mismore:
Wow, nice to be following this great piece.
Wehdone mah

thank you for following mismore..... i really do appreciate it

Wow...read this with a smile on my face..I'm a fan of police business and u're doing a splendid job so far

souloho19:
Wow...read this with a smile on my face..I'm a fan of police business and u're doing a splendid job so far

thanks souloho19!!....thanks gan

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So place your order.....
Nice one Oyinda1242.

dimssy:
So I will be in charge of snacks and drinks here....all has been paid for by Oyinda1242.
So place your order.....
Nice one Oyinda1242.

awwwwn....thanks dimssy...

CONTINUATION

Shina pulled up in front of a fenced building. He got down, bella too.

"So this is where you stay?"

"Yes, my humble apartment." He smiled

"Hmmm...humble indeed. So you stay alone?." She leaned on her car

"Sort of. The maids are always around ." Shina rolled his eyes. "It's getting late Bella, you should get going." Bella shrugged

"Please take care of yourself and thanks for a ride." Shina gave her a brief hug.

"Shina. My brother's wife had a child, her name was Tireni, we didn't find her after the incident."

"Hmm...we'll work on that later dearie." He said with a wave of hand

"Good night." Bella said and hopped into her car.
** ** **
"Good morning sir!" Olu and Kessi chorused as their supervisor entered the conference room. His contenance didn't say anything good about the morning though

"Guys you are slow and I don't understand." He stated firmly.

"Tell me where you have gotten to and what you are doing now." He asked

"Sir.." Olu and Kessi started together

"You go first." Kessi said.

"Sir, we have sighted the suspects but we are trying to trend carefully, they are first class criminals and they have both fraud and murder accusation on them presently." Olu swallowed and continued "if we are going to present this case in the court we have have to have concrete evidence that is beyond mere report, like catching them in an act. That is what we are working on sir."

Kessi picked up from where Olu had stopped

"The chief suspect doesn't seem to stay so much in the particular adress that we have, however we have been taking turns to check out the place."

Detective Shina listened like he was picking every detail.

"This isn't you Olu." He drummed on the desk as he spoke. "All these things are not concrete reasons why something tangible has not been done. I am following up this case personally, it means more than you can think to me. Do you get that?" He asked sternly. Olu nodded.

"Good! And I think it's high time you guys start some lab work on past evidences." The detective shook is head in disappointment "I shouldn’t be telling you this. Get something done quickly." He said on a final note and started walking towards the door.

"This is what happens when your supervisor falls in love with a victim." Kessi whispered to Olu.

"And don't think I didn't hear that Kessi!" Detective Shina cooed, startling Kessi.

Kessi waited for him to go a good distance and turned to Olu who had sunk into a nearby chair. He gave a mischievous grin " sorry partner." He shook his head in mock pity.
"It happens like this when the crime investigator is also in love with the chief suspect's daughter."
Olu hissed, stood up and walked out, Kessi followed behind.

** ** **
"Good morning." The technician availlable in the records and property room greeted. There were old and new files scattered on the table top, the cabinets that were categorized based on years looked dusty .

The man was in a green overall, his hair was as brown as the unkempt jam packed room, you'd wonder if that's the real colour.

"Good morning." Olu and Kessi chorused.

"So this is what we have here." He said as he brought out sealed packs from a drawer.

"Two bullets, male and female blood stained cloths, xrays of victims body from the medical center, a C.D, an extra male clothing and a gun." He reeled out, through a small opening that looked like a window.

"Is there any other evidence that might not be here." Olu asked

"It'll be hard to place a finger on that, only the long term evidences were kept. Eighteen years Is a long time."

"Okay, we'll be transfering these to the lab. Thanks." Keesi said as he packed the sealed bags. Olu gave the technician a firm handshake not minding his dusty gloves.

It was a short and quiet ride to the lab. The lab attendent that was present at the section tagged -general had an hearty smile on, he looked too friendly for a man working in that kind of enviroment.

After accesing the sealed bags, he took out a note and wrote down. He kept throwing Olu and Kessi smiles as he was writing.

"We don't have all the time in the world." Olu addressed the Man in the white lab coat. His face pulled a grimace but the attendant just smiled back. Kessi was irritated.

"Are you not done writing?" Olu asked with disdain, the attendant flashed him a smile again revealing almost his whole set of teeth.

"Guy! Are you gay?" Kessi asked with a frown.
The attendant laughed out, "No, I am newly wedded, he said showing off his wedding ring."

"To a guy?" Kessi exclaimed, visibly enjoying the discussion.

"Of course not, to the woman of my life, to the..." Olu cut him short, "I think you should differienciate work from your love fantasies. Some people don't like the work atmosphere polluted."

Kessi smiled. The attendant collected the evidences and placed them in aluminum trays. Olu had killed his joy.

"Well, to some of us love is work because we fought for it and won." He responded, his voice wore strong emotions.

The statement hit Olu, Kessi watched his partner squeeze his face almost into a wrinkle.

"So what happens from here.' Kessi seized the opportunity

"I'll send these to the fire arms section." He pointed at the bullets and the gun, they were in seperate transparent bags, "And these, to the trace evidence section." he pointed at the blood stained cloths. They were sealed in different bags.

He pushed the aluminum plates to a corner and looked up at them.

"I'd like that the bullets are also transfered to the identification and latent print section also don't forget the x-rays. Let them go to photography." Olu interjected with a type of intelligence that made the man feel like he didn't know his Job

"Yes, I know." The attendant answered plainly.

"So, when do we come for results." Kessi jumped in.

"In let's say. Ermmm....2 weeks, it's not certain though."

"Okay, thanks." Kessi said as he dragged Olu out with him.
** ** **
They had hardly settled in the car when Olu asked a question that baffeled Kessi.

"Did you fight for your wife?" Kessi allowed a mischevious smile play on his lips before he answered.

"Yes, we had in-law issues."

"So what did you do?"

"I took the mind of a policeman into the game. I either got her or I got nothing. I eventually won though."

"Well, you don't seem to me like that kind of man that'll love a woman that much."

"You are young Olu, Just 24! Life has it cool for you, you don't know what it means to be ageing and be struggling to at least own a family."

Olu glanced at him indistinctly, "so how is she?"
"You mean my wife? she is doing really good."

"She likes your Job?"

"Sure she had known about it from the beginning."

Olu sighed "Life is unfair' he said

"Uhn? What did you say?"

"Nothing." Olu replied. Kessi heard him but allowed it to slide.

"That attendants words hit you." Kessi stated like he wasn't talking to any one in particular.

"Yes, it did. Like the way he said it, it pierced me."

"It was obvious."

Kessi waited for a while before he asked
"Do you like that Tireni girl?"

"No."

"She is beautiful Olu."

"No." He repeated.

"Then why won't you let us use her as a bait."

"Let's use her." Olu said with all the strength he could gather, he had to do this.

"Are you serious?" Kessi asked trying hard to keep his eyes on the road.

"Yes, we should draw out a plan today." His voice broke, he hoped Kessi didn't notice.
** ** **
He started at the silver chain again, his hands stroke the letters of her name, as he held it tight. It felt like he was holding her, he wondered if she even felt the same. She must have just seen him as a big brother, she probably didn't feel any attachment to him.

He groaned at the thought of this and rolled in his bed. Whatever had happened to him, he didn't know but the picture of her in his shirt had refused to leave his head.

He had strayed so much from the paths and attitude of being a detective. He wasn't supposed to allow emotions, he was a solution finder and a decision maker allowing his emotions was going to truncate all that.

If there was a shrine for detectives, he was sure he'll be praying to the god of the police by now. The god would have probably struck him dead for wandering off the right path.

He was supposed to return the chain to her but this was the only thing about her that he had. He is going to lose her forever and besides she wasn't looking for it.

He picked his phone and played Banky W's 'will you be my lover', he placed the chain on his chest as he hummed the song along, picturing himself having a good future with her.

He allowed himself drift into the song and then to the dream land.

This is getting serious keep it coming Oyin enjoying every bit of your story, more wisdom strength and inspiration to you dear.

mismore:
Wow, nice to be following this great piece.
Wehdone mah

tnx

EPISODE 4


** ** **
"Hey" Olu called out after resolving to make good of the next opportunity if she passes by his table. Tireni walked on like she didn't hear anything. She did the exact opposite of what was in her mind by squeezing her face.

"She didn't hear you." He muttered to himself not wanting to accept that he had just been snubbed. He rubbed his palm against his forehead and relaxed on the chair. He was nervous.

Olu wasn't going to let today be like the other time where the only thing they shared was glances and no tangible word. He also had to be careful enough not to put her into anymore trouble.

"Tireni." He called again; this time, it was louder. she just passed by,she didn't even look towards him. It was now obvious that he was been snubbed.

What a blow on his ego? Olu contorted his mouth and allowed his head swing backwards. He felt invisible, the fan rolling above his head seemed to be more real than his own environment.

He wanted to eat dozens of chocolates and cry on his bed like those american spoil brats, the thought of it brought a wry smile to his face. "Mum, oh mum." he mused and sighed like she would fall out of somewhere.

The bang on the light blue, round table before him startled his out of his thought. He caught the sight of the bottle of maltina before seeing her. It had to be a dream, maybe he slept off while he was thinking.

"Why do you come here when you don't take alcohol?" Tireni asked looking expressionless.
She didn't wait for him to answer before she continued. "Mr. Olu, I respect you. More out of the help you rendered to me than for what you are doing now." Olu swallowed, trying figure out where she was going.

"That you helped me once doesn't mean you should keep trailing me. I could report you for stalking you know." She swayed from one foot to another.

He was caught unawares. What was she thinking! That he helped her just to take advantage of her? He stared at the bottle of malt in front of him and then at her. She was definitely waiting for a reply.

He picked up the bottle collected an opener from a guy that sat behind. He downed the drink and dropped the bottle back on the table.

"Thanks." He said, he slidded two hundred naira note on the table and walked out without looking back. Her mouth dropped.

Woah, that was the last thing she expected. He didn't even defend himself. She wasn't even expecting him to take the drink. Her heart beat had gone rapid, she slid into the seat Olu stood up from as if she wanted to have a clearer view of the bottle and the money. Her blood was boiling, he had just confused her. He walked out like she didn't matter. "Well, he doesn't count too." She told herself.

She didn't want him to see her has weak. He already said it the last time so she wasn't going to give him any chance to ride over her. She was going to handle her game well. So she thought.

Olu's drive home was mind blowing. He decided to blow up his mind by making his music player extra loud.

" Mama when your boy hammer.
He go buy you range rover
La la la la la la
Coz I'll be a superstar!"

He sang along with the chorus that boomed out, his voice rang out louder as he sang longer. He wasn't going to entertain any thought of Tireni into his mind. He sang over and over till he pulled up in his compound. He stepped out of the car, looked around and screamed like he was bitten.

He wasn't still relieved, his mind was heavy. For the first time he felt like engaging alcohol. What had this girl done to him? He was soon going to become senseless if care wasn't taken. He unbuttoned his shirt as he walked towards his front door and jumped into shower the moment he got to his room.

After the nice bath, Olu sat at the edge of his bed and went through the music gallery on his phone. Music seemed to be the best heart relief at the moment. He had always had a thing for music besides he had an amazing voice. He finally settled for 'Good bye' by West life.

Tireni on the other hand wanted to spend her remaining time for that day as if nothing had happened; but she couldn't stop her heart from wondering. The stupid little demon in her kept screaming Olu's name. What didn't she think about? Infact she already saw her wedding gown and his own suit in advance.

Although she kept telling herself that all of these were just wild imaginations, but a part of her longed to be in his shirt again. She remembered the words "I love the way you blink." She blushed and checked her self in the show glass where wines where arranged.

She blinked and watched her eye lids go up and down. Her pretty self was jolted back to reality when a customer screamed her name. Her heart beat for him.

Well, it wasn't easy working in that type of place where you see married men come to take drinks with their mistresses and believe that there was something called true love. She saw men change their women like they changed shirts and women change their men like they changed choice of shoes.

There were several times she walked in on her dad and another woman when her mum wasn't around. Even though she wasn't ready for that type of life, the fact that she worked in a bar had made people see her like one of them. So what do you expect. She was just a little girl guarding the only thing that made her sane - Her Heart.
** ** **
Bella had her legs folded in as she sat before the flat screen in her father's sitting room, she had tears tickling down her face. She watched her brother peck his wife on her forehead, Stella said one last thing before it came to an end.

"I want you to learn to love baby girl, because love never fails." She stated with that easy smile that never left her face.

Even though her sister in-law was referring to their three month old baby girl whom they were looking for at that time, Bella still took those words like they were specially spoken for her.

"Won't you stop watching this video? Its not helping you." Mr Fagade said as he took his seat behind her on the sofa. "And besides seating in the front of the television like that won't help your eyes." He continued.

Bella fixed her eyes on the T.V screen and was shocked when it went off, she looked back and saw her dad dropping the remote on the table. He stood up and motioned towards her. He sat by her side on the floor and allowed her bury her head in his shoulders. Bella cried out, panting and gasping. "I miss them, dad." She mumbled.

"I know. Bella, I know." The man consoled.

After a while, Bella calmed down. That was the only situation for which she gets to cry, and she cried well. She wiped her face and translocated from the floor to the sofa with her dad. "So, who gave you that C.D in the first place?" Her dad started.

"From the detective." She answered sniffing.

"Isn't that wrong? It’s supposed to be an evidence right?"

"Yes, he duplicated the original for me."

"Hmmm...I see he is already going extra miles for you." Her dad said with a sly grin.

"Stop dad. Don't go there." She gave a weak smile.

"Do you really want me to stop?" He asked winking.
Bella adjusted and increased the volume of the TV in an attempt to ignore the question. Her dad tickled her and she bursted into laughter eventually after putting up resistance for a while.

It was evening already, although she watched about six episodes of a season film, she wasn't still able to take her mind of the video her brother and his wife had made before their death. They made it in case they wouldn't make it out alive and truly they didn't make it out. She allowed the tears that built up in her eyes flow freely. She remembered their wedding reception.

Fagade Bella had always been in support of her brother's marriage to Stella from the start. She was her childhood friend and she was the one she spent most of her time with apart from her brother. When her brother told her about his love for Stella she approved without thinking too much. Although Stella had always discussed about a guy that was always disturbing her but she didn't pay much attention to it, she was sure she'd give her brother the love he deserved.

