waali:
Wow...!!! Being a learner, when I see write ups like this I ask myself if I could write like this someday. Nyc piece!

If you believe it, you can achieve it. Welcome on board

drippingink3:
[color=#770077][/color]hooked!

Thanks for commenting

princesssusan:
I'm here
though late hope I'm forgiven. this story promise to b nice as usual but pls don't let it stale
eeshfar harjibolar kingzpen u guys should kom o

Ma'am. Been missing you like kilode. Feels good having you here

3
Kath and the kids were in the living room watching T.V. Henry and Henrietta were sitting on the brown rug before the Television a bowl of popcorn before them. Kath had a cushion pillow on her laps and the TV’s remote in one hand. They didn’t notice I had entered as they were engrossed with what they were watching. I looked at my wristwatch and it read 6:48. I was early today and I knew they weren’t expecting me home anytime soon. Even I know it was so unlike me.

‘Oh my. Do I have to knock in my own house before my own family knows I’m here?’ I suddenly said aloud and I smiled showing my teeth, my hands in my trousers ‘pocket. The trio looked at me at once but Kath glanced back at the T.V almost immediately

.‘Daddy!’ Henrietta and Henry screamed excitedly and they both scampered towards me. Before I knew it, they both have their arms wrapped around each of my legs. I lifted them one after the other each of them in one arm.

‘You are so early today. What happened? Are you sick?’ Henrietta asked in her tiny lovely voice placing her tiny finger on my nose as I walked with them in my arms to the Sofa where Kath sat.’

‘Dad is not sick. He just has to see his sweet babies today before they sleep. You know, you guys might have left for school before he wakes up tomorrow.’ I replied sitting on the sofa and placing Henry on the sofa between Kath and me and also placing Henrietta on my lap.

‘There is no school tomorrow. It is Saturday’ Henry replied. Henry was the older of the two. He was two years older than his sister who clocked five last month.

‘Really? That’s great’ I replied, smiling at them both.
‘Will you be playing with us tomorrow? Like all of us, including mummy?’

‘Daddy has work to do tomorrow’ I could see their disappointed face at what I said, so I quickly added this ‘but I would be doing it at home, you can do all you won’t to do with me when I’m on break.’

‘That will be sooo cooool!’ Henry exclaimed excitedly
‘We would watch SpongeBob together, won’t we?’Henrietta asked holding my palm and looking into my eyes intently

‘And Barbie that is after you guys have done your assignments. Work comes before play you know.’ I said and kissed her lightly on her forehead.

‘Barbie?’ Henry said disgustedly. ‘Barbie is for girls! I won’t watch it because I’m grown up now. We would be watching Power Rangers and not Barbie.’ Henry said into Etta’s face. She looks offended and I know I was in for some hard night since Kath isn’t helping.

‘Daddy, you are not going to listen to Henry, are you? We’d be watching Barbie right?’ Etta asked assuredly.

'That Power Ranger is about violence and I could still remember clearly. Miss Ejiro asked us to stay away from anything that has to do with violence.' I could see Henry preparing to lay down his part of the argument. Obviously going against Etta's view.

‘What did you guys have for dinner? Cos Daddy is really hungry.’ I asked them both changing the topic in order to avoid further arguments.

‘We had fried rice and beef. I also helped mum in the kitchen. Henry only played football while the women were in the kitchen’ Etta said smiling broadly at me with pride.

‘She didn’t really help Mummy in the kitchen. I really don't know if sitting and asking silly questions has become helping.’ Henry replied. I glanced at Kath for any form of help but she I knew none was coming forth. Her gaze was fixed towards the television.

I knew if this continues, the kids won’t allow me have my dinner nor rest. I needed to get rid of them before they bring up another topic.

‘Why don’t you go back to what you are watching? Dad needs to shower and eat before coming back to watch T.V with you’

‘Why don’t you stay with us for five minutes?’ Etta asked holding my chin.

I shook my head in negation and dropped her on the wrong.

‘3 more minutes?’

I shook my head again.

‘A minute?’

I knew she wasn’t going to give up so I tickled both of them playfully. They chuckled excitedly but forcefully.
‘I will do more of that if you don’t leave’ I said still tickling them.

