Title : Shadows Over Lagos

Shadows Over Lagos Chapter 3: The Victim's World

Chapter 3: The Victim’s World

The offices of BLP Holdings towered over Victoria Island like a fortress of power. Glass walls reflected the Lagos skyline, sleek cars pulled in and out of the guarded compound, and men in tailored suits walked with the confidence that came with deep pockets and untouchable influence.

Lola adjusted the badge clipped to her belt as she stepped into the reception area. The air smelled of expensive perfume and freshly brewed coffee. A polished voice greeted her.

"Good morning, ma'am. Do you have an appointment?"

The receptionist—young, well-dressed, and carefully polite—barely glanced up from her computer screen.

Lola leaned against the counter. "Detective Ajibade, Lagos State Police. I'm here about Funmi Adegbite."

The receptionist’s fingers froze mid-typing. A slight hesitation. There it is.

Lola held her gaze. "You knew her?"

A slow nod. "Yes. She worked in the Finance Department. But… she’s gone, right?"

Lola studied her carefully. "Did she have any problems at work? Any conflicts?"

The receptionist hesitated again, then lowered her voice. "She was always… careful. Kept to herself, but she looked stressed the past few weeks. I heard she had a disagreement with someone high up, but I don’t know who."

Lola filed that away. "Who was she closest to?"

"That would be Tunde. Tunde Bassey. He’s also in Finance. He was her friend… maybe more."

Lola nodded. "I’ll need to speak to him."

---

Tunde Bassey – The Friend, or Something More?

Fifteen minutes later, Lola sat across from Tunde Bassey, a sharp-dressed man in his mid-thirties with deep worry lines on his forehead. His fingers drummed against the table as he shifted in his seat.

"I still can’t believe she’s gone," he murmured.

Lola leaned in. "When was the last time you saw her?"

Tunde exhaled. "Two nights ago. She was tense. Kept saying she needed to show me something, but she never did. Then yesterday morning, I heard… she was found dead."

Lola watched him. "Did she say what it was about?"

Tunde hesitated. "She didn’t trust the company anymore. Said something was off in the financial records—money moving in ways it shouldn’t. She was scared."

Lola’s mind clicked into gear. Financial records. Missing money. That sounded exactly like the kind of problem that got people killed.

She tapped her fingers on the desk. "Who would she have reported it to?"

Tunde let out a bitter laugh. "That’s the thing. If the fraud was coming from the top, who could she report it to?"

Lola met his eyes. "Do you think she was killed because of what she found?"

Tunde swallowed hard. "I think she got too close to something dangerous. And now she’s gone."

A pause.

Then, in a quiet voice, he added, "And I might be next."