THE OTHER ME – TWELVE

Debbie fixed her eyes on the woman as she peeped inside the house. “Hello, please who do you wan to see?” She asked. 

“That’s her, Vanessa.” She replied. 

Debbie shrugged. “What’s your name, ma?”

“Florence.” She replied. “I’m Mr Williams wife.” She added. 

Debbie looked at her with grimace. “What can we do to be of help then?” She asked. 

“I want to see the lady behind you, that’s all.” She replied. 

“Ismail!” Debbie shouted the name of the gatekeeper at once. She was beginning to get afraid when she remembered the killer was a female and they already suspected the woman. “Ismail!” She squeaked again. 

In no time, he rushed there and bowed. “This madam wants to see your friend.” She told Debbie as she got to the door.”

Debbie hissed. “Do you know her?”

He shook his head. 

“Have you met before?” 

“No.”

“If I may ask, why did you open the gate?”

He scratched his head. 

“You killed Williams, don’t think you can get away with it, don’t even think so!” Florence shouted suddenly. 

Vanessa was still behind Debbie, peeping. She had been listening attentively and was wondering if she was the next in line to be stabbed. 

“Please, Madam respect yourself. Kindly leave now or I throw you out.” Ismail told her, pointing to the direction of the gate. “Please, get going.”

“Enough! Don’t spit on my body, I’m not ready for all that.” She looked at him with grimace and walked on. “I’ll be back, but then, she’ll be in the prison!” She threatened as she left. 

Debbie chuckled. “You better find somewhere to go. Idiot.”

Ismail followed her as she was leaving. She had gotten him into trouble already, he surely knew he’d be queried. He never knew the woman was like that, or in any way related to the deceased man. 

“Come back here when you lock that gate, Ismail.” Debbie shut the door and breathed heavily as she stared at Vanessa. “What’s up?” She raised her brows. 

Vanessa stood still, watching as if the scene was still on. “How did she know this place.” She said. 

Debbie smiled. “A woman like that, who told you she won’t even know your grandma’s place, dear?” 

Vanessa found her way beside Debbie on the sofa. “That woman…” she stopped abruptly as she heard another knock on the door. 

** ** ** 

Daniel grabbed the hand as it was already rumpling his cloth. “Please!” He said as he pushed the hand away and bashed to his feet. He stared at the lady, she should be in her early twenties, but she was tall, a bit fat and dark. 

“Hello.” She waved at him as she chewed gum non stop. 

Daniel stared at her and could see how much of her cleavage she left open. This type of busty lady, is she meant to wear his type of cloth? As he was still thinking about that, the flash of her thighs caught his eyes and cut his thought. His breathing changed as his heart lost a count and he quickly took his eyes off her. If you look at the face,  it’s seduction! If you look at the chest, it’s inviting, if you look at the thighs, it’s fire. 

“Please, I’m not here for such.” He told her and turned back to Felix. As he was about to sit down, he felt her touch on his back again. “Daniel, do you think we don’t know you? I love your movies, let me give you a nice treat tonight that you won’t forget for a lifetime.” She said, giving him the erotic facial expression. 

Daniel’s heart almost skipped a beat as his eyes went to the direction of her cleavage again. He suddenly remembered, rebuke the devil and he’ll flee from you. He cleared his voice and frowned. “It seems you are not normal? I said leave!”

She still smiled before she finally turned back. As she turned, Daniel quickly turned around too so he wouldn’t see another thing that’d cause him trouble. He sat down and gave a deep breath. “What’s the meaning of that!” He hissed. 

Felix chuckled. “I was a die-hard of this when I was still in the world.” He said, resting his back and looking down as if he was remembering something. “I must surely have sex at least twice per day, or else I can’t be myself.” He told Daniel. 

Daniel smiled. “Really? Thank God you are now a new creation, but it’s not easy to preach to the people here, officer.” 

“Sure, when it is not that you are impotent, or perhaps an eunuch. It should be easier for the ladies to preach to them.” He shrugged. 

“Do you think so? I know some people have tried doing that before and they were the ones pulled into the rubbish. In the bid to change them, they got changed.”

“Hmmm. That’s true, Daniel. I can remember a cousin of mine who’s now like this too, she almost pulled me back the last time we met.” He told him. 

Daniel chuckled as he shook his head. “Officer, you won’t believe I haven’t recovered from that little scene. I rarely accept the personality of an ungodly man in movies, officer. For example, an actor was sharing with me sometimes back about how he couldn’t control himself after he acted a sex scene in location that night. He had to leave and look for someone like this girl to sleep with.”

