Everywhere was still pretty dark but he was careful enough not to make any sharp movement and wake the whole house up. He has done this before and he has gotten used to moving in the.dark already.
The leaped quietly until he was standing tight at the boy’s door,not many people lock the door to their rooms during the night and the boy isn’t any different. He pushed the door back in and it flung open at once, making a creaking sound. He carefully took his steps in and notice the figure on the bed, he pointed his gun towards it but one thing caught his attention…. … Shoes…. ! Whoever it is, that is lying on that bed is putting on a shoe.. Now he knows something’s definitely not right but then It’s too late to back down now. Suddenly the lights came up, voices screaming over one another but he could still pick up the ““Hands up! You’re under arrest”
They all keep shouting. He shook his head, 9ja police and their noise making, couldn’t they at the least make his arrest a little more interesting than this? With that he busted out laughing as he dropped the gun on the floor and 3 policemen came pouncing on him, forcing him to the ground and cuffed his hands before pulling him up on his feet again. Only one thing on his mind right now, how did this happen? How did they know he was coming here and how the hell did he not notice all this was a trap. He kept wondering as they led him into the police pick up van and once again, the about 6 police men all at once screaming on top of their voices “Move……. Oya, Move now o…..I say move”
**********************
I sat on the hood of Mr. Olatunji’s car, watching as the police led the criminal who was going to kill me into their pick up van. He had a smile on his face and i feel so irritated by it, how can someone be so wicked and still has no remorse for it. I’m still in shock over everything. Mr. Olatunji called out.
Mr. Olatunji: Dolapo, tell me again how you knew this was going to happen.
Me: I didn’t know sir! I got a call from a friend of mine in school but he didn’t say anything at first. Then he sent this SMS to my phone.
Mr. Olatunji: (stretched his hand and collecting the phone, he read the SMS out loud) “Dolapo! Your life is in danger, get out of the house and call the police”
Me: That was all he said
Wale: I told Dolapo the guy could be playing a prank on something. I’m glad he didn’t listen to me.
Me: Yea! Michael is a guy that hardly plays prank. That was why i knew the message couldn’t have been a joke.
Mr. Olatunji: Well.. Thank God you took this seriously
Wale: But sir, how did you get the police here so fast? All my life, I’ve never seen them get to a scene so fast.
Mr. Olatunji: Well…. the state commissioner of police is a friend of mine and he owes me alot of favours. So when you boys called me, i contacted him immediately and that was it. Dolapo you need to call that friend of yours and find out everything he knows.
Me: Yes sir! I will but his number has been reading unavailable since he sent the SMS but I’ll keep trying.
Mr. Olatunji: Okay! In the mean time, the police will question the criminal and We’ll find out who is behind all these attacks once and for all.
Me: Okay Dad!
That came out in reflex. He had just called him dad. Wale who was standing few feet away looked but said nothing.
Mr. Olatunji: alright boys! It’s pretty late right now. Your Mom had gone back into the house but if you want, you both can spend the night at my house.
Wale: Sorry Sir! I can’t let our Mom sleep in the house alone
Mr. Olatunji: What about you Dolapo?
Me: same with me. I’ll stay with my family.
Mr. Olatunji: Okay then. Two policemen will stay behind to stand guard tonight. I don’t expect any othet attack whatsoever but we can’t be too careful you know. Goodnight boys.
Wale and I: Goodnight sir.
We left and made our way into the house. I saw one of the police on a chair close to the main entrance door, already snoring. We opened the door shut it , almost banging it and the police didn’t even flinch in his sleep.
I got into the room and dusted my bed. I can’t believe how closely i came to getting shot tonight. I laid on the bed, eyes widely opened when Wale spoke.
Wale: You called him “Dad”
Me: (Sighs ) Goodnight Brother….
Wale: Yea, You too……. Brother!
I can’t believe how much has changed in my life in three weeks, I discovered a new father, a new brother and yes a new enemy who would go an extra mile just to have me killed. What a school break this one is.
********************
He had been forced to sleep on the cold floor all through the night. He was stripped half almost naked, only his boxer was allowed on him, he wasn’t given a chance to call anyone and not even a glass of water was offered to him by the police. The iron door rattles and a young police came him, cuff his hands behind him and led him into a room tagged “Interrogation room”
There he was made to sit on a small wooded chair. Infront of it was another wooded table and at the opposite side were two other chairs that looked far more comfortable than the one he’s sitting on at the moment.
