Capital crime episode 25

Capital Crime episode 25
Temper… Temper!
Itoro Abasi
I knocked again.
A female voice said “Go away!!”
I recognized it. And the more reason why I had to stay, the more reason I became urged to reply “No. I won’t!”
I told her that she had been in the lavatory for almost an hour.
She laughed. Resumed her cries again until seconds later when she drew a long sniff; Exhaled just before the weeping stopped. She came out of the convenience room and walked past me. She walked towards the white tilled walls of the lavatory.
Ife dusted powder onto her face and washed her palms.
“ Do you still think this is just a movie?” She asked , “ After everything. Are we going to see our dead friends again?
“ Movies are scripted. The best stories drain their characters emotionally.”
“ Then… I was just using… Just ” She sighed “ using the toilet”.
“ Dont hide the feelings. ” I said “They are so real now… That I can’t hide mine…”
I went on to tell her that I’m not an atheist, or someone religiously less- inclined but I still believed that life is a big movie and she tried so hærd- so hærd to be the best actor right now. I went speechless for a while.
“ I wanted to… I wanted to intervene. Honestly, I did-”
“ Why then?
“ Because Mathew’s orders were: do not interfere. He knew what he’d be signing up for and he took it. He knew it may come to this and he took his chance. He had many choices… Many” I paused.
My voice reduced in volume“ But one worked… For the greater good. Not the best but for the greater good.”
Ife glanced at me as she wiped her palms with a stride tissue. “ I can’t believe you are talking in this manner.”
She broke into sobs again. Then stopped. Then continued.
“ Think about Matthew- ” I began “ About all those men who laid down their lives today, so we can have this conversation. The pain in –” I paused “ They are the real heroes. Not you. Not me, not anyone in this building. They are the real actors. . . the best… And sometimes, heroes fall. They get killed and they die, but their sacrifices never go un-rewarded.
Ife could not hold them back any longer. She let the tears flow.
“ I don’t know-”
“shhh–” I said and invited her into my embrace, only feeling a bit guilty as to the manner in which the opportunity posed itself. Not by taking advantage of her weakest moment. Not by this. I pushed her off slightly but she drew back into my arms on her own accord.
“ It’s okay.” I said “ Dont cry. Tears won’t bring him back now. I know you loved him. Same here. We have to live and fight for what he died for.”
At the moment. My mobile phone rang. I dipped my hands into my coat and provided the mobile, sliding the dial rightwards before saying.“ Yeah?
“ okay. I’m on my way!”
I led Ife into to the emerge room and left her there. I went to report to the acting Director of the D.S.S, Samantha Walsh who had earlier called. She met me in the lobby and stood in front a door.
“ What you are about to see” She said “ Keep it top secret”
“ Sure” I said.
Sh e ushered me into a room. In it, just one guy controlled the systems. They had surveillance cameras scattered all over the Villa. It was from this control room that my boss Mathew and I had s₱0tted Jerry when he tried to elope with Ife.
“ Come ” She said
The guy amplified the video surveillance in the president’s main sitting lobby.
She was arguing with her husband. And the audio was audible.
“ Why show me this? I said
“ I don’t have enough level clearance to see such footage”
Samantha Walsh said “ Congratulations. You just got promoted…but there is more. I want you to see this..pay attention.”
We kept silent and watched.
********
Bukky
The call ended. My internal tussle began, tried to hold myself from asking or maybe lashing out.
My momentum diverted towards my chamber maid.
“ Komeh!”
“ Yes ma!”.
“ Leave us! ”
The poor woman scurried towards the door.
“ No” Sammy grabbed her arms “ Komeh stays”.
“ I said : Komeh, leave us” Raising my voice “ Now!”
The swiftness of the lady’s palm when it broke free from Samuel’s grip overwhelmed me. The door shut behind her.
“ Bukky! ” He exclaimed. “Not again. Let’s not do this. The walls have ears… Someone maybe watching…”
“ I don’t care!”
“ Well!” He began“ If I must…It was your V.P, Mr Chukwuebuka.”
“ Really? What did he say?
“ He was on his way to the Villa, to extend his sympathy and commiserate with the families of the deceased…”
You are lying. “ How can you look me into the eye and lie so easily?”
I grappled with vigour and held onto his wrist, made attempts to get the phone. The cell phone went crashing to the floor after a struggle of wits. The bottle of Amarula cream landed on it and everything went beyond repair into shreds.
“ Arrrgh! I exclaimed as my arms went up to my hair.
I wished God could pat them and say to me “ Child. Calm..”
“ Our father in heaven” I uttered without force, slipped into a chair. Buried my face into my palms before saying “ have mercy”
“ Cant believe..that you will cheat.. Sammy… And still have the audacity to lie to me.”
“ I can explain–”
“ Explain what? Arrgh. I thought after the American Secretary…oh my God… I though you’d come clean and confess your sins.”
“ What?… I don’t understand” he said.
I went on to say I wished I had killed the Stella of a person, myself.
“ Urrgggggh!!! Can you just– ” He barked“ Can you just …just shut up! Keep quiet. And listen… Listen.. Listen… Bukky.. Listen”
“ Oh really? Temper… Temper! ” I replied “ This is nice. You killed her. Didn’t you?”
“ No!” He uttered “ I did not”
“ Yes you did!
“ No!”
“ yes you did. Say it!
He asked why he would admit to such. “ Oh Bukky, don’t make me do this. It’s not fair!”
“ Neither is it dark. And yes you must. Say it!”
He turned away.
“ Dont you dare turn your back on me.!”
He looked at me “ Maybe it is you… who shouldn’t… turn her back on me!”
I grabbed him by the tie.
“ Admit it!”
“Bukky…. Let go. Let go off my tie.” He said “ Stop putting words into my mouth. Stop this” He struggled.“ Let go. I’m inno-”
“ Liar! Whuuuu! Ole!_( thief!)” I let go of his tie and collar, only to grab it again after clapping loud. He must have felt relieved, not knowing that a mightier tornado was incoming.
“ Say it! Say it!”
“ Okay! I did… I did. Yes I did. You’e happy now? He uttered “ I killed her!”
****
Itoro
Shocked. I became dumbfounded.
I glanced at Samantha and the guy in the control room.
“ Did he just?–” I asked.
“ Yeah” Miss Walsh replied. “ He just did!
The story continues.