Stella looked so beautiful in the blue ball gown designed specially for her by Fagade Designs, it was a company her husband to be managed on behalf of his sister.

Bella had supervised the sewing of the gown in person. The programme had been brought to an end and Stella was going around appreciating friends and families.

Bella sat down handling with the tip of the glassy bird used to decorate the table. She lifted her head and saw her brother walking towards her.

His white suit accentuated his handsomeness as he flashed his complete thirty two. Bella stood up to meet him.

"Congratulations bro." She hugged him.

"Thanks sis, are you already missing me? Why are you sitting alone?" He asked still holding her by her shoulders.

"Nothing just meditating. So what do we have here?" She asked him pointing to the brown envelop he held.

"Well, I'll be officially handing Fagade Designs to her owner today."

"Hmm...okay."

"Come on! You don't sound excited Bella."

"I’m scared I might not be able to handle it they way you did, you have built a legacy I don't want to spoil." Bella talked with her eyes down.

Her brother took a deep breath and ruffled her hair. She would have protested but she was to bothered about the change that was about to happen.

"I trust you Bella, I know you can handle it, it was you idea and dream from the beginning. You can do it." He opened the envelop and brought out papers. "Sign here."

Bella's hand was shaking as she signed the document of transfer of ownership.

Her brother patted her back, "I trust you."

"I promise not to let you down." She said as she gave him a hug.

"So where is the bride?" She asked lighting up.
Her brother looked around and spotted her, she was talking to a man and from the way she looked it seemed to be an argument.

"Excuse me." He said to Bella as he motioned towards his wife and the man.
Bella tried watching the scene from far but she was distracted by a cousin by the time she looked towards them again she only saw stella and her husband holding hands. She loved the sight.

Hi Oyinda. Please I will like to Pm you

CONTINUATION

** ** **
Tireni squealed in delight as she sighted Adewoyin's number in her long lost diary. The red hard cover was faded and torn, even the lock had lost its magnetism.

She was happy to see the pictures she took with her secondary school friends, they brought smiles to her face. Especially the one where the photographer made them suspend in the air.

She was happy she'd be able to contact Adewoyin again. Tireni had promised to call her friend from time to time but she wasn't able to get a phone.

Adewoyin was a friend like no other, she was sacrificial and always there till she went to school. She was the one person had made her feel really wanted,

Ore mi! Finally!" Adewoyin had already screamed, jumping up before she noticed the look on her friend's face.

Tireni walked out of the large hall like a new bride that cannot recognise her husband, biting the side of her mouth, making her soft slightly purple lips bend to one side, she looked up quizzically "Hey babe" she said, instantly killing her friends morale.

Half of the hall was still filled with students trying to beat the time. For Tireni and Adewoyin, it was their last paper, while for some others it was a penultimate paper.

Adewoyin had already worn her white round neck T-shirt under peach shirt, the school uniform she couldn't wait to get rid off. It was already like a tradition for junior students, and friends to sign out on those that are graduating. Everybody liked to be remembered.

"Leave the front of the hall, before I make you a scape goat." A frustrated invigilator screamed, like her life depended on it. Adewoyin slipped her arm over her friends towered neck, and dragged her away from the front of the hall.

"What's wrong? You look down." Adewoyin asked, still holding her by her neck.

"How do you expect me to be shining teeth when things are like this, I virtually submitted a blank sheet."

"How come?" Ade exclaimed. "But we read it together."

"I didn't remember a thing, I slept almost all through." Tireni lamented

"Let's just go home." Ade consoled

"So they won't sign out on you because of me?"

"It doesn't matter." Ade answered pulling her by her hands out of the school compound.

Tireni hadn't even planned the whole sign out stuff in the first place, she felt she was going through too much than for her to start participating in such a jolly act. "It's not like we are going to recognise each person's signature later on." She had consoled herself before leaving home that morning.

Tireni and Adewoyin walked home quietly holding hands, the atmosphere around them seemed too sacred to introduce any discussion. It seemed the road sharers even understood as no one seemed to be interested in greeting them.

"Put a smile on your face, it'll work out for good." Adewoyin broke the cold silence, holding Tireni's hands in hers. Although she had always admired her long fingers and clear nails, that would have been a bad time to mention it.

"I know, thanks dear, thanks for been with me." Tireni spoke quietly.

The result finally came out good, but she wasn't privileged like her friend to further her education due to money issues. Her mum made her understand that she needed helping hand at the bar as she was busy with other business that'll help their finances.

Tireni scribbled the number on a paper and left the room. She was going to look for a way to call.

After walking down through the next two street after theirs she finally found a phone booth. Those things could be scarce these days.

" How many minutes can I call for with hundred naira?" She asked the guy under the MTN umbrella.

"Five." He answered without looking at her, he was busy with his game.

Tireni picked up the phone, imputed the number and waited for it to ring. After calling the number about three times and it wasn't picked she decided to go and come back later. Just as she was about to go, Adewoyin called back. The phone rang out but the guy at the phone boot was to busy to notice. She picked the call with a mischievous grin on her face.

Adewoyin screamed happily from the other end. It's was almost two years now since she heard from her friend. They talked and talked.

Adewoyin was grateful for the bonus Etisalat had given her a day before. After ending the call she dropped the phone on the table and made to leave.

"Sister won't you pay ni." The guy looked up with a big frown

"I didn't call naw she called back."

"Don't you know you are not supposed to use public phone for flashing."

"I didn't flash she did."

"Better pay or give my your number." The guy said with a smirk

"I gbadun your game, but play it else where." Tireni said. "Rubbish." She added walking away. She walked fast for the fear of unknown.
** ** **
Kessi thought of how to engage Tireni successful in a discussion but it wouldn't just work, and the population at the bar on this day was different from what Kessi had been seeing since he came there. The juju music coming out of the speakers were loud, you'd almost think the speakers would burst. Every single table had its maximum number of people that it could accommodate on it.

The men adjusted their agbada endlessly, there were cars packed outside and not just cars, cars you could call 'Big cars'. Apart from the fact that this was a friday night and the hall was jam packed; new lights had been used in the decoration and the bar seemed to be finer.
Something different had to be going on.

Kessi looked around, the proportion of men to ladies was distinct. Some of the men had over three ladies around them, young ladies that you could never mistaken for a wife. The way they were dressed showed that they were either public prostitutes or private prostitutes.

Tireni and the other bar attendants seem to have extra energy for swiftness, they worked hard attending to people at their best. Who would blame her if she failed to notice the casually dressed Kessi that was seated in a corner.

Kessi had asked her how she was doing when she served what he ordered and she just answered with a 'fine'. Well, how could she have remembered that he was the guy from the other day. The knight with faded towel.

Now that Olu had clearly stated that he didn't like her at least he should be able to strangle out some information from her. Tonight wasn't just that night.

Kessi didn't mind staying over night at the bar tho because for some unknown reasons he felt that night was significant at the bar.

"This place is filled up. Where do I seat?" It was Olu's baritone voice.

"Wow. You came. Tell one of them to get you a seat." Kessi said pointing at the attendants.
Olu signaled to one of them that he needed a seat and stood waiting for it.

"So why did you come?" Kessi asked looking up at him.

"I tried your number and it didn't go through so I decided to check you here. It's late. Do you plan staying overnight."

"Yes, it's friday, it's worth the try, besides this place looks different. Something is definitely going on."

Olu told the bar attendant the brought his chair thanks, he took his seat and continued his discussion.

"Your company would be of great help." Kessi continued

"Are you asking me to stay?"

"Sure. We are in this together." He concluded with a grin, as he played with the straw in his beer.

Olu asked him if he had seen Tireni. Kessi didn't hesitate to tell him what transpired between them. Soon he sighted her, she was in a black jean and a peach turtle neck top and of course she was busy. She had her hair packed into a bum, it was probably for efficency. She wouldn't want her hair dancing around and disturbing her.

"You should order for something." Kessi suggested. "Beer?"

"No, you know I don't do that."

"Oh. Sorry, Holy police." He mocked. "Nobody believes anyone from the police force can be holy." Kessi continued. He removed the straw and drank from the body

"I didn't say I was holy." Olu answered with a smile. He called an attendant and ordered for pepper soup and a bottle of cold water.

The attendant hardly dropped the plate of soup before him when the music went off and a man in a crazy jean spoke into the microphone.

"Hello people. I am glad to announce that the full swing of the birthday ceremony of the CEO of Timber roof; this exquisite bar! Is about to kick of soon!" The cloud cheered.

"Wow. That microphone is working sha." Kessi muttered as he took a bite of his fried meat.

"Isn't it the same woman they are talking about." Olu asked.

"It should be. She is the owner of the bar na."

"Then we are not here at the wrong time. It's funny how a mother would be celebrating her birthday and the daughter is part of the bar attendants."

"There would be free drinks available from now. Just order for it." The man bared into the microphone again.

Kessi dropped the meat in his hand and wiped his hand.

" True to say, only daughter for that matter." He said

"Not just that, only child." Olu added, looking around. His eyes caught Tireni again at the far end of the bar.

" The woman herself should soon be here." Kessi said, calling back Olu's attention.

As it got darker, the colorful light shined brighter, beautifying the place. Tireni worked round the clock, there was no breathing space. She knew how much this party meant to her mother.

She went from one table to another taking orders from both men and ladies, majority of them were polite but some shameless ones were rude for no reason.

"Come on! You are slow, get me stout!" A lady with gold in her teeth ordered. She must be one of those mecca girls, her mini gown was maximally mini, it was so short you'd have mistaken it for a mere top.

She was the only one with her man, the way she sat on his laps with her arms around his neck almost made her look like an important personality. Maybe her own prostitution was sole proprietorship.

Tireni walked back to their table with the cold bottle of stout in a tray. She removed the bottle from the tray and placed it on a table.

A man from the next table made to hit her backside. But her keen eyes caught his hand fast enough. She held his hand and twisted it to back. The man yelped in pain, he was old enough to be her father but what did she care. "Shameless man." She spat out.

The man would have reacted if not that the lady she just served was laughing hard at him. The man adjusted his agbada and sat back in his seat. Tireni was rest assured that nobody knew she was the celebrant's daughter.

"Did you see that?" Kessi alerted Olu who had his chair backing the scene.

"See what?" He looked back trying to see what Kessi was talking about."

"Mehn. Your girl just dealt with a man that tried to hit her."

"Hit her!" Olu exclaimed

"Calm down joor, not that type of hit, as in touch, you know.." He drawled and winked.

"Jeez, that girl is not supposed to be in this kind of place!" He hit the table.

"Guy, don't create a scene. Shebi you don't like her." Kessi put on a sly smile

Just then the M.C announced the presence of the celebrant. The woman in a Tea-green native attire with a broad smile collected the microphone from the M.C and gave a short speech, more like an introduction.

"Her English is sound." Kessi commented as she got down from the platform with a man she had introduced as Tayo, he had the same attire with her. He had also given a speech and presented the celebrant a gift.

"Just take note of the man's name. You're fraud doesn't mean that you don't go to school" Olu chided.

It was a long night for them, only the two of them didn't seem to flow with the theme of celebration. Olu resolved to telling Kessi how he truly felt about Tireni.

"So what's your plan now." Kessi asked looking concerned.

"I cannot sideline my job for a lady that I am not sure would even accept me." Kessi sighed.
"Not to talk of when I have her mother arrested." Olu continued.

"Don't you want to give it a try?" Kessi asked

"She is not even paying me any attention."

"I don't think she has seen you today." Kessi felt for his partner, especially because it was the second time he was losing a loved one because of work. He agreed that life was unfair.
** ** **
Kessi pushed Olu into his car. He landed with a thud in the back seat.

"Man! You get weight." He complained. Olu just drawled and muttered something senseless. It wasn't easy dragging Olu from the bar to where his car was packed

Kessi was regreting ever allowing Olu take beer. What could he have done? Olu asked for it himself ;besides, which other way would he have been able to let go off the burden in his heart. Alcohol was the present help.

Kessi took his seat at the drivers side. He glanced back at the wasted man and shook his head. He never knew the impact of the drink would be this strong. It always happened like that to first timers. He would have to take him home.

He was about to turn the ignition when a group of men talking beside the car caught his attention. It was Tayo with four guys all dressed in black, they were all of almost the same height with the same haircut, broad chest and all.

Kessi pressed a button and the glass of the car
window slid down, he adjusted his seat backward, lower than the window level.

Kessi rested his back and closed his eyes to give whoever passes and impression that he was listening, he heard Olu's snore, it wasn't loud enough to disturb him from hearing all their conversations.
** ** **
Teniola checked through the extra large sized pictures that Tayo had brought home in a brown envelop, she found the structure of the building very fascinating. It was a U-shape storey building with an underground store.

Simeon Stones was a company owned by the Simeon brothers although they were out of state, they had a standard administrative body. They provided precious stones that could be cut and used in the fashion industry or any other industry that had things to do with stones. They shipped in stones from various country. It was a large scale business.

The simeon brothers invested stones into one fashion home per year and they were about to pick a company to invest in this year. Tayo had felt this was going to be a big catch and would stake even his life to go after it.

"Have you finished going through them?" Tayo asked as he emerged from the bathroom wearing only boxers.

"Yes. Its a big place." Teni who sat on bed replied.

Tayo drained the water on his body with a towel as he motioned towards her. "That's the more reason why we need to put our best. It is going to be a life changing achievement."

He picked up one of the picture and smiled as he looked at them.

"There is a security post immediately after this big gate." He explained pointing at a picture. "There are usually two security men there at a time. We wouldn't be taking chances so I'll tell my guys to displace them."

Teniola raised her sharp eyes. "No blood shed Tayo." She said

"Well, I said displace not kill, madam." He answered with a sly smile.

"We do not need to displace them since I'll just be entering normally. At least they know people are coming to propose for the investment."

"No dear, you are entering armed." Tayo informed draping the towel over the cloth hanger.

"There is no need for me to go armed."

"We are not taking chances!" Tayo scowled

"Alright!" Teni cooed.

Tayo explained that he would be able to get other things needed, like an identity card and a business ownership form before the week ended.