The young police officer left him in the room. It was a dark room, the only source of light was a yellow bulb hanging down from the center of the ceiling, the wires were so long that anyone standing can easily reach and touch the bulb. The door opened and two men in their 30’s came in. Both heavily built, one had a rather calm look but the other looked more of a criminal than a cop. The nice one spoke first.
Cop 1: Good Morning Mr….. What’s your name again?
He said nothing
Cop 1 : Look here Mister, i am here to help you save yourself from this mess you got yourself in. You were in a house last night with a fully loaded .45 caliber gun, ready to shoot a young man. All evidence points against you and that is a very serious offence. But you don’t have to go down alone. We know you went there because someone sent you there. All we need to know is the name of the person. So help us so we can help you.
Solo: I won’t say a word until i speak with my lawyer. I request the presence of an attorney in this interrogation…
Cop 1: (looks at the 2nd cop and they both laughed out loud.) Hahahahaha….. Abeg this one dey craze o, where you think sey you dey abeg? When you enter this place last night, shey here resemble FBI office??
Cop 2: Mr. Criminal.. E bi like sey you too dey watch American films abi. I go light you now, your eye go clear shap shap. (Faces the other cop) Anthony abi wetin hin talk sef???
Cop 1: No…. Attorney
Cop 2: Ehn ehn….No bi that “Forganizer” for junction dey bear Anthony?
Cop 1: Hahahahahaha
Cop 2: Mr. Criminal… weda na Anthony o or Timothy, you beta wake up! Na me and you go dragged am for this room today today.
Solo: You boys are just wasting your time! I won’t say a word until i see a lawyer.
Cop 1: Well…. looks like you are still dreaming. I’ll leave you alone with my colleague here and come back in the next one hour. Let’s see if you still want a lawyer by then. (Faces other cop) Abeg do your work jare!
The 2nd cop reached into a black leather bag and brought out a hammer, a plier and the police black rod, he flexed his muscles and moved towards the criminal. The nice looking cop stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him, as the criminal screams and shout in pain.
***********************
Bidemi: What’s going on Dolapo? Why have you been so distant from me?
Me: I’m not Bidemi! There’s alot going on in my life right now that i just don’t want to get you mixed up in it.
Bidemi: I’m your girlfriend! You’re supposed to share these things with me.
Me: Ehmmm… About that, i think maybe we need to put everything on hold just for a while.
Bidemi: Are you kidding me? Put what on hold?
Me: Bidemi….. everything… you and I
Bidemi: wait Dolapo! Are you breaking up with me?
Me: Bidemi….You’re not listening! There’s alot going on and i can’t afford to be distracted.
Bidemi: Oh okay…. So I’m a distraction to you now right?
Me: That came out wrong okay. What i meant was…..
Bidemi: (weeping ) …You know what i get it. You have more important things to take care of. I’m not important so you have to take a break from me right? Don’t you love me anymore?
Me: I love you, i always will. I just need this time alone to sort things out.
This time she was lost for words. She looked at me with eyes full of tears.
Bidemi: You know i trusted you. I thought you would never leave me but i was wrong. Thank God you and Femi are Brothers because you both are just the same.
She left the house crying, a part of me wanted to run after her, hold her by the arms and tell her i was joking. But i wasn’t. My life is in danger and i won’t forgive myself if anything bad happened to her because of me. I love her too much to see her hurt.
Wale: you do realise that was her choice to make right?
Me: What?
Wale: You didn’t have to make that choice for her. She knows being aroud you is dangerous but she still didn’t care.
Me: That’s the problem! She doesn’t care but i want her to be safe from all this.
Wale: If that’s the case then even Mom and I are not safe around you. Why then didn’t you ask us to leave you too huh?
I had no answer for that…
Me: come to think of it, have you seen Mom? I haven’t seen her since last night o. Did you see her go out this morning??
Wale: No i didn’t
I sighed and hoped she was okay…..
*************************
One hour and 10 minutes had pass before the nice cop came back. He opened the door to the room and could hardly recognize the criminal this time. He had been beating blue black, his face swollen up as blood stains were all over his boxers short. He moved closer to his ears and asked again.
Cop 1:Tel me… Who asked you to go into that house and shoot that boy??
Solo: (breathing heavily, shivering on the chair.. and gasping for air) It was…… Mrs….. Mary……… *******
Cop 1: i didn’t get you, say that louder…
Solo: Mrs…… Mrs. Mary Martins… sent me.
~To be Continued ~
