Chapter 30

CHAPTER 30

(Lekan's mind was not at rest throughout the hearing. The fact that he has not heard from his wife baffles him so much, he could not concentrate on the hearing. After ensuring it’s alright to go for the day, he takes a flight and goes straight to Lagos.

He got to Lagos in the evening and goes home immediately. He was surprised to see that there was no one at home and the door was not locked. He locates his phone puts it on and start calling anyone he thinks may know his wife's whereabouts...)

LEKAN : what could be going on...(Dialing his phone)...I've called almost all her friends and none of them knows where she is...(as he was still trying to dial, another call came in and he picks it...)Hello?
CALLER : hello Mr. Lekan...
LEKAN : hello, Sade, how are you and the family?
CALLER : fine. Erm....I've being worried about Sola since yesterday night.
LEKAN : Yes, I am too, please do you know where she is?
CALLER : no I don't. Both of us were talking on the phone yesterday when your son came in to tell her there was a stranger at the door. She told me she'll call me back but didn't. I've tried her number several times since then but it’s switched off.
LEKAN : I've being calling her too but her phone is off....wait a minute, around what time are we talking about?
CALLER : it was in the evening around eight o clock.
LEKAN : what could have happened...okay please I'll get back to you.
CALLER : is she alright?
LEKAN : I hope so. I got back home and didn't meet her or the kids.
CALLER : have you asked the neighbors?
LEKAN : yes. No one saw her after yesterday evening.
CALLER : oh my God...
LEKAN : please I'll get back to you.
CALLER : alright...please let me know if there anything I can do.
LEKAN : alright thanks....(hangs up)....my God.... what could have happened to my wife and kids?....(Pacing and thinking of what to do next)....should I report at the station?...if I do, they'll tell me it’s not up to 72hours...damn it! I went to Abuja and everything goes wrong...what the hell could have happened...





(Meanwhile, Henz is at Andy's residence to commence with their plan. When he got there, they both go into his study to talk...)

