skarlett:


Lol, I'll drop an update at noon, working on it

okay dear

McBrooklyn:


Lol, no shît now
Happy Birthday in advance
Drop something sexy and romantic sha

Thanks dear

I'm a writer o, so na book I go drop

skarlett:


Thanks dear

I'm a writer o, so na book I go drop

Lol, Issokay


You can drop a sexy and romantic book too

Dedicated to Lawlahday and mcbrooklyn


Thirteen

“Can I come in?”

Omotola’s head was resting despondently on her palm before her vanity mirror, she looked up at her half opened doorway and turned away glumly. “I am not hungry.”

“So I gathered, I just came to see if you are okay,” Tunji said coming into her room even though she didn’t invite him in.

“I’m fine,” she lied and swallowed as he loomed over her. Why was she nervous? She wondered discreetly rubbing her clammy palms on her clothes. She had nothing to fear from him him—did she?

No, of course not. She had known Tunji for a while now. She always prided herself in being a good judge of people’s character which was why when she had met him at that bar half drunk and unhappy, her soul had been drawn to him.

Tunji strolled over to her window, his hands stuffed firmly in his pockets.

“You seemed edgy tonight, Tola,” he observed, “and I couldn’t help noticing you haven’t come back to me on the request I made earlier, is everything all right?”

Omotola’s blood boiled as his words stung. She sprang from her chair. “You can’t be serious Tunji, its risky and you know it. Did you ask the same from her too?” she fired back in disgust.

Keeping his hands in his trouser pockets, Tunji advanced on her. His gaze was steady on her round eyes and she took involuntary steps backward. “Don’t be so defensive Tola,” he said. “I haven’t beaten a woman yet.”

Yes, but what other things might he have done to them? Omotola panicked and sought for a way of escape. She wanted to run, yet she couldn’t seem to move. He had the most riveting gaze, the most solid features. The question was, could she trust him? But with what he asked her to do a few weeks ago, she knew he didn’t trust her.

“Tola,” his gaze on hers made her body go warm all over and her name never sounded any better in her ears. “I’d never hurt you,” he promised.
It was the second time in her life a man had said those words to her—and not for the first time Omotola believed them.

*****
Three and half years before…

“Are you saying a man like him cannot love someone like me, for me? For who and what I am? Am I that unlovable?”

“No Tola. You deserve a man’s love and loyalty just as much as every other wonderful woman out there does,” her sister assured, “but I fear for you, I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I made or end up hurt. What do you even know about this guy?”

Omotola bit her lower lip considering her sister’s words for a few seconds before brightening up considerably. “I know he has money, his name is Mr. Dee and most importantly, he loves me.”

Ifeoluwa rolled her eyes in disgust, “you’re still a teenager, what do you even know about love?” she said condescendingly.

“I know its not love when a man abuses you repeatedly and makes you loose confidence in yourself,” she fired back her eyes full of fire. “I know its not love when he carries out bizarre sexual practices on you like you’re a piece of equipment to be used at his fancy. What did he make you do this time huh? Lie like a dead body while he imagines you’re dead and bleeps you?”

“Enough Omotola!” Ife snapped, visibly upset. “You know what? I leave you to your fate. You deserve whatever comes to you with your ‘Mr Dee’, good or bad.”

Six months later, her sister was murdered in cold blood.

*****
She smiled a little and looked up at Tunji who had watched her drift away. “I’ll do it,” she whispered her eyes lingering on his lips.

“You’ll do it?” he repeated startled. He seemed shocked that she would agree.

“Yes Tunji, I’ll do anything for you.”

*****

There was no room for error, Stephanie Coker’s murderer realized. There was room only for calculated risk, a fact, but true of most crimes.

Detective Ehis Oghuma must be avoided. He was shrewd, desperate and slips were easily made. The killer knew his desperation was deadly.

The murderer took care while opening the flat cardboard box on the table. Here it was, proof of the crime, souvenir of a woman’s death.

A ripple of power skimmed along the murderer’s nerve ends. One minute alive, the next dead—what a high it had been. Nothing for Stephanie to do except to stare at her killer in fear and astonishment right before the murder weapon cut into her neck, dealing her a fatal blow.

A face swam into view. The murderer’s fingers halted their caressing motion. Dr. Lily, how much did she know? What would her role be in the investigation?
The murderer stroked the box tenderly. How would the investigations turn out? A woman had been murdered brutally. How good it had felt to feel the power of life and death over another human being in your fingers. The murderer’s lips twisted in an evil smirk. How much better it would feel a second time.

The bloodsucking demon inside was free at last, and only one person the whole world knew it.






Tbc
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Dedicated to sophietosyneabou, coolbreezy01 and izyyblaze


Fourteen

Gut clutch, violent and corrosive as Seyi spotted his father’s tall, balding head in the terminal. Swallow your poison, Seyi ordered himself. Swallow and save it, hard as its going to be. You just left Kuje Prisons behind, you don’t want to get your ass back there. It wouldn’t be long before you carry out your revenge, be patient.

