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mayapop: What's killing 'em? .

NEXT CHAPTER PLEASE!

That is why we are reading

creamyanne: Intresting!

Candis009: Very intriguing n captivating. Weldon

Thanks guys.



I really do appreciate your comments.

jedalorh: The suspense is killing me...next chapter pleeeeaaaase

Stick around Jedalorh.

CHAPTER 8

By 5pm David was driving on the road leading to his house. "Just drive past your house," William had told him. "Drive at 20km/h and observe carefully for any unusual activities around. Don't make your presence too obvious. Go as slowly as possible." David found the orders ridiculous. He wouldnt have heeded had William not once been the most trusted person in his life. Even though William had committed lots of atrocities even against David in the past, David still had a soft spot reserved for his cousin. William usually had always been the wild and adventurous one. All the years of their growing up, William got into more trouble than was in the 'Pandora's Box of 'Trouble'. He got locked up more than ten times for gambling. He got two girls pregnant before he was 19, was expelled twice from the same high school for tapping a teacher's 'ass as he called it. David was highly surprised when William declared he wanted to study Intelligence and Security as a course. William had finished his bachelor's degree one year before David finished his and they were both planning to go for their Masters degree. William wanted to go to either America or Europe while David was fine with anywhere. They both saved to further their studies but William spent more than half gambling while he used the rest to smuggle himself illegally to Egypt and then to Spain before eventually ending up in Mexico. For almost two years David had not wished to speak with him and he hadn't. William calling David at the time he did gives David a kind of feeling and a sense of foreboding. He hadn't forgiven him. He delayed his furthering of his postgraduate studies.

David drove for 8 minutes before he reached his house and directly in front of his house were two service vans. One of them labelled laundry services and the other, water delivery services. David drove past slowly as instructed and some seconds later his phone rang. "Park your car five houses from yours. In front of the green house." It was William. David did as instructed. David waited for about 5 minutes before William opened the passenger's door and got into the car.

"David what's up?" William who looked older and more matured said as he opened the door to David's car.

David didn't say any thing. He just turned sideways and sized William up with his eyes.

"I know you're crossed with me man but we gotta save you and others first. Follow me." William said and got out of the car.

David followed him and they both got into a van similar to the ones David had seen earlier. It was an environmental sanitation van.

"You see those service vans? They aren't what they seem to be."

"How do you mean?" David asked.

"Just like this one, does this look like it's gonna go around to collect garbage." William asked.

David looked around him and observed the lush leather settee, high-tech recording equipment, high-definition screens. He slowly shook his head."

"Did you order for any of the services they render?"

"No. My wife might have."

"Call her and ask?" William put in.

"What exactly is happening?" David asked bringing out his phone to make a phone call.

William pointed to one of the screens. "I've been watching for hours on end now."

"That's my house isn't it? You've been spying on me?" David angrily asked putting the phone back in his pocket.

"Yes I have. It's to protect you." William said.

"You run off to some distant part of the world after you almost ruined my life and now you come back telling me how you want to protect me." David ranted.

"Just relax. I'll tell you everything. It's about the company you work for." William said.

"I don't care and I need you to stop right now." David shouted and then his phone rang again. It was Andrew. He wanted David back at the office. It was some minutes to 6pm. "I've gotta go man." David got out of the van.

***

The news had spread all round the country about the death of Angela Orlu. It was shocking and even as Susan laid on his chest while they both watched the news he could feel she had questions to ask about the deaths at his workplace. "Your company sent some people to come install a washing machine today. Are you aware?" Susan asked.

"No. I didn't know. One of my bosses told me this evening though."

"Okay. I'm just surprised you never mentioned it."

"I didn't know myself."

"I'll be visiting my parents next weekend. It's their wedding anniversary."

"That's cool and be sure to bring home your dad's blessings. I want to get married."

"You know it'd be nice if you'll come with me. Maybe you two can connect that way."

"No, I'm not going anywhere. He'll be the one to come to my house. He once told me he doubts I can own a house remember?." David said.

Susan chuckled. I know you two will make friends soon."

"Of course." Since I'm now the rich son-in-law he dreams for his beautiful daughter."

"Shut up." Susan poked him. "It's my dad you're talking about like that."

"I know. Anyway William is back in the country."

"Your cousin?" Susan asked. "The one that ran away?".

"Yes." David answered.

Susan's facial expression changed. "What does he want this time?"

David's phone rang and he picked it.

"Even in my own house?" David said with an expression of disbelief and shock."

Susan couldn't hear what the person on the other end said.

"Let's go for a walk?" David said.