Before I knew it, they scurried back to where they were before I came in giggling as they go. I smiled at them and moved inches closer to Kath. She didn’t look at me. She ignored every movement I made. I moved very close to her and she looked at me this time only to glance back at the T.V like I wasn’t there. I looked up at what she was watching and I discovered it was a cartoon. I know she wasn’t as captivated as she made it seem. This was one of her way of showing me that I’ve not been forgiven. I planted a quick kiss on her forehead and looked back at the TV hurriedly like nothing happened. Kath didn’t flinch. I gave her another kiss on her cheek and looked back at the T.V like I had done the first time. I could see she was trying to suppress a smile now and I knew at that very moment I was doing a nice job so I gave her another on her lips. She couldn’t hold it any longer, she laughed out loud and rapped series of playful punches on my arm.

‘Ouch! That isn’t very nice of you.’ I said holding the arm she had hit with my other hand like it really hurts then I lay on the sofa placing my head carefully on her laps.

‘Is that how you say sorry when you do something wrong? Those kisses can’t make up for your crimes.’ She said looking down at me a smile she didn’t know was there hung on her lips seductively.

‘I bet they already did.’ I said licking my lips and winking at the same time.

‘And why do you think so?’ She asked.

‘I know so. In fact, I would prove it by doing this’ While saying ‘this’ I brought my lips to hers and she responded readily this time. I was so lost in the passion that when she pushed me away, I was alarmed as I wasn’t expecting it. ‘The kids!’ She whispered.

I changed position by sitting and winked at her. She winked back knowingly.

‘Should I be glad you came home early or I should be worried this would only repeat itself in the next five months?’ She asked worriedly this time. She was looking down at her laps.

‘Are you going to start this again?’ I said not impressed by her change in mood. ‘You look more beautiful when you are smiling honey.’ I said and gave her one last peck on her cheek.

It was 9 am and Kath was getting ready to sleep. The kids were already asleep in their room. I carried them both there and I personally read them bed-time stories. When I was done, I opened the door into my matrimonial bedroom, tiptoed to the bedside and picked up my suitcase. Kath was asleep. I watched her for a while before tiptoeing down the passage into my study room, brief case in hand. When I got to the door of my study room, I plugged the key inside the keyhole and gently pulled the handle which gave way with ease and I was inside in no time. I locked the door behind me leaving the keys in the keyhole. My study room was a little room which comprises of a chair, a table, a desktop computer and a white board fixed into the wall beside the chair and the table. There was a simple cabinet in the room which held blank papers, newspapers, documents and many other things that is related to my work. It was my little office at home. There was a safe which harbored very important documents and guns.

The white board has pictures pasted on it with the help of cellophane haphazardly and the places that has no pictures on the board have stuffs written on it with markers of different colours. I always use my study room whenever I have a very important case to handle. I tapped the switch of the lamp on the table and a yellow bright light reflected in the room. I sat down bringing my suitcase to the table and opened it bringing out things I needed from it. I closed it when I was sure there was nothing more to add then dropped the suitcase on the ground beside the table.

On the table now are, Chief Edun and his wife’s before and after death photographs, the autopsy results, a pen, the jottings Isioma made while with Seun Edun and my phone with the earpiece plugged in. I picked up my phone, plugged the earpiece into my left ear while tapping my phone with my left hand forefinger. I have new whatsapp notifications, I looked up at my chats on whatsapp and tapped Isioma’s. She sent an audio which I downloaded.

‘Do you happen to see my brother?’ It was Isioma’s voice I heard first when I played the audio.

‘You mean the man you came in with? He went to get cigarette.’ A man’s voice replied ‘I’m sure he would be back soon’ He said again after sometime. It was Carl.
‘Are you the owner of this bar?’ It was Isioma again.

‘No…’ Carl said ‘I work for the owner’

‘I’m sorry if I’m probing into affairs that you find private but I’m the curious type and I can’t fathom why you are the only one here. You have got no colleagues?’

‘Nah. Others quitted when there was no hope of the take home pay increasing and nobody is willing to work here. I had to put out the vacancy sign this morning after it had stayed out there for months and nobody came to be employed or else you would have seen it at the door when you were coming in. I knew putting out that sign out was a crazy idea in the first place but who am I to argue with Mr. Fred. The business is failing already but my boss fails to see this‘

‘I can you see you are passionate about your work. You stayed despite the odds.’

