Even The Rich Also Cry episode 18 – 19

Even The Rich Also Cry episode 18
Two days after, the accident, Festus invited the two women, the cook and maid, questioned them thoroughly on the events leading to the poisoning of the jollof rice. The cook claimed to have never left the kitchen except when she stepped out to watch a programme on the television. Even then she claimed not to have gone far from the kitchen as can be testified by her madam, Lady Florence, who had called her when she got to the kitchen and didn’t find her there.
Major Festus: “are you saying that for a while you left your madam in the kitchen alone?” he asked.
Cook:”no sir. She no dey kitchen when I leave. Aminu come to tell her say somebody is looking for her at gate. As she leave the kitchen, naim I left to come watch the programme.” She replied.
Major Festus: “so for some minutes, no one was in the kitchen? Where were you then, Maria?” he asked turning to the maid. “What time was this?” he asked, turning back to the cook.
Cook: “we just return from church. E never reach two hours.” She replied.
Major Festus: “so that was between 11:30am to 1pm, am I correct?” he asked. The cook nodded her head. “Maria, where were you then?” he asked.
At that moment, his phone rang. It was one of the nurses at the hospital calling to inform him that Egbe was awake and asking for him. He immediately got up and called his driver to get one of the cars ready. He turned to the women,
Major Festus: “if your madam comes, make sure you call me, is that understood? We will conclude this discussion later. You can go back to your duties.” He said then left; the women’s gratitude trailing after him.
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Egbe looked terrible, she knew this from the way Major Festus looked at her. Her face was bandaged and she had not been able to lift her right arm. She tried to smile but her jaw hurt. She raised her left and he came to her quickly.
Egbe: “how’s Desmond?” she asked. Major Festus didn’t hear so he bent over, placing his ear directly over her l-ips. She repeated her question.
Major Festus: “I have not seen him yet. I came here directly.” He replied, trying to smile.
Egbe nodded and closed her eyes, obviously tired. Festus bent over her and k-ssed her on her l-ips. Her eyes flickered opened and they searched his face intently then she blinked and closed them again. Major Festus raised himself from the bed as a nurse entered the room and beckoned to him. He looked at the nurse curiously as he followed him out. He smiled at Egbe then he faced the nurse.
Nurse: “sir we have a problem.” He said, his hands twisting in front of him like he was washing clothes.
Major Festus: “what is the problem?” he asked, frowning.
Nurse: “well sir… you see sir… I was supposed to check on your son by 9:00am this morning but today’s my wife’s appointment with her doctor. She is 6 weeks pregnant…” he stopped and stepped back as Festus stepped forward
Major Festus: “what is wrong with my son?” he asked, then he turned and started running towards Desmond’s room.
Nurse: “no sir, that is the thing sir, we can’t find him sir.” He said, his voice sounded loud in the sudden quiet as Major Festus skidded to a stop and turned to the nurse
Major Festus: “what?” he said, his eyes wide with sudden fear.
Nurse: “your son has disappeared sir.” He replied.
A piercing scre-m filled the corridor. Both men turned to find the door to Egbe’s room wide room and that was where the scre-m had come from.
Major Festus: “you are dead. All of you are dead.” He said then he brought out his phone and dialed the barracks. The nurse and other doctors who had rushed down on hearing the noise shuffled uneasily as Major Festus ordered soldiers to come over to the hospital. He walked to the entrance door and locked it. His face was totally blank.
Florence entered the house, watching out for Festus. She had been out for two days, sleeping in her club room. She was tired and angry. She had used inferior tools in her quest for freedom. “If you want to get things done, do it yourself.” She thought to herself as she fell on the chair. She turned as someone stepped into the sitting room; it was the maid. Her nerves were messed up. The woman greeted her and she waved her away then she frowned and called the woman back
Florence: “I thought your oga sacked you?” she asked.
Maid: “yes o but he told me and cook to resume today before he left the house.” She replied.
Florence nodded her head and the maid left. She got up and climbed the stairs to her room. She needed to think and be prepared for her husband’s return.
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As soon as the soldiers got to the hospital premises, they started questioning the hospital staff. Doyin being the doctor in charge of Desmond was called to be questioned and he told them when he had seen the boy last.
