(Season 2): GENEVIEVE COLE. E3

Sorry for not posting it last night, my laptop was down. There was no light and the fuel price close to my house was high. Thanks for understanding.
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To read the previous episode, click Puzzle

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Episode 3 Title: The Unknown
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My heartbeat began to pound inside my chest and I rose on my weakened feet, terrified to the bones in my body. I went towards my entrance door to check if I locked it with the key. I did. I raced to my kitchen to check the door and the windows. I shut them. I went to my bedroom and other places inside my house to make sure I closed all the windows. I felt secured after making all the necessary inspection. I went back to my room to lay on the bed with the piece of paper gripped in my right palm. 

I shook my head in pity for myself. My partner will be displeased in me when he finds out. How could I be so careless to ask them that kind of a question. I checked my time, and it was 8:25pm. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, but I could not. I was alone and afraid of the unknown. I left my bed and went to my bag to get my phone. I called my aunt but she did not pick. Probably she thought I wanted to quarrel with her about my mother. I wanted to send her text about the incident, but she will be more scared than I am. I thought of dialing Oscar’s number to tell him I was coming to spend the night at his house but I changed my mind. There was no one to trust, not Oscar, Leroy or Jasmine. I summoned courage to call Quincy’s number but it was switched off. I panicked.

Alone in my house tonight was out of my mind. I was not going to risk being alone just because I was threatened with a piece of paper. What if the unknown changed his or her mind and come after my life tonight? Never! I must make sure I stay in a safe atmosphere and the only place I could think of presently was the home of Quincy Harvey. 

I quickly parked my clothes I was going to wear the next day inside a portable luggage. I carried my hand bag, kept my gun and the paper inside it and ran out of my house in panic. I bolted the main door, got into my car and drove out in speed. I arrived at his abode and parked my car. outside I came out with my things and hastily hiked towards his door and banged it hard. I heard footsteps in haste.

“Who is that?” he questioned me. 

The moment I heard his voice, I sensed a relaxation feeling inside me.

“It’s me.”

He quickly unbolted his lock, and opened his door and stared at me with stunned eyes. “What happened? What are you doing in my house at this time?”

I did not answer him but swiftly found my way inside his home. I dropped my bags on the floor and sat down on a sofa. He shut the door and walked to stand opposite me and then I realized he was almost naked, with a towel round his waist.

I guess he was in the bathroom. He had shaved his beards, looking younger and more attractive. Using my eyes to caress his clean body, I would have melt if I were to be an ice block.

“Genny is everything okay?” he asked.

I took my gaze off him, carried my shoulder bag from the floor, opened it and took the paper out. I handed it over, for him to read.

“What!!” he exclaimed in surprise and looked me through the eyes. “This is shocking! No one knows we are going to investigate my father’s death apart from you, detective Akin and I. I don’t understand where this is coming from! When and how did you get this threat note?”

I stared at him with tears in my eyes. “I am sorry.”

“Sorry?” he asked in a confused tone and came to sit by my side. “I should be the one to say sorry. Because of my father, someone is threatening you.”

“You won’t understand,” I said shaking my head. “I caused it.”

Quincy got up. “What did you do?”

I told him everything.

He opened his mouth, too stunned to say a word. 

“I know you I have let you down, I am deeply sorry!”

My boss closed his saddened eyes, shaking his head and balanced his hands on his waist. He said nothing to me.

“Please say something, curse me out, I don’t care and I will never blame you.”

He dropped his hands from his waist. “I don’t want to say things that I will regret later but I warned you and you promised to tell me anything concerning the case before taking action. You are stubborn and I know you are eager to know who murdered my father but this is not the way.”

I stood up with tears in my eyes. 

I could not stop crying, as I thought, my actions may spoil things. It may affect the case and we might not be able to know the traitor and the actual master planner of Uncle’s Freddie’s death. “I know and I am ready to make things right if you let me.”

“I have no choice and you know it. I love you and I have a soft spot for you!”

More tears drizzled on my face, down to my lips. “I know you are angry at me, and I will keep on apologizing for what I did.”

Quincy sighed, read the paper again and faced me. “Wipe your tears from your face.”

“”I’m okay the way I am.”

“Wipe your tears from your face or I will use my tongue to help you clean them.” 

I chuckled a bit and he smiled with loveliness. I did not want his tongue all over my face, I wiped the tears with my hands. 

“Better.” Quincy said and gave me back the sheet. “We have to focus on the case and forget about your mistake.  Do you recognize the handwriting?”

I shook my head. “I have no idea who owns it.”