‘Passionate? I’m completely the opposite of that about what I’m doing. I just had to stay because I couldn’t get another job with higher pay and a boy has to hustle. I think I would be quitting anytime soon.’

‘Are you still schooling?’

‘No. I graduated already. That was two years ago at University of Lagos.’

“Wow! Same here! What did you study back then in school?’
‘Accounting. What about you?’

‘Computer Science. I graduated three years ago. ‘

‘That’s nice.’

Then the two began talking about trivia issues, I got bored. Carl cracked jokes and Isioma gave throaty laughs to the funny and unfunny jokes. I wondered why Carl had to reject Mrs. Richards offer even though things were hard for him. I thought guys like him have got no pride. Why is he preserving his by claiming he doesn’t need any help from her knowing it is her husband helping him indirectly? What kind of a gigolo is Carl? I jot that down on a jotter as I thought about it. One can’t just judge some people.

I started to look into the Eduns’ issue. Helen Edun looked beautiful even in death. She had a towel wrapped around her body and a bathing cap on her head. It was like she just had her bath when she was shot. No one would have believed she was carrying a baby with the prettiness of her face. I realized Chief Edun need not be blamed for grabbing the amazing offer while it lasts. There were a few loopholes in the case though. On the crime scene, according to Edward, there were fingerprints. Unidentifiable fingerprints on the door knob on the wall beside the door which they guessed belonged to the killer. Just as Seun Edun said, Helen Edun was obviously dragged from the ground up the stairs. Why would the killer drag her up after she was dead? and I added an asterisk to that. I opened the dictionary app on my phone and typed in aphasia in the search space and tapped the search button. I had been wondering what that meant for a while now.

APHASIA, Lack of language abilities: a partial or total inability to produce and understand speech as a result of brain damage. Muteness.

I don’t know what triggered the sudden interest in Sarah Edun.

Chief Edun's phone held not much details. The last person he called was the day before he died was Helen. Helen's call log shows that the people she called that day were one Isadora and John Deinde. Her last call was to Deinde. There was a message she sent to Deinde also. It reads: Come to my place now!

‘That morning at about 10 am, Chief sent me and Gideon to go to Ogun State and bring his cousin, Madam Amanda. He said Madam Amanda would be taking care of Madam Helen and Madam Helen would have somebody to talk to. When we came back, we found police everywhere and Mr. Seun too and I was told Chief Edun and Madam Helen are both dead.’

Oyinye, the Edun’s housemaid had said in her statement when I was interrogating her. Oyinye wasn’t anything like the uneducated maids that we see ubiquitously. She spoke good but Igbo-accented English. I learnt that Helen was an orphan. She had no relation anyone knew about.
The Edun employed the service of 4 people, two drivers, Gideon the driver and Ahmed (Seun’s driver). Oyinye was the only maid employed and also among the employees was the late gate keeper who was murdered along with Chief Edun and his wife, a 56 year old man, Remi. I learnt Helen had no relation that I could ask about her love life before and after marriage with Bode. Who knows? She might have been murdered by a deranged boyfriend who couldn’t have her marrying another man. This happens a lot these days and that is another possibility. .
There was nothing much about who called Helen and who she called but there were 3 missed calls from John Deinde after her death and I don’t know why that bothers me. I also added asterisk to that too. I would look into this John Deinde. Maybe a little chitchat with Sam Makinde might reveal some hidden truth. I might be lucky as he may know this John Deinde.

I was still thinking about the case when I heard knocks on the door.

‘Honey, I know you are in there. It’s late already. Open the door.’ It was Kath. I looked at my wristwatch and the time read 12:13 a.m. I rose gently, tapped the lamp switch and it went dead then opened the door and Kath led me to our room.