He was yet to tell her that he had a ready made plan for where stones would be kept and how they would get to sell him. That classified information was for his mind alone. He couldn't wait to me done with the deal.

"Thanks for the birthday gift." Teniola said the moment Tayo climbed the bed.

"You know I don't just give gifts." He answered sounding sleepy.

"You gave me a gold chain with the diamond pendant I have always wanted, what other reasons could there be for that apart from love?" She blushed under covers

"Don't fail in getting me my diamond investment." Tayo stated plainly amidst a yawn.

"Goodnight teniola." He added.

Ouch! Her heart broke. The gift had a business purpose. She remembered his speech when he stood beside her the other day.

"Happy birthday to the woman behind my successful man. My most ambitious understudy and the world's fastest learner. I wouldn't want to call her smart but she is strong. This is for you." He had said stretching out a bag that contained a box.

"I wish you success in all our business endeavour." He added. She had felt special, she had allowed herself to think to far.

CONTINUATION


** ** **
Bella served dinner with chilled fruit punch. Her dad had eaten earlier and was in bed; Bella decided to wait for her Mum so that they could have dinner together.

The scrambled egg and plantain was just as she liked it. Although she had eaten a good part of it while she was doing the frying her greedy stomach still hummed for more

"So how was shop?" She asked as she set the tray.

"Fine but boring. Should have followed me." Her Mum complained

"Mum, I had work to do now."

"You always have work. You'll also be working on your wedding and on your naming.'

"Come on! Mummy." She dropped her fork and rolled her eyes.

"Hmm, sha allow me to attend one more naming before I go."

"You are not going anywhere Mum." She resumed with her food."

Bella and her Mum ate the remaining part of the meal in silence and Bella later stood up to clear the dishes. Her Mum followed her behind as she made her way to the kitchen to wash the plates.

"How is the detective." Mrs Fagade asked leaning on the deep freezer at a corner close to the window of the kitchen.

"He is working on the case." Bella angled her head before she answered.

"You know what i’m trying to say." Her Mum pressured.

"If I am going to say yes to him, it going to be because I want to not because you want me to mum."

Her Mum collected a dish she had finished washing and wiped it with a kitchen towel before putting it in the steel plate rack on the placement. " Well, I just think he is a nice guy."

"He is a widower mum. He might not have gotten over his wife for all we know!" Bella picked up the bin in the kitchen to go and dispose it in the bigger garbage pan outside. She hoped her Mum would have retired to her room before she came back but she was wrong,

The door that led outside from the kitchen gave a screeching sound as Bella entered the kitchen.

"There is water on that zinc, clean it with this foam." Her Mum stretched out a soaked foam to her, it was dripping water on the floor.

"I thought I cleaned the zinc before I went out." She muttered as she motioned towards her mother.

She got to the zinc and was about to squeeze out the water from the foam, when her mothers voice interjected again "Don't squeeze it! Use it like that!" Her mother exclaimed startling Bella.

"Mum that's not possible." Bella threw her reply, her face pulled a grimace.

"Why?" Mrs Fagade asked

Her daughter turned to face her, placing her hand on the zinx "Because the foam is filled with water already and has no capacity to take in more." She turned back, squeezed out the water and used the foam to mop the zinc.

"You are just like that foam, my girl." Bella's Mum spoke in a low tone.

"How?" She turned to face her Mum again.

"You are so soaked up with hate and bitterness about you brother’s death, that you fail to see other purposes that you are to fulfil." Bella swallowed hard.

"If you don't squeeze out all those things, you'll just be swollen with no good use; You won't be able to move forward. Bella you need to open you heart to love again." She placed an affectionate hand on her daughter and beamed her a smile before walking out of the kitchen. Bella gave a loud sigh.

She hurried up with whatever was left in the kitchen and made her way to her room or should I say 'her thinking box'. She knew she had to let go. She opened her drawer and brought out a photo album, she had arranged the pictures in it in such a way that her brother's pictures come first and last.

She looked into his eyes, they were clear but they seemed far. Was her brother’s mind releasing her to move on? His smile seemed to answer that question. She felt she heard him say "Be happy Bella, I am fine too."

After flapping through a few pages of the album she had a baby seating before her. The picture had been taken the day her brother's child clocked one month, she had taken an extra effort to get the baby a present, the silver chain that beared her name glittered specially in the picture.

"Where are you now?" She mumbled like the picture was going to speak.

Bella stared at the last picture for a while, she closed the album and put it back in its place. She picked her phone and dialed 'Detective Shina'.

"Wow! Hello miss." Came the rich voice from the other end.

"Hello, Detective how are you doing?" She asked politely

After exchanging pleasantries, Shina updated her about how the case was going. He expressed his shock about her call; they talked for a while, giggled amidst sentences and rolling over the bed. She enjoyed every bit of their conversation.

"Can we go out tomorrow." He asked.

"Not so fast. Big man." She replied, smiling.

"Please Bella."

"Let me get back to you tomorrow." Bella concluded.

They said their goodnight and Bella blushed into her dreams. She slept like a baby.
** ** **
His Dad's face appeared on the laptop screen, there wasn't so much difference in his face from when he saw him last till the present moment.

"Where did you hide the grey in your head dad." Olu asked, happy to hear from his dad again
His dad laughed. "It's beneath the dye my wife uses to make me look younger." Olu gave a broad smile.

"So how is it over there?"

"Cool boy, really cool." His dad replied as his Mum appeared on the screen wrapping her arms around her husband neck.

His Mum had a blue linen scarf around her head. Her eyes gleamed like pearl. She threw Olu a glance that flitted like a bird, pecked her husband then took her seat beside him.

"How's the lady?" She asked

"Mum you haven't even asked about me?" Olu pouted.

"You are fine, it's in your eyes, they are as clear as crystal." If only she knew that her son got drunk a night before and was still finding it hard to understand how he got to his bed.

Olu shot the thought down and beamed his mother a smile.

"Wait. I am lost. It there a lady now?" His dad asked looking confused

"No sir." Olu relied plainly.

"He is lying." His mother frowned

"I don't know what she is saying." Olu tried to pull the blanket of indifference over himself.

There was a chain reaction of silence for some minutes before they all bursted into laughter.

"Hmmm...." His dad hummed staring at him with prying eyes.

"Dad, don't mind Mum, she is joking." Olu scratched his head as he spoke.

"Don't worry about it, I'll gist you later." She assured her husband.

They talked for a while with Olu assuring them over and over that he was fine and he wasn't lacking anything. Olu put a call through to Kessi after he was done; and Kessi announced that he was coming over already.

He walked, wavering like and hungry ghost to the bathroom. His head was light, and he smelt of alcohol
** ** **

deolutolu:
Hi Oyinda. Please I will like to Pm you

okay...am expecting your mail
deolutolu

waiting for the next up date already...
stock can in yesterday...you can order for drinks and assorted drinks..all paid for by Oyinda1242

EPISODE 5

They had a long talk when Kessi came over. Olu never knew kessi had a strong emotional part. He realized that been a detective doesn't exempt you from all the butterfly feelings.

"Love and war are so inter twined that you can't leave any one out in terms of experience." Kessi had said as they talked over coffee in his dining.

They talked for a long time on Emotions before discussing the case on ground, kessi told him about how he had seen Tayo and some guys discussing and exchanging things in a polythene bag. Kessi had declared that his intuition told him that it was either guns or a bug detector.

"I think we should get a search warrant." Kessi suggested.

"Not so fast. Let's follow them to the very last. It'll handicap any lawyer they bring to court."

They called the lab to know if the results were ready; they got what they expected - it was a NO. "Every thing about Nigeria is slow." Olu complained.

"The attendants might be in love, you know? You fell in love and this case became slow!" Kessi winked
Olu contorted his mouth and rolled his eyes.

Olu looked around for her as he sat down allowing the events from the day before run about in his mind.

He sighted her, she was clad a brown armless gown, her hair was plaited into three, revealing her as a true african beauty. It was obvious that she just resumed to bar, she looked clean and smooth. The usual oily face was bright, her body wasn't cooking up body oil yet.

His heart thumped. He was going to try his best to talk to her today, and he would have to do it early now that she wasn't tired or frustrated at anything. Should he just walk up to her or do something exceptional to catch her attention? His monkey mind searched for an idea.

Tireni had seen him the moment she entered, she knew where to direct her eyes to whenever she wanted to check if he was in the bar. He maintained a particular seat all the time. Her heart skipped as she re-assesed herself to know if she was looking good.

Her Mum wasn't around so she had taken her time to take care of herself before resuming to the bar. She started attending to people like she didn't see him.

It clicked! Music! She liked music! Olu remembered Tireni said something about music the other day in his car. He didn't care about how his idea would look, all he knew was that he was going to get her attention and make her talk to him that day.

He had a good voice, when he was younger a lot of people thought he would go for music. Olu signaled to one of the male attendants to come over.

"Does that microphone work?" He asked pointing at the standing microphone In a corner.

"Yes we just repaired it some days before Madam cash's birthday."

"Can you switch it on for me?" He asked

"You want to use it?" The attendant asked with a frown

"No I want to sell it." Olu answered in his mind but decided against saying it out.

"Yes." He answered.

"I am sorry, we only use it for important purposes." The guy stated firmly

"Okay. Thanks." Olu said stretching his hand for an handshake.

The guy took his hand and and gave a broad smile.

" Madam is not around,It'll be ready in the next ten minutes."
Olu smiled back. What can money not do? See the guy that sounded so firm earlier.

Olu watched Tireni serve people. He waited for the right time to strike, the attendant had signaled to him a minute back that the microphone was set.

Tireni walked to the kitchen in the bar, it was small kitchen with big traditional pots that the yoruba called "ikoko irin" and a medium size gas cooker. she bent down to serve the fish pepper soup that was ordered. The aroma of the soup her hit her nostrils, it was the first plate of soup she was serving that day.

She was about to take a second scoop from the pot with the extra large cooking spoon in her hands when something hit her ears. It was his voice.

Olu's voice had shot like a shooting star through the whole bar and into the kitchen. She noticed that the Fuji music that was on before stopped but she didn't pay any attention to it when she was walking to the kitchen earlier.

She stood up straight and strained her ears. What was going on? It sounded like a guy. she hurried up with serving the soup as she blotted out of the kitchen. Would want to miss that kind of show? Not Tireni to whom music was solace.

** ** **
Bella pushed the trolley, taking one step at a time, shopping was cool to her, she had time to meditate as she picked her items. She never shopped in a rush.

She moved to the Fragrance section, she picked an air freshener for her room, her eyes darted round as she moved towards the shelf containing perfumes.

Her eyes gleamed as she sighted her make. 'Bodman ' Gave her a refreshing fragrance even when she was tired and was carrying load of sweats she picked it and dropped it into the over filled trolley. She decided to also pick one for the detective.

They were to meet after she was done with shopping, she was getting to like him more although she wasn't sure she was ready for a serious relationship yet. She was almost at the counter when she heard her name suddenly.

"Miss Fagade Bella." The husky voice called out. She gave a swift turn and met the gazes of the simeon brothers.

The two of them stood in sport wears at the game section; they looked so identical she couldn't identify them by their specific names. The public knew them as 'simeon brothers.'

A smile flashed across her face as she gave a signal that she was coming to join them. She pushed her trolley to the sales girl and told her to calculate her price while went back to meet them. They greeted each other as she gave them a brief hug each.

"I am so glad to see you again after a long time." She said looking into their blue eyes. She folded her arms to suppress her nervousness.

After talking for a while about their personal life, they moved to business. They told her that they came back to Nigeria to put one or two things in place and that they were not planning to stay for long. It was there she got to know about the Simeon Stones and the investment they offered every year

Bella had met the two of them in a business school oversees, they were just mere aquitances to her so she didn't know much about them or that they had Simeon Stones.

That investment was going to be a big push up to Fagade designs but you know Bella now, her ego was bigger than her head.

She would never want them to feel her company was weak and need help. She decided to hide her interest and follow the normal protocols since they told her that the company was managed by an administrative body and not exactly them.

If she should send her proposal they would definitely put it into consideration, who didn't know Fagade Designs! She didn't need to pass the back door, Fagade Designs would work for her credit. She waved to the brothers as she motioned again toward the counter.

"Fifteen thousand five hundred." The sales girl announced the moment she got to her front. She was about to bring out her ATM when the lady informed her with a big that everything had been paid for.

"By who?" She asked.

"A guy."

"One of the Simeon Brothers?" She asked, looking back. They had left the games section. One of them must have done it.

They most have known her more than she thought, if they had offered to pay to her face she wouldn't have accepted.

"If that's his name. Yes." The lady replied. The way she smiled sef, you'd have know they had given a tip that's probably more than her two months salary.

Bella picked the polythene bags and walked out of the store, she was surprised to see Shina's jeep already packed outside. He told her would come to pick her but she didn't expect him to be there so early. She knocked on his car window. He lifted his head and opened the door of the drivers seat.

"Wow. You are good with time." She commented as he walked round the car to meet her on the passengers side.

"I don't want my damsel to be in distress under this hot sun." He smiled and opened the door on the passengers side for her.

"Thanks, you shouldn't have bothered coming down, you could have opened it from inside."

"Huh? For the almighty Fagde Bella?" He teased
She rolled her eyes and hopped in.

"Who were those guys." Shina asked as he swerved into the road.

"Business friends." She answered plainly.

"Besides were you around for that long, how come you saw them?"

"I was already coming in when I saw that you guys had a tete a tete. But I knew you'd be out soon since the lady had already packed your things."

"Wait oo." She said squinting , "you paid?!" She asked.

"For my queen? I'd do anything." Bella's face widened into a girlish smile. She was wowed.

"Thank you." She said, blushing.

" I got something for you." She said, searching the bags on her laps. "It was supposed to be from we to you, but since you paid for it, then you practically got it for yourself.". She continued bring out the perfume box.

"Thanks Bella. It's still from you because you picked it for me." He said.

Bella watched Shina try too pull the seat belt over his bulging tummy as he drove. She busted into a hearty laughter unable to hide the fact that she found it funny.

"What?" He asked looking up at her.

"Nothing, let me help you." She collected the belt from him and pulled it successfully to the other side and hooked it.

She was still laughing. "Is this what you go through every day?" Shina joined the laughter "At least I don't have bald head like other men of my age."