“That means you know Oscar, Leroy and Jasmine’s handwriting?” 

“Yes and it’s not any of them that wrote it.”

He touched his chin, paced around his sitting room for a while and turned to my direction. “My instincts tells me the traitor must have called the person behind my father’s death. Did you notice anything awkward after they answered your question? Did you see if they made any call afterwards?”

“I did not pay attention to what they were doing after answering me. I never thought something like this was going to happen.”

“No one must know I am linked to your former boss, promise me.”

“I promise you.”

“Detective Akin does not know I am related to him, he only knows we are investigating the case quietly because he was the former director at the NIB. For threatening you, the scumbag has brought out the wrath in me! It might take us a long time, maybe a short time to catch the bastard and the traitor but I will and must make sure the killer of the man who gave birth to me won’t die in vain.”

“We are forgetting something.”

“What is it?” he asked.

“Are you aware there is a young man in prison that confessed he was the one that robbed and killed your father?”

“It’s in the file,” he gave me a reply. “I know about him.”

“We should visit him and that was what I told Leroy the first time I discussed the case with him but he discouraged me.”

“When you told him this, did you receive a threat like this?”

“No.”

“You might not have gotten such maybe because he knew you were no longer interested in investigating the case anymore.”

“I remember Leroy said he was ready to join me on the case if I had evidence.”

“Are you saying he’s no longer a suspect?”

I smiled faintly. “I no longer trust any of them. The three of them are suspects. When do we visit the prisoner?”

“One of us will go,” he replied. “We cannot go together.”

“You are correct,” I said. “I will go.”

“But you will have to be very careful about it.”

“I will.”

“I will let detective Akin know about it and you will have to wait for me to give you the go ahead to visit him in prison.”

 “Okay. Please allow me spend the night here.”

“You can stay as long as you want. In fact, you will stay here in my house with me when we are close to finding out the truth. I will not be at rest if you stay alone in your house during this particular period. I do not want to take any risk and leave you all by yourself.”

“I don’t want to be a burden. I know I will be fine after tonight.”

Quincy shook his head. “It is unacceptable Genny. There are three rooms in my house and you are now entitled to one. You will not be alone tonight, you will sleep in my room.”

“But…”

He smiled. “Don’t worry, you are very safe with me. I will be sleep on the floor.”

“I can’t allow you sleep on the floor in your house.”

“If you insist we sleep together on the same bed, fine! I will like that.”

“I …I…”

“Let’s not deceive ourselves,” he said to me. “You and I know something will happen if we are on the same bed. We are attracted to each other but you won’t admit it.”

I bowed down my head, it was nothing but the plain truth.

“Is the offer still open?” Quincy asked me.

I chuckled lightly, raised my head up and peered at him. “No.”

“Good choice!”

He went to where I dropped my bags and carried them for me. “I was in the bathroom before you came and I will need to go back after you have settled. Do you need something to drink before going to bed?”

“Hot Lipton tea will be fine.”

“Good choice,” he said. “See, I know you are very close to the other homicide detectives, I am sorry they are suspects but we don’t know who exactly the culprit is. You don’t have to show them that something is wrong. Continue the way you are to them. I don’t want you to distanced yourself with anyone especially Leroy and Oscar. I don’t want you to regret staying away from them, the two men might be innocent same goes to Jasmine. Do not change towards them.”

“That is not difficult to do,” I honestly told him. “But…they will surely ask why I am staying with you.”

“Tell them that it’s been difficult for you to sleep and you needed a place to stay with someone so you won’t be alone. In addition, let them know your house is under renovation due to the leaks in your bathroom. Tell them I volunteered for you to stay with me for a short period.”

“You are a good lair.”

Quincy laughed out. “I have no choice but to cook up these stories for your safety.” He stretched out his right hand for me to hold. “Let’s go to my room.”

I held him and we walked side by side to his bedroom.

*****

I woke up the following feeling better and confident. I checked the floor where my partner laid a pillow and slept off, but he was not there. As I stepped on one of my feet on the ground, Quincy opened the door and entered with a tray of food.

“Good morning.” I said and sat down back on the bed.

“Good morning pretty.” He said and dropped the tray on the bed. “Breakfast is ready.”

“I am sorry for waking up late,” I said. “This is what I should have done.”

“You don’t have to apologize, I understand. Although, this is a welcome party, as from tomorrow you will serve me breakfast in bed.”

We laughed together. 

“I am joking!” Quincy uttered.

“I know but that should not stop me from doing the right thing.”

We ate toasted bread, fried eggs with sausages. We drank coffee with the meal. I took the dishes back to the kitchen and washed them. We bathed in separate bathrooms and got ready to go to work.