***
‘Daddy wake up! It’s 9 already!’ It was Henry and Etta they were hitting me with pillows. I slowly sat up and it was then I saw Kath at the door way holding a tray with both hands. It’s breakfast in bed. Was I excited?
‘You should leave him to eat now. He slept late last night, that’s why he woke up late’ Kath said coming closer. She placed the tray on the bed and collected the pillow from the kids which she put in the right position.
‘Kung Fu Panda has started already.’ Kath announced. ‘Dad will join you when he’s done eating.’ Kath said and carried Etta while Henry trotted behind her as they left the room. I glanced at the Tray and I saw fried Irish potatoes, fried egg and yam in a small bowl. On the tray was a cut of watermelon and pineapple and there was fruit juice in a glass cup also in the tray.
‘You sneaked into your study room because you thought I won’t let you?’ Kath said coming into the room alone, holding a newspaper. She was wearing a white loose gown which is a little above her knee. She had her long dark natural hair loose and it fell loosely behind her neck. It made me remember the day I met Kath. It was back then in college. She was the youngest in the class as I was two years older than she was and she was also this kind of diva guys couldn’t stop talking about. Kath was nothing like an introvert. She was the class talkative, outspoken, and daring. She is friendly to a fault as she talked to almost everybody in the class including timid me. I was the tepid, shy and extremely reserved one and while she was the exact opposite. She was the first person to approach me then and she had asked what my name was. Ever since, I had developed a secret likeness for her but I dare not ask her out as I wasn’t up to the task and I also think she hardly notices me besides she has many admirers who were a thousand times better than I was in looks and in all ratification. She was my college crush and she never knew until we were married. I knew my classmates back then won’t believe we had ended up together.
After college, everybody went their different way and I soon forgot about her. Then, we met again where I went for my service in Ile-ife. She was still a student of OAU studying Mathematics and she was in her final year. She didn’t get admission when I did because that was when she lost her father and financial problems set in. Her Uncle, Kevin who was staying abroad volunteered to sponsor her education after she had wasted a year. When we met again, it was really amazing as she has turned the shy one while I was the opposite. We met in a shopping mall and the feelings that died down began to grow again. It grew tenfold and that was how our love story started and we ended up together.
I scratched my head at what she said. She came closer to my side draw the blanket off me, placed the tray on her laps and began to feed me with the pineapple first.
‘You are the Private Investigator Seun Edun hired right?’ Kath asked putting a slice of pineapple in my mouth.
I nodded while chewing. There was no other Investigator that I know and lying at this point was no use as the newspaper which she would use to prove I was lying was just right in her reach. I wonder why women ask questions which they already have answers to.
Kath gave a soft sigh. I knew she wasn’t okay with it and she was going to discourage me one way or the other.
‘You know it would be risky. Haven’t you thought about it? The kids and I and even you might get hurt. This is homicide Lanre. The first time you handled a homicidal case, I had to leave the city with Henry and Etta’s fetus to stay with Mum in Osun. Now that Mum is here in Lagos, where do you want us to run to when your case spells trouble?’ Kath said it like she were pounding the words into me. If I were like many soft minded guy, I would have abandoned the case that very moment with the way she lay down the facts softly with the anger clearly buried inside her.
‘He would be paying me ten million naira.’ I laid emphasis on the last three words like that would do some magic and Kath would just smile sheepishly and pat my head gently. I knew I was dumb to think that way. Kath gave me the ‘you are so unbelievable look’ so I quickly added. ‘He already paid half of that.’
‘This is absolutely preposterous! Lanre, you are going to jeopardize the safety of your family for Ten Million Naira? I can’t believe this!’ She said and put the tray off her laps then made to stand up from the bed. The look she gave me hadn’t disappear. I held her back by the wrist.
‘Kath, please.’ I said resignedly. ‘I promise you no danger would come to you or the kids. It’s a promise I’m making. Just give me this one chance.’ I pleaded.
Kath sat back her shoulder dropping in a stoic manner and she sighed softly.
While she went bank to feeding me, I stole glances at the bolded lettering at the top of the page she opened and it read. ‘Seun Edun hired Private Investigator for a Mouthwatering Pay’.
Then I concluded the press probably do business with the earth’s sound wave.

Thanks for the update fiyah...more grease to ur elbow. You're one heck of a writer . Don't forget to keep all other updates as lengthy as this#ThumbsUp#

Such a juicy update keep it coming fiyah, you are doing a wonderful job kudos.