"Good for you." Bella had her hand over her mouth now trying to suppress the laugh that didn't want to stop coming.
** ** **
Tireni's eyes popped out when she saw olu's back view, he was the one singing. It had to be a dream but I wasn't one, the hot plate of soup in her hand reminded her that she was in reality.

She stood transfixed for a while as she watched him sway his waist to the beautiful music that came out of his mouth. The customers at the bar where all lost in his world.

She sighted where the beats were coming from, a guy was already doing justice to the beat using a stainless spoon and his hand on the table in front of him.

A lady hummed, adding melody to the song while another guy used his hands on his chest and his legs to make sounds. It was a beautiful sight indeed. The customers present at that time where majorly youths that didn't have any where to go and must have decided to just come to the bar to chill.

The customers who had now turned to audience in Olu's show didn't even seem to be concerned about their orders again, they clapped along, some of them stood in pairs and danced salsa.

Olu's charms definitely worked on them. Tireni stood stunned as more youths turned into the bar, some of them stood outside. They soon screamed the chorus of the song together

"Ife bi eji owuro
Latagbala eledumare lo ti se wa
Ife to toro minimini
Ti abawon aiye kan, o le baje o
Ololufe feran mi lai se itan o"

Tireni couldn't deny herself of participating in the joy of that moment. This was real music. Although she had never seen anything good in the customers at the bar, today she saw that where you are found doesn't destroy the talents that are inside of you.

She watched the youths sing along with melodious voices. People already moved to the front turning it into a dance floor, more hand were helping with the beats.

She dropped the plate of soup in her hand on a near by table and walked to the customers side of the bar to have a clearer view of the latest celebrity. Olu had his eyes closed as he poured the whole of himself into the song. His heart was in that song, his head, his emotions, everything! His voice came out sweet and soft as he raised the chorus again for the second time.

Tireni watched with him with roller coaster of emotions jumping inside her. She felt like singing along but she couldn't find her voice. Olu was about to take the solo when he opened his eyes and met her gaze. The lady he sang for, the reason why he was behind the microphone.

The lyrics of the song got lost in head and his mouth hung open. The customers cheered, encouraging him to continue, but he couldn't find the song. The beats soon ceased, everybody wanted to know who he was staring at.

Tireni swallowed, every body was looking at her now; she felt like a fly, as if someone would soon throw a bottle and crush her. She gathered courage, opened her mouth and allowed her sharp, sensational voice erupt.

"Fe mi bi oju ti fe mu
Fe mi bi irun ti fe ori
Fe mi eyin ti fe mu
Fe mi temi temi
Fe mi tokantokan
Femi tara tara
Ololufe feranmi lai se itan o"

She stood up and motioned toward where olu stood, nodding her head, encouraging him to sing along. The beats resumed just before she got to him. she swirled around, lifting her hands; her gown formed a ball around her. Tireni swayed her waist to the rhythm that was coming from all sides, she threw her head back wards and beamed a smile.

She gestured with her hands for Olu to use the microphone. The people cheered on, even the bar attendants danced along. Olu resumed singing and their voice blended. Music is beautiful.

They sang the chorus of the song one more time before another lady from the back raised another song. She had a very nice voice, it was distinct. Tireni felt she sounded like Simi.

The lady was still singing when olu dragged her out of the bar through the crowd that already formed at the entrance. Tireni could swear that she saw ladies winking at him.

They ran across the street like young lovers to his car. They panted heavily as they stood by the boot.

"You sing well." Olu managed to say. Tireni blushed and replied "you sing better."

Olu leaned on the boot, "you are the professional here." He said.

"Let me take you out for lunch." Olu said more like a suggestion than a question.
Tireni wasn't sure what are reply was, all she knew was that she found her self in the passengers seat of his car while they drove to an eatery.

** ** **
"Well. If you keep looking at me like that, I might not be able to eat." Tireni said looking up from the chicken in front of her.

"You are more beautiful that the song you sing." He said, looking at her with dreamy eyes. Tireni looked away.

"If you don't stop flattering, I'll go o." She said, looking over his shoulders

"I am not flattering." Olu said firmly, dropping his fork too

"Every man says that." Tireni folded her arms on the table and looked into his eyes.

"I am not every man." He picked his fork and burrowed into the chicken with the help of the knife.

"So what do you want from me?" Tireni asked still staring.

"Can we at least eat first. I can be a dog when I am hungry." Olu stated, looking up form his food.

"Okay." She resumed to her food.

Olu did not stop stealing occasional glances and it made her uncomfortable but what could she do? They ate in silence and the waiter soon came to take away their dishes. She watched him wipe his mouth and hand and concluded that he must be very neat.

"So?" She said as he dropped the servette paper.

"How much do you like music?"


"Enough to dream about owning a music school."

"That's a good dream. You know?" Olu spoke in the coolest manner "you see those guys that sang along at the bar, if they have something like that, they'll be better and become guru in music."

"Yea, I saw raw talents back there. Did you see that girl that raised a song after us. She sounded like Simi! The passion was there."

Olu watched the way her lips moved with enthusiasm.

"That's why peole have to get to know that success in life is far beyond mere academics. Some people spent all their life waiting to get into the university." Olu added

"What do you do for a living?" Tireni asked

CONTINUATION

"I am a detective."

"Like detective, police?" Tireni asked with her eyes wide open.

"Yes, what?" Olu tried to look indifferent.

"Wow. I am just surprised, you don't look like one." Olu sat back in his chair in a more relaxed posture. " Really?"

"Yes. The way you sang back there, people would have thought you were a producer or something." She answered playing with the tooth picks on the table.

Olu flashed a broad smile. He didn't want the discussion on his choice of career to go further

"Hmm, so what is your latest case about?" Tireni sat up look excited and interested

"It's a fraud case." Olu kept his straight face.

"How far with it." He didn't want to lie to her, he was still searching his mind for what to say when she interjected "Don't worry, I know that's tight corner. Detectives are not supposed to release classified informations." She said with a smile.

"You seem to know so much about us." Olu said, dismissing the discussion stylishly. He was happy she concluded by herself.

Tireni called Adewoyin with Olu's phone, she had already crammed her phone number. Olu watched her facial expressions as she talked on phone. The way she threw her head back when she laughed and the dot her dimples formed on her fluffy cheeks.

Everything about her was amazing to him. Sometimes she talked so loud that he feared that the others in the eatery were disturbed. He enjoyed every bit of their being together. He hoped it will last.

As soon as she dropped the call and said thanks. Olu brought out the silver chain that had her name from his pocket. "You forgot this in my car the last time." Olu said as he dropped it on the table.

"Oh! It must have fallen off from my hands." She held it in her two hands. It was a chain she had been familiar with since she could recognise things. She outgrew it and it couldn't size her neck again so she wore it on her wrist.

"Do you like it." She asked Olu while she still stared at it.

The question was odd to him but he answered anyway not knowing exactly what she wanted to hear. "It's fine, original and it bears your name." He answered.

She placed her hand in his and dropped the chain, "you can have it."

"Isn't it special to you?" He asked

"You've done a lot of special things to me since I met you." She flashed her easy smile.
** ** **
Tireni waved to Olu as he drove off, it was still mid-day. She walked into the bar, everything had gone back to normal, soft juju music played through the speakers and customers where not that much.

The girl that raised a song earlier was there talking to the guy that drummed with his hand and chest. They were probabaly hooking up. Tireni felt they looked good together.
** ** **
Olu called Kessi as soon as he entered the next street.

"I have planted the bug on her." He announced as if Kessi knew about the bug.

"Which bug? On who?" Kessi asked from the other end.

"I planted a bug on Tireni."

"Are you serious? Wow! You got to talk to her!"

"Yea." He answered plainly

"That calls for celebration!" Kessi exclaimed
Olu laughed out, he expected it. Everything about Kessi called for celebration.

"We have celebrated it already." He answered.

Kessi's tone dropped, expressing dissapointment. "You and who?" He asked

"Me and her" Olu replied, giggling. "We went out and had a nice time."

"Wow. Na you o." Kessi hailed from the other end. They agreed to meet at Olu's place.
** ** **
What made her feel that the chicken laps she ate was enough for her ajepako stomach? Her stomach grumbled again.

"Tireni do something about that frog now." An attendant said, looking so serious.

"Which frog." Tireni jumped up from the stool looking around.

"The one croaking in your stomach." He replied as the others bursted into laugther.

"Idiot." She cursed.

Soon she decided to use the hundred naira with her to get bread from across the road. She checked left and right, she saw a black jeep still far away and she ran across.

She knew there was a gutter in front of the shop and it wasn't her first time of running across the road and jumping over the gutter without and pause. How she fell today was a mystery. Her brown gown now had green molds on it.

She looked up at the woman that helped her out, her face looked familiar.

"Sorry." she said still holding Tireni by her arm. She requested for sachet water from the shop and rinsed her face and her legs. "You should change this dress." She advised.

"Where is your house?" The woman asked.

Tireni pointed towards the bar. The woman looked and said "That bar."

"No, at the back ma."

"Sorry."

"Thanks ma, I think I have met you before." Tireni spoke looking up to her. She was a bit taller.

"Bella?" The man in the black jeep parked at the other side of the road near the bar called
She recognised them. They were the one that almost hit her the other day. Bella looked back and signaled that she was coming.

"I am the girl you almost hit the other day." She stated

"Yes! I remember!" Bella exclaimed, "The one that looks like my sister- in - law" she said with a smile

"What Is your name?" She asked

"TIRENI"

Bella's head spinned, she was dumbfounded, her heart beat hard and fast, she wasn't sure she heard well. "Did you say Tireni?"

"Bella! we are running late!" Shina screamed from the jeep again.

"Yes." Tireni answered, "you should go now, your husband doesn't like this scene." She quickly added. "Thanks again." She said, turning back to look into the gutter. Bella stood for a while watching Tireni look for something in the gutter with her eyes before she hurried back to the jeep.

Ouch! Tireni had a bruise on her knee, and she just lost her last hundred naira. She squatted and looked well again, the dirty cans and green molds must have hidden the money.

She gave up and went back inside to change, her clothes were dripping dirty water. She saw the palm slippers at the door and she knew Tayo must be inside.

Bella's silence as he drove to his place got Shina bothered.

"I am sorry I had to hurry you up, we were running late." She didn't look at him, she kept staring at the buildings that flew past as Shina drove on.
"You know I still need to drive you home after we are done at my place." He continued since she didn't answer.

"Bella you are not answering me." He accused making his voice a little louder.

Bella sighed, "I am not angry about it." She replied still looking out of the window.

"But you are not talking to me."

"I am trying to think and if I share my thoughts with you, you'll call it rubbish."

"What do you mean." A frown creased Shina's brows

Bella turned to face him. "That girl, she is the same girl we almost hit the other day, I told you she looked like my sister in-law but you said I was just imagining things." She reeled out. "Now I just found out that she bears the same name with my sister in-law's missing child."

"Are you serious about this?" He asked looking straight on.

"Yes, I asked her for name."

"I'll work on it."

"Is that all you'll say." Bella asked raising her brows

"What else am I supposed to say Bella." He said. "I promise to work on it." He said, "women sha." Shina thought in his mind.

Bella didn't trust Shina's promise but she decided to let the issue die.
** ** **
Olu had finished setting up his bug device, he was able to receive signals form the ear piece. He was taking a bottle water out of the fridge in his dining when the heard the door bell. "I am coming." he screamed. He knew it was Kessi.

"So you were serious about this." Kessi asked as he motioned towards the dining where Olu had set up the signal detector. "Did I sound like I was joking? How is your wife?"

"As fine as ever." Kessi replied , taking his seat in the first chair.

"How do you manage staying here alone." Kessi looked round.

"The house keeper comes in the morning. So I am not totally alone." Olu gulped the water down his throat. He had changed his cloths, he was now in a three quarter grey short and a t-shirt that had 'Jordan' inscribed on it.

"What made you do this?" Kessi asked referring to the information Olu just passed across about putting a bug on Tireni

"Like you said, it's love and war, they are intertwined."

"So?" Kessi asked

"So, I fight my war and love her while it last."

"That's a tough one."

"Yea, it is." Olu said as he walked to his room to pick some files.

"It's picking signals already." Kessi announced after putting the ear piece in his ears.
** ** **
"You look so much like your mother." Tayo moved towards her. Tireni moved back till she got to the wall.

Fear gripped her, and her understanding failed. She had no striking resemblance with her Mum, and her friend had once suggested that she probably looked like a distance relative.

She had gone straight to her room to change her clothes as soon as she entered. she just pulled the gown out of her neck when the door flung open and Tayo walked in.

She tried to cover up hands as she was only in her wet under wears now. Her brain couldn't interpret was was going on. This was her Dad, her own father!

Her throat was dry and she swallowed hard. Was he drunk? No, he didn't look like it.

"So much like her!" Tayo repeated as he kicked the wood of her bed.

"Your presence torments me! Do you know that?" His eyes were turning red

Tireni shook her head as she climbed the bed, she tried pullling her tucked bed sheet out to use as cover without taking her eyes off Tayo, his eyes followed her every movement.

He yanked the bed sheet from the other end, pulling out the whole thing with force. Tireni yelped in fear.

She ran through the other side to the door, but was not fast enough. He pulled her by her arm and pushed her to the bed she landed with a thud, the weak wood squeaked.

She saw him move towards her but she was not able to do anything. She closed her eyes and held her breath.

"Que sera sera." She told herself and waited for the worst.

plz lets not forget to notify me of any adjustment i need to make....corrections and suggestions are very welcomed!

temitopedaniel
missmossy
mismore
souloho19
tusinsola
dimssy
deolutolu
iyerenath
kingphilip
and as many of us that are reading through....love ya!

Such a nice piece i must confess.. It's really suspense filled.. Can you please drop another before 10am

You are doing just fine Oyin watch your tenses, keep it coming such an intriguing piece.

I love the suspense but I really feel for TIRENI.
Keep it coming ma'am

like your name..this piece is like salt to the pot of soup that is suspense literature..keep it coming..wouldn't mind a little action tho

CONTINUATION

** ** **
"Shut up and listen! There is nothing you can do. We don't even know where she is." Kessi shouted at Olu whose fury had been inflamed by Tireni's scream.

