What He Was Hiding
887 Words
🔥 Episode 3
The room felt smaller.
Hotter.
Like the air itself had turned against Tunde.
No one spoke for a few seconds after they saw the words on Amara’s palm.
“CHECK HIS PHONE.”
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Detective Ibrahim was the first to move.
Slow. Calm. Dangerous.
“Mr. Tunde,” he said, extending his hand, “your phone.”
Tunde didn’t move.
His mind was racing too fast.
This wasn’t just Amara leaving anymore.
This was a setup.
A deliberate one.
“She’s trying to frame me,” he said quickly. “You can’t seriously believe—”
“Your phone,” Ibrahim repeated.
Not louder.
Just firmer.
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Tunde clenched his jaw.
Every instinct told him to refuse.
But that would only make things worse.
Slowly… reluctantly… he reached into his pocket and handed it over.
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Detective Ibrahim took it like it was evidence.
Because now—it was.
“Passcode.”
Tunde hesitated.
Just for a second.
But that second was enough.
Bello noticed.
Ibrahim noticed.
Everyone noticed.
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“Tunde,” Ibrahim said quietly, “this is the part where you decide if you’re helping us… or making yourself look guilty.”
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Tunde exhaled sharply.
“…0907.”
Ibrahim unlocked the phone.
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At first, nothing seemed unusual.
Home screen.
Normal apps.
Messages.
Calls.
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Then Ibrahim opened the gallery.
Scrolled.
Paused.
Scrolled again.
Then—
Stopped.
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“Well…” Bello muttered. “This just keeps getting better.”
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Tunde’s chest tightened. “What is it?”
Ibrahim turned the screen.
And Tunde felt the ground disappear beneath him.
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It wasn’t just pictures of the other woman anymore.
That would have been bad—but manageable.
This was worse.
Much worse.
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There were documents.
Screenshots.
Bank alerts.
Large transactions.
Very large.
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Transferred.
Repeatedly.
To an unknown account.
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“This account,” Ibrahim said, tapping the screen, “who does it belong to?”
Tunde blinked rapidly. “I… I don’t know.”
“Strange,” Bello said. “Because it’s coming from your phone.”
“I didn’t do that!”
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But even as he said it, doubt crept in.
Because the evidence was right there.
Clear.
Undeniable.
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Dates.
Amounts.
Receipts.
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Millions.
Gone.
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Ibrahim watched him closely.
“You expect me to believe someone used your phone to move this kind of money without your knowledge?”
Tunde shook his head, backing away slightly. “This doesn’t make sense… I never authorized any of this!”
“Then someone did,” Ibrahim replied. “And they used your identity.”
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Silence.
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Then Bello spoke again.
“Sir… check this.”
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He opened another folder.
Hidden.
Locked.
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Ibrahim glanced at Tunde. “Password?”
“I don’t know any hidden folder!”
“Password.”
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Tunde hesitated again.
Sweat now forming on his forehead.
“…Try Amara’s birthday.”
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Bello typed it in.
The folder opened.
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And everything changed.
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Inside were videos.
Short clips.
Recorded secretly.
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Of Tunde.
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Talking.
Arguing.
Threatening.
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His own voice filled the room:
“You think you can leave me? I will destroy you first.”
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Tunde’s eyes widened in horror.
“I didn’t—no—that’s not—”
But it was his voice.
His face.
His words.
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Another clip played.
“If anything happens, nobody will believe you. I’ll make sure of that.”
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Bello let out a low breath. “Wow…”
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Tunde staggered back like he’d been hit.
“I never said that,” he whispered.
But even to him—it sounded weak.
Because there it was.
Clear as day.
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Detective Ibrahim slowly locked the phone.
Then looked up.
And for the first time…
There was no neutrality left in his eyes.
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Only suspicion.
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“Your wife disappears,” Ibrahim said quietly.
“She leaves behind evidence of your affair.”
“Massive financial transactions tied to you.”
“And videos of you threatening her.”
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Each word landed like a hammer.
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“Do you understand,” he continued, “how this looks?”
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Tunde’s voice cracked. “She’s setting me up…”
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But now—
Even that sounded like a lie.
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“Or,” Bello added, “she was scared of you.”
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“No!” Tunde snapped. “You don’t understand—Amara is not who you think she is!”
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Ibrahim tilted his head slightly.
“Then tell me who she is.”
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Tunde opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
Because the truth was…
He didn’t know anymore.
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A long silence filled the room.
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Then Ibrahim spoke again.
“Until we figure this out,” he said, “you’re not to leave Lagos.”
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Tunde froze.
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“And one more thing,” Ibrahim added.
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He reached into his pocket…
And pulled out something small.
Metal.
Cold.
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Handcuffs.
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“Just in case,” he said calmly.
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Tunde stared at them.
His heart pounding violently.
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This wasn’t just a missing person case anymore.
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This was turning into something else.
Something bigger.
Darker.
More dangerous.
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And somewhere out there…
Amara was watching it all unfold.
- Writer