Interesting

Wow, nice piece. Kip it up. Following already.

Interesting especially for someone like me who have always luv these private investigator thing

This is good!!why do i keep seeing lanre as colin firth keep up the good work ma'am

Aipete2:
holy ghost fire. Wow!!! Welcome back boss

U b mountain of fire sister

Aipete2:
holy ghost fire. Wow!!! Welcome back boss

U b mountain of fire sister

Fiyah...thumb up 4 u...gr8 work

Following...

should not have started reading this lovely piece. am going to have a really really slow day.

Soft10:

U b mountain of fire sister
U b mountain of fire sister

no, CAC

Chapter Four

‘Deinde.’ Sir Makinde said slowly, his wrinkled Adam’s apple juggled up and down his throat like a Ping-Pong ball. Sir Makinde was wearing a white cotton robe and the bulging vein on his hand owing to his age and years of hard work seemed to bulge out the more from the grasp he had on the glass tumbler he held. He was standing before his T.V and the rectangular speakers standing erect on the ground under the plasma were blaring waves of Oyenka Owenu's ‘One Love’ at a very truncated volume. The tumbler he was holding which was half filled with red wine hadn’t been touched. Sir Makinde was fond of acting all dramatic sometimes and what he was doing didn’t really get me astonished. I put the wine he had poured for me in a similar tumbler on my lips and sipped gently. It was Sunday evening and I had left for his house after giving Kath and the kids a ride to Isioma’s place. I was sitting on one of the white couches in Sir Makinde’s exquisite sitting room. He was a widow whose only child, a female of Isioma's age had died along with her mum in a car accident. He lives with Akin, his houseboy who is speciously 14 years old.

‘Deinde used to be Bede's minion.’ He finally said sitting down on another white couch beside me placing his tumbler on the glass stool between the two couches. ‘He was not my type of person. To be sincere with you, his shady character made me despise him. He was an ambitious chap in his youth. Too ambitious that I began having wild thoughts about the unthinkable things he could do for money. He could lick Bode's sole and he was everywhere Bode was even though the latter was just 5 years older than he was owing to what Bode had done for him. But then, Deinde after a few years running errands here and there for Bode, suddenly became a big businessman. He became the Deinde I never knew. Whatever he was doing for money wasn’t as crystal clear as it should be. I heard from a reliable source that he solely owned a casino and an exclusive brothel. It was rumoured recently that Deinde wants to go into partnership with some rich lads to establish ‘a-one-of -a- kind five-star hotel’’
He stopped and rubbed his palm together.

‘Are you of the idea that Deinde killed Bode?’ He asked and I couldn’t read anything on his face.

Sir Makinde is that kind of person that has this blank expression that only psychics could read whatever he has in his mind. He rarely displays a compassionate expression and I had never seen fear on his face before. He smiles were the once in a blue moon type. That cold, still, forced smile that occasions demand he must have. There were times I wonder how he managed to enchant the gentle, always smiling and cheerful Ma’am Makinde, may her soul R.I.P but one can’t really tell with the oldies romance.

‘Seun personally mentioned him. He was Seun’s number one suspect and that was why I decided to ask if you knew him. One can’t be sure he did but with what you just told me about Deinde, his acts which depicts that of an old gangster lord could probe someone to start having some wild ideas.’ I replied sipping my wine.

‘Son,’ He started once again like he was going to reveal a long hidden secret. ‘There is something you need to know about Bode. He got to know Helen through Deinde.’

He paused for a second then continued. ‘But I did my research on her and I discovered she used to work in one of Deinde’s brothels.’

That was some news.

‘Did Bode Edun knew his wife was a slut?’

‘He didn’t and I didn’t tell him.’ Sir Makinde said unremorsefully.

I gave him the look that seemed to ask why.

‘Of what help would that do him?’ He got the message I was passing or so I thought. 'Bode lost his confidence in Seun when Seun had that accident and Sarah also became aphasic. He was scared of what would become of Edun Foods when he is gone that he finds it hard to hide his fear. Deinde saw this and decided to take advantage of it. Whatever Deinde was up to, I have no idea but the next thing I knew was that Bode started seeing Helen immediately Seun was sent abroad.’ He said and I could feel disappointment in his speech. ‘Bode had been dating Helen even while his wife was alive.’ Sir Makinde looked at me with much intense like what he said was hidden behind my retina.

