THEY walked the short distance to her office in silence each dying to hold the others hand. The moment the door closed behind them, he drew her into a tight embrace and she held him back.
‘I miss you.’ He said into her hair, kissed her forehead, nose and drop a light kiss on her lips.
‘Miss you too.’ She did not want to say it but she had too because it was what she felt. He smiled, obviously delighted she missed him too. She sat behind her desk and Paul sat opposite her, unconsciously, their feet found each other under the table and they rubbed it together while talking. They were discussing how to go about the arrest when Smith knocked and came in without being asked too. He was a bit shocked to see the barrister in Ola’s office, they usually pass the case to the prosecutors when they finished their investigation but this prosecutor was in their face. Was it because he was a newcomer or he wanted something else? He brushed his thoughts aside and faced what he came for.
‘Barrister, detective.’ He greeted.
‘Any update Smith?’ Ola asked going informal with her deputy. She felt bad for snapping at him earlier.
‘Yes, good news is we got the laptop!’
‘Yes!’ Ola said with excitement but her face fell when she realized he said good news meaning there was a bad news.
‘What’s the bad news?’ She asked sober.
‘The laptop is of a very high quality with the hardest software to crack! The software on it is presidential; it has many layers of protection, only billionaires can afford it, it will take the IT guys lots of time to crack it.’
‘Hmmmm. Can they crack it eventually?’ She asked feeling defeated again.
‘Well, we don’t know yet because we have never come across such laptop but our fingers are crossed. We have the best people on it, it might take time but I’m optimistic about it.’
‘It’s okay. Have you been briefed about Spider?’
‘Yes, the boys are combing the streets for him as we speak. Did you find the diary?’
‘No, I’m going back there later in the day with the technicians to find it. I found places it could be hidden but I didn’t find its opening. Are we monitoring the suspects? I don’t want them running.’
‘We are. I need to submit some paperwork, I will be in my office if you need me.’
‘Okay.’
Ola also had some paperwork to do but Paul’s presence was distracting her so she was happy when he said he has to go to his office to put in the day’s work too. He dropped a quick kiss on her cheeks and left. She was missing him already and could not wait to be in his arms again. She started making plans to have him over in the night again. Or was it too soon?
***************************************************************
GRACE had waited all weekend for the police to contact her but they did not come. It seemed she covered her tracks very well and they had nothing on her. If her plans went according, she would be a billionaire in a month’s time and she could live the life she had wanted to live with the love of her life. It would be the greatest wedding Lagos ever saw, no expenses would be spared. She would move into the best neighborhood, she had already priced the house she wanted, she planned on gifting her lover the latest Porch, she would spoil him silly as she promised. She would be better than the lovers he had had in the past, in fact, she would be the best and he would never let her go. She lived for too long in others shadow, spent according to budget but it was over, she would be the boss and control billions. She had used a lot of people on her way up and she did not regret it. She was not brought up to manage, she was spoilt and pampered but all of a sudden they wanted her to change. She tried, she really did but it was not the life she wanted or was used too and anyone who stood on the path to her destination must go. She would lay low for a month, just a month, then take all the things that rightful belonged to her. She has been keeping the appearance of a grieving sister, even to her lover who thought she did not know his past, his past was why she wanted him more. She loved him, and that was what counted, who had him before did not matter to her, what mattered is she has him now and it would be forever. She has a gift for him she has not given him, she would keep it for a few more days, she did not want her sister’s demise to touch her new happiness. She was not a monster, she had human feelings but this world was a war everyone had to fight, you either hit someone or be hit. She fought and she won.