My boss stubbornly refuse to let me drive my car, he wanted us to go to work together. I had no choice but to hop into his car with him.  As he drove, I noticed he diverted away from the road leading us to the NIB.

“Where are you taking me to?” I asked.

“We are going to your house to get your things and check if anyone entered your house last night.”

“But we can do that after work.”

“This is the right time Genny.”

“You don’t even know if I carried the keys to my house.”

“I can turn back if the keys are not in your handbag.”

I simply kept my mouth shut and allowed him do what was on his mind. We arrived there and went inside. We searched inside my house and we found nothing suspicious. He helped me packed some of my belonging into a bigger travelling bag. He wanted to add more of my clothes but I stopped it.

“You don’t have to do that,” I said. “I will definitely come back to my house. I will not be staying with you permanently only temporary.”

“You never can tell, you might end up in my house. You might not come back here.”

“That’s impossible! How can that happen?”

“I will marry you.” Quincy said in a firm tone.

I only looked at him and went back to cleanup up my room. A faint smile plastered on my lips.

“Are you blushing?” he asked.

“Of course not!” I said and began to laugh. “To be candid with you, you are fun to be with.”

“Fun?” he asked surprised. “We have never had fun together. Now that we will be staying together, we will create time for that.”

“I am looking forward to that.”

“Me too.”

After thirty minutes, we left, drove away and arrived at the office at 11:15am. My colleagues were dazed to see our director and me at work at the same time. Detective Leroy saw the both of us coming out from the same vehicle. He came into the office and asked why.

“You came with Quincy Harvey in his car?” jasmine asked with her eyes almost out from her face.

I told them the reasons, exactly what my boss told me.

“And the only place to stay is his house?” Oscar asked in an unhappy tone. 

“I never thought he would ask me to move in, I was thinking of staying in a small hotel. It’s just for a very short time.”

“Yvonne would have been very happy to have you around. You can still change your mind. My home is open to you.”

“It will be disrespectful to leave his house. I should not throw away his hospitality back at his face. I will always find time to visit her.”

“That is what you always say.” Oscar said in an angry tone. He rose up on his feet and walked away from the office.

“You have broken my friend’s heart.” Leroy said to me.

“I never planned to stay at the director’s house, believe me.”

“But you are staying there now.” Jasmine said and uplifted from her chair and left us too. 

Detective Akin looked at me and went back to reading a file.

I sighed loudly. 

“My wife and I would have been delighted to accommodate you.” Leroy spoke out.

I stared at him astonished, “Do you want to walk out on me too?” 

“Not at all,” he said. “I am comfortable with you staying at Quincy Harvey’s house as long as you are safe there.”

“I am safe there.”

“Very good. When are you visiting my wife? She has been asking after you.”

“I will visit the both of you on Saturday.”

Leroy gave an expansive smile. “I will tell her when I get home.”

My phone rang and I excused myself to the ladies room to answer my call.

“How are you Genny?” Aunty Bimbo asked after I picked her call.

“I am fine.”

“Your mother will be in Delta state soon,” she said. “There is something holding her back but I assure you, the both of you will see on Saturday or Sunday.”

“What is holding her back? Is she very busy to travel and see me today or tomorrow?”

“She will explain everything, I know you are eager to see her.”

I hissed. “Eager my foot! She has nothing to offer me.”

“She loves you!”

“Whatever. Anything else?”

“Nothing for now,” Aunty Bimbo said. “My regards to Oscar, Leroy Jasmine and your sexy boss!”

We laughed at the same time.

“I miss you aunt.”

“I miss you too Genny. Take good care of yourself.”

“I will and you do the same.” I ended the call. I left the bathroom and headed back to my office when Quincy came out and ordered me into his office. Detective Akin was there.

“Is everything okay?” I asked in a curious tone.

“Akin told me something about detective Oscar and it is important we let you know about it.”

“And what is it?”

Akin spoke, “I noticed detective Oscar was always going out on Tuesdays.”

“That is true.” I said. “He goes to his daughter’s school for a meeting and to pick her up.”

“Allow him finish.” Quincy said. 

“Well,” Akin said. “I found out that he does not go there.”

“What? Where does he go to?”

“I tried to follow him the last time but my bike had a flat tire. I managed to get to his child’s school and it was the nanny that picked Yvonne from her school.”

“How did you know her name?”

“You and Oscar always talk about her.”

“I… I have no idea where he goes to,” I said to them. “We cannot conclude he is the traitor.”

“Of course we are not concluding on that,” Quincy. “We just wanted to let you know he has been lying.”