"He is going to kill her!" He shouted back. "I just have to do something." Olu panted.

They could hear everything that was happening in Tireni's place because of the wire Olu planted in her dress.

"Gather yourself! I think there is a third party now." Olu rushed to the his own side of the ear piece that he abandoned when he was expressing his anger.

"It's a female's voice." Olu said, a bit calm.

"What are you doing? Tayo!" The female's voice from the other end spoke.

"Teniola!" They heard the male's voice erupt again, he sounded shocked

"That's the woman we are trailing and the man I over heard that day. 'Tayo'." Kessi raised his brows as he spoke.

"Stop pulling me like that Teni." They heard Tayo say.

Soon they didn't hear any other thing, again, Olu dropped the ear piece and paced around the dining area. "So in one word, her father just tried to rape her."

"We don't know Olu, we can't see them. We can't conclude; it could just be mere battering!"

"Mere battering huh? Now battering has become mere to you right?" Olu was in rage.

"Is that what you do to your wife?" He screamed at Kessi. Kessi clenched his fist he didn't want to get annoyed too.

"Man! Watch your words and put yourself together." He said and walked out. Leaving Olu to ease the tension. Olu fell on his knees and groaned, he felt her pains. Kessi wouldn't understand.
** ** **
For the first time in a long time Tireni felt like her mother was an angel she came in at the right time. She opened her eyes and watched her Mum drag him out by his shirt.

"You are a bastard Tayo." Her Mum screamed as she buried fragile blows in his chest.

"What do you want! What exactly have I not given you." Her voice broke and she allowed her wrapper fall of her waist, leaving her with a buba and white under skirt.

Tireni jumped off the bed and locked her door from behind, she opened her box of clothes that was on the floor and picked out something to wear. She sat at the edge of her bed and listened to their argument.

She heard a thud and braced up to her feet and sat down back knowing that she couldn't go out there, she tried to imagine what was going on out there.

"Kill me Tayo! Just kill me!" She heard her Mum scream again

"No, not yet. I still need you." She heard Tayo speak so calm.

Tireni picked up her palito music player and scrolled down her play list, she decided to listen to 'victim' she couldn't bear what she was hearing from the living room again.

She increased the volume to the highest and closed her eyes. She Imagined Olu banging the window and taking her out through an escape route.

The bang was so loud, It was louder than the music player. This had to be more than an imagination. She opened her eyes and removed the hear piece to be sure.

"Open the door! You stupid little slut!" She heard her Mum scream as she banged the door harder.

Tireni walked to her door and opened it, stepping back immediately

"Mum, I fel into the gutter and came home to change and he entered after me and tried to..."

"Rape you!" She cut in, she was holding the side of her stomach, Tayo must have pushed her down.

"Rape you! And I didn't see you struggle!"

"Mum..."

"Don't Mum me. I wasn't blind!" She screamed again.

"You know, you are an ungrateful useless child."
Teniola pointed and grabbed a belt that was close by. Tireni let out ear splitting screams as the rear of the belt landed on her.
** ** **
Olu heard his phone ring, but didn't have enough strength to pick it. He had been on the floor since Kessi left. He knew he had to call him to apologize.

The signal detector buzzed and beamed its red light to show that it was picking signals but Olu felt too weak to stand up. It was going to record whatever vibration it picked anyways so he just laid down on the floor.

His phone rang again and again but he remained where he was. He soon drifted into a sleep. The caller was Fagade Bella. She decided to call him directly since she didn't trust the Shina about taking a step concerning the young lady she met.

She decided to call Detective kessi since she didn't get through to Olu. After explaining her ordeal to Kessi, He assured her that they where going to work on it immediately.

"Tireni." Kessi mused as he dropped the call. The case was getting more complicated. He informed his wife that her was going out for the night.

"Again!" She cooed from the kitchen

"Daddy are you going out?" His little boy tugged him by his trousers.

"Yes, daddy is going to work." He lifted him and shook him. The little boy giggled. Kessi met his wife in the kitchen and pecked her. "Work calls." He said. Her face tightened into a grimace but he left anyways.

Olu's eyes opened slowly as the shrilling sound of the door bell penetrated into his ears.
"Who is there?" He asked with his voice low and sleepy. He had been on the in the dining since. There was no response from outside. He stood up using a chair as support.

Olu opened the door to meet the expressionless face of Kessi. He itched his head, and moved back for him to come in. "I am sorry about the..." He was about reeling off and apology when kessi cut in.

"Tireni could be the missing girl." He said as he walked past the drowsy Olu.

Olu became at alert, his eyes grew wide. "Wha..what did you say?" He stuttered, following Kessi behind.

"The detector is beeping, have you been listening to it?" He asked testing Olu's curiosity.

"No I slept off, it must must have recorded whatever it is it detected. Explain what you just said." The calm look on Kessi's face aggravated Olu's anxiousness the more.

"I am talking to you naw." Olu reminded Kessi like he didn't know, Kessi had taken his seat in the dining and was about putting his ear piece in his ear.

"Please, give me water?" Kessi requested, ignoring Olu's question and fixing the ear piece in his ear. Olu sat on the table and held out a glass of water to kessi.

"Have you listened to this?" Kessi asked referring to the recorded messaged.

"No!" Olu raised his brows, "what is there?"

"You shouldn't listen to it then, maybe this time you'd punch me."

"Don't talk like that now, you how this things could be." Olu replied as he reached out to the ear piece

Kessi snatched it back. "Which one do you want to listen to, Me or this?" He asked firmly

"Okay, let me hear you first." He withdrew his hand.

"I received a call before I decided to come back, and it was from Miss Fagade Bella. She called to tell me about her encounter with one 'Tireni' that lives in front of a bar and looks exactly like her sister in-law." Kessi drummed on the table with his finger. "She was trying to say that Tireni could be her missing niece."

"In front of a bar? That sounds like our Tireni." Olu said, he picked up a file from the table and started flipping through

"That means that, there is tendency that the chief suspect and her partner murdered the parents and took the child in custody."

"Exactly! It was exactly eighteen years from now! Tireni is eighteen!" Olu announced like he just hit a jackpot. He closed the file and jumped off the table, putting his hands in his khaki shorts.

"If she is the daugther of the deceased, then she is the niece of Bella Fagade. Wow!" He continued, rolling his eyes.

"Well, we need a more concrete evidence than mere hypothesis, if this is true."

"Like DNA?" Olu paced around the room

"It has to be true, look at how they mal treat the girl." He added

"That's on you Olu and you should call the supervisor." Kessi said, standing up. "Where is your toilet." He yawned.
** ** **

The screams of Tireni when only God knows what landed on her, tormented Olu all through the night. He had listened to the recorded message over and over again after Kessi went to bed. He wondered how she was faring now. That night was both good news and bad news to him.

He could now go ahead and let her know his mind about her without the fear that he was hurting her mother because she would soon know the whole truth.

The problem was that there is no way she would believe him now especially when he had no concrete evidence to back up his claim. He had seen her support her Mum even when she was in pains inflicted by her. There was no idea on how to save her from the temporal pains she'd be experiencing.

Kessi had made fun of him that morning when he met Olu awake. It was obvious that he didn't get much sleep.

They got dressed and headed to the office for a meeting with the supervisor. Olu sent him a text the night before to inform him of the need for an urgent meeting.

The detective listened to Olu and took note of his passion while he was explaining what he noticed about the young girl been mal treated.

He had seen Olu speak but he had never seen him speak with so much passion like that, he looked like an expert orator.

"Sir, there is 70% possibility that Miss Fagade Bella's observations are right." He concluded.

The supervisor smiled and started clapping, Kessi joined in too. Olu stood dumbfounded and confused

"Great speech!" Shina said as the clap died down

They all laughed at the situation. "Get me a DNA test result of the two parties and I'll consider this story as a fact." Shina said as he picked his black laptop bag from the long desk.

"Yes sir." Olu replied

"Besides I am begining to feel you have something to do with the young lady." He added with a mischevious grin dancing on his face

"I...I.." Olu stuttered as the detective walked out of the conference room.

He turned to look at Kessi who also had a sly smile on. "If I don't comment on that speech, then I am inhuman. That was great." He said pulling out one of the seats around the table.

"And convincing." He added as he sat down.
** ** **
"Mission accomplished, I have the two phones tapped into." Olu said as he walked to his car. "I think I should get my own personal hacker soon. He is really good."

Olu slid into his car seat. "Specialized VOIP service." He replied as he turned the ignition.
He had just succefully tapped into Tayo and Teniola's calls.

He was in possesion of a portable box that could interpret the signals from the phone, it was GPS enabled to help detect the location of the criminals. His supervisor's private hacker had everything fixed up in thirty minutes.

thanks guys....really appreciate your comments...i would work on it @ missmossy.....God bless you guyz gan....i am so glad to see your comment kingphilip

souloho19:
like your name..this piece is like salt to the pot of soup that is suspense literature..keep it coming..wouldn't mind a little action tho

Thanks....we'd see about that....thanks for following sir

EPISODE 6


"Madam cash!!" Another guy hailed as he passed by her seat, he was like the fifth person that had greeted her within the space of thirty minutes. The bar made her well known.

She checked her wrist watch as she waited for Tayo, that was the restaurant where they discussed business whenever they wanted to do it away from home, most times over a bottle of champagne.

Frantel foods, was a restaurant owned by a couple. It was comfortable and classic. The VIP section where Teniola sat had a demarcation from the general section. It's chairs and tables were decorated with blue and white linen, a flower vase in the center and a small basket containing spices.

Soon Tayo walked into the VIP section in a white chinos, blue jean jacket and an ash timberland shoe. He looked young for his age.

He took his seat opposite her on their table and signaled to a nearby waiter to give his orders.

"Madam what about you?" The waiter asked

"She'll take the same thing." Tayo answered like Teniola couldn't talk. The waiter looked at her again and she nodded giving him a go ahead.

"Not even good morning Tayo." She said, more like an accusation than a question

"Only friends greet." Tayo answered firmly.

"Straight to business now" he annouced, "I already got the neccessary things." He continued not minding the downcast look on her face.

Tayo had not come home since the incident that happened last. He had pushed her to the floor and walked out. She didn't see him until now and it was mainly for business. She wanted him back even though she had told him that she didn't want him in her life anymore.

Teniola had given up on keeping quiet, she had noticed the way he looked at Tireni for a while now,Was he going to love both Mother and child and kick her out of the circle? No way! The child that was supposed to be a punishment to him was now a thorn in her flesh.

The waiter brought their meal of Fried rice and grilled chicken, with a plate of well spiced shrimps and crabs alongside.Tayo settled immediately for the food in front of him after dropping the I.D card and the business ownership form on a table.

Teniola picked it up, checked and kept it her hand bag. She fixed her eyes on him till he finished the food, she wondered how he was comforable, ignoring the fact that she was not eating.

He finished and signaled to the waiter, paid for the two of them and stood up. Teniola couldn't lift her head to meet his. She didn't know why but she felt ashamed.

** ** **
He brought the car to a halt after finding a suitable place to pack in the garage. He got down and walked to the other side to open the door for her. There was no smile on her face today but she still looked beautiful.

He knew she wore a long sleeve to cover her wounds, the white turtle neck covered her towerly neck. It's a pity he couldn't sympathise verbally with her, but right there in his heart he was saying all the neccessary sorry.

"You look good in white." He commented as he held her hands in his, helping her come down from the car

"Thanks." She blushed, looking down at his shoes.

Olu was surprised when Tireni agreed to go out with him. He had expected her ego to speak but she allowed her heart do the talking. To her this outing was going to be an escape from the hell of her home.

Her mother made life frustrating for her since her Tayo refused to come back home. Since her Mum wasn't around, what harm would it cause going out with a perfect gentleman like Olu.

"This place is really big." She commented with a weak smile. Tireni sent her eyes on survey around the building and finally fixed her gaze on the big red play card that read 'FRANTEL FOODS"

"Shall we?" Olu said bowing and stretching his hand out. Tireni led the way and he followed suit.

He was on a black fitted T-shirt, a blue jean and black and white foot wear. He went casual because he didn't want her to see him as ancient and outdated. He secretly hoped she liked his new haircut and the fragrance he wore.

"Wow!" Tireni curved her mouth to form an 'O' at the sight of the arrangement of the restaurant.

Olu threw her a broad smile, he was happy she liked the place. He had gone online to select the place for his proposed outing and Frantel Foods seemed to have more likes for a place in that area.

"I am glad you like it." said Olu. A waiter came to them to show the seat reserved for them in the general section.

He pulled out the chair for her to sit. Tireni sat down like a queen, although she was scared that the linen used to decorate the chair might get torn. Her black hair tickled her neck as she didn't pack it, she knew her hair was a strong point in her natural physique.

Olu signaled to the waiter that showed them the seat after telling Tireni that she was the one to take orders for the two of them assuring her that he would go for whatever she picked and he was sure he'd enjoy it.

The waiter brought the menu list and she checked it. Everything on it looked strange to her except one combination "pancake and grilled chicken". She had eaten pancake once and was very familar with chicken. She collected a pen and ticked it for the two of them.

"What do you want as appettizer." The waiter asked switching her gaze from Tireni to Olu and back

"What do you want Miss?" Olu asked, putting Tireni in a tight corner. She collected the list again and realized there was still appetizer and dessert for her to mark but since the waiter only talked about appetizer she marked 'fruit salad'

"How about dessert." The waiter asked. This time Tireni gave a loud sigh. Why didn't she ask for everything at once?

" No, thanks. We'd have been too full to take dessert" Olu came to Tireni's help. The waiter collected the Menu list and walked away.
** ** **
"Will you just walk away and leave me here." Teniola asked with her head still down

"I guess so." Tayo replied as he put the chair back. Dumbfounded although not surprised, Teniola watched Tayo walk out of the VIP section, leaving her on seat with an over priced meal in front of her.

After contemplating whether to eat or not, she called the waiter to clear the dishes, which he did promptly Free food for the guy.

She leaned into her chair and began to type an apology message to Tayo, she had typed and cancelled three times before she was finallly satisfied with the message, she clicked on 'send' and inhaled deeply. Love was stressful, Tayo was getting her worked up.