**************************************************************
VICTORIA had struggled all her life to make ends meet, she had worked hard but it was never enough to cater for her needs not to talk of her wants. All her life, she had the princess dream, she wanted to be rich, she wanted to marry her Price Charming, have kids and live in a beautiful castle forever but it was unfortunate her parents could not break away from poverty. They kept having more kids and as the first child, she learned to give up a lot for her younger ones, she also became the official nanny of her siblings and that was how she became to love taking care of kids. She could not go to secondary school because of obvious reasons but she had hunger for knowledge; she read everything she could lay her hands on, she was self-taught. When she was sixteen years old, she began to apply for nanny jobs, she landed it big with a rich couple and through referrals and recommendations, she met wealthy people and catered for their children. She learned along the way that the rich were stingy to the poor but were careless with their properties, little by little, she began to take things that did not belong to her. At the age of twenty-three, she met a handsome man she fell in love with, she gave him most of her salaries after taking care of her parents and siblings. They dated for two years and she got pregnant, he said he was happy about it but he disappeared from her life and it was the hardest period of her life. She kept the pregnancy, had the baby, stayed home for a year then landed her highest paying job with Joy who just had a baby boy. The boy resembled her boy but all babies looked alike to her but as the boy grew up, he has many resemblance with his son so she loved him like a son. Madam Joy was a cheerful giver, she treated her well but she wanted more. She began stealing things they would not notice, after all, they were billionaires. She stole loose changes, food and little jewelry at first until they could not satisfy her needs. She was not blowing the money on men or clothes, she was using it to give her only son the kind of life she never had. She had seen the kind of life the rich lived, how they placed their children amongst the rich and choose a good path for them from birth, she wanted to place him where good opportunities could find him. She took her child from her parents when he was three years old, and enrolled him in crèche in the neighborhood she worked. It was not as expensive as the one her boss’s son went but it was a good school. As the boy grew, the school fees went higher and she would die before she withdrew her son from the school. She took a brave step and approached her boss for help, after all, she was a philanthropist. She got the opposite of her wish, apparently she had noticed things missing and she confronted her with proofs. She was dumbfounded and ashamed of herself, at least she expected her boss to help her after the lambasting but she got fired instead. It was the lowest period of her life, she saw her dreams for her son went down the drain but luckily for her, Junior was already attached to her and rejected all other nannies so she got hired back with strict warning not to steal again. Although her salary was increased and her boss agreed to pay for half of the school fees but it was after she lectured her about living within her means. She went on without stealing for a while but her needs and wants continued to grow and she fell back into her old tricks. She got caught twice but every time she got caught taught her to be more careful. Then her boss divorced her husband and she began drinking heavily, though she pitied her, but it was the best thing that happened to her in that house. She stole freely and more and before she knew it, it got out of hands. She had to do something before she got caught and she took actions towards that. In between her boss’s problems, she found her son’s father and she found out that she still loved him. She knew it was foolish because he was in a relationship with a richer person but she could not help it, he apologized and begged to be part of his son’s life and promised to make it up to her. When he found out where she worked, they came up with an elaborate plan to get more riches. She was already a thief and did not have any problem with it, besides, she wanted more from life than being a nanny forever but she did not know it would get out of hand. She laid her bed, but she was not planning on sleeping on it, she would give it whatever it took.
***************************************************************
HE did not plan on living a life of poverty so from a very young age, he put his handsomeness to use. He groomed himself, put himself through school and placed himself wherever the rich were, he was a gigolo. He scouted the rich lonely women, his speciality were low-key rich women, he did not go after the outgoing ones, he went after the quite, introvert but rich ones. He was not just a gigolo, he dealt in intelligence, he gathered his information on his prey; their weakness, strength, wants, needs, likes and dislikes. Anything to get him closer to them. He has done many jobs, never had he got caught because he always leave before he got caught but twice he had let himself gone soft, but it was when he was a beginner and he let his heart got involved but thankfully, his mentor quickly talked sense into him and he left before it led to a love story. In his job, he has done lots of ungodly things, lied, stole, blackmailed, broke a heart but he had never killed, until now. He had to do it or everything he had worked for would be lost, if this last job was successful, he would never had to sleep with any woman for money, he would be made for life and he could live a life of luxury and find a naïve sweet girl and marry.
