She plans to kill me

The nickel drops

2015

" Watcha got for the niggaz?" Kaybee said rolling a wrap of weed.

" There is a guy. He's wadded. Like real wadded and needs to be worked on." Bright began, " I have been stalking him, using some of my homeboys. I got his routine, what a humdrum life he lives with all these money. He doesn't deserve all that money. He wakes up and goes to work, then close to watch games, sit in a garden then go home."

" Damn nigga!" Dazz exclaimed. " No clubbing, no getting high, no bae cruising, just what?"

" He ain't deserve that money. We do, coz we sure know how to squander." Kaybee said.

" Word! Word nigga!" Dazz concurred.

" Who is this guy?" Flash said for the first time.

" I think we would get to that." Bright said, " like I said inretrospect, he would be picked but the blame would be laid on his fictitious accomplices. We are not only going to make money, we would live to spend it , and not in jail."

" Word nigga!" Dazz said, " Hey, I said get me some murderfuck*** pot dude! I hate seeing my eyes white. Get 'em red."

" For real nigga." Kaybee passed him rolling papers and a bowl of weed. " It's a shame we can't snuff the devil's powder. Damn! Niggaz we are broke!"

" Can't you niggaz shut the fu** up and talk deal with this dude?" Flash said impatiently.

" Who the hell do you think you are to tell me what to say and when to say it?" Kaybee vituperated.

" Fu** you nigga!" Flash raked, " you just get high and never stop babbling!"

" I ma poke this nigga!" Kaybee got on his feet, veins bulging out on his forehead and neck.

" You are welcome a**hole! Be my guest and you know what, rest in murderfuc**ng peace."

" Stop it you dimwits!" Dazz cut in. " We need cheda and this dude is here and his here is here to give us some raise.'

Bright rubbed his palms on his face. See what drugs was doing to these guys. Well. He had no option than to deal with them.

" Maybe I should come back some other time." Bright said. " I don't think you guys are in the mood to talk business."

" Whoooo, no dude." Kaybee said pushing his palms forward, " we are made for this deal. We are sorry, okay. Niggaz, aint we sorry?"

" Sure nigga." Dazz said. " We gotta to show some respect."

Flash said nothing, lit a cigarette then took a sip of dry gin.

" We would pick him in the garden but it has to be carefully planned. There are police checkpoints." Bright said. , " he sits in a sequestered place sai kace munafiqi(like a hypocrite) ."

" What is in for us? What is the plan?" Flash asked.

" You guys will abduct him and take him to your zone. I will come and kill him myself." Bright said.

" What is in for us and you talked about avoiding arrest." Flash went on.

" Yes, I have an inside man. A profile of a fictitious business partner has been created. And the guy has a past. He had  stepped on real bad by some bad guys so he got a reason to get vindictive. He has been set-up to be awarding contracts to kill one or two people. Putting the law into his hands but there will be a double-cross. The guys will be the one that killed him. I will leave traces of faux evidence for a wild goose chase."

" Good, then the main part. What is in for us?"

" Eighty mil."

"Phew!" Dazz whistled. " That is some chedd niggaz!"

" We need advance payment of forty." Flash said.

Bright knew there may be a problem there.

" The truth is ....the money will come after his death."

" That does not make sense." Kaybee said. " How can a dead man spill money? Hey, hope you are not here to play games. We don't build castle in air."

" Let him explain." Flash said, threw the reefer end away then lit a cigarette.

" Okay...there is going to be inheritance. I will inherit about three hundred million. He is related to me ."

"Hmmmm....but we cannot wait for that." Kaybee said. " We need to be sure ."

" I have another idea." Said Flash. " You want him dead, right?Okay, keep your inheritance money. We will collect a ransom of one hundred million before he dies. We split into four. Twenty five mil each. Then you kill him."

Bright looked at Flash again.

" Smart son-of-a-bitc*!" Bright said and they laughed.

The day was fixed. A day to abduct Danny ,collect ransom then kill him. At this time, he was in the garden with Jasmine....explaining to her why he was still in touch with Maryam even after getting married to her.

Bright sent a message to Jasmine. The day has been fixed.