"Madam cash!!!" She heard someone hail again. She looked at the person from the corner of her eye, and sat up abruptly. It was one of her major customers at the bar. She could make do with his good company so she signaled to him to come over.
** ** **
Olu had tried all his best to find out from Tireni why she didn't look like her usual self, there was no hint of happiness in her conversations and she seemed locked up inside.

"Why do you have to be bothered whether i’m happy or not, you don't know me?" She scowled
Olu knew all that had gone wrong but he couldn't and cannot spill the beans that he planted a bug on her.

He leaned forward, peering at her closely. "I don't know anything but I know I like you."

Tireni heart raced, she could feel his breath on her face. He had said it too direct and it caught her unawares. The way his lips moved, they were to deep too call them pink, something like the color of tomato ketchup.

She inhaled deeply and traced the rim of the glass cup with her index finger.

Olu didn't shift his gaze and it penetrated through her, she hoped he didn't hear her heart beat.

"Okay..." She drawled, cocking her head to the right slightly. "How old are you?."

"Twenty four." Olu sat back and picked his cutlery

"Twenty four!" Tireni repeated widening her eyes

"Come on! I said twenty four not forty two."

"I know, I heard you." Tireni relaxed in her chair to have a better look at the 24 year old mega looking guy sitting in front of her.

She expected him to say something like thirty or thirty five. Not like he looked old o but he was looking too well to do for a guy of twenty four. The way he dressed, his model of phone, standard car and a good job. He must be living an interesting life; Tireni thought.

"I don't know you, so I need time."

"Have all the time you want, but know that one heart is somewhere longing for yours." Olu gleamed, "So that I won't end up singing, 'what am I to do? I am tired of running around chasing you, I can never think of betraying you. Girl na you I dey find, baby make up your mind'." His rich voice sang the bridge of banky W's "will you be my lover?'

"Will you be my lover?" Tireni sang along

"Yes, no, yes, no, yes!" They chorused together and laughed out loud, swinging their head from left to right and back. The laughter quickly died down when they realized that they were calling attention. They both inhaled deeply as Olu's eyes smiled into hers. He was happy that he made her laugh.

After the meal, they gisted. Olu thought he saw Tayo pass, but dimissed it. Tireni asked after Olu's work on the case and he told her he was making progress, she said a brief prayer of success for him.

They talked about her love for music and share the song they liked. Olu was more into Blues’ than Tireni who likes hits. She spoke about music with deep passion as she defended her favourite music icons when Olu tried to bring them down with criticism.

They were about to go when Tireni asked for Olu's phone to call Adewoyin. He watched her as she made the call, she chuckled almost every two minutes. She finally dropped the call and said a hearty “thank you”. Olu leaned closer placing his arm on the table and gestured to her to come closer too.

Curious about what he wanted to tell her she leaned on the table too with her hands on her chin. Olu was about to declare his love for her again for the last time that day before he goes to drop her at the back at the bar.

He hardly caught the sight of the familar face when the hand landed at the back of Tireni's neck. Olu braced up to his feet, pushing his chair backward. Her sharp cry was resounding as her head hit the table.

"Are you crazy? Olu screamed, mad in anger before he realized that it was Tireni's mum, the famous Madam cash and chief suspect on his trending case that was standing before him. Beside her was a man; her date, he guessed.

CONTINUATION

Teniola was walking out of the VIP section of Franktel Foods when she thought she saw Tireni. Her own Tireni with a guy in the general section. She saw her move her head towards the guy like they wanted to kiss. Cheap thing, Madam Cash thought as she charged towards them.

Just three days ago, she caught her with Tayo and now this Guy. The customer she was talking to followed her behind.The two love birds were lost in what they were doing, they didn't notice there was an angry bull coming towards them.

"Mr. Man o don't put your mouth!" She cooed standing on her toes and waving a hand at Olu's face. She yanked Tireni up by her hair, making her whimp. Olu head muttering voices around, everybody in the place had their eyes on them.

"Madam, calm down." He decided to go the soft way although there was disdain written all over him.

Teniola picked the cup containing unfinshed drink and poured in on Olu. He clenched both his hand as his teeth trying to control himself. She dragged Tireni out of the restaurant by her hair.

The victim covered her face to avoid the shame. The customer who did not follow them out immediately faced Olu and said "you sef don't put your mouth in mother and child business again." He scowled and walked out

Olu picked his key from the table and stormed out after them. He saw Madam Cash push Tireni inside a car and sat at the back with her as she snapped at the driver to take off immediately. He spotted his car and walked to it.

Olu sat in the car seat and leaned into it. He allowed all that has happened replay in his mind. It was almost a perfect date, he wished he didn't pick that place. After letting his anger out on the dashboad by hitting it, he used his seat belt, inserted the ignition key, turned it and the car roared to life.

As he controlled the car in reverse and idea struck him. He picked up his phone and called Kessi.

"Jeez. What do we do now, Am sure the woman recognises you now?" Kessi replied after hearing all that happened

"Exactly! That where I need you to come in. Go to the bar and find out what happens since I can't go. If we get a picture of something, I can get her sued for child abuse and it'll be an easy way to get a DNA test" he reeled.

"I was about going to the lab but I can go tomorrow. I gat your back man!" Kessi assured.

"Thanks! I am waiting to hear from you." Olu cut the call and heaved a sigh.
** ** **
"We should be expecting you next week." The female voice from the other end spoke

"Yes, thanks." Bella replied, resting on the rail in the balcony.

"And don't forget to come with a business ownership form." The lady cooed on a final note.

"Noted!" Bella replied and cut the call

She had just called the general secetary of Simeon Stones to inform her that she is coming to drop her proposal next week. She felt the general secetary represented the company well with the way she talked.

She was friendly and polite. Actually, she wasn't the one supposed to be doing the calling but presently she didn't trust her P.A. So she had been taking care of all important transaction herself.

Bella hoped that she'd be the first to go with her proposal and that it would be considered as soon as possible.

She couldn't bear to lose anything anymore, she was committed to bring the company back up; at least to the stage it was, when her brother handed it over to her. Her mind went back to the detective, she hoped something was going on about her new discovery.

Bella closed her eyes and allowed the cool gentle breeze that passed lift her hair as it made its way past her.

"Hmmm.....sweet moment huh?" The detective husky voice interrupted the moment. He had entered the compound just as she was closing her eyes. Startled, Bella swirled around to see who talked and met him gleaming.

"Wow! I didn't know you where here she comported herself.
** ** **
"From what I am seeing now, she is been thrown out."

"Are you serious." Olu said drumming his fingers on his room door. Kessi was giving him feed back about what was going on at the bar.

He packed at the other side of the road, and saw Tireni at their gate, beside the bar, on her knees. Her white top was no more white.she looked like someone that had been rolling on the floor.

Bags and polythene nylon were flying out of the gate. People were all over, some cursing, some sympathizing with her and some gossiping.

There was nobody in the bar as they were all outside watching the way Madam Cash disciplined her child.

"I am serious, the woman is throwing her things out of the gate. People are gathered there sef."

"Oh. My God! I caused all this."

"Just calm down. I'll see what I can do."

Kessi waited patiently in his blue Acura TL car. He knew the population of people would soon decrease.

Madam Cash didn't seem to be changing her mind as she kept screaming curses at the girl. "You should have just died from the begining.' she cooed as she locked the gate from inside.

Tireni sat down on the floor with her box and bags scattered around her. Everybody has gone back to their business now and she had banged the gate severally in vain.

It was evening already she was tired and was already dozing off on one of the bags when she heard her name. It was a faint call but she still heard it. She opened her eyes and looked around, she only saw a nursing mother with her baby at her back passing and staring at her.

She placed her head back on the bag and heard her name again. This time it was louder. She sat up, curling her legs backward. And looked around. She sighted a man waving from inside a car. It couldn't be Olu, Olu was probably gone for good, just like Steven. She thought.

She stood up, using the gate as a support she felt dizzy. After getting her stance, she walked towards the Opaque blue car and narrowed her eyes to see if she could recoginze the person.

Tireni placed her hands on the rear mirror for support and spoke slowly. "Do I know you?"

"Yes. I offered a face towel the day a man hit you." She looked confused, her eyes were still squinted. "At the bar? Remember?" Kessi asked, concerned about the way she looked.

"Yeah, yeah I do!" She replied weakly.
What do you want?" Tireni asked, "you don't know the way some where?" She asked again

"No, I saw what happened, Olu sent me." He revealed.

Tireni's eyes shot open at once and her voice became clearer. "Olu sent you?"
She asked,

"Yes." Kessi confirmed. "You guys know each other? You are friends?" She left the rare mirror.

"Yes. Come in." He opened the door on the passagers side. "I'll explain better."

"No." Tireni answered firmly, "I don't know you."

"I wouldn’t want to bring any harm to a lady that has gone through so much already." Kessi stated with an appealing face. "I mean no harm, come inside, you can’t stand there like that."

She didn't say anything for a while, like she was weighing her options. Looking straight at him, she agreed and walked to the other side to take her seat.

Kessi put her on a call with Olu.
"Please let Kessi bring you over." Olu begged over the phone.

"I can't come to your house all because my Mum pushed me out, I am supposed to stay and beg and that is what I will do. People will think I don't feel remorse when they see me packing my things away."

"I know but it's already late. What is the essence when she is not even going to open the gate?"

"I will stay, thanks for the offer." The phone notifed that there was another call coming in.

"Hold on, Your Friend has a call." She passed the phone to Kessi, he picked the incoming call and talked for about five minutes. "Olu are you still there."

"Yes." He heard from the other end.

"I need to leave this place now, my wife just called that my boy is sick and I need to get them to the hospital." He informed Olu.

"Okay." He said again as he passed the phone to
Tireni.

"No don't bother." Tireni asserted without collecting the phone. She pushed the door open and got down. "Take care of your son." she screamed at Kessi as she crossed to the other side, to her gate.

"She just ran off." Kessi said into the phone, he cut the call and swerved into the street. He watched Tireni knock the big gate through the rear mirror and he shook his head. He was soon out of sight.

** ** **
Mr Fagade, his wife and daugther stood, before the grave with a pavement that had on it 'Fagade Collins, Gone too soon, 1952-1989' all in block letters and beside it was the grave of Fagade Stella.

Mrs Fagade tightened her hold on her daughter, stroking her by her hair. "I miss you brother." Bella mumbled as she bent to drop a flower stalk, without standing up completely she moved to Fagade Stella's grave, her dad moved back to give her space.

Squatting," I saw some one that looked like you recently. friend," she spoke softly and swallowed. Mr. And Mrs. Fagade gave themselves a quick glance, none of them understood what she was saying, she didn't mention anything like that to them.

"For some reasons I feel she is your missing daugther Stella." She continued, "she looks too much like you and talks like you too. Her name is also Tireni" She placed her hand on the tiled grave block. "I promise to find out if she is your real daugther." She dropped a flower there.

She stood up after muttering things nobody could hear for a while, her parents watched quietly. This was one of the reasons why they never allowed her come there alone. She could be really scary.

** ** **
Kessi drove to the station, he had gotten the results from the lab. Olu was to meet him there. They had a lot to tackle and he hoped Olu would allow his emotions get in there way. Left to him he wanted to finish this case once and for all.

He sighted the check point ahead, he noticed a woman and a man arguing with the police men.

"Do you know who I am?" He heard the woman brag. It was so weird to find out that the woman and man was Teniola and Tayo.

On a normal note, he'd have loved to stop his car and complicate the case for a revenge on behalf of Tireni, all the police men at that check point knew him well but for the sake of covering up his identity he zoomed off.

They went straight to business when he got to the station. Olu was already there with all the neccessary paper works.

"The result is exactly the same as the one from eighteen years ago.”Olu said as he looked through the new and former results.

"The thumb print of the person that loaded the bullet is different from the thumb print of Madam Cash that we trailed." Kessi informed

"She has a partner." He stated

"The partner is likely to be Tayo."

"How sure are you."

Kessi explained how he had been following the tapped phones from time to time, he told Olu how he knew that Tayo Marquis was going to meet with Teniola that day at Franktel Foods, it was mentioned in the calls they made together.

"I tried to call you that morning but your number wasn't going through. I guess there was a network problem that's why their calls redirected to my phone since you used my number as alternative." Kessi explained.

Olu and Tireni's visit to the same resturant that Madam Cash and Tayo was a sheer coincidence. Kessi explained how Tayo stated on over the Phone that it was going to be a strict business meeting.

"They talked about Simeon Stones. That’d be their next target." Kessi continued,

"And I think they have a strained relationship presently." Kessi showed Olu the apology text that Teniola sent to Tayo.

"According to GPS she sent it at 12:02 pm, from Franktel Foods. That should be after their meeting."

Olu took a deep breath. "We have to follow that Tayo up too. I'll go to Simeon Stones tomorrow to have a meeting with them."

They talked about Tireni for a while and Kessi promised to keep checking up on her and giving Olu feed back since he couldn't go anywhere near there.
** ** **
"Get out! Get out from here now!" Madam Cash screamed when she caught Tireni in a corner of the bar, curled up and sleeping,

Life outside the comfort of a room was terrible, she slept on the verandah of the bar with mosquitoes feasting on her, she hardly ate except once in a while when the bar attendants served her the last part of pepper soup out of pity. She felt sick at times but she kept on keeping on,

"Mum please." Tireni cried, it was her third day outside

"Oya, pack her things out." She told an attendant. "I don't want to ever see you anywhere near here." She said pushing Tireni out with her two hands.

Tireni staggered and fell into his hands. It was Olu, he was standing right there in front of her. He looked good even when he was frowning.

When Tireni became stable, she looked back at her Mum, she stood hands akimbo, staring at the two of them with disdain, she eyed them, hissed and walked back into the bar.

Tireni looked back at Olu, he seemed to have been looking at her Mum too. She pushed him to a side with all the strenght she had and stormed away.

Olu ran after her, he wondered where she was rushing to, she didn't even pick her bags, she walked passed her gate and crossed to the other side of the road.

Olu soon caught up with her. He held her by her arm. "Where are you running to?" He asked as they were both panting.

"Can't you just leave my life alone." She screamed, her veins popped out she stood on her toes. Almost putting he face in his face.

"You have caused me more pains than I ever imagined! Just go." She screamed again. People looked at them as they passed, majority of them recognized Tireni as they mumbled things to each other while they passed.

