The Ransom Dealers

She-Devil

"I am the most beautiful woman in the world", Zahra told herself as she stood in front of the mirror and stared at her reflection. She twisted to the left and right, observing some annoying stretch marks on her hips and thighs. She frowned at their sight, lamenting the fact that like it or not, age was no longer on her side and it was gradually catching up with her.

Well, that is to be expected. No one can live life the way she did without fraying at the edges. Moreso she was twenty nine years old, and it had been a very rough, immoral life since the age of ten.

She was born out of wedlock, and grew up at the Nasarawa Children's Home. Her mother, a Fulani girl who sold fura da nono in the city of Kano, had been knocked up by a randy Lebanese man who screwed anything in skirts except a monkey. Zahra was the result, and the poor Fulani girl had promptly dumped her at the entrance of the Orphanage one dark, cold night.

Her cries attracted the attention of the matron, who came to find out what the ruckus was about. That was how Zahra found a home.

Zahra was indeed something special. One had to see her to realize just how special she was. However the beauty of a girl was, she was no match for Zahra. By the time she was sixteen, she was flawlessly beautiful, overpoweringly sexy and spectacularly sensual.

Although barely a teenager, she was over thirty in her sinful, immoral and undisciplined ways. She was a girl that knew all the answers, and even some of the questions.

She slipped on her underwear, sprayed some Sure deodorant in her armpits, arms and thighs then inspected her image again. Everything red. She nodded her approval, then went to her closet to select a dress. This was the part she hated about dressing up. What was she going to wear?

This was a frustrating routine that invariably annoyed her,wasted her time and left her well organised closet disorganized and in a disarray. She pulled out a red lace outfit, looked critically at it, then threw it aside. She saw the cool blue and green atampa, dipped her hand and pulled it out. This was the perfect outfit for the day, she thought.

She donned it and realized that it felt a bit too snug on her, making breathing difficult. Bad sign. She was putting on weight. She pulled it off angrily, making the cloth rip at the seams. About thirty minutes later, she finally settled for a simple green blouse that captured her beauty in a showstopping manner. She complemented the dress with a green bag and green stilettos. She was good to go.

She locked her apartment, pressed her car remote control to open her red BMW Coupe, opened the door and slid into the driver's seat. She started the car and immediately reversed back with a screech of tyres. She drove out of the house and was soon on the road. The time was 11:03AM, she was late for her appointment.

As she drove along Ahmadu Bello Way at high speed, she switched on the radio to listen to the news. She used her thumb to scroll down to 99.5 Freedom FM. The presenter was in the middle of the newsflash for the day.

"...where unknown gunmen kidnapped a businessman in Tarauni town, about four kilometers away from the Kano State Government House", the presenter's voice was clear.

"An eyewitness, who prefers anonymity, revealed that the gunmen attacked Alhaji Bala in his car while he was together with his betrothed girlfriend at Ten to Ten Restaurant, located at Alu Avenue, Kano, at about 8:00PM Friday evening. According to the source, the gunmen who came in a white Sharon Bus and two motor bikes, numbering six stormed the restaurant with sporadic shots into the air and forcefully took him away.

Our correspondent also learnt that the man kidnapped is a popular dealer of assorted textiles at the Kantin Kwari market. Efforts to reach the police on the developments proved abortive as phone calls and text messages sent to the Police spokesperson were not responded to. In other news...",

Zahra changed the station, smiling. She found the story amusing because the so-called betrothed girlfriend mentioned by the broadcaster was none other than her.

She reached the roundabout that led into Murtala Muhammad Way, waited for a lull in traffic, then whipped the car into and around the roundabout. A couple of hundred meters later, she drove into the parking lot of Chicken Castle Restaurant.

She switched off the car engine, stepped out and walked briskly into the restaurant. Sure enough, Ayuba, Bala and the Chairman were all seated around a table for four by the right hand corner of the restaurant. The whole gang was there, waiting impatiently for her.

Followed by all the hungry male eyes in the restaurant, Zahra reached their table, pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Sorry I'm late", she said, looking directly at Bala. She didn't have any issues with Ayuba and Chairman, but Bala was a real pain in the ass. She called him Bravo. Zahra was a freak about anything Greek. So she used Greek nomenclatures as often as she could.

Chairman, (no one knew his real name), cleared his throat and leaned forward to start the discussion. She called him Charlie.

"Yesterday's operation was a success" Chairman began, but Bala interrupted him. "Don't we deserve a drink at least for a job well done?"

"Ai you guys deserve more than that. I'll order brunch, since I know none of you have had breakfast. At least I haven't, so who else?", He asked around.

Ayuba, who she called Alpha, said he wanted pounded yam, egusi soup with kpomo and cow leg. Shege dan banza, Zahra thought.

Bala said he wanted fried rice and fried fish done with plenty of sauce.

Zahra said she just wanted corselow and water.

"Kaiiiiiiiii!", Bala exclaimed. "Everyone is asking for proper food, and what does she want? Corselow!"

Zahra looked at him calmly, thought of a suitable retort but changed her mind and smiled at him. "I'm just watching my weight, shi yasa", she said.

Bala scoffed, looking away in exasperation.