“It happens. Don’t you know that if she continues like that, you will also follow her, it’s until you finish the real deal before your senses come back. And guess what, if you get yourself stucked into that, it’s very difficult to get out. I’m a living testimony and I know.”

Daniel sighed. He looked by his side and saw a young man, light skinned and tall. He just came into the bar and he could see his hand on one of the ladies’ backside, discussing with her already. He just sighed. 

Just as he was about to take his eyes off that again, a lady came and exclaimed. “Will you stop that!”

Daniel focused more on the scene. The lady was dressed like other ones too, perhaps she was his regular customer. Daniel took his eyes off for a moment, his eyes had seen things and he could feel some chemical reactions in his body. 

“How could you do that! Do you think I won’t come, right? You think I’m not going to come because you want me to die! After everything I have done, you want to enjoy everything alone.” She was obviously annoyed with a plaster on her hand.  

Daniel hissed. “Officer, do you think we can find a clue here like this? Staying here longer than this can cause a man’s life with God a great havoc.”

Felix laughed. “Should we get going then?”

Daniel nodded quickly. “Please let’s go.” He said. 

Felix grinned. He stood up and Daniel stood instantly too. Soon, they dashed out. 

** ** **

“Come in.” Debbie told Ismail. She knew he was the one at the door. 

Ismail walked in and stood by the door innocently. “I’m sorry, Madam. I didn’t know she was not her friend.”

“Ismail, what’s your problem these days? Haven’t you been hearing on how a lady has been going around and killing people? And they suspected Vanessa. That woman is the wife of one of the men that were killed, and she’s our suspect too. Do you think you have one charm? You’ll remember that after you have been stabbed.”

“I’m sorry ma.”

“That’s how you opened the gate for the police too that day. You better watch the people you open the gate for these days. If it’s not T.Dan, my cousin, Grandma or Debbie’s friends, ask us before opening the gate!” Vanessa added. 

He nodded. 

“Get out.” Debbie ordered. 

He opened the door and stepped out. 

“Do you think if they don’t get me, they’ll get Grandma?” Vanessa asked, scared. 

“Calm down, Vanessa. I’m sure Daniel will dig deep into this and these people will be gotten very soon.”

“I hope so.” Vanessa sighed. “But Daniel has really been a blessing, Debbie. Thank God we met him, if not…” 

Debbie cut her short. “Who are the we that met him? You better speak for yourself that you at glad you met him, if not for him in your life, you won’t be Vanessa again.” Debbie grinned, trying to change to topic so she could feel nice. 

“You are not serious, Debbie. I’m even tired, I want to sleep.” She stood up. “Goodnight.” She waved. 

Debbie smiled and waved too. “I’ll go to bed now too. Goodnight.”

** ** ** 

Daniel returned back to the Hospital after he dropped Felix at the junction he’d get a car to his house. He had asked him if Williams maid was in Faith Clinic too and he said yes. 

Daniel was wondering why he was brought to that kind of expensive clinic. He was wondering whether it was the government that’d pay or William’s wife. He was still thinking about that when Felix told him it was Florence- William’s wife that ordered him to be taken to the Hospital because she knew she’d be needing him. 

Daniel sat down and yawned. “Oyin, how are you?”

Oyin had arrived already, looking pale too. “I’m good. How are you, Daniel?” She asked. 

“I’m good. What of Mike?” He asked her. 

“He went to ease himself.” She told him. 

“Are they still doing the surgery?” He asked. 

Oyin shook her head. “They are through, but they said we can’t see him yet. He’s still unconscious.”

She was still saying that when Mike appeared. “Welcome, Dan.”

Daniel shook hands with him. “I heard we can’t see him.”

“Yes. But the operation was successful accordion to the surgeon.”

Daniel heaved a sigh and closed his eyes for a moment. “Have you eaten?” He asked Michael. 

Michael smiled. “I bough snacks in their shop there. We’ll be eating tomorrow, Dan.”

“Are you not hungry? Should we go out and eat?” Daniel asked. “You should even get home and shower. This cloth is still on you since then.”

“Let’s stay here, man. We’ll go tomorrow morning and come back again.”

Daniel shrugged. “Okay.”

** ** ** 

It was early in the morning. Daniel’s eyes were already heavy because he couldn’t sleep as he wished. He slept in his car outside with Mike while Oyin was in Mike’s car. As he opening his eyes, he saw a car parked beside his own and was looking at the man that came down. 

He glanced at his wrist watch. It was 7am already. This isn’t too early. He had thought. He thought it was still six. He looked at the face properly and saw that it was Officer Adeolu. 