***

At the topmost floor of the COLE Consolidated Building in a sound-proof dark glassed room were Professor Charles Cole and three other men. One of them, pot bellied and too large for the chair he was sitting in. The other, a young slim guy wearing glasses and staring intently at the screens in front of him. Charles Cole stood with the third man, a rather heavily built hefty man with a scar across his face running perpendicular to his nose. In the room were watching and listening equipment.

"Anything so far Eddie?" Charles asked the fat man.

Eddie cleared his throat before answering. "His wife bought the washing machine story and you called him at the right time. He didnt think twice about it."

"What have they talked about so far?"

"Nothing serious. Just family talks. Neither of them discussed Angela's death even though we heard them watching the news. He didnt mention it at all." The slim man responded.

"Good. Are they still talking?" Charles asked.

"No. It seems they went out. He got a call and he told her he wanted them to go for a walk." Eddie responded.

"What was the call about?" The hefty man, Maxwell spoke for the first time.

"He said something like 'Even in my own house' and the call was off then he told her to go with him for a walk."

"Do you think he's suspecting? I wish we could watch them." Charlie said facing Maxwell.

"Oh yeah and watch them have _sex too. I know you like those scenes." Maxwell sneered. "What's that style you like most?"

Eddie stiffled a laugh. Charlie went purple in the face.

"Good job guys. Keep listening." Max said and went out of the room.

***

The police were questioning Elizabeth when they both entered the studio. Her face looked swollen than ever and tears kept streaming down r cheeks. Every worker wanted to get into the studio and the police had a hard time blocking the entrance. David watched the whole thing from afar ile Andrew went to have discussion with one of the policemen. David felt his phone vibrate. "Hello"

"Hello brother." The voice on the other end said.

"Hello," David responded.

"it's your cousin, Williams. I'm calling from Mexico and please don't hang up."

David's lips trembled. "What do you want?"

"I want to help you."

"I don't need your help. I'm fine."

"I know you're fine. You're rich now. Cole Consolidated isn't it?" Williams asked.
David was silent
"You need to know lot of things about that company. You're not safe and I can help you."

"I'm fine. Fvck off!" David yelled into the phone and everyone around looked at him. "Don't ever call me again Will." He added whisperingly.

"I won't. I'll show up at your house tomorrow. Be nice when I come. I heard you're engaged to a pretty girl. I'd like to meet her." William said and hung up.

David boiled inside himself with rage. He became restless.

CHAPTER 7

David was awake as early as five AM the following morning and with him spending the night in the living room, there was no alarm to wake him. He felt a sharp pain in his neck as he had it bent all through his sleep. He shook off the remainder of the sleep in him while he massaged his neck. He slowly threw away the covers on him. He wondered how he got himself covered. He didn't go ups tai last night did he? He wondered. Susan must have done it. She didn't wake him up. The thought alone made him smile. She had carried his briefcase, shoes and suitjacket upstairs. He dragged his legs across the living room casting an admiration glance around. He admired everything he called his and smiled. He yawned lazily and started his ascent up the stairs. Susan was still in bed sleeping. He got out of what was left of his clothes and went into the bathroom. He got out in less than five minutes and got dressed. Susan was still sleeping by the time he was ready. He leaned down to kiss her on the forehead but Susan met his mouth with hers. They kissed for about a minute. "Sorry I ruined your mouth." She said giggling.

"I'm more worried about my shirt." David responded with a smile. "I love you babe."

"I love you too." Susan said and they kissed again. The sound of the alarm borough them back to life. It was 5:45am."

"I've got to go honey. I'll see you in the evening."

"Okay. Thou shall not leave my calls unanswered." Susan said with a warning tone."

"Aye Aye." David said.

"I made you tea in the flask in the kitchen."

"You're a darling" David said and walked out.

***

He was seated in his huge chair before the clock struck 6:30am. Work had piled up already for him which needed his authorization. Some branches of operations of COLE Consolidated offer 24-hour services so it was normal for him to have so many requests to sign off on. His secretary wouldn't resume until 7am so he set to work alone. After almost one hour of intensive clicking and typing he could feel activities resuming from where they stopped the previous day. Elizabeth walked into his office at 7:10am.

"Good Morning Sir."

"Morning Beth. How was your night?" David responded taking his day's schedule from her. "You're okay?"

"Me? Oh yeah. Just had a rough night. I'll be fine." She responded.

"No, sit down and have some tea." David said getting up and opening his thermoflask. He poured some tea into a mug and handed it to her. Elizabeth had barely pit the cup to her mouth when she burst into tears. She placed her head on David'as lap. "it's okay. Talk to me."

"I disappointed my best friend and now she doesn't want to talk to or see me any more."

"Is that all?" David asked.