HENZ : sir I've tried the number over and over but it’s still not going.
ANDY : but what do you think we can do?...
HENZ : I'm totally confused sir. And this hostage situation is not palatable for me at all, that’s why I cam here first before going to work....
ANDY : how else can we get to him?...(Stands up and starts pacing)....may be the boys should go to his house and see him personally.
HENZ : I'm not sure that will be advisable....
ANDY : what else can we do then?
HENZ : I don't know why the fool refused to put on his phone...(Hisses)
ANDY : let them just go to his house this night. He should be home anytime from now....
HENZ : that's if he has not gone crazy looking for his wife and kids.
ANDY : all the same he'll still come home somehow...
HENZ : okay....we'll start from there....(Bringing out his phone to dial Sarku's number)...hello?
RECEIVER : hello sir?
HENZ : we are still not getting in touch with that fool, so you people will have to go to his house...
RECEIVER : (cuts in)...what! Who will do that? How can we show our faces to him?
HENZ : come on, there's no big deal there...
RECEIVER : no o! Nobody will do that. What if he reports to the police or something?
HENZ : no, he won't have to. After all, once we get our money now, we'll return his wife and kids. He won't report.
RECEIVER : no please we can't go.
HENZ : how then do we get in touch with him? Are you thinking at all?
RECEIVER : sir, let's just wait for him. Let's wait for him to put on his phone.
HENZ : damn you!....(He hangs up and looks at Andy)....
ANDY : what did he say?
HENZ : that fool! He said they can't show their faces there.
ANDY : this thing is getting really complicated....you know what, let's just wait till tomorrow morning. This guy will definitely be wondering where his wife and kids are...
HENZ : (takes a deep breath)....okay.
ANDY : but you should keep trying the line.....have you tried it again?
HENZ : the last time I tried it was before I left the office.
ANDY : let's try it one more time before you go. Where's the phone?
HENZ : (brings out the phone from his pocket and starts dialing. All of a sudden he looks at Andy)....oh my God it’s ringing!
ANDY : really?...(Stands up and walks towards Henz)...cut it! Let revise what we're going to tell him...
HENZ : it’s okay sir, I got this!....(Still listening)...
RECEIVER : hello?
HENZ : is that Lekan Davies?
RECEIVER : yes, who am I speaking with?
HENZ : we have your wife and kids...
RECEIVER : (cuts in)....what! Who the hell are you! Where are they! What did you do to them? Where....
HENZ : (cuts in with a laughter)....they are fine.
RECEIVER : who the hell are you!
HENZ : the same person you spent his money!
RECEIVER : what do you mean by that?
HENZ : stop playing naive with me my friend! You found some money in your account only for you to transfer it right! That's why we have your family. If you want them back then return the money with you.
RECEIVER : let me talk to my wife! Let me talk to them and know if they're alright!
HENZ : you'll talk to them just hold on...we'll call you back...(Hangs up)...yes!...
ANDY : what did the bastard say?
HENZ : he wants to talk to his family to know if they're okay...(Bringing out his phone)....I'll tell the boys to call him...(Dialing Sarku's number)...
RECEIVER : hello sir.
HENZ : yes, we have finally spoken to the fool.
RECEIVER : oh that's nice sir!
HENZ : he wants to talk to his family, so I'll send you his number now, you'll call him and let him talk to his wife.
RECEIVER : erm...there's a problem sir.
HENZ : what problem? What do you mean by that?
RECEIVER : it’s the woman. She' being proving difficult. She's tried to escape twice so we had to sedate her.
HENZ : are you trying to tell me that the four of you cannot handle a simple woman?
RECEIVER : sir, it’s not like we can't. But you know it’s a kidnap, not a torture situation so we have to be careful with her.
HENZ : so what's going to happen now?
RECEIVER : she will wake up in about 5-6 hours’ time. So we can just make the call in the morning.
HENZ : damn it! I thought we'll get the whole thing over with this night...
RECEIVER : sorry sir.
HENZ : okay. I'll send you the number anyway. Immediately after he talks to his wife, call me back and let me know so we can give him the instructions on what to do.
RECEIVER : okay sir.
HENZ : do you still have the phone I gave you to use?
RECEIVER : yes sir. It’s here with me.
HENZ : good. Don't make the mistake of using your phone.
RECEIVER : no I can't.
HENZ : alright...(Hangs up)
ANDY : what happened?
HENZ : he said the woman tried to escape twice so they had to sedate her.
ANDY : so when will she be up?
HENZ : he said in about 5-6 hours. They'll make the call in the morning....(Trying to send Lekan's number)...he will call me back after making the call.
ANDY : okay.
HENZ : I've sent him the number...
ANDY : that's good. Things are falling into place.
HENZ : now the next thing we need to think about is where he will send the money.
ANDY : to my account of course.
HENZ : (surprised)...your account?
ANDY : yes.
HENZ : but sir I don't advice we do that.
ANDY : why?
HENZ : that means we'll have to give him your details. And that's not advisable, because he can trace you.
ANDY : trace me?...oh please! He won't have a reason to trace me. Are we not returning his family to him? And apart from that he won't dare do so? I mean, on what grounds will he say he's tracing me? Will he be able to tell the police the reason why his family was kidnapped? Can he tell them he transferred a money that's not his to his personal account?...no, he won't!
HENZ : but sir...
ANDY : no buts Henz.
HENZ : sir. I'll advise we transfer it to another account first then to your account.
ANDY : I want it transferred straight to my account. I can't allow the same thing to happen again. Except we tell him to go and withdraw the money and bring it.
HENZ : we can't even subscribe to that. He can't withdraw such a big amount. The new bank policies won't allow that.
ANDY : even I won't subscribe to that! Who will go and collect it? And what if the person takes my money away? ....So let him send the money to my account straight.
HENZ : but...
ANDY : (cuts in)...let it be, Henz! Moreover, he won't think I'm really the one that did it. Just like you wanted us to do, he will think the kidnapper only gave him someone else's account. He won't think it’s me directly.
HENZ : okay. If you say so.
ANDY : that's how I want it. Send him my account details to send it to me.....or better still...I'll give you my daughter's account number...you can send it there.
HENZ : your daughter's?
ANDY : yes. That I can trust. Then we'll transfer it from there.
HENZ : okay...if you say so.
ANDY : I'll send you the details.
HENZ : okay....I'll be on my way now....(Standing up to leave)....
ANDY : alright.
HENZ : my regards to Madam.
ANDY : okay. See you tomorrow...(Looks at Henz as he leaves the study)....hmm....(Shaking his head)...Badru has told me he doesn't trust you. I can't trust you either...