Chairman ordered for the meals, also ordering pounded yam for himself, and while they waited, proceeded with the meeting.

They were all talking in undertones. No one, if they happened to be interested, could judge by their expressions, the implication, importance or triviality of the subject under discussion.

"We have taken him to the designated location", Chairman said, "and he doesn't have any idea where he is". He was saying this for the benefit of Bala and Zahra, who had to stay behind to complete their own part of the operation. "We tied him up, blindfolded him and threw him into the boot of the car. That was how we drove around the bypass, up to Sabon Titin Panshekara, doubled back and came back again through the bypass. He would think we've taken him out of Kano. But he is safely in the house now, properly secured".

Zahra nodded her approval. She said, "As soon as you guys went away, I started screaming and rolling on the floor of the joint. Some bystanders who witnessed the kidnap came over to console me. They were with me until the police came to the crime scene", here she smiled.

"Of course they sent the DPO Bompai Command, who happens to be a toaster. That poor guy has been trying to get into my pants for months. Thankfully, I was smart enough not to play too hard to get that he gave up, but I haven't let him taste the goods. It was easy to play the distraught girlfriend that was lucky not to have been kidnapped along with her boyfriend. He consoled me, said he would call me if there was anything and ordered one of his boys to drive me home. Easy peasy", she concluded.

Though he was her critic, Bala could not hide his admiration for Zahra. She always did a job of work, delivering excellent performances like an actress in a hollywood movie.

It was his turn to brief them. "Well, I stayed behind as planned. I was the only eye witness to come forward to volunteer any information. Of course I insisted on anonymity. I gave them confused descriptions and details. Wrong color of vehicles. Wrong number of kidnappers. It went without a hitch", he concluded.

The Chairman was pleased with how everything went. Now was the time to discuss the ransom demand. He looked around them all, then said, "Based on the information Zahra was able to give us about this guy, I'd say we go for one billion naira".

Zahra shook her head no. "One billion is stretching it. I said he is worth billions, I didn't say he has a billion laying down in cash. And remember he can't make anything happen while he is locked up. I think we should settle for two hundred million. Ba yabo ba fallasa. Ko yaya ka gani, Ayuba?" She asked, looking at Alpha.

Ayuba nodded. "Gaskiya two hundred million sounds good to me".

Bala cleared his throat. "What I think is…".

An hour later, the meeting was over. She had time to burn, and there was nothing else on her agenda for the day. After giving it much thought, she opted for a movie treat at the Movie House. She opened her phone and went to the movie mobile application to see what they were showing today.

She saw Eyes in the Sky, Maleficent, Skyscraper and Black Panther. She was already late for Maleficent, but there was time for either Skyscraper or Black Panther. She had watched both movies once, but would love to watch the Panther once again. It was truly an epic movie.

Having made up her mind, she started the car and drove fast to Shoprite. As she was flying on the Kwankwasiyya Bridge on the State Road, she heard the ping of a chat come in. She never chatted while on the wheel, so she ignored it. A minute passed by, then another ping. And then another.

Zahra frowned. Who could this be? She wondered. She would check as soon as she arrived at her destination.

Fifteen minutes later, she had parked her BMW in the parking space and clicked open her phone. She saw a message from an unknown number

080***: Zahra how are you? I hope you got home safely.

Below it were two additional messages that made her heart skip a beat.

080***: How are you coping with the kidnap of your fiancee? In sha Allah we are doing our best to locate him.

080***: But if there is any additional information you think may assist us, please don't hesitate to chat me up or call me.

That was when the nickel dropped. It was the ASP Cop that collected her number at the kidnap scene.

Who is this please?, she typed.

It's ASP Sani… You didn't even save my number?, he typed.

I'm sorry, she typed. I've been so confused and distraught. But let me save it now.

Him: Okay. Please do.

Her: I've already done it now. How is the work? Any news about my fiance? Please try and get him back for me.

Him: We are trying our best. You know it's my department and once I am given an assignment, I hardly fail in accomplishing it in sha Allah.

Her: Allah Ya bada sa'a… Please try for me. I really need him back.

Him: But has anyone received any call yet from the kidnappers? For the ransom or any instructions.

Her: Wallahi I'm not aware. Maybe they have called his brothers or his wives at home. You know since we are just dating and not married, I'm not in the inner circle to know about such information.

Him: True… So you were planning to get married? An sa muku rana?

Her: Not exactly. We are dating, and we have started discussing marriage. But it's not official, ka gane?

Him: Yes, na gane.

Zahra smiled at the flow of their chats. She knew he was interested in dating her, but didn't know how to make his approach.

She typed: Are you married?

Him: Not yet.

Her: About to or what?

Him: I almost did, but cancelled the wedding

Her: ???

Her: But why??? Haba don Allah! Why did you cancel?

Him: It's a long story. Maybe when we meet, I'll gist you about what happened.

Her: Okay. I'm about to get some things at GAME. Can I chat you up later idan na gama?

Him: Sure. Okay. Ina jiranki

Her: Aren't you at work?

Him: I am.

Her: When do you normally close?

Him: No time. I can close anytime. It depends on the nature of the cases I'm handling.

Her: Wow… Allah Ya taimaka. Talk to you later.

Him: Amin. Thanks… Bye.