“Son,” his father said smiling a little. “Welcome home.”

Bite hard the bullet – or the inside of your own cheek. But hold the smile, make the handshake firm, sincere – so fucking sincere I want to throw up in his wrinkled face and smash his glasses with my fist. “Good afternoon father, its good to be back.” Smile. Hide clawing hatred, keep it hidden. Show some remorse, mask your anger with an act of contrition to feed his bastard ego. Seyi wrinkled his forehead and prostrated on the floor before his father, “I’m sorry for the pain and embarrassment I’ve caused you, prison has been hard but its been harder for me to deal with the knowledge of the pain I caused you and mom.”

People were staring at them, the show of remorse had caught his old man off-guard. “Rise up son, all is forgiven,” he said helping him up. “Actually, you’re supposed to be in Ireland taking care of my business interest.”

Seyi’s smile was thin as he glared at his father. Of course what did I expect you to do about your bastard son you tried to pass off as legitimate. Distort the truth so that everyone would not look down on your pretentious ass. “That was really a smart move from you father.”

“Indeed it was, I can’t have stories of you engaged in embezzlement making the headlines and smearing the family’s name in mud like Dayo’s business with that dead woman is doing now.”

“Dayo? As in Feyi’s brother?”

“The same one, he’s wanted at the police station in connection with the brutal murder of Stephanie Coker. But he’s been out of the country since she’d been murdered two days ago.”

Seyi’s interest was piqued but he did his best to conceal it. He didn’t know Stephanie Coker but he could just imagine the sensation her death had caused. When Dayo returned to the country, he’d be in deep s.hit.

******
The big Boeing 707 made its landing approach from landward, angling down over colored roofs, a small body of water and then the tarred road that broad-frame the Murtala Mohammed Airport runway. Smooth touch down. Swelling thunder of reverse-thrusting engines. Pilot applying brakes. Plane slowing to taxiing speed.

Dayo Cole unfastened his seat belt. His face was blank. The acid that had been pumping through his veins had eaten all the expression from his handsome features.

“…we hope you have enjoyed your flight. Thank you.”

The hostess’ voice cut off with a scratchy click. A few more minutes of parking the plane and cutting off the engines and soon the first-class compartment hatch was opened. Dayo was one of the first out of the plane and he passed through customs and immigration with his mind blank until he went to the car park and saw the detectives waiting for him.

He couldn’t help feeling like karma was at work when he had switched on his phone on his arrival to South Africa and his father called to tell him Stephanie was dead. He was still finding it difficult to believe because he had seen her only the day before healthy. She had been pouting that he would leave her again for one of his business trips and he’d assured her he would be back soon but now she was dead and he was being accused of her murder.

“Mr Cole…” the detective with the scarred face started.

“Lets get this over with, shall we?” he cut in irritably and opened the boot of his parked car to deposit his suitcase. He had called and spoken with detective Ehis after his father told him the police were looking for him. He’d had to cut his trip short.

He got in behind the wheel of his car and the detectives got into their van too, at least he wasn’t being led to the police station like a common criminal. He felt a sickening in his gut as he remembered Stephanie. He had only loved one other woman like he’d loved her; Tally. But with Tally he’d been inexperienced and afraid of commitments. He’d only wanted to have fun but she had been nuts about him. The intensity of her feelings had repelled him and brought him back to her, time and time again.

“Why did you disappear?” she asked.

“I told you. I had other commitments.”

“We might have become one, a commitment, I mean.”

“That’s what frightened me. Quite simply, you were becoming too important.”

Her beautiful lips turned down in a pout, “I thought you felt the way I did.”

“I’m not the man for you, Tally.”

“But you’re back here for me aren’t you?”

“Tally I…”

“Say no more darling, you’re mine and will always be mine. You were my first and you’d be my last. Remember how we met?” she asked warmly, her eyes locked with his.

“How could I forget?” he replied laughing softly and squeezing her hand. “I sent you flying on the supermarket’s floor after I hit you involuntarily when I was backing away from the door. You sat on the floor, shocked and out of breath.”

“Shocked? My ass was hurting like hell and I was about to rain on you, the insult of your life.”

He winked mischievously at her, “until I smiled and helped you up full of apologies and promising to buy you the entire supermarket.” They both laughed, leaning toward each other in the eatery’s table. “But I did buy you half of the supermarket though.”

“Yes you did, your bending over backwards to please me was one of the first things I liked about you and the beginning of happy times for us. What I remember best were the nights we slept together, naked in each other’s arms.”

His eyes twinkled, “and loving my darling.”

“I still can’t believe its been three years.”

“And you’re looking more beautiful than ever. More mature…” his eyes roamed all over her body as he took note of her bigger bust. He imagined her moaning in his arms with her legs wrapped around his waist and panting for more of him like a cheap slut. He fought with his guilt at thinking of her that way, he had Stephanie now.