(Meanwhile, Henz didn't like the way things are turning out. He leaves for his car and drives out of Andy's compound angrily...)
HENZ : stupid old fool!....he's spoiling my plans...I thought he'll agree to transfer the money to another account...that would have given me the opportunity to do what I wanted...well all is not lost. I can still manipulate things before his daughter gets the alert. And trust me, I will take all the money this time, I'll just tell him the moron refused to do the transfer. Yes, that's what I'm going to do!





(Meanwhile, Lekan is waiting impatiently for his phone to ring. He starts pacing....)

LEKAN : oh God! What have I gotten myself into?...all because of that money my family is now in danger....Sola will be wondering what all this is about....I'll have to tell her immediately I see her...I hope she forgives me....(Still pacing)...I hope they're alright.....they have to be alright....(Looks at the phone)....the bastard should call back damn it!....(Then he remembers the case he has in Abuja)....I won't be able to go back to Abuja tomorrow, I need to call Barrister Agu immediately....(Picks up the new phone and dials....he waited for some time but the call was not picked)....where did he put his phone...(Looks at the time)...9:30pm...could he have slept this early?....(Hisses and dials another number)...Hello?
RECEIVER : hello Barr Davies.
LEKAN : please I've being trying to get in touch with Barrister Agu but his line is not going. I wanted to tell him that I won't be available for the case again....
RECEIVER : (cuts in)...hope there's no problem?
LEKAN : it’s about my wife and kids....
RECEIVER : oh...haven't you heard anything from her yet?
LEKAN : no. In fact I'm in Lagos right now.
RECEIVER : oh...
LEKAN : I think they've being kidnapped. Please convey my message to him.
RECEIVER : oh my God. Have the abductors called you?
LEKAN : yes, but they've not made their demand.
RECEIVER : I'm so sorry.
LEKAN : thanks.
RECEIVER : I'll tell Barrister Agu as soon as possible.
LEKAN : alright thanks.
RECEIVER : please let me know if there's any way I can help.
LEKAN : alright thanks....(Hangs up and looks at his phone)....when will this bastard allow me talk to my wife?....(he starts pacing again)




(Meanwhile, Stan has being very worried about what Susan told him the day before. He has tried asking his father so many times about what he saw the night Carol died but Jacobs has always refused to talk about it.

It’s almost five years now and he felt the impulse to ask his father again, though, Jacobs is abroad now, he feels he can still talk to him somehow.

It’s Monday night, he looks at the time and dials their US residence number and his father picks it...)

