CHAPTER FORTY TWO

Agent Diza rode the elevator to the fifth floor of the Blue Water Hotel, her eyes and mind alerted to any sound that might catch her attention. She had decided on her own to take a quick look at the floor and ascertain the room their suspect was staying before the others get there. She sauntered confidently along the lobby her eyes taking on the numbers on the doors. Although, she had no idea of the actual room, but as a guest in one of the rooms two floors away, she was hopeful she could detect the room by chance through an unexpected activity on the floor. And true to chance she almost stumbled on three members of the Free-Hands as they emerged from the presidential suite’s elevator with two beastly looking dogs flanking one of them by the sides. However, luckily for her one of the doors nearby suddenly opened and a middle aged man in short and T-shirt beamed happily at her. She smiled back at him, gave him a tight hug and gently maneuvered him back into the room and then pushed the door as Smoke, Victor and John Bull went pass the door without interest.
Once inside the room, she stood back and stared confusingly at the man who also stared surprisingly at her.

‘’ What happened? You look older than the guy at the bar yesterday.’’ Diza hurriedly said, her eyes taking on the man.

‘’Excuse me, what guy? What bar?’’ The man asked still surprised.

‘’Oh, then there must have been a mistake. I am supposed to meet Barrister Michael in room 245. I just spoke to him from the reception.’’ She added and smiled sexily at the perplexed looking man.

‘’Oh, no, you’re in the wrong room. I am not a lawyer. I am actually expecting a visitor the reason I opened my door to check, I thought I heard footsteps by the door. Room 245 I guess should be upstairs’’ The man finally explained to her.

‘’ Ops! I am sorry, I don’t know the problem with me, I usually have problems with numbers of hotel rooms. Please forgive me.’’
She said mildly, opened the door and hurriedly stepped out of the room. Just in time to see the three members of the Free-Hands crowded into a room by the far end of the corridor.

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However, what Diza did not see was that Lizzy had foolishly opened her room door to her down fall that evening. The shock on her face on opening the door and coming face to face with two beastly dogs and the unexpected faces of Smoke, Victor and John Bull was beyond description. She jumped back horribly as if she had just stepped on a hot piece of coal, and watched petrified as the two dogs made their way into the room, followed by her now three dreaded partners in crime. Just then, the bathroom door pushed open and out came Skinny in his pant and singlet. He stopped midway into the room and froze with shock; his frightened eyes darted to the dogs and to the three members of his gang.

‘’ E be like say show don finish.’’ Victor who had been the one that spoke as room service attendant in a disguised voice said aloud and moved to the bed to admire Liz’s shopping spree.

Smoke with his bloodshot eyes stared dangerously into space. He then moved into the room and took a seat on one of the sofas as one of the dogs took over the closed door while the other rested its paws beside him.

‘’ I can explain, honestly, we…’’ Lizzy tried to voice out with fear. But Smoke cut her short with the wave of his hand.

‘’Explain to yourself…abi una come here to hear explanation?’’ This he threw to Victor and John Bull who both nodded disapprovingly, but kept staring surprisingly at the half-naked Skinny and the equally half-clad Lizzy.

‘’ True, no be wetin you think, Smoke. Honestly nothing dey happen between us.’’ Skinny finally squeaked out.

’’ So, how long una don dey Bleep each other?’’ Smoke asked sarcastically.



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Agent Diza quietly took an elevator to the seventh floor aware that the man was still by the door and staring at her. She waved at him as the door closed and composed herself before stepping out casually into the lobby and then made her way into one of the rooms at the far end. She wrapped in coded strokes on the door and Etim admitted her in. Mai-Coins who was by the window stared at her and knew she had some good news.

‘’ I think we finally have the Smoke in our hands.’’ She spitted out and calmly explained her experience and suspicious to them.
They both listened attentively with excitement creeping into their wary face. They could not believed their luck, nor comprehend the fact that the end to their hunt for the most wanted criminal in their career was just few minutes away from them.

‘’ So this guy has a shine head, he his thick set and wore dark shade?’’ Mai-Coins repeated for the third time.

‘’ Correct’’ Diza responded, folded her hands and stared out of the window.

‘’ But he could still be any member of the gang we do not know, just like the Skinny guy.’’ Etim chipped in warningly.

‘’Yes, I thought the same, but this guy has something about him, he moves with grace and seem to have command over the men and beasts around him.’’ Diza replied thoughtfully.

‘’ What do you mean?’’ Mai-Coins interjected with a curious look.

‘’ An ordinary member of the Free-Hand would not be walking around with two fierce looking dogs in an expensive hotel like this.’’ Diza told them.

‘’Dogs! You mean you saw this guy here with dogs? Mai-Coins exclaimed.

‘’ Smoke, he is here’’ Etim exclaimed before Diza could answer.

The team then sat down and quickly strategized on the best way to tackle the situation and professionally arrest their most wanted criminal. The duo of Mai-Coins and Etim were wary and afraid of committing another blunder like their previous mistake at the Mercury Hotel. Therefore, they went through their plan carefully and finally made arrangement for external support.



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