect to the security cameras of the hotel and watch the exchange.”
“Okay,” Hutton replied. He stared thoughtfully for some seconds before he made a decision. “Ahmad,” he called the man, who stepped closer to the driver’s side while keeping an eye on Wilson. “There’s a circular garden at the other side of the building, you take him there and get Pitt in exchange.”
“I go alone?” Ahmad questioned.
“Yeah, alone.” Hutton replied. “Plug in your communication device, and don’t return without Pitt.”
Ahmad nodded gently and turned. He stared at Wilson in the face as he took out his earphone and plugged in both ears. He opened an app on his phone and clicked on connect before he returned it into his trouser pocket.
“Let’s go,” he whispered and nudged Wilson to start walking. He followed closely behind with his hands in both pockets of his jacket, his right hand holding the handle of the gun in the pocket.
Hutton also took out another phone and also turned on the same app Ahmad opened on his phone. He plugged his earpiece in his ears also.
He forwarded the text message received from Carl on the phone in his hand to the other on. He opened the link in the text message. It opened on the chrome mobile browser and after a couple of redirections finally showed a loading video player.
It finally loaded and he got a view of the circular garden. It was a large area covered with short grasses and fenced with ornamental shrubs in a circular pattern. It also had different sitting points and sheds. There were two entrances at the place, one at the center of the fence at the right side and the other at the left.
Right there was Pitt Raph, standing at the entrance on the left side. A man was standing some metres behind him, dressed in a similar way with Carl. Ahmad and Wilson were going to come in from the other side.
Hutton got a perfect understanding of Carl’s plan. Ahmad would have no opportunity to confront Carl’s man. Carl’s call came in just in time. Hutton answered immediately.
“They are on their way there,” Hutton said. He stared straight at him and Carl was still at the same spot, even as other people were walking past and almost colliding with him.
“I know,” Carl replied. “So, what’s going to happen after you get Pitt.”
“It’s none of your business, we made no such deal.” Hutton answered.
“I know, I just wanted to confirm that you have no plans to hurt anyone here.”
“That’s none of your business.” He got a chuckle in response.
“Your man is there,” Carl said in a sharp tone. “Tell him to stop at the right entrance and send Wilson to my man, my man would send Pitt to yours.”
Hutton turned on the mouthpiece of the device plugged in his ears and gave the instruction to Ahmad. He remained on call with Carl while he watched the exchange going on. He could also see Carl afar off holding another phone.
Ahmad stood close to the right side entrance and sent Wilson to Dave, Dave also sent Pitt the other way round.
Dave hugged Wilson by the side on getting to him. He still kept an eye on Pitt and the man at the other side to ensure there was no smart move made.
Hutton heard Carl clear his throat loud enough to be heard at his side.
“You remain there and wait for your man to return with Pitt, I’ll also wait until I see Wilson.”
Hutton felt uncomfortable with Carl’s instruction but he had no choice than to agree. He however had doubts in his mind that Carl Winston had nothing else planned out
Tbc
