I surveyed the area for the last time, reached inside my black jacket and touched the pistol my brother gave me minutes earlier.
“it has only one bullet. You are not going in there to shoot anybody but I’m giving it to you because no one knows what might happen when you get there” he said as he gave me the little weapon, equally giving me a quick lesson on how to use it.
With one quick breath, I scaled the fence, wounding as barbed wires tore my trouser. But the injury was nothing compared to the wound in my heart. I pushed on, very determined to finish the task ahead.
In no time I was in the backyard. I quickly headed straight to the garden and stopped for a minute to take a look at the crime scene where the detective believed my husband was murdered. Tears instantly fell from my eyes.
“Damian I believe you are watching. I know you are right here. I know a murdered spirit is always at the spot where his life was taken away. Yes, i believe in it. I believe in superstition. I can’t do this without you. Please help me” I cried quietly, picked up myself and walked into the building with determination.
All the security lights were glaring as I made my way into the big house. But instead of being caught with the help of the lights, I was guided to the guest rooms by the same wonderful lights.
However, it really wasn’t easy knowing the particular room to check. I had to start from the first room downstairs, but luckily the first three rooms were locked, leaving me with no choice than to move over to the fourth room. I slowly opened the door but the room was very dark inside. I couldn’t see anything.
I drew back to the corridor, closed the door and checked my recorder which was in good working condition. I smiled with satisfaction, safely tucked it back into the b—-t pocket of my jacket, pulled out a small touch light from my trouser and slowly walked into the room, flashing my torch light.
“who the heck is that?” a lady suddenly screamed from the bed, switching on the electric table lamp by her side, and revealing her face in the process.
She was no other person than Esther Hardey. The lady I came looking for.
I breathed deeply, drew back, locked the door and switched on the main lights of the room which equally revealed my face to the frightened lady.
“oh shi.t, you?? You got to be kidding me” she instantly smiled on seeing my face, equally regaining all her composure as if she was sure I wouldn’t do anything to her. I quickly pulled out my gun from the jacket while she scoffed on seeing it.
“oh please, i” she hissed, sat up on her bed, grabbed a stick of cigarette and lighted it.
“what the hell do you want?” she asked coldly.
… Episode 20 …
“You have to tell me how you did it or I swear, i will blow off your head right now. I didn’t come all the way here to laugh with you” i threatened seriously. Esther breathed deeply, stared at me for some seconds before shrugging.
“fine, sit down you will have your story”, she said cautiously.
“don’t worry about me, just talk” i pushed on harshly.
“but why the f–k do you want to know how your husband died?. Anyway here is your story. You are still going down no matter what” she said with a smile, reached for the bottle of strong wine by her side, poured out a shot and gulped it all down.
“You Africans are very dumb. You are nothing but an opportunist. You deserve whatever that is coming to you” she breathed fiercely.
“do you know that I’ve been with Damian since my childhood. We were together all through high school and college. We were together till a silly friend of his dragged him to Africa. Everything changed from that moment, but i still waited and hoped.
Then what?” she stopped, shook her head, s—-d on her cigarette and blew out thick clouds of smoke, equally studying me cautiously.
“i heard that a f—–g black like you has gotten him completely off the hook. It was unbelievable. I couldn’t take it. I swore to ruin everything” she poured out while my hand trembled.
“I made plans with my cousin who agreed with me in everything. We all joined Damian’s mother and her train. Together we came to Nigeria” she stopped and blew out more smoke from her mouth.
“do you smoke?” she asked quietly.
“no just continue with the story?” I urged.
“we arrived Nigeria and i still tried my best to stop him from marrying you but no he wouldn’t listen. So after the wedding when everyone was carried away with excitement. I discreetly told him to meet me at the garden by 12 am. It was a long wait, but he finally showed up and i got him distracted while my cousin slits him up. It was a clean revenge, but the whole plan changed when we got to the room and saw you deeply asleep. Instead of killing you, we decided to pin the crime on you by getting your prints on the murder weapon. Unfortunately, your mother in law spoiled everything the next morning by pulling out the knife from her dead son’s body. Anyway, you are still damned. I heard the case is being moved over to my country” she concluded with a laugh while a cold shiver ran down my spine.
That exact moment, somebody pushed the door leading to the room which I earlier locked, drawing my attention and equally making me take my eyes off Esther.
With that split opportunity, she pounced on me like a tiger, knocked me down and opened the room door. A white muscular guy walked in and grinned at me.
“oh what do we have here?” he asked with a cold smile. I instantly knew he was the murderer. The idiot that murdered my husband.
… Episode 21 …
I picked up my gun and nervously pointed it at the huge white guy who simply scoffed, drew forward and grabbed the gun, slapping me at the same time and sending me down with a ferocious kick on my left leg.
“b—h” he cursed coldly, while Esther placed a hand on his shoulder and laughed.
“I heard noises from my room. I couldn’t imagine who you were talking with by this hour, so i decided to check up on you” he explained while she nodded.
“yea i knew you would come. That was why i slightly raised up my voice when talking to the idiot” she replied and spit on me. I stared at them like a caged animal, clueless on what next to do.
The tape, however, was still in my jacket recording everything that was happening, but it equally added to the tension in me. I was scared they were going to search me and discover it.
“so what’s she doing here?” he asked Esther who shrugged and eyed me.
“the b—h broke out of detention to query me on how her silly husband died” she answered.
“now what do we do with her, should we wake everyone in the house and tell them of her presence?” she asked the guy.
“we have to tie her up first before thinking of what to do next. Hold the gun, let me go get a rope” he answered and passed the gun to her.
“don’t try anything funny if you still value what’s left of your life” he threatened and headed to the door while i shook with fear.
Fortunately, as he opened the door to leave the room, a big stick landed on his head, sending him back to the room with a powerful force while he screamed out in pain.
I couldn’t believe my eyes as I saw my brother walk into the room like a superhero. I was overjoyed and stunned. But my joy was short-lived because Esther instantly drew back with fear, aimed and fired the only bullet in the gun at my brother.
“nooooooo” I screamed and leapt at her like a hyena…. Of course, the whole plan looked ruined that fateful moment.
To be continued shortly.