Festus left the soldiers to their work and went to Egbe’s room. She had been crying he could see. He walked to her bed and sat beside her. Now that it was just the two of them, he let his straight back slump and the rage fled like a leaking balloon. He sighed and stared on the floor. He held Egbe’s uninjured hand and rubbed it silently.
Egbe: “where is he?” she whispered.
He looked at her and shook his head sadly.
Major Festus: “I gave my word that I would give him the best in life.” he muttered to himself.
She said something but he didn’t hear her well. He drew close to her and leaned close to her l-ips
Egbe: “find my son, Major Festus Olayinka, or I will haunt you for the rest of your life.” she whispered.
Major Festus drew back in shock.
Major Festus: “your son?” he asked, looking at her.
Egbe: “my name is Egbe Osunbor, the widow of Sergeant Ehizogie Osunbor. Find my son o.” she said a bit louder then she started coughing.
Major Festus looked at her like a man struck by lightning. He stood up, his face blank.
Major Festus: “I am a fool.” He replied then he left the room.
Egbe stared at the closed door as tears pooled in her eyes. She didn’t even know who she was crying for now; her missing son or Festus.
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Florence opened the door to room and entered. The room was dark as all the curtains were drawn over the windows. She closed the door and walked to her bed, taking off her clothes and lying down. As her head touched the pillow, she closed her eyes, then a someone chuckled in the room. Her eyes flashed opened and she turned around. She saw the shadowy figure seated on a chair facing her bed.
Olamide: “I was digging for silver and I stuck gold.” He said, getting up from his seat. “I have come to renegotiate our agreement.” He added, his eyes sparkling in the darkness.
Episode 19
Florence: “you can’t be here, you old fool. What if your brother comes back?” she asked, her eyes flashing with anger. “How did you even get in here?” she added, watching him suspiciously.
Olamide: “I have my ways.” He replied, seating on the bed beside Florence. “I have been watching the house. I doubt if he would return any time soon.” He added, placing his hand on her lap.
Florence looked at his hand and she pushed it off her body. She rose from the bed but Olamide pushed her back down. Fear flashed in her eyes then disappeared. She smiled sed-ctively but Olamide could see the effort she put into it. He stood up from the bed and turned his back to her
Olamide: “I want 50% of my brother’s wealth and your inheritance once my brother dies.” He said.
Florence slowly crept from the bed, her eyes darting around for what to wear to cover herself. Her clothes were on a chair close to her wardrobe. She would have to come to were Olamide stood to get them. She turned to the bed and pulled the coverlet from it and wrapped it around herself.
Florence: “let’s talk about this some other time, please. I need to rest. I am just recovering from food poisoning.” She said, watching Olamide carefully.
Olamide turned to look at her then he smiled. He started towards her and she stepped back, fear in her eyes. He frowned
Olamide: “are you scared of me?” he asked, suddenly.
She shook her head mutely, her eyes darting from him to the door. Olamide smiled then he lunged at her. Florence scre-med but it is quickly cut off as he grabbed her throat in a vice-like grip. He pushed her on the bed then fell on top of her.
Florence: “please… have we not made love before. Let me rest today then we can do whatever when we meet again.” She pleaded.
Olamide: “who says I want to make love to you?” he asked, still smiling as he ripped the coverlet from her body and fondled her br-ast roughly.
Florence: “what do you want to do?” she asked, her voice shaking.
Olamide: “let me show you.” he replied. Without warning, he slid with force into her.
Florence scre-med as the pain exploded between her legs. She had not been prepared for it. She wasn’t even turned on. She was as dry as the Sahara. She fought with him, struggled with him but he was stronger. He slammed again and again into her, his hands pinning her arms to the bed. Then she stopped fighting and just stared at him. Olamide grinned and kept on pumping in and out of her even as she bled on the bed sheet. He was at it for several more minutes before he finally came and fell on top of her spent.
Olamide rose slowly from Florence’s prone body, watching her watch him. Little lines of tears were slowly sliding down the side of her face. Olamide smirked and rose to his knees.
Olamide: “I want you to understand that in this enterprise of ours, you are not in charge, I am. I hope the message is clear.” He said. Florence gave no reply. He nodded; “good girl. We will finish this discussion later, let me go and finish the job.” He added then he bent and k-ssed her on her l-ips.