.

Mariam was aware of her pulsating heart, quivering and unbalance as she sat in the courtroom of Court of appeal Abuja. Dressed in her gown, and glancing at Peter Okorie, SAN who was called to bar before she was born, she could not help but feel intimidated.

This was her first case in court, and like an actor facing camera fright, or stage fright, she was experiencing some level of fright. Having gone through a painstaking investigative session, agglomerating possible evidence which helped her prepare in limine.

Having gone through voir dire, she felt confident with the jury. As a council for defence, she had skilfully intended to reserve her opening statement until the beginning of defence case but since it was an appeal, she changed her mind.

After her opening statement, Okorie did his opening statement and Maryam felt intimidated. The confidence the elderly lawyer displayed, his mannerism and use of convincing words made some confidence drift out of her.

Then she turned and saw her mother sitting down, watching her and gave her a proud smile and nod. She felt a sudden wave of synergy, invigoration and zeal inside her. Yes! Here we go.

Her first cross examination.

" Danny Adam, you admitted to committing the crimes allegedly committed by you and pleaded guilty, why did you do that?" She began as Danny who had a haircut and trimmed his beard stood in the dock.

" The trial had taking too long and we were out of financial support. My family were suffering and I felt we should not all be suffering so....I decided to just plead guilty and bear the cross."

" Are you saying you did not commit the crimes ? That you did not intentionally kill Mr Uthman Bamanga and his entire family? You did not kill Mr Safiyan and Lawal who were found buried in his house, or having been involved in cultism which led to the death of seven students?"

" I did not commit those crimes."

" You pleaded guilty out of psychological trauma and duress?"

" Yes, my lord."

" Thank you."

Okorie stood up with a smirk planted on his face. A smirk that gave the impression that he just listened to a mere kidology, and this made Mariam felt her palms clammy with sweat. She was going to fight it. The doggedness in her was accumulating with a great force.

" Danny Adam." Okorie called with a straight look into Danny's eyes. A look that was intended to get him flummoxed. But the cadaverous eyes that stared back at him seemed not be moved. It was blank and he wondered if he blinked. " What a dramatic turn of event. You decided today to deny the crimes you committed....."

"Objection my lord! " Maryam remonstrated, " my client is still only alleged to have committed the crimes."

" He is a convicted criminal." Okorie said bluntly.

" Objection upheld. This is an appellant court and the verdict of the district court is suspended until the accused is proven guilty." The judge, Justice Hafusa Afolabi said calmly but the hardness on her face showed that she was a strict judge.

" Thank you, my lord." Okorie said with a slight bow. " Let me begin with your personality. As a student in University of Jos, you were known to be a dangerous member of a cult and in one of your obnoxious acts, you allegedly killed seven students who were relaxing at shere Hills by pushing heavy stones the rolled on them from a cliff.

I have as part of evidence the picture of you climbing the cliff on that day, and four witnesses attested to seeing you. It was also discovered that two of the victims were your rival cult members. You claimed they once snatched your phone and got you slapped.

We do not know how authentic that is but even if it is true, killing them is tantamount to putting the law into your hands."

" Are you aware of this incidence, Mr Danny?" Justice Hafusa asked.

" I am not ,my lord."

Maryam had to switch in. That was why she was advocating and this was not Danny's responsibility." My lord, my client did not know of the of the said event. He was never a cultist. He was a student who never caused trouble but instead dedicated himself to his studies and business. It was no secret that he had a pharmacy, which was run by him and his late fiancée. They were so admired by students that they were awarded the price for best couple in school. His life revolved around his academics and business."

" Barrister, Barrister Okorie just presented photographs that showed that he was there. How come you say he was not there?" Asked the judge.

Maryam paused and the court went silent like a grave yard. She gave Danny a sharp glance. This was one part she did not discuss with him and he did not tell her about. He may not like this but she had no choice. This was dicey because if she failed, then she would lose his cooperation and that meant losing the case.

" The man shown in the picture is not Danny as claimed or admitted by him. He has a twin brother who looks exactly like him. That is Denny." She dropped the nickel.

Boom!