STAN : hello Dad?
RECEIVER : son how are you?
STAN : very well. How's Mum? Is she improving?
RECEIVER : oh well...I guess.
STAN : I thought that place was going to do her some good.
RECEIVER : I don't think anything can replace Carol in her life.
STAN : hmm....Dad
RECEIVER : yes son.
STAN : you know you've not really told us exactly what happened that night.
RECEIVER : oh son, not again.
STAN : but Dad...we are Carol's brothers, we need to know, we deserve to know what happened.
RECEIVER : okay I'll tell you....(Takes a deep breath)...the driver took your sister to the party at the Silva's residence that fateful day and when it was time to bring her back home, she was nowhere to be found. He called to tell me and I was furious. I decided to go over there and look for my daughter myself. When I got there, everyone at the party was looking for her everywhere already and I did the same until I saw them trying to force the door of the boys-quarter open. They opened the door anyway and the sight was pathetic. Your sister was half naked. It was obvious she had been raped and stabbed. The bastard that did it laid unconscious beside her until we poured water on him. I had to call in the police to take him while I took your sister's body to the morgue...
STAN : so, the boy was really unconscious?
RECEIVER : yes the bastard was and he had the effrontery to lie that he knew nothing about it.
STAN : hmm...
RECEIVER : I'm still going to nail him. I just want your Mum to be okay before I reopen the case.
STAN : reopen the case how? Hasn't he been sentenced?
RECEIVER : no. He was a minor when he committed the crime. We want him to attain adulthood before bringing the case to court. We don't want him to be treated as a delinquent.
STAN : (chuckles)....oh Dad...
RECEIVER : yes, that's what your Mum wanted.
STAN : (shakes his head)...but that was uncalled for.
RECEIVER : oh well, your Mum wanted that boy to pay fully for what he did to your sister.
STAN : I see...but Dad...
RECEIVER : yes son.
STAN : what if the boy was really framed...
RECEIVER : (cuts in)...what do you mean by that?
STAN : come on Dad, you know I did a little of criminal psychology in the university, so sometimes things may not look the way they seem.
RECEIVER : what are you implying?
STAN : that our dear Carol's murderer may still be out there at large enjoying himself while someone else is paying for his crime.
RECEIVER : you're trying to say it may not be that boy?
STAN : yes Dad "MAY". I'm not saying he's not the murderer, neither am I saying he is. But I'm saying we need to be absolutely sure we're nailing the right and not the wrong person.
RECEIVER : but why are you saying this now? It’s almost five years, how are we sure?
STAN : Dad, when the incident happened, remember I was already in the US and I didn't come back on time because I was having my exams. And when I finally came back home and asked you how it happened you kept refusing to talk about it saying it’s something you don't feel good discussing, that's why I kept quiet. And hearing it now...the scenario looks confusing
RECEIVER : what's confusing about it?
STAN : Dad, a rapist won't lock himself and the victim up after killing her...talkless of knocking himself out at the crime scene, that's ridiculous!
RECEIVER : well...he was still a small boy, he may not know how to handle the situation....
STAN : oh come on Dad...is it possible for you to knock yourself out?....or are we saying he got so tired from the act that he passed out?..(Chuckles)....
RECEIVER : get serious Stan.
STAN : Dad are we saying a small boy who was old enough to rape a girl, wouldn't know how to run away before he gets caught?....that means he's mentally deranged.
RECEIVER : (takes a deep breath)...so you're also saying the boy may have been framed?
STAN : oh...you mean I'm not the first person insinuating that?
RECEIVER : no you're not. The lawyer I got insinuated it too, though not conclusively. He kept saying we should do an autopsy and conduct a test on the semen found in her to make sure the boy was the one that committed the crime.
STAN : good thinking. And did you?
RECEIVER : no we didn't...
STAN : (cuts in)....what! Dad, you mean you did not! How could you have ignored such an important thing to do?
RECEIVER : because we don't want your sister's body mutilated.
STAN : oh come on Dad! She was dead already, mutilating her body to know who her killer is won't change anything!....Now how do you want to back up your case, let's even say the suspect actually committed the crime?...
RECEIVER : we did the autopsy...
STAN : (cuts in)...Dad, autopsy or not, if he gets a very good Lawyer, that boy will be discharged and acquainted because there's no real proof he did it.
RECEIVER : Stanley, I really don't understand you. You're going back and forth. You once said he may be innocent now you're talking about us not having enough proof to nail him. What exactly are you saying?
STAN : I'm saying we need enough proof to nail who the real killer is and not just someone that was found unconscious at the crime scene without enough evidence.
RECEIVER : so what am I supposed to do now?
STAN : let's conduct an investigation Dad.
RECEIVER : investigation? After five years?
STAN : of course it’s possible. I have some hazy information though, that's why I decided to ask you. So, I'll work on what I have.
RECEIVER : be careful son.
STAN : I will Dad.