He was getting old for the job as those rich slut always looked for younger blood, he has trained a few boys and they pay him for his efforts but he could not depend on that forever, he needed a big game to get out. He knew the word that weakened the strongest women, “love”. Show them love and care that their busy wealthy husband could not provide and you would have them eating in your palm. He found the lonely ones, or the ones their husbands had abandoned or made feel unwanted and he treated them like queens, worship the ground they walked on and they would spend their last dime on him. They would steal from their husbands just to please him and when he milked them dry or felt they were in love, he would disappear, and laid low for a while before looking for the next fool. He took their nude pictures and used them as a leverage on the stubborn ones who did not want to let him go, he extorted them and even exposed a few. Unlike the new generation of gigolos and fraudsters who taught their meal ticket was being loud on social media, he kept a very low profile. He undoubtedly used the social media to scout and monitor his victims, but he never contacted them on social media and that was why he has not been caught. He kept his pictures and information off the grid as much as he could and he was law-abiding, his vehicle’s papers never got expired, he drove on the right side of the lane, never speed, anything that might expose him to the law was a taboo to him, he learned the game well from the grandmasters. He did a lot of home work on his current partner, when she came his way, he knew it was his big break but his past caught up with him and he almost lost it but he fixed the situation before he was exposed. His major problem with her was that she lived all her life on the internet and always posted his pictures on the net but he had no choice, if he did not play along, his cover would be blown. He was deep in the game before he knew she had limitations on her wealth as it was a well-kept secret but he quickly found the solutions to their problems. The police had no clue about him as he has covered his tracks very well and he would continue to do so till he was in the clear. His present job would take him almost three years and he was almost a year gone but he was patient, he knew the rope, after all, it was his retirement plan and he would cash in in three places. Life was good, only for the smart and daring!
***************************************************************
OLA had been to the lab two times but unfortunately there was no update. She was irritated and impatient with them but she knew deep down that they were doing their best. Also, the crime lab was very busy with other crimes that needed answer and other officers were on their necks too. It did not help maters that the technicians were also out to inspect other crime scenes and they were not back yet, she was frustrated. She decided to visit the sergeants hall and inquired about the gun owner she asked them to track down. When she entered series of salutes flew her way and she respond accordingly until she got to sergeant John. She saw the panic in his face when he saw her approaching his table which meant he did not have the answer she wanted to hear.
‘Sergeant, where’s my suspect?’ She said without ceremony.
‘Erhm, the boys are still out looking for him. We don’t have him yet but we are following leads. I’m sure we will have him in custody very soon ma’am.’ He said breaking a sweat.
‘I need him ASAP. We can’t risk the street spooking him off and the longer it takes, the faster words gets spread. I want you to go out in full force and have him here today! Okay?’
‘We are trying our best D.O but there had been a bank robbery, and resources are tight, our officers are there but I will deploy more people to the street.’
‘Okay. Thanks.’
It seemed it was not her lucky day after all, she had heard about the robbery but it was not her case, the anti robbery squad were on it already. She went back to her office feeling defeated and buried herself in more paperwork. She heard the knock and knew who it was before he enter, her nose knew his scent. Paul entered carrying food boxes with him, she looked at the time and it was twenty-five minutes after four. She had no record of time most times she was at work and she was used to not having lunch but with her nostrils filled with aroma, her stomach grumbled.
‘Hey babe, how is it going?’ He said showing his teeth in the smile that drove her nuts as he sat down placing the food on her table.
‘Not good.’
‘Awww. I’m sorry. I’m sure everything will fall into place.’
‘Thank you. How about you?’
‘I got some work done and decided to have lunch then thought of you and I brought it here. I’m sure you haven’t eaten, right?’
‘Right, thanks.’
She liked the fact that he was thoughtful and thinking about her well-being. He was taking care of her and it made her feel wanted. She was in a middle of a very complex case but it did not stop her heart from falling in love. The rest of the day went uneventful for her, everyone was frantic about the bank robbers and the lab was busy, she finished her paperwork and promised herself to get everything she wanted the next day. When it was time to go home, Paul asked if he could come, she said yes and he drove behind her. It was when they got home and he brought down from his car change of clothes and his personal hygienic bag did she know he had also been planning on sleeping over since he left her house that morning. They ate, had wine, talked about their lives and made love plenty times. Ola slept peacefully in her lovers arms and magically like that, her insomnia was cured.
The morning was special, Paul woke up before her and made her breakfast in bed, she wanted to thank him with a kiss but it got out of hand and they had sex again, the food was cold before they ate it. It was not sex or food alone that made the morning special, they brushed and bathed together, got dressed while helping each other out. Ola considered leaving her car home and riding with him but she would need her car for work and they rode separately but it did not stop them from keeping in touch as communicated on phone through out the journey. She prayed the rest of her day would be like she started it and God listened to her prayers.