Elizabeth nodded"

"Don't worry. You just freshen up and we'll talk about it during lunchtime. We have a lot of work to do at the moment. We'll sort everything out but first things first no matter what. Our survival lies in where we earn. Let's survive first." David said patting her.

"Thank you very much sir. I'm sorry about that. I ruined your trousers."

David smiled. "Tears dry don't they?"

Elizabeth nodded.

"It will dry and never return for the same reason. Let's make the same happen to your face." David said. His desk telephone rang. Elizabeth went into the restroom.

"I'll be right back Beth." He called out to her after placing the telephone back in its cradle.

***

"David used the elevator and climbed up to the tenth floor whrich housed the entertainment branch of COLE CONSOLIDATED. The call he had received earlier had summoned him to get to the film studio immediately. He had never been there and once he stepped out of the elevator, he felt like he was in a new world. Everything looked beautiful with colourful pictures of popular actors and musicians ardoning every where. He remembered Angela Okor at that moment and he really wished to bump into her. Her picture graced the wall directly across the elevator door. He walked into the studio which looked too big to be inside the building. There were no lights and it seed lifeless but then at one corner of the elevated stage he saw a group of people. Some he recognized, others he didn't. He recognized Andrew from the lot and he walked towards them. He got the shocker of his life when he saw what they were crowded upon. She lay there sprawled on the ground, her neck bent. She looked lifeless. Of course she was lifeless. David missed a step as he climbed up the stage. He was speechless and before he could utter a word, Andrew spoke, "David I'm sorry for bringing you into this but we need you to unlock this computer." Andrew said pointing to a laptop computer. David knew that wasn't right as he disn't see any law enforcement agent around. A murder took place and should be reported and hanged by law experts.
David hesitated a bit. "I'm going to need some time?" He mmanaged to say. The looks on the faces of everyone around told him he wasn't going to get such time. He sighed heavily and took the laptop. It took him less than ten minutes to unlock. restore the computer back to the inter session before its last shutdown. The most active chat was disturbing. There was a hot exchange of words and the name David could rhead made his mouth hang open. ELIZABETH EKWENSI... His one day old secretary. David remained speechless. The whole studio remained silent...


***
They all stood looking at the body. They crowded round him reading the exchanged chats between the last user of the computer and Elizabeth Ekwensi. Angela Orlu had threatened to kill Elizabeth and talked of how she would never forgive her. She also threatened to expose what Elizabeth Ekwensi and Frank Otor had together. Nobody spoke. The realization of what he just witnessed was getting difficult for David to process or sink into his head. The number one person he wished he'd bump into was lying dead in front of him and the one whose tears his trousers had dried minutes earlier was the first suspect.

"What did these two share in common?" An old man, one of the rich executives asked.

"They were best friends." Andrew answered.

"When did they fall out?"

"A few days ago after Frank's death. Pictures got out confirming Frank and Elizabeth having an affair against company rules."

"And Angela's problem with that is?" Another executive asked.

"She was Frank's girlfriend." Andrew answered.

"The company approved?"

"No but we couldn't do anything about it. They were indispensable at the time. We could only warn or threaten them and they knew how important they were."

"Let's hold a meeting soon and let's get out of here. You can call the police now. David, lock the computer back." Charles Cole who had been quiet all the while gave out the last orders and they all filed out of the studio. David felt uneasy. Andrew was sweating. None of the old men felt moved. David did well to remind himself of the veiled warning in Charle'as last statement, "You shall not mention this to anyone until the police arrive."

***

David thought of going to his office but decided against it. He couldn't possibly face his secretary. He opted to allow Andrew instead. "I'm really sorry man." Andrew said as they stepped into his secretary's office.

"Shhhh!" David cautioned d him.

"What are you two gossiping about?" Brenda, Andrew's secretary asked.

"Nothing. He beat me at a scrabble game yesterday." David said.

Brenda raised her brows. "Andrew hates puzzles and games like that."

"He's learning. He loves it now." David stammered and he walked as fast as he could past the woman through Andrew's office doors.

The two men sat down without talking to each other. "What exactly is happening?" David asked after what seemed like eternity.

"I don't know." Andrew sighed.

There were noises outside and they could feel people bustling with extra energy. Everywhere was noisy and loud. David and Andrew looked. at each other and stood up at the same time. "What's happening Brenda?" David asked his secretary feigning ignorance.
"I don't know. You're almost out, check yourself." Brenda responded standoffishly.

David and Andrew ignored her and went out of the office into the long passage. They watched as people made their way to the elevator all heading to the tenth floor.
"Sir Angela Orlu is dead." A young boy said to Andrew. He looked breatheless.

"Where? How?" David asked. He was learning the art of lying already.

"In the studio. One of the interns found her."

"Lets go." He tugged Andrew and they got into the elevator.