Desperate Moves

14

I had never felt more embarrassed in all my life. It had not occurred to me that the hoodlums had left me naked. I remembered they ripped my nightie apart, but it had never really registered in my brain that they had left me like that.

Of course!

What was I expecting? For them to leave me decently dressed?

I would have appreciated if the ground opened up at that point and swallowed me. I was now an open spectacle. I could feel the tension in Tosin’s voice.

“Which hospital did you take her?”

“St. Mary’s Hospital.”

“So you never saw as the men left?”

“No.” he shook his head for emphasis.

Mr. John thought for a moment before saying, “we need to get Anaele and hear his statement since he was the first person to arrive the scene of the incident. His statement will determine if you will be released or not. Until then, you will all be kept here pending when we will reach him.”

There were murmurs among those present, after which Anastasia suggested that Anaele’s number be tried again, adding that she needed to go back home to sleep due to the nature of her job. The officer obliged. He asked me to try reaching him. I dipped my hands in my purse and fished out my phone, dialed his number and a heavy sigh of release escaped my mouth when the phone rang.

“Is it ringing?” John asked.

“Yes.” Relief rang through my voice.

“Put it on speaker.” He said, gesturing me with his left hand to draw closer.

I removed the phone from my ear, long enough to tap the speaker button on the screen, and then put it back, while moving closer to the counter, where the officer stood. The call connected on the fourth ring and his billowy voice came through.

“Hello!”

“Good morning Sir.”

“Morning, Edi. How are you?”

“I’m fine sir. You?”

“I’m fine. Any problem?” he must have asked that because I rarely called him. I was never one good when it came to making social calls. I remember him complaining on one occasion when I travelled home that I never even bothered to call him for once throughout my stay at home, whereas he had called me thrice to ask of my welfare and that of my people. He was a nice man; though, he had a habit of changing girls like clothes. Sometimes, the girls ended up having a fall out when they accidentally meet themselves at his place. It was usually nasty. I remember one time he even made advances at me, but I quickly put him back in his place.

“Hello! Are you there?” his voice over the phone jolted me back to the present.

“Yes sir, I’m here.” I realized I had not thought of what to say to him. As if reading my thought, John motioned at me to let him take over from there.

“Hello! My name is Inspector John, an officer with the State CID.” I couldn’t help but wonder if he intentionally added some baritone to his voice to sound more like a law enforcement agent.

“Ok...”

“You are needed at the State CID office to help out with the investigation of a r**e case that took place in your lodge five days ago.”

“Am I a suspect?” he asked hurriedly.

“No, you are not a suspect, at least not yet. We just want to ask you few questions concerning what you saw the day the incident happened.”

He was quiet for some seconds before he said anything again. When he did, his voice came out soft and sympathetic.

“I’ll be there in forty five minutes. I believe the office is situated along Azikiwe road, if I can remember correctly.

“Yes, you are correct.”

“Alright, I’ll be there.”

“Ok. We will be waiting.” Mr. John concluded and hung up.

We waited for close to two hours before Anaele finally arrived. He looked haggard and sleep deprived.

As soon as he arrived, Solomon, who had a habit of teasing him about the number of girls he had, got at it again.

“You don go see your plenty girlfriends them.”

I watched as the corner of Anaele’s lip twitched up in a wry smile. He was used to Solomon’ teasing and he clearly appeared not to be in a mode for it.

Solomon must have noticed that, so he quickly stopped. We don try your number since, e no go. Hope say problem no dey?” He asked studying him.

“I have a little issue with a land I bought at Emuoha. Another person is coming to claim he paid for the land. We were at the palace of the village head trying to sort out the issue.”