THE lab did not have the have answers for her yet but they promised the results would be available before the day ended but she was not going to wait for them before she made an arrest. She would have all of them in custody before the results came out, after all she had twenty-four hours to keep them before charging them to court. She had enough evidence to arrest all of them for murder. She called her task force into the situation room and explained what she wanted to them.
‘Good morning all. I’m sure you have been brought to speed on this case. We are going to bring in the suspects today and we will do it at the same time I don’t want them to alert each other if they planned this together. Inspector Omolola will lead one team to arrest the doctor, deputy Smith will head another team to arrest Victoria and inspector Quadri will bring in Grace. I will stay here and monitor the operations, we will communicate via the radio so we can get information at the same time, no one is to arrest anyone until you have the go ahead. Invite them but if they don’t cooperate, arrest and read them their rights. These are their arrest warrants in case they prove difficult. Deputy Smith will give you the intel on their whereabouts, please I want a clean job, no mistakes.’ She briefed them and handed each team leader a file. The teams and their team leaders left to carry out their duties.
The operation was going well so far, the teams were in place, Team Smith were in front of Victoria’s house, Team Omolola were in front of the doctor’s office and Team Quadri were in front of Grace’s house.
‘Officers, do we have confirmation that the suspects are inside? Come in, over.’
‘Confirmed! Over.’ Deputy Smith said.
‘Confirmed! Over.’ Inspector Omolola replied.
‘Confirmed. over.’ Inspector Quadri said.
‘Good! Go on all teams. Arrest the suspects.’
‘Copy.’ Deputy Smith said.
‘Copy.’ Inspector Omolola replied.
‘Copy.’ Inspector Quadri said.
Inspector Omolola and her team entered the doctor’s office and saw the ever smiling Becky behind the desk, she was about welcoming them when she saw officers in uniform and her smile disappeared.
‘How can I help you?’ She asked.
‘We need to see Doctor Akin, now.’ Inspector Omolola said without flinching.
Becky was scared and was going to lie but the looks on the officers faces scared her. She got on the intercom and told the doctor police officers were waiting for him at the reception.
Akin knew this day would come and he was not really surprised. He quickly call his lawyer and went out to meet the officers. He was not familiar with the officers but he knew where they were from.
‘Good day officers, can I help you.’
‘Officer Omolola from Area K police station, you are wanted in our station in connection to the murder of madam Joy.’ Inspector Omolola told him. The doctor bowed his head as the officer spoke and when she was done he turned to the frightened Becky and said;
‘Please close down Becky and get Junior from school immediately. Bring him to Area K police station. Everything will be alright dear.’ He smiled assuring his shaking assistant.
‘Lets go officers.’
****************************************************************
‘Remember to get my pineapple juice and fri… Hold on baby, someone is at the door.’ Grace was on phone with her fiancé who had left home very early and was calling to ask if she needed anything on his way back when she heard the knock on her door. She opened the door and she almost ran away when she saw the police officers.
‘Yes, can I help you?’ She said shaking.
‘Deputy Smith from Area K police station. You are wanted in our station in connection to the murder of madam Joy.’
‘What? Do you know what you are saying? I didn’t kill my sister!’ She screamed at them.
‘We didn’t say that madam. Please cooperate with us.’
‘No way! I’m not going anywhere with you! I know my rights.’ She said attempting to close the door in their face. The officers were fast and swiftly stopped it.
‘Very well then. Grace Joel, You are under arrest for murder. You have the right to remain silent as anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have a right to a lawyer, if you don’t have one the justice department will provide one for you and you are entitled to one phone call before being charged under twenty-four hours.’ Smith said cuffing her as the woman threw tantrum at him. He collected the phone she was holding and noticed it was on a call, he was about to end it when she said;
‘At least let me tell my fiancé where I’m going. Please, he’s on the phone already.’
Smith put the phone on speaker.
‘Baby, they’ve…’ She sobbed.
‘I heard everything baby, please don’t cry, I will meet you at the station. Don’t…’ Kev was saying when Smith cut it off and they led the sobbing Grace away.