“Can we start again? I’m more older now and I’ve learnt a lot.”

“I’m seeing somebody else Tally,” he said glumly.

Her smile was wan, “I guess you’re not the only one. I’m seeing somebody too but I can’t ever forget you.”

Her lips were full of longing, he couldn’t look away and hadn’t resisted the temptation to say. “I’m going to be around for a while. I’m overseeing a project that could take me three months or more…” he let the rest of his speech hang in the air.

Tally got his meaning immediately. “What hotel are you lodged in?”

She hadn’t known so many things about him including his last name and she’d been fine with it. They had spent three months loving each other every night until one early morning he had woken up and snuck out of her life again like a thief. It had been the last time he’d seen her.

*****
Feyi couldn’t understand the sense of unease that settled on her soul as she tossed and turned in bed. She was startled awake by the creaking of her door and she sat up in fright as a shadowed figure stared at her from the foot of her bed. Her room was in darkness as she preferred to sleep with the lights off. She fought the panic that seized her as she looked at the hooded figure.

“Who’s there?” she creaked in fright praying that the figure was a figment of her imagination.

The heavens were closed against her prayers as the figure slowly approached her trembling form. Its face was hidden in the hooded mask it wore and Feyi could only see the turn of its thin lips in a snare. Her eyes caught the steel knife.

“Oh my God! Please don’t hurt me. I have a young son, I’ll give you whatever you want just name your price, I have…”

Before she could continue her pleading, the knife was raised by steady hands and stuck in her throat.



Tbc
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Wow! Scarlett this suspence is overwhelming. Had to join nairaland today just to let u know I've been quietly enjoying ur story. You're doing a great job, keep it up gurl.

LovelyUdy:
Wow! Scarlett this suspence is overwhelming. Had to join nairaland today just to let u know I've been quietly enjoying ur story. You're doing a great job, keep it up gurl.

Thank you hon

Why did Omotola have to be the killer? Why did Feyi have to die?

Blood of GAWD!! What did I just read- In the synopsis(I hope am correct): Feyi and Tunji are to divorce, In subsequent update: Feyi is dead. But why?
Skarlett good job but a clarity on the subject matter would be much appreciated.

Hope Tunji is not the serial killer o

yorhmienerd:
Blood of GAWD!! What did I just read-
In the synopsis(I hope am correct): Feyi and Tunji are to divorce,
In subsequent update: Feyi is dead. But why?

Skar lett good job but a clarity on the subject matter would be much appreciated.

Lol, i set out to write something like the synopsis, the story took a life of its own and i have to follow in whatever direction it leads me

@ Skarlett, thanks so much for the dedication babe, I appreciate.

As usual, you're doing a great job. weldone.

Izyyblaze:
@ Skar lett, thanks so much for the dedication babe, I appreciate.


As usual, you're doing a great job. weldone.

Thank you dear and you're welcome

Jesus. knife on Feyi's throat

dominique:
Hope Tunji is not the serial killer o

You didn't notice the way Tola agreed to the abortion suddenly. Her sinister smile in that scene makes her a strong suspect.

Tunji has his own issues, but I think he perpetuates Crime through the dumb hulky friend of His.

skarlett:


Lol, i set out to write something like the synopsis, the story took a life of its own and i have to follow in whatever direction it leads me

Now you have turn to Bibi who kills every character in her story

yorhmienerd:
Now you have turn to Bibi who kills every character in her story

I guess we have a lot of things in common

skarlett:


I guess we have a lot of things in common

This kain thing wey you get in common no good at all I'm preparing to type RIP for Tunji also

A good job u have here madam.But please don't let that last paragraph be true,Why should Feyi die?Scarlett be careful o,make I no come after u o

Keep on blowing my mind skarlett,is that how Feyi is going to die?? Keep the fire burning dear. This story is so intriguing,enjoying the narration.

Missmossy:
Keep on blowing my mind skarle tt,is that how Feyi is going to die?? Keep the fire burning dear. This story is so intriguing,enjoying the narration.

Thanks a lot dear

wait....what?!!

Please Skarlett, don't let Feyi die... So, I guess Omotola is the serial killer.

adebriana:
Please Skarl ett, don't let Feyi die... So, I guess Omotola is the serial killer.

Pls don't kill Feyi.

Being following silently

Nice one skarlett...let feyi no die ooo...happy birthday to me wmllnp...xo happy

Jor jor ah abeg I'm on my knees please don't kill Feyi oh, she might be childish sometimes but I still like her

Its just a dream,Feyi shouldn't die.

I would be wicked and selfish not to comment, Skarlett, u r killing me. I can't even express my actual feeling now.keep it coming

wow,Feyi mustn't die oo...skarlett, keep up the good work.The suspense is high,you write gracefully and the story line is excellent.
Please mention me in your subsequent works