Olu expected this kind of reaction from her and he was prepared. He knew it would have been better for him to stay away but he couldn't bear with the fact that she was sleeping outside home.

"You have to listen to me Tireni. I know you are mad at me, but none of us bargained for this." He walked briskly after her as she walked off doubling her steps.

"I love you and nothing would change that." Olu cooed from behind her. It was like they poured cold water over her. She stopped abruptly and almost fell into Olu who was directly behind her.
"Then stop loving me. Stop loving me Olu." It was the first time she called his name and he liked the sound of it.

"I can't help it I am sorry." Olu said with his eyes down

"Just go, please I beg you, leave me alone." Olu stood still and watched her go. She meant it she asked him to leave for.

He felt he should respect her opinion and give her space. He wished he could scream it out loud to the whole world that Madam Cash is likely not to be her mother but the time wasn't right yet. He needed an evidence.
** ** **
"Yes! Yes!! Yes!!!" Detective Shina screamed as he jumped up in joy. Bella almost thought his bulging stomach would fall off as she laughed along. Shina couldn't believe it, he was a lucky man.

He was finally who he had always wished to be, a well to do Detective supervisor who was with an exception woman. A woman with brains.

Bella had walked into his compound with a small cake in her hands, she screamed his name and he looked down from the window of his room upstairs.

She wore a gown that matched the color of the cake. Orange cotton flay gown, it had net on the top part and a black slightly heeled open toe shoe, it was suwed with matching necklace and bracelet. Her well made up face gleamed as she looked up to him.

Shina came downstairs to open the door for her, he was quick to notice what was inscribed on the cake but he wasn't quick to comment. He didn't want to be too forward and fall his own hand. He moved back for her to come in and she went straight to the dinning.

"Can i get a bread knife." She cooed to Shina who was getting the door locked. He got the knife and came over to join her. "So, what are we celebrating." He asked with his eyes taking the the whole of her in.

"We are celebrating the day I have decided to let go of my past and pick up joy, the day I have decided to take a risk and permit love into my heart." She said as she loosened the nylon she used to pack the self made cake.

"I should get us drinks then." Shina said still trying to be calm and not forward. He stood up and went to the fridge while Bella took her sit.

"Hmmm, I don't think I really get you? He wanted her to hit the nail on the head.

"Okay, I am saying...." She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Shina stood up from the chair where he was seating, he stood behind it and held the wood firmly looking a Bella's calm face.
"I am saying yes to you Shina."

"I promise, that you won't regret this." Shina said after expressing wild happiness for some minutes. "I hope I wouldn't" Bella beamed him a smile. She was finally giving herself to a man.
** ** **
Kessi informed Olu that his son was fine and that they were now back home. The little boy had malaria fever and was probably also 'daddy sick' because he seemed to get better after seeing his dad.

"Daddy don't go again o." He cooed into his dad's shoulders as he balanced himself of his arms.

"Daddy needs to work naw." Kessi's wife came to his aid, "but he'll be here for now." She threw Kessi the I- Hope- so look. Kessi did stay with them all through till they were ready to go home.

Olu informed him that Tireni was still sleeping outside and that she didn't look good to him. He told Kessi about his decision to give her space for now but that he couldn't also stand the fact that he wasn't going to get to see her and know how she’s faring or if her so called Mother had taken her back.

"I need you to help me again." He landed

"That'll be hard o, what makes you think she'll talk to me, she already knows that we know each other."

"It's worth the try Kessi. I think it's worth it."

"Okay. I'll try."

"Thanks man, thanks!" He heaved a sigh.
** ** **

missmossy and kingphilip will surely do that.

oyinda1242:
plz lets not forget to notify me of any adjustment i need to make....corrections and suggestions are very welcomed!

temitopedaniel
missmossy
mismore
souloho19
tusinsola
dimssy
deolutolu
iyerenath
kingphilip
and as many of us that are reading through....love ya!

dimssy:
miss.mossy and King philip will surely do that.

when you're here too

EPISODE 7

The car gave a whooshing sound as it sped raising the dust from the untiled road, it was a Maroon coloured honda that had Tayo has it's driver. He swerved into the filling station and waited for his turn to fill the car. This part of the business that he was going for was one of the most important.

"He just entered a filling station to fill his tank I guess. I am right behind him" Olu spoke

Tayo horned as he waited for the car in front of him to enter into the main road; soon, he was on his way, on top speed with his blaring music. How would he have known that he was being followed?

They overheard him discuss with someone about delivering Guns through his tapped phone, it'd be a very good bonus for Olu and Kessi to hand over the Gun dealer along side with Tayo.

Olu had prepared well to trail him, they were able to get the hotel he was staying through the GPS and Olu was already there waiting at a corner in a black Nissan Aramanda SUV that had tinted windows, full tank and had been given a thorough check up by an expert mechanic a night before.

Whatever happens, Kessi was going to send backup, so there was no fear, even if things turned sour.

Olu didn't drive too fast neither did he drive too slow, he was smart enough not to follow the car directly. It was a straight road so Tayo couldn't have suspected any particular car as they were all heading in the same route.

He increased the music has he entered triumphantly into Abeokuta, Olu maintained his distance knowing that it'll now be easy for Tayo to notice any foul game. "You are at Abeokuta now?"

"Yes." Olu replied, happy that his partner was following him up diligently.

"I just sighted the house, you won't believe what it looks like, so tattered." Olu continued.
As he clicked on his camera.

He had seen the Firearms dealer come out and handed over bag to Tayo bringing out a semi- automatic pistol which was probably a sample of what was in the bag.

Olu took a quick shot before he reversed back into the main street. Tayo had followed immediately, Olu increased the speed of the car and soon lost Tayo, which was what he wanted.

He had to take the camera to the lab to get the pictures printed out as tangible evidence. Tayo was definitely Madam Cash's partner.

"Where are you?" He asked Kessi over the phone as he walked into the station, it was evening already but he and Kessi had planned to meet there the moment he returned from the trailing Trip.

"I am in the hospital." Kessi keeping his voice low.

"Hospital?"

"Yes,"

"Your son?" Olu asked

"No."

"Then what? How come you are there? Are you injured." Olu asked as he plopped down into his chair. He was tired and famished.

"Tireni, she....hold on." He heard Kessi say. Olu became alarmed.

"Tireni. What happened to her? Where is the place?" He stood up abruptly. Confused. Kessi's voice didn't come through but the call was still on.

Olu paced around the empty bull pen as Detective Bello, the other detective apart from Him and Kessi had not resumed still. He wondered what the nature Detective Bello's sickness was.

He placed his phone in his ear again and realized that the call had already ended. He tried Kessi's number over and over but he wasn't picking
** ** **
Teniola pushed open the small side gate with the confidence that there was no security man behind it. Tayo had done his own part of the deal, he got her all the things she needed and cleared off every disturbance.

She was clad in a pink blazer and a black sleeveless gown, light make up and her packed up braid hung over her shoulder. She had a glittering silver necklace that had a heart shaped pendant with matching earrings.

Well composed, she walked elegantly into the building with her shoes making clanking sounds. Teniola knocked once and pushed open the adjoining door of the general secretary's office. "Good morning." She greeted, raising her pink shaded eye brows.

"Good morning." The women present in the office chorused. "Are you here for the proposal too?" The lady who seemed to own the office asked, while the other lady looked back at her.

"Obviously." Teniola replied confidently.

The secretary immediately had a scowl on her face. Teniola suddenly seemed to be a challenge to her authority; A reputation she had built over years. She didn't want anyone to come and start making her feel unworthy.

"From which company?" She probed further.

"Margul and sons." She replied, flipping a stray stray strand of her hair back. The name of the company she used was a name Tayo came up with from God-Knows- where. She mentioned it confidently because she knew Tayo must have cleared all the necessary grounds.

The secretary checked it up on the laptop in front of her and nodded. "Come over. Join us." She said looking straight at her. Teniola motioned towards them and took her sit in the only empty seat available near the woman the the secretary was attending too.

The other woman seemed younger but classic. Her designers bag, heels and long wavy Brazillian hair caught Teni's attention. She had a fair unblemished skin that glowed, light make up and a kind of confidence that could come only from success. Bella was killing the occasion.

"So we have three companies that have already submitted their proposal and are still expecting more before the end of this week. The company's administrative board would meet next Monday to pick the favored company and should get back to us by Wednesday." The secretary reeled looking straight at the two women before her. They seemed to mind each other's business and didn't share any eye contact through out.

"I should get back to you on Thursday morning, if none of these plans are disrupted." Bella nodded as she tried to size the other woman up from the corner of her eyes.

She seemed to her like she was a strong competitor and she had never heard about 'Margul and sons" before nor met her in any business meeting. She decided that she was going to do a check up on the company through the internet when she got home.

** ** **

"Kessi!" Olu screamed from inside when he heard the door bell, he had gone home when he wasn't able to get any more information from Kessi at the station, he didn't know the hospital where he was, so it was no use staying, besides it was late already.

Olu hurried to the door and fumbled with the key. He got it opened and there stood before him his house keeper's daughter, A young girl of about sixteen.

"Good evening." He was visibly surprised.

"Good evening sir." She seemed shaken.

"Is there a problem? Olu asked, concerned.

The petite, dark complexioned girl in a blue polo and black dusty skirt that had patches of brown on it looked down to her pink girly slippers. She itched her head and kept her face down.

"Is there a problem?" Olu asked again.

"I want to sleep here." She mumbled

Olu chuckled. "Sleep here? Where is your Mummy."

"She sacked me. she said I am pregnant."

"Are you pregnant?"

The girl nodded affirmatively, Olu started at her stomach and felt there was no bugling sign of pregnancy. Olu was getting thrilled by what he was seeing. To him she was to thin and lanky to be pregnant.

"You are pregnant because your Mum said so?"

"Yes." She replied looking at his face for the first time.

Yoruba mothers sha, Olu thought. He weighed his options; taking her in might be risk, he couldn't trust her explanation. He pushed his feet into his palm slippers and followed the girl home walking behind her. His mind had not shifted from Tireni, he got all steamed up when stupid questions crossed his mind.

'What if Tireni was pregnant? Could that be the reason why Kessi cut the call? Why were they in the Hospital?'

"It's there sir." The girl cut him out of his thoughts, pointing at her house. A two bedroom flat.

The woman finally agreed to take her daughter back in after Olu had promised to give them money to go to the Hospital for a confirmatory test the next day.

He walked home, happy that he helped the situation and wishing he could help Tireni that much. Time and chance didn't just permit. He got home and tried Kessi's unreachable number series of times before giving up. Sleep seemed to have been kidnapped as he searched for it all through the boring night.

It was quarter to seven in the morning when Olu heard his door bell ring, he sprang up from the bed as he wasn't sleeping deeply.

It was Kessi this time. He looked like someone that has not had enough rest. "Do you have stout?" He requested has he walked in.

"No, but there is coffee or fruit punch." Olu replied as he closed the door. Kessi sank into the sofa in the living room.

"Did you go home at all?" Olu asked as he brought out fruit punch and a glass cup from the fridge.

"No. Was in the hospital till this morning." Kessi went on to explain how he met Tireni along the road throwing up some distance before the bar.

'Jeez she is truly pregnant' was what jumped into Olu perplexed mind until Kessi explained that the doctor diagnosed 'Malaria and Enteric fever.' "She is on drips now, her third one before I left this morning."

Olu sighed. "It should be as a result of sleeping outside."

"And dirty water too." Kessi added

"How about the bills."

"I settled it already" Kessi yawned.

"You should rest before I give you feed back on the trailing."

"I swear I need it."

Olu led Kessi to his king sized scattered bed. A part of the bed sheet was on the floor but Kessi didn't mind as he settled himself on the stack of three pillows.
** ** **
Fagade Bella discussed the business proposal with her parents, expressing the uproar that had been created in her mind at the sight of the said CEO of Margul and Sons.

She had checked online and found out that they dealt with the manufacturing of Jewelry. They seemed to be Potential competitors, She remembered the look on the woman's face.

Mrs Fagade did not cease to keep assuring and encouraging her daughter using the sentence 'Fagade Design is different from others so don't let it bother you.'

Bella knew that if Simeon Stones accepted her proposal, she could make them permanent partners along the line. She sighed and moved away from the window to avoid the slap an angry wind was bringing.

In order to take her mind off the all things, Bella talked to her Mum about Tireni, how she met her and how likely she is to be her parents grand child. She had not mentioned it to them even when they overheard her at the cementry. The idea of having someone to call a 'grand child.' was exciting. Mrs Fagade prayed in her heart that the girl was really the lost daughter of her only son.

Bella walked into her room dragging her feet, the two pressing issues on her mind were sitting heavily on her shoulders. She climbed to her bed and picked up her phone.

"Can I come over, Are you free?"

It was a text from Shina. She replied him and awaited his presence. Bella couldn't wait to tell him about the new development at Simeon Stones.

She changed into a peach flowing gown and went into the kitchen to prepare for her Visitor after informing her Mum who decided to stylishly excuse them by going to her shop.

Shina told Bella about how he trusted her intelligence that she couldn't be overlooked by Simeon stones. Infact, he declared the investment hers. He advised her to have ready made plans on how to handle it and to make maximum profit.

"Fagade Designs is coming up back again, and it'll crush the fashion industry." He said, almost sure of himself.

It brought a quick beam to Bella's face. Shina seized the opportunity and planted a soft sharp kiss on her firm peach painted lips. She chuckled.

"So should I go ahead and see her." Bella asked as they shifted the discussion to Tireni. "No, you can't make any claims without proper evidence."
He told her as he munched the pawpaw. It was cut into moderate sizes and arranged in a soup plate. It's bright yellow color and creative arrangement made it appetizing.

"I won't make claims, just to talk to her and get to know her more." She defended

"No, any slight cause for suspicion can send this whole case crumbling down." Bella was quiet.

"Do you understand me Bella?"

"I am not sure." She answered looking straight at him.

"Please I just need you to stay away from her, at least for now, so that you don't put yourself at the risk of being killed." Shina placed an affectionate hand under her chin and used his other hand to pull her closer making her head rest on his chest.

** ** **

Olu pulled up at 'Life O'guard' hospital against the advice of his partner. He just had to see her even if he didn't get to talk to her, he'd stand outside the hall to see how she is faring.