***************************************************************
Victoria had a feeling of being watched for the past few days. She knew her past and present would catch up with her so she planned to run. She already packed few things, she was waiting for night to fall so she could run away with her son. She had already bought tickets on the night bus going to Ghana. She had enough wealth to sustain her till she got a job. She paced her room praying for night to fall quicker but the day was the slowest she ever lived. She was hungry but could not cook and she settled for biscuit. She was on her second piece when she heard the knock. She tiptoed to the door, peeped in the hole and saw the police. She panicked, she could not go to jail and she made the decision to run in split second and ran for the back door!
Inspector Quadri knew she was inside as they have been surveying the house. He was wondering what was keep her from opening the door when he heard running footsteps and he knew they had a runner.
‘You two stay here, the rest surround the house, we have a runner!’ He said running for the back of the house. He was in time to see her dash out of the kitchen door and he gave chase. After three minutes of running, the suspect fell down and he quickly caught up with her.
‘Victoria Komolafe, you are under arrest for the murder of Joy Joel. You have the right to remain silent as anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have a right to a lawyer, if you don’t have one the justice department will provide one for you and you are entitled to one phone call before being charged under twenty-four hours.’ He said panting.
Ola got the report that all their suspects were in custody and were being transported to the station. She instructed the interrogation rooms to be prepared ahead while waiting for them. She went to the officers lounge to meet Sergeant John.
‘Sergeant, what’s the update on Spider.’
‘Good news ma’am, we have laid a trap for him. He will work into it before noon and we will arrest him.’ He reported.
‘Good, let me know immediately you arrest him.’
‘Yes ma’am.’
SHE was so excited that she almost forgot about Paul. She rushed to her office to call him and told him they got the suspects and she would be busy questioning them, he wished her luck and promised to drop by as soon as possible. He had to appear in court to plead a case and he was having a busy day too. Few minutes later, the team leaders came to inform her that the suspects were in their interrogation rooms.
‘Thank you officers, good job.’ She dismissed them but told Smith to wait.
‘Lets go find out who killed Joy and why.’
Their first stop was the doctor’s.
‘Good day doctor.’ Ola said taking a seat opposite the doctor.
‘There’s nothing good about today officers.’ He said in a sad voice.
Smith opened a file and pushed in front of Ola who studied it as if she did not know what was inside when indeed she wrote it herself. It was a tactic to make the suspect uncomfortable.
‘Okay doctor, it’s time you come clean with us because we have lots of evidence against you. Why did you kill Joy?’ She asked.
‘I didn’t kill her.’ He said unconvincingly.
‘We can’t help you if you keep lying with us. For starters, we know you were alone with the victim while your son waited in the car. Was that when you killed her?’
‘How did you know that?’
‘That’s none of your business. We have your prints and blood on Joy’s cheeks. It’s better if you tell us the truth!’
‘Hmmmm! It wasn’t like that, I can explain.’
‘Okay, explain.’
‘When I went to pick Junior she was drunk. I was angry and wanted to give her a piece of my mind but didn’t want our son to witness the argument. She’s always shouting when she’s drunk. I told him to wait in the car and went to talk to her. She had the gut to threaten me again! She said if I don’t mind my business she will make sure I never see the boy again. I was angry and I slapped her. I told her to stop drinking or I will take her back to court and show evidence that she was a drunkard and I stumped out. I noticed I was bleeding from my finger when I got into the car but it wasn’t from slapping her. A cat had bitten me last week and I guess the wound opened from the contact with her cheeks. I swear she was alive when I left her. I heard of her death from the radio the next day. I swear.’ He explained.
His explanation was plausible but she was not convinced.
‘Lets say I believe you about the blood and prints, what about the poison?’
‘What poison?’ He asked confusion written all over his face. He was either telling the truth or was a great actor.
‘We found CAY3P in her system doc. You and I know only veterinarian can get that poison. How do you explain that?’
‘Oh my God! I think I’m being set up!’
‘Hmmm! Really? You really think I will buy that?’
‘I promise you officers, I don’t have anything to do with the poison. Even at my practice I’m not in charge of the poison, my assistant, Becky is in charge of the bottles. When we have to put an animal down, she would draw the dose I need in the syringe, all I had to do was inject the animals! I swear.’