‘Seun made mention of some Aphasia. What's that about?’ I asked inquisitively.

‘Sarah’s case was the first I would ever witness. You know, the aphasia is a situation whereby the affected person, would be mute and lose his/her sense of communication due to brain damage. Sarah wasn’t exactly medically fit even before she became aphasic so when she was informed about Seun’s accident and the death of the passengers and the driver, she had collapsed before listening to the concluding part of the story. She was unconscious for a month and some weeks.’ He seemed angry. ‘When Sarah finally woke up, she couldn’t speak but she understood what is being said because she nods and shook her head in reply to questions and she could also write her reply to questions down. That was why the doctor told us her type of aphasia was mild.’

That was explicable enough.

‘When Bode told me about Helen. I scolded him like any sane elder brother would. I asked him why he had to take advantage of Sarah’s pitiful condition to be infidel. He told me Sarah was already menopausal and even if she weren’t, it took her years to bear Seun, there wasn't any assurance that she would have another child. He clearly made it known to me that he only wants Helen to bore him a child. I gave up when there was no hope he would listen to me. His mind was made up and Deinde was encouraging him. When that girl came into his life, Bode became too secretive and slowly drifted away from me. Probably because I never stopped reprimanding him.’

The Mp3 had switched to another song. It was Phil Collins’ ‘all of my life’. Sir Makinde may be a workaholic, but he loves music. Old school music.

What he told me about Bode, Sarah, Helen and Seun Edun made complete sense. Bode Edun cheated on his wife because she was mute and couldn’t bear another child and also because his only son had an accident. He wanted a substitute in case something bad happens to Seun. Why can’t I help thinking Deinde and Helen had aces up their sleeves? Why had he called Helen just right before she died anyway?

‘The police found an unknown finger print on the door knob of the Edun’s’ I said

‘You think it belonged to Deinde?’

‘That would be improbable and so silly of Deinde to have done the killing himself which I’m sure he didn’t. Maybe Deinde hired someone to do the killing. It would be very hard to find the killer if that is the case because I have a hunch whoever it is would have left the country when he had the chance.’

‘But there is no harm in paying Deinde a friendly visit. Is there? You might be lucky to pick something from his countenance or you might be fluky he might give himself away when you ask questions.’


I reasoned with him. The gut feeling that the killer gained entrance into the house easily gave me the idea the killer must have mentioned Deinde’s name to the gatekeeper or it might even be Deinde himself for the gate keeper to let him in.

I think I would be paying Deinde a visit. His fingerprint would do.

DandyPearl:
Thanks for the update fiyah...more grease to ur elbow. You're one heck of a writer . Don't forget to keep all other updates as lengthy as this#ThumbsUp#

I would try to ma'am

Missmossy:
Such a juicy update keep it coming fiyah, you are doing a wonderful job kudos.

Thanks Ma. M honored.

cutiepie25:
Wow, nice piece. Kip it up. Following already.

Thanks

ifyjohnson:
Interesting especially for someone like me who have always luv these private investigator thing

Welcome and thanks for reading

gal10:
This is good!!why do i keep seeing lanre as colin firth keep up the good work ma'am

Thanks sis. You welcome and thanks for reading. This kinda comments kips me moving

Soft10:
Fiyah...thumb up 4 u...gr8 work

Thanks for reading and you welcome

ikeola6:
Following...

Welcome...

drippingink3:
should not have started reading this lovely piece. am going to have a really really slow day.

Thanks dor reading bro.

Fiyah oya na, come continue

Chai madam FIYAH see good story o

Pls continue this story nawn

Fiyah pls come and continue this story o

fiyah pls continue dis story

fiyah:
Mattkent Heemah Princesssusan Aipete2 Trovic Adesilvia Ysadik ........☺

hi fiyah... I wanna know you more... my name is Lucky dou... do you care?

where is madam fiyah?? coman complete this beautiful piece ni.

She abadon the story and started another.. Silent-seduction. Hope she won't abadon that as well

What a pathetic investigative journalism story!
Very interesting.
Well done Rafiyah!