Perhaps he’s here to check the patient again, he had thought as he reached for his own phone. He didn’t want him to know he was there. “Today is 14th,” he said, yawning. He looked at Mike and sighed. Mike was still stained with blood all over. 

“Mike, should we go home now?” He asked. 

Mike opened his heavy eyes and yawned. “What of Oyin?”

“Let’s see if she’s already awake.” He said. 

“Okay.” Michael replied. 

Daniel came down and walked to Michael’s car. He met Oyin already awake, pressing her phone. “Good morning.” He greeted. 

She replied him as she opened the door and came down. “Are we going to check him now?” She asked. 

“I think we should just ask these nurses if he’s now conscious and we can see him, but if the response is not favourable, I guess we should go home to freshen up and come back, Oyin.” Daniel told her. 

“Okay, let’s ask them.” Oyin said, leading the way. 

“I’m coming, let me fetch Mike.” Daniel told her. 

Daniel told Mike about the plan and he got down and followed. 

** ** ** 

“He’s been conscious since yesterday night.” The nurse told Officer Adeolu as he was about to enter the ward. 

“How is he too? Can he talk?” He asked her. 

“Yes.”

Adeolu smiled. He walked to his side and stated at him on the bed. He looked white on the bed and his eyes were heavy too. “Can you please leave us for a moment?” He asked the nurse. 

“Okay then.” She walked out. 

Adeolu nodded consecutively. “I’m Officer Adeolu, I’m the one in charge of the case. Can you talk at all?” 

“Yes.” He replied. 

“Okay I just want to ask some questions. Do you know the killer?”

“No. I know she’s a lady, but i can’t remember her face and I have not seen her before.” He replied slowly. 

Thank God. Adeolu smiled. “I don’t have time to waste time because I have to get to work very soon and must also beat the traffic.” He paused and looked around. “Okay, since you don’t know the person who killed Williams..” he was still saying that when the guy interrupted him. 

“Oga is dead?”

Adeolu nodded. “And the killer is on a killing spree, I’m sure she must be looking for you to know if you are now dead so you don’t give us information. I have a deal for you, that’s if you will accept. It worths an amount that will keep you away from poverty all through your lifetime.” He paused, try in to discern the guy’s willingness. “Do you want to know.”

“Yes.” He said very quickly. 

“You are going to testify against someone that she’s the killer so that this case can end as quick as possible, you’ll be paid too and William’s wife will take over everything. You can still be working for her after being paid, you can’t tell.”

There was silence. 

“At you not interested?”

“Definitely I am.” He said quickly. 

Officer Adeolu grinned. He brought out a passport photograph and showed him. “This is the lady.”

“Sister Vanessa.” He said. 

“Do you know her?” He asked him. 

He nodded. “She has come to our house before and she’s nice.”

“Are you ready for the job or not!” He shouted. 

“I am ready.” He said affirmatively. 

Good. Adeolu smiled. “So, I’ll get back to you. If we ask any question just keep telling us she’s the one.” He told him. 

“Okay.” The guy responded in a low tone. 

Adeolu walked out, pressing his phone as he tried to call Florence about the latest development. He was walking through the reception already as he spoke to her. “It’s done, ma’am. Can I come for the balance d I can pay him as soon as possible?” He asked. 

“He won’t say anything, you know I’m an officer and I was able to read his thoughts well.”

He got to the entrance. “Okay, I’m on my way to your place.” He ended the call. 

Daniel who had dropped his head on his seat raised it up and looked at Mike. “I’m coming back, I have to follow that man. Whatever the case is, just call me. If it warrants that you take Oyin home, please do.” He sprung to his feet. 

“Daniel, where to?”

“I have to follow that guy. Some things are clicking in my head already.” He moved quickly as he saw that Adeolu was already driving out. 

** ** ** 

Daniel was trying to be very careful as he followed Adeolu. He knew it was very risky for him. He followed till Adeolu parked and entered into a building. He sat in the car, some distance away from his car and watched. 

After ten minutes, he saw him come out with a brown envelope and a guy was behind him which they were talking together. He quickly brought out his phone and clicked on his camera. He zoomed them as much as he could and snapped them. 

As he raised his head to look at them very well, he saw the guy behind him well. 

The guy he saw in Continental Palace last night! 

** ** ** 

Please drop a comment sir/ma before you leave. All you have to do is to use your mail, that’s all. You can also follow the blog in the space below. It’s easier for those follow in the blog to read earlier than this who are not. Thanks! Have a blessed new week ahead. 

Story continues