‘Are you telling me that your assistant has unlimited access to the poison?’
‘Yes! Oh my God! Is she behind this? But why?’
‘Lets not get ahead of ourselves here. Where’s she right now?’
‘I told her to get my son and bring him here when they came for me!’
‘Deputy Smith, please get me the doctor’s phone right now.’ Ola told Smith who leaped out of the room.
‘You are going to call her and ask her where she is. Don’t give anything away, okay?’
‘Okay! Oh my God! My son!’
‘Calm down doctor Akin.’ Ola said with her brain working on the new angle of the assistant. Smith came back with the phone and he dialed Becky’s number and put the phone on speaker. She picked on the second ring.
‘Hello sir. Are you Okay? Is everything alright?’
‘I’m okay Betty, thanks. Where is Junior?’
‘He’s with me. We are almost at the station.’
‘Okay, please be fast, we have sorted things out and I am ready to leave.’
‘Arh! Thank God! I’m relieved to hear that. Congratulations sir. We will be there in ten minutes.’
‘Thank you Becky.’ He dropped the call and asked how he did.
‘That was good doctor. We will look into that but you are not off the hook. Sit tight, We will be back.’ She told him and they left.
Immediately they left the interrogation room they started discussing their new lead.
‘So what do you think about this Betty angle?’ Smith asked Ola.
‘Well, we will have to look into it. We know Becky dotes on Junior and the Doctor but is it enough reason to kill Joy? We know she’s friends with Grace but I still don’t think she has a motive or opportunity to reach the victim.’
‘Well, let her get here and we will drill her.’
‘Sure, please pull up her file and look into her account details. I want to alert the front desk to keep an eye out for Becky.’
‘I’m on it.’
She heard the commotion before she got to the front desk. She rushed there and found one of their suspects resisting arrest! It was Spider, the gun owner.
‘No! You people just look for any opportunity to throw me into jail! I’ve not done anything this time!’ He shouted at the officers.
‘Hey! Stop shouting! If you have not committed a crime you won’t be here.’ Sergeant John retorted.
‘I’ve not done anything! You set me up! I just went to see my daughter and you barged in! This is police brutality! Corruption!’
Ola walked to him and he became calm immediately. Though Ola did not know him but the criminal knew her as her story had gone far and wide amongst the criminals and they knew she was not to be messed with.
‘We have your suspect ma’am.’ John said happily, he hated being under Ola’s pressure.
When Ikenna heard he was Ola’s suspect, his heart jumped to his mouth. What has he done to be a suspect of the most savage detective? He ran the operations he had been on recently in his mind and try to think if any of it backfired, none came to mind. He has done most of his theft outside the state and they were minor, nothing big enough to bring the biggest fish after him. He said a silent prayer because he did not want to go back to jail especially when he just became a father. He promised himself to cooperate and give them everything they wanted if it would save him from jail.
‘Put him in the I.O 4, I will be right there.’
…to be continued…
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Written by Olatorera.
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© 2018 by IBIOLAT VENTURES.
Ouch!!! I thought the criminal is exposed. Everyone is still a suspect but I don’t think Doc killed her sha. My brain is not thinking straight again yoube scattered it. Get the culprit before I turn dumb please. Inspector Ola is working
Yaay inspector Omolola 💃💃💃💃 BTW am getting confused oo cos the case is getting more complicated fa…. Am still doubting Dr. Akin because if he knows nothing about his ex wife’s death he won’t be fidgeting. Hmmm Becky🤔🤔🤔Abi na Betty give grace that poison ni… Lemme stop guessing bfr I scatter my brain…
A big gbosa to our mighty writer
😍😍😍😍😍😍
Can’t wait for the next episode..
I wonder who killed Madam Joy….Victoria gave her self away by running, I strongly feel she is guilty.
Amazing piece all the way.. Thumbs up 👍
ghen ghen… I so love this episode.. Can’t wait for the next… Victoria is a sure suspect…
Inspector Quadri!😁… The suspense to much Abeg.. Nice piece ma’am
Its getting hot in here! Going on to the next episode!!