(Afterwards, Stan calls Susan...)

STAN : hi Babe...
RECEIVER : sweetheart how are you?
STAN : I'm good....guess what....
RECEIVER : tell me...
STAN : I just spoke to Dad now and he told me all that he knows about Carol's death.
RECEIVER : oh...
STAN : yes. And you were right. He said the boy was unconscious. He even said the door was locked when they got to the room.
RECEIVER : so what do you think?
STAN : the whole thing is questionable. I mean, a rapist cannot rape and kill then knock himself out there at the crime scene, it’s ridiculous....and guess what else I found out?
RECEIVER : what?
STAN : the boy has not been sentenced, I mean, he has not even being taken to court.
RECEIVER : really?
STAN : I tell you.
RECEIVER : so do you think he has hope? I mean, is it possible for us to still investigate if he is really guilty?
STAN : yes I think so.....em....those boys you told me about...
RECEIVER : yes...
STAN : do they know I'm Carol's brother?
RECEIVER : em....(Trying to remember)...were they there when I introduced you at our reunion?
STAN : I'm not sure. I don't know what they look like.
RECEIVER : oh...Bukola should know.
STAN : alright this is what we'll do, tell your friend to come over to my house let's think of what to do....can you two do that?
RECEIVER : okay. I'll call her and get back to you.
STAN : alright Baby...so how was your day?
RECEIVER : stressful dear...I just got back home...




(Meanwhile, Sarku goes to Timo and Janu to talk about what next to do...)

SARKU : this is serious problem! That man has to talk to his wife somehow.
JANU : is it not on the phone? Let's get someone to act like his wife then.
TIMO : who do we get?
JANU : let's just get a girl that can do it and tell her what to say. After all, it’s not like the man will see the person that is talking.
TIMO : the question is who will do it?
JANU : we can get any girl from anywhere nau.
TIMO : how can you say that? Me I don't know any girl that can do it....(Looks at Sarku)…maybe you know someone?
SARKU : no I don't.
JANU : (turns to Timo)...haha...don't you have sisters or something?
TIMO : what happened to your own sisters?
JANU : but you know I don't have sisters, nau…
TIMO : my own sisters are not here.
SARKU : look, instead of arguing, we should think of what to do fast. I've bought some time with the Boss. I told him we sedated her so she can't talk till tomorrow morning. That means we have till tomorrow morning to do something about it.
TIMO : (turns to Janu)....I advise you get a friend that can do it for you o.
JANU : let me think...
SARKU : you better do. I'm going to sleep....have you given those children food to eat?
JANU : we gave them bread.
SARKU : bread again?
JANU : haha, what else should we give them? Did their abductors give us money to buy them food?...(Hisses)
TIMO : Egoh said the girl as being acting funny?
JANU : yes. The brother said she's asthmatic, and we don't have any inhaler here.
SARKU : abeg they should just do and go. I don't have time for all this kain things!
TIMO : she looks sick sef.
JANU : (all of a sudden an idea comes to Janu's head) yes! I know what to do...I'll call a friend who can help us out. Sarku, you and I can go to town tomorrow to get the girl that will do the job.
TIMO : hey, remember we can't bring anybody here o.
JANU : we don't have to bring her here. We can make the call over there.
SARKU : its better you call the person now, so we can make arrangement to go tomorrow morning.
JANU : its okay, I'll do that.


To be continued....