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WriterX:
Hello everyone, kindly beer with me at the moment, it's been quite a week. I will be putting up new parts tomorrow by his special grace thanks.

WriterX:
CHAPTER FOUR Thanks for the update boss


ASP Edward stood amidst the clatter and hum of the Ketu Garbage Market.

The heavy stench of rotting refuse assaulted his senses, mixed with the dry, suffocating heat of the morning. It was a place where life thrived amidst decay, where scavengers and collectors toiled for survival.

His feet shifted on the uneven ground, strewn with waste. Flies buzzed, circling hungrily over the heaps. He adjusted his jacket, though it did little to shield him from the grime that seemed to permeate everything.

He had come here alone, paying off the bikeman and deciding against a patrol van. The last thing he wanted was to stir up trouble or appear as though he was making a scene.
Ketu was a melting pot of ethnicities, and tensions were already simmering across the state. One wrong move, and a riot could break out.

He glanced around, watching the faces staring back at him. Eyes followed him warily. Distrustful. Curious.

His gaze settled on a tall figure emerging from the crowd. Towering over everyone else, the man approached with long, deliberate strides, his cream-colored kaftan swaying slightly. He was well-fed, his face clean-shaven, save for a carefully groomed beard, white as snow. His eyes held a shrewd glint, sharp and calculating.

Edward didn't need an introduction. This had to be Mallam Nasiru, the man who controlled the garbage market.

A well-known figure who had built a small empire from scraps and refuse. Edward had heard enough to know that this man was not to be underestimated.

"You are Mallam Nasiru?" Edward asked, voice firm but steady, still feeling the weight of the eyes on him.

"I am," Nasiru replied in perfect English, his voice carrying an edge of authority. "You are a policeman, I see. What brings you here?"

Edward quickly flashed his badge, his mind still playing over the events that led him to this market. Robinson's tip had been vague at best, but it was all he had.

A young man, nameless, faceless, but likely connected to the disappearance of the boy. Mallam Nasiru might know something—or someone—who could lead him closer to his goal.

"I'm looking for someone," Edward explained, eyes narrowing slightly. "A young man. He might be one of your boys. I was told he’s been around here.

Dark-skinned, dreadlocks, dirty green singlet, and khaki shorts. Well-built. Short, maybe around five foot three."

Nasiru closed his eyes briefly, thinking. Then, without a word, he beckoned to a short, stocky man nearby. The man looked as if he had been carved from stone—his face set in a permanent scowl. Edward sized him up immediately: squat, toad-like, yet agile. Nasiru exchanged words with him in their native tongue, and soon after, five boys were brought forward.

The boys stood uncertainly in a line, their faces devoid of expression. Each one fit the vague description Edward had given.

They looked identical in their shared poverty, their gaunt faces shadowed by the hardships of their trade. He observed them carefully, pacing up and down the line. None of them dared to meet his gaze—until the second boy in line caught his attention.

The boy shifted uncomfortably, staring down at his boots with intense focus. Edward felt a sudden jolt of recognition.

The boots were scuffed and muddy, the same ones he'd kicked out from under the boy in the alley last night. It had to be him.

"There," Edward said, voice low but decisive. "The second one. He's the one."

Before the boy could react, Shorty lunged forward with surprising speed. His thick arms encircled the boy’s torso, yanking him off balance and pinning him to the ground. A small gasp rippled through the crowd as they watched, but no one moved to intervene.

Nasiru, watching with mild amusement, let out a dry chuckle. "I see you used a bit of psychology on him, eh? Quite effective, I must say. But you should know, Inspector, none of my boys are killers. I will bring a lawyer for this one if needed. However, if you’d prefer, I can have him talk right here. I think he knows more than he’s letting on."

Edward hesitated. He didn’t relish the idea of interrogating the boy out in the open, but he also couldn’t afford to waste time. Every minute that passed was another step away from the truth.

"Go ahead," Edward nodded, keeping a sharp eye on the boy as Shorty hauled him back to his feet.

Nasiru spoke to the boy in their language, his tone steady, though not without a hint of menace. The boy stammered out a reply, shaking slightly, his eyes darting nervously toward Edward.

When the boy finally finished, Nasiru sighed and turned to Edward.

"His name is Musa. He’s new here. Only been around for three months. He says he was at the site where the boy disappeared, but he didn’t see much. He heard something—a well opening and closing. He thought it was just the usual troublemakers who hang out there at night.

But then he heard a woman calling out for a child, and that’s when he ran. He was afraid something bad had happened."

Edward processed the information quickly, piecing it together in his mind. Six days ago, the boy went missing. Musa had been there, in that building possibly. The well… a woman’s voice - the mother?

It wasn’t much to go on, but it was a start.

"Six days ago," Edward repeated, more to himself than anyone else. His mind raced, connecting dots, weighing options. The mystery was far from solved, but at least now, he had a thread to pull on.

"We'll take him in," Edward said at last, straightening his posture. "But like you said, Nasiru, no one's pointing fingers yet. We just need to know what he knows."

Nasiru gave a satisfied nod. "As you wish, Inspector. But remember, I’ll be there to make sure justice is done, not just assumptions."

TO BE CONTINUED

WriterX:
I will be dropping more updates soon, my Sim has been barred so working on it. There are edits needing proofreading a d corrections. Once I get online. Massive updates will come in. Thanks for your patience.

WriterX:
Happy New month Every one. New updates are coming in. Sincerely, this has been very exciting for me. This probably feel like my first big break here. Thank you all. Much appreciated.

silverlinen:
Lukas is a dog i want to have, loyal and smart.

WriterX keep the updates coming

Vidamia:
You said the truth