I pointed a finger at Akin. “Please, next time you follow him make sure you trace him to where ever he is heading to.”

“I will do that next time.” 

I thanked Akin and left.

The day went smoothly without I having any argument with Jasmine. Oscar and her kept to their selves and we bid each other goodbye at 5pm and went home. Quincy and I ate at a fast food joint before going to his abode. We had our bath, came to the living room to watch a movie before going to sleep.

After we finished the movie, Quincy pecked me on my forehead and left. I went to my bedroom, checked my phone and saw nine missed calls from Oscar. I called him back.

“What have you been doing?!” he questioned in an authoritative tone. “I have been calling you!”

“I am sorry, I was watching a movie.”

“Are you sure?” 

“What is that supposed to mean Oscar?”

“I am sorry if my question upsets you but my mind is not at peace here. A lot of things is running through my mind.”

“You don’t have to worry yourself,” I said. ‘There is nothing going on between our boss and I. We are partners and we work professionally.”

“Can I trust you?”

“Yes you can.”

“I love you.” Oscar said.

I took a deep breath and said to him. “I love Yvonne and you. Hug her for me.”

“I will. Goodnight Genevieve.”

“Goodnight.”

 ****** 

My partner and I continued to go to work together. Jasmine could not hide her resentment towards me. It was obvious she was not happy with the arrangement of Quincy and I living together. Oscar was always coming to ask if I have changed my mind to stay with him which I always reply him with a ‘no’ answer.

I reminded Leroy I was going to pay him a visit. On Friday night, in the living room after dinner, Quincy came with a bottle of white wine and two-glass cups. He poured some wine into them and gave one to me. I took a sip.

“It’s been work for the past few days,” he said. “I was thinking we should go and see a movie tomorrow.”

“Let’s postpone it to next weekend. I received a text from my aunt that my runaway mom will be around tomorrow. I also want to see Leroy’s wife too.”

“That is not a problem. We can see a movie some other time.”

He took the remote, turned on the television and changed it to a sport channel.

“What do you want to watch?” I asked.

“Wrestling but I can change it to whatever you want.”

“It’s been a while I watched someone fight, I will be thrilled to watch it with you.”

Quincy’s face brightened.

******

At 10:30, I drove with my car to see Leroy. His wife was the one that opened the door for me. Chisom was thrilled to see me and we hugged each other. She offered me food but I refused because I had eaten before coming. She insisted I take tea because of the weather, I agreed.

She came to sit close to me and gave me a cup of hot tea. She took a glass of water.

“Where is Leroy?” I asked.

“He will join us soon.” She said. 

We talked about what was going on in the music industry. Her favorite musicians were splitting up.

“I think they have every right to go solo.” I said. 

“I know but I like them together. Psquare is the best duo in Nigeria.”

“They are old enough to know what they want.”

I know. Anyways, it’s so good to have you here in my house.”

“Me too,” I said. “I am really going to miss you when you relocate,” I said. “I don’t know why you persuaded your husband to talk with the director about it.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know what you talking about. I never asked him for us to relocate and even if we want to, it will be Leroy’s decision and not mine. I love it here and I see no reason why I should leave a place when someone like you is here. I know you will shower my child with gifts and love.”

I was dazed to hear such from her. I quickly thought of what to say to stop Chisom from asking her husband. “Oh! I was mistaking you for someone else’s. I just remembered it’s not Leroy but another detective that said such about his wife.”

She smiled widely and rubbed her protruding stomach. 

“I thought as much. My child is lucky to have a good woman with a good heart as her godmother.”

“It’s a girl?” I asked as I widened my eyes.

“Yes!’ she answered with a grin. “I wanted a boy but God knows best.”

I smiled at her, and moved towards her. “Can I touch?”

“Of course you can! There’s no need touching it when you can hear her. You are family!”

If not that I laid my head gently on her tommy, she would have seen the tears hovering around my eyes. Calling me family made me so emotional, I don’t know what I’ll will do if Leroy was the betrayer. I rather have a knife pierce my heart than see the man I cherish, a man I called brother betray my trust. I quickly cleaned my face, sat down when I heard footsteps coming our way. I sat down.

“You should visit often.” Chisom said and touched me on my right hand. "You know Leroy has only a brother so he takes you as his little sister."

“I know.” I received a text message from my mother and the location of where she was.

Leroy came to join us, we hugged and he joined our conservation. He’s wife gave me some fruits to eat before leaving. The couple escorted me outside to my car and Chisom left us to talk.

“Thanks for coming detective Cole.” He said.

“Don