As soon the door closed behind Olamide, Florence got up slowly and entered her bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror.
“Men… the three of you will die. The three of you, I swear it.” She thought to herself then she burst into tears and crumpled on the tile floor, weeping profusely.
As Olamide stepped out of the house, he noticed a car parked two blocks away from him. He watched the empty car for a second; it had not been there when he came in. he turned and started walking away then he saw a man walking towards him, his eyes intent on him. He stopped and turned to see another man coming towards him. The game was up, he struggled for his gun as the men brought out their guns and ordered him to surrender. He looked at the two men and smiled; “Festus will break me into pieces before killing me, if i lets myself be arrested. It is better this way. I will die on my own terms” He thought
Olamide: “Florence is a malicious bitch. Tell my brother that he has been marked for death.” He said
One of the men stopped moving and turned to the other man as if seeking for advice. Olamide quickly raised his gun and squeezed the trigger. Two bullets slammed into him in quick succession and he stumbled to the tarred road and fell. The two policemen, for that was who they were, rushed to him and one of them kicked the gun away from his right hand. He was still alive; blood pulling on his side, and gurgling from his l-ips
First detective: “where is the boy?” he asked, squatting beside him, while the other man called for an ambulance to rush down to the site of the incident.
Olamide: “which boy?” he replied, then he winced and more blood poured out of his mouth. His eyes glazed over and he was dead.
Festus had been with the DPO of his area, all day. He had gone back to check on Egbe once and had met Mrs. Bakare there. He had not bothered to enter; satisfied that somebody was there with her. He was still trying to come to terms with the fact that she as Desmond’s mother. Even as he sat with the DPO, with police men bustling about the station trying to make sense of Desmond’s disappearance, he was still pondering at the woman’s intentions, her plans; “did she intend to steal him from me? Did she intend to kill me and my family? Was she the one who poisoned my wife and… no…she would not have poisoned Desmond too. But what if the poison had been meant for Florence and I, then Desmond ate it by mistake? God! I am confused!” he thought to himself and held his head with both hands.
A police officer comes in and informs the DPO that they were done questioning the hospital staff and patients. They had not being able to get any witness to the boy’s movement. The DPO nodded his head and sent the man away. They had tasked different detectives on different roads of inquiry in the matter. They were still waiting for a report from the detective sent to look for Olamide.
Another policeman came in and informed the DPO of Olamide’s death. The boy had not been found yet. When Festus heard that Olamide had been caught coming out of his house with a gun. He jumped up and grabbed the policeman
Major Festus: “my wife… what about my wife?” he asked.
Police man: “according to the detectives, she was not in the house when they got there but they found evidence of struggle on her bed. There were blood stains on the bed and on the bathroom floor. They are presently questioning the maid and the gateman, who were found in the boy’s quarters sleeping in each other’s arms. They had not seen the assailant come in and go out sir.” He replied.
Major Festus: “Jesus! What is going on? DPO please I need to find my wife. I need to…” he sighed and sat down on the chair, defeated. “I should have left the boy with his mother.” he added, then he started crying.
Florence had gone to a pharmacist friend of hers, immediately she regained her composure, who had given her drugs to ease the pain. She had not been able to tell the woman that she had been raped by her brother-in-law. She had been too ashamed to say it. She had taken the drugs then she had indulged on the woman’s whiskey, after which she had slept a troubled sleep.
She woke up at about 7pm and drank some more then she picked her car keys and left her friend’s place, despite, her friend pleading with her to spend the night.
Florence: “there is something I need to do. Thank you for your help.” She replied, smiling sadly, then she walked out into the night.
The traffic was heavy along the highway. People were still returning from work. She was in no hurry. What she wanted to do did not demand any time frame. Her hands drummed on the steering wheel then she tuned on the radio. She smiled as she heard the news that Olamide Olayinka, elder brother to Major Festus Olayinka, had been killed in a shootout between him and the police.
Florence: “shey, you are in charge? Fool. You are even lucky. Your brother will not enjoy that privilege neither will his son or his wh-re.” She said to herself. Tonight she was going to kill.
Question: If Olamide did not know about Desmond’s disappearance, then where is he?