"Ward two, Bed three." the nurse that attended to him at the reception directed. Kessi had told him that Tireni mentioned that she didn't want to see Olu for now, he had advised that Olu gives her some space to recover first before going to her.

Olu walked through the corridor passing by array of rooms with different labels. The whole place smelt of antiseptic and drugs, it made him tweak his nose. He stopped at a door with a plastic card that read "ward 2 Female's ward."

The plastic card indicated that visitors were not allowed until 12pm. He checked his wrist watch it was 11:45am, he took his seat on a white painted waiting bench towards the left hand side of the ward.

He watched the nurses in clean white gowns and blue caps that looked like a toy goal post walk around, holding trays that contained syringe, drugs, drip bags and all other sort of medications.

A nurse entered the ward Tireni was said to be with a stack of sky blue plain bed sheets over her right arm. He could hear her telling them in the ward to get dressed that it'll soon be visiting hour.

The nurse came out empty handed and and looked sideways to where Olu was seated pressing his phone. "Hello." She called his attention with her very thin voice that made it look like she was squeaking.

"Good morning." Olu greeted rising to his feet for an handshake. The nurse shook his hand firmly and beamed him a smile, exposing her her gap teeth.

"You are here on a visit?" She asked, still keeping her smile.

"Yes." Olu replied with a hint of a smile on his face.

"You can go in ten minutes time."

"Okay, thanks." Olu drawled, taking his seat again.

She looked back, casting quick glances at Olu as she walked away, he didn't seem to notice anyway, he had resumed back to his phone.

Olu saw a man walk into the ward with his wife. They probably had a child in there. He knew it was time to go in. He took a quick breath and muttered something like a prayer as he pushed open the door. He sighted the bed that had '3' written on it with something that looked like red paint.

Olu motioned towards the bed cautious that his shoe didn't make too much sound, he stood at the edge of the bed for a while. The occupant seemed to be soundly asleep, the yellow content in the drip pipe moved so slow that Olu had to shake his head.

He gathered enough courage, inhaled deeply and made to remove the cover cloth that had covered both the persons body and face.

He bent a little and dragged the cover cloth little by little till it came over the person's face. He met the alarmed eyes of a woman's round face.

She had bulging eyes and black lip , her front hair was scanty like rat chopped it off. Olu was as shocked as the Woman, she looked so terrible that you could almost conclude that she was suffering from cancer.

"Oh...I am so sorry." Olu stuttered and the woman kept staring.

"I guess the nurse gave me a wrong bed number. I am sorry." Olu pleaded. When the woman kept staring with a bewild face without saying nothing.

Olu decided to cover her back up, and that's what he did. He stepped away from her bed side and glanced around, all the other occupants had their faces opened and none of them looked like Tireni.

He walked back briskly to the reception and complained. The nurse there told him that that was the bed number recorded for Tireni Marquis and if she wasn't there, then she didn't know.

A patient waiting to be attended to that overheard his conversation with the nurse, advised him to check through all bed '3' in the female wards.

"She isn't in any room! She is missing!" Olu said on top of his voice, like he was alerting the whole hospital as he approached the receptionist.

I doff my hat for una two nah...still learning boss

kingphilip:
when you're here too

dimssy:
I doff my hat for una two nah...still learning boss

she's doing a good job for now though

Hopefully she improves with the frequency of her updates

BTW happy weekend boss

CONTINUATION

Sir, you are disturbing the hospital premises. You are not allowed to scream here." The nurse cooed with a scowl.

"I am telling you that someone is missing and you are talking this way." Olu motioned towards the desk, mad with fear and terror.

"I want to see the doctor now." He continued.

"Then join queue." She scowled, "sick man." She added as she walked away from the desk.
Olu stared at her plump body as she walked away. If only she knew he could get her bad mouth into jail.

He drummed on the top of his car as he waited for Kessi to pick. He explained what went wrong in a rush and Kessi promised to be there in some minutes time. Olu sat in his car with his eyes closed as he waited for Kessi. Did he come to the wrong hospital?
** ** **
Bella had received a call the other night, she would be needed at Simeon Stones that Monday morning. The secretary had told her that her company and Margul and sons have been picked for consideration and they both had to be present at a meeting with he board of directors.

"Your company has a profit back down based on fraud?" The bespectacled bald man asked looking straight a Fagade Bella. Who was clad in a blue shirt, pink skirt and a pink muffler attached to her shirt. She shifted on the chair, hesitating before she answered.

"yes sir."
She clenched her fist. "But it's been sorted out." She added fast enough before the man continued.

"Excuse us for some time." The man spoke up referring to both Bella and Teniola. Soon they where called back in. Bella's brain was dead nervous, for the first time she wished she had proposed for this contract through the Simeon brothers.

" We would get back to you through the secretary but I'll like to inform you that Simeon Stones does not invest to lose. We take our decisions based on team work and would go for only what we know is right."

Bella and Teniola nodded. "Thanks for understanding." The man stood up and packed his laptop into his bag and other board members followed suit. Teniola and Bella held a long gaze before they joined the troop leaving the office.
** ** **
"We'll find her don't worry." Kessi assured Olu as he drove on top speed.

"I don't want to believe that, we have checked the hospital, we have checked the bar. Where would she now be!" Olu said, rubbing the front of his forehead. His worries drew lines across his forehead.

"Why did the doctor allow her to leave." He added, it was more of an accusation than a question.

"She is eighteen Olu, she is old enough to make decisions."

"So!" Olu asked with wild eyes

"So you don't expect the doctor to hold her down." Kessi answered expressionlessly

Kessi had handled the situation with calmness when he entered the hospital, he requested to see a Doctor and he was allowed into the office. Olu stood outside by his car, he didn't go inside with Kessi because his frustrated self wouldn't help the situation.

The doctor had informed Kessi that Tireni signed out herself a night before saying that she felt better and need to go. He had tried making her stay to finish her medication but she bluntly refused and another patient was given her bed as soon as she left the premises.

Kessi's expression already told Olu that it was no good news, they decided to check the bar and didn't find a trace of her. They tried asking people and they were like they have not seen her for about two days now. Olu and Kessi decided to comb the streets for her. It was a futile search.
** ** **
Shina watched the way Bella hid her emotions perfectly. No single tear drop yet her conversations were laden with pain. The loss of the investment opportunity really pained her. She had told herself severally that Simeon Stones would regret not investing in Fagade designs.

"I am going to work on my company till we beat them hands down." She talked with so much determination

"It'll be fine Bella." Shina consoled

"A company experienced fraud, doesn't make it useless, even good people go through bad times and they are not supposed to be condemned." She said, visibly tired.

"Don't get yourself worked up, you should rest, allow me show you the guest room." Shina offered

"No, thanks." Her stubborness prevailed.

Bella had gone to Shina's house the moment she got the text that explained that Margul and sons was the preferred company. She was disappointed and frustrated.

The investment was her core plan in moving her business forward. She still didn't understand why they dropped her because of a fraud incident, an incident she expected them to see has mere.

Olu's call came in some minutes after Bella started dozing on the sofa. "Sir the girl has gone missing." Olu's voice boomed

"Which girl?."

"The Tireni girl."

"Hmm." The detective supervisor stared at Bella's sleeping face, and stood up to continue the call in his room. Bella stirred a little, stopping him on his tracks.

"Sir can we have a meeting, there are somethings you need to know about her." Olu continued from the Other end.

"Let's talk about it in the office tomorrow, 10am. Please keep this information from Fagade Bella she just experienced a loss."

He warned before cutting the call. Bella would kill herself is he finds out that the girl she had her hopes up on was missing, she talked about this Tireni girl whenever they met. Not even now that things seemed to be going bad for her.
** ** **
"If i’ve not seen her in a long while, even when I came home for break about six months ago, I didn't see her." Adewoyin said into the receiver looking at Tireni's frail body on the mattress in her self contained apartment. She had shown up in her hostel about two hours after she called that she was coming.

Adewoyin had sent her the address and of course she was very happy to have her long time best friend around. Just that her mouth almost dropped when she saw the frail staggering figure of her friend dragging a box and a polythene bag along, she didn't look well.

She updated questions really fast for Tireni to answer as to why she was that way but her tired friend was to weak too download any answer. Instead she asked for water.

She had taken the water and curled up to bed after telling Adewoyin not to say anything about being there to anyone, although she didn't expect anyone to ask after her. She promised to explain everything to her friend when she had gotten enough rest.

Adewoyin was about to tear the dangote pasta into the pot of boiling water when her phone rang. It was a man that introduced himself as Olumide and explained that Tireni had called her number twice with his phone before.

He asked if she had seen Tireni and she denied because of what Tireni had told her before she slept. Who was he? Was her best friend running from her boyfriend? What about her parents? These were questions that tugged Ade's mind as she went ahead with her cooking.

It was when she tapped Tireni to come and eat that she realized that she was running on high temperature. "Tireni!" She exclaimed "you burn like fire!" Startling her friend out her sleep.

"Don't worry I have drugs." She said with a wave of dismissal and adjusted to continue her sleep.

"You are sick Tireni." Ade said as if to inform her. There was no response from the sleeping girl, Adewoyin tapped her again to sit up and eat but the effort was futile, she got another plate, covered the food and set it by her on the bed.

** ** **
Olu was just dropping the call when the supervisor entered, Kessi had called earlier that he would soon join them. He greeted the man and they took their seat.

"So what have you gotten about the missing girl."

"She has been no where to be found, Kessi took her to the hospital she was sick and now we can't find her." Olu wheeled out not knowing where to start from exactly.

"And why should Kessi take her to the hospital, I don't understand." Shina asked looking suspicious

Kessi entered the conference room, greeted and took his seat, the supervisor and Olu stared at him in an awkward manner. He was forced to to ask 'what?'

Olu dismissed the question, gave a fake cough
and continued. He explained all that had happened, he kept apologizing for his misconduct and for allowing emotions get in the way of his job. He explained everything from his first time at the bar to the point where he called Adewoyin. The supervisor listened with rapt attention.

Olu finished his tale and looked up at the supervisor; his head had been down all the while. He didn't see what he expected when he met the supervisors gaze, it was more of a smile than a scowl.

"Well, I think it's confession time." Shina announced whit his smile coming to full bloom.
Kessi and Olu glanced at each other wondering what their supervisor was about to say.

"Bella just said yes to me recently." He dropped, biting his lower lip.

"Fagade?" Olu asked, raising his brows.

"Ehn ehn! So that woman can say yes to a man!" Kessi proclaimed as his eyes shot out.
The supervisor chuckled and Olu and Kessi laughed along.

"The supervisor is in love with the victim and the detective is in love with the chief suspect's daughter." Kessi said with a smirk.

"Tough equation." The detective added, leaning into his high back executive chair.

"But there is tendency that Tireni is Bella's niece." Olu said breaking the ice of silence that was dominating.

"It is still a mere hypothesis, detective Olu." The supervisor sounded formal.

"I think we should take extra care to search Tireni out, she is a core evidence for these cases and keeping the fact that she is missing from Bella Fagade isn't a bad suggestion, women can be really funny at times." Olu swallowed as he listened while Shina nodded.

"We should get fluid samples or hair strands from the three involved and do a DNA test while Olu calls Simeon Stones to tell them to slow down a bit." He concluded.

"Nice plan." The supervisor commended

"After I got the message sent to Teniola Marquis about the acceptance of the proposal by Simeon Stones, I stopped receiving signals." Olu informed. "They must have found out that their phones where tapped." Olu added

"How can that be." Shina asked tapping the floor with his shoes

"They have an insider?" Kessi asked and the three looked at each other.

"We can't say for now, it's just the three of us on this case and I want to believe there is no insider amidst us." Shina stated and the two nodded, inhaling deeply.

"It could be a minor fault from the technician. I'll call him today." He assured. "And before I forget, detective Bello is resuming tomorrow, he should be handling the latest street murder that was reported."
** ** **
Tireni opened her eyes and the aroma from the spaghetti by her side hit her nose. She dragged her self up lazily and looked around the room for Adewoyin.

She was right there, sitted on the floor at the corner of the room beside the reading table with her head buried in a novel titled 'Unrequited.', she could see a lady holding her eyes in tears at the back cover but she couldn't see the name of the writer clearly.

She had known Adewoyin to be an addicted reader of novels of any theme. She liked it as much as she liked music. "You've not stopped reading all these love rubbish." She said startling her friend.

"Oh, you are awake!" Ade said as she dropped the novel near the stove.

"You need to eat use your drugs." She picked a sachet water from the reading table and motioned towards the bed.

After Tireni had eaten and used her drugs, she and Ade had a long talk about all the things that had happened so far and why she decided to come a long way to her school.

"I needed fresh air, the air back at home was killing me." She expressed her discomfort.
Adewoyin expressed her bitterness about what Madam Cash did to her friend.

"That your dad should be hanged to death." She declared with a scowl. Tireni hit her with her left palm, she wasn't fast enough to escape the stinging effect the slap had on her laps.

"Ouch!" She exclaimed in surprise

"That’s my Dad you just talked about." Tireni accused

"Whatever.." Ade drawled and eyed her friend. She felt Tireni was just being unnecessarily loyal to a man that didn't mind her death.

Their talk projected into late night as Adewoyin updated Tireni on how academics have been and her new relationship with one 'Williams.' According to her they were in the same level but not in the same department.

She talked like someone that was getting the best out of the whole romantic relationship and she didn't forget to add that he could sing really well to. That must have been what catalyzed their love. Tireni thought to herself.

Adewoyin had asked Tireni why she wouldn't give Olumide a chance and she replied that she didn't trust him enough yet and his presence in her life was what aggravated her problems.

"You don't know what the future holds for you guys." She tried to encourage her friend

"Let whatever it holds wait." Tireni countered firmly

"Did I tell you that Steve is also in my school." Ade asked, changing the topic.

"The same Steve?" Tireni's eyes widened

"Yea, same one, we are in the same level, he is studying accounting."

"Wow! He must be bigger now." Tireni commented

"And handsome too." Adewoyin added with mischief hanging on its edges. Tireni stirred at her friend and they both chuckled

"All the best for you o." Tireni said pushing her by her shoulders. She felt better talking with Adewoyin, she almost forgot that she was not yet fully recovered.