The story began here.
Then
Not subtle this time.
Not imagined.
Something dropped.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Undeniable.
Femi froze.
Yomi turned slowly.
They both looked
Towards the stairs.
Operator: “Are you there, Femi?”
Femi didn’t answer immediately.
His eyes stayed fixed.
Listening.
Tracking.
Then, barely above a whisper
Femi: “Someone is in the house.”
A pause.
Operator: “Is there a safe place you can hide?”
Femi scanned the room.
Quick.
Careful.
Measured.
Femi: “Not exactly… if we move, the person will hear us.”
Yomi slipped off his shoes.
Quiet.
Deliberate.
Femi did the same.
Barefoot.
Grounded.
Ready.
Then
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
This time
There was no doubt.
Someone was inside the house.
Femi’s chest tightened.
His heartbeat filled his ears.
Too loud.
Too present.
He reached for the lamp stand.
Cold metal.
Solid.
His fingers wrapped around it.
Firm.
Certain.
If it came down to it
He would not hesitate.
Yomi stepped beside him.
No words.
Just presence.
Operator: “Help is on the way. Stay calm.”
Upstairs'
A wardrobe slammed open.
Then shut.
Another one.
Bang.
Bang.
The sound echoed.
Violent.
Out of place.
Then
Silence.
And after that
Steps.
Descending.
Closer.
Slower.
Intentional.
A shadow stretched across the wall.
Long.
Distorted.
Moving.
Femi straightened.
Trying to steady himself.
But his legs betrayed him.
A slight tremor.
Uncontrolled.
He had just lost his wife.
And now
He might lose his life.
The steps got closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Then
A foot appeared.
Dark.
In worn slippers.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
Femi’s eyes narrowed.
His grip tightened.
“…Ayodele?”
From the shadow
A voice.
“Yes, oga…”
Everything paused.
Not relief.
Not fear.
Something in between.
Confusion.
Femi stepped forward.
Anger rising.
Fast.
Sharp.
“You dey mad?! You no hear say we dey call madam?! Na you leave the door open?!”
“(Are you mad?! Didn’t you hear me calling out madam?! Did you leave the door open?!)”
Ayodele, the gateman, raised his hands.
Nervous.
Sweating now.
“Ah, oga… I dey inside. Madam tell me make I clean bathroom today… I no know say una don come…”
“(Apologies…. I was inside. Madam instructed me to clean the bathroom today, I didn’t realise you have arrived from work)”
Femi didn’t relax.
Not even slightly.
His eyes stayed locked on him.
Watching.
Searching.
Then
Sirens.
Loud.
Closing in fast.
Police.
Emergency responders.
Voices filled the house.
Movement. Orders. Chaos.
“Arrest him!” Femi shouted immediately.
Pointing straight at Ayodele.
“Oga?! Wetin I do?” Ayodele’s voice cracked.
“You no want make I work again?”
“Stop pretending!” Femi snapped.
Too fast.
Too certain.
He lunged forward
Grabbing Ayodele.
Forcing him down.
“Don’t let him escape!”
Inspector Sanmi: “Calm down! Everybody calm down!”
Femi didn’t let go.
Not until officers pulled him off.
Firm.
Controlled.
“Let us do our job,” Sanmi said.
His voice steady.
But his eyes
Sharp.
Observing.
“Who is the husband?”
Femi raised his hand.
Breathing hard.
Too hard.
Sanmi: “What happened?
Femi tried to speak.
But his words came out broken.
“I… I walked in… she was on the floor… she was”
His voice collapsed.
From behind
Ayodele spoke again.
Confused.
Genuine.
“Dead ke? Oga… madam tell me make I clean bathroom before you come ooo… I no even see am since morning…”
“SHUT UP!!!” Femi roared.
Louder now.
Raw.
Unfiltered.
“You killed her!”
They restrained him again.
He struggled.
Harder this time.
Trying to reach Ayodele.
Eyes burning.
Too intense.
Inspector Sanmi: “This won’t solve anything.”
A pause.
“Femi… sit down.”
Femi collapsed into a chair.
Like something inside him gave way.
Tears rolled down slowly.
Quiet.
Heavy.
Almost delayed.
Memories flickered across his face.
University days.
Their first trip.
Their first fight.
Fragments.
Broken.
He stood again.
Drawn back.
To her body.
Slowly.
Like he didn’t believe what he was seeing.
Like proximity might change it.
He hovered.
Didn’t touch her this time.
Just stood there.
Shaking.
Sweating.
Watching.
Inspector Sanmi watched him.
Carefully.
Silently.
Femi arrived with Yomi.
That checked out.
The gateman was inside.
Also possible.
But
Something about Femi…
Sanmi’s eyes narrowed slightly.
The reaction was right.
But the timing?
Off.
The anger?
Too quick.
Too directed.
The grief?
Present.
But… uneven.
Almost like
It arrived in pieces.
Sanmi turned.
“Everyone out.”
The scene needed control.
Silence.
Clarity.
As people moved
He glanced back.
One last time.
Femi stood near the body.
Still.
Not just grieving.
Positioned.
Sanmi’s jaw tightened.
This case
Was not going to be simple.
Who killed her?????
To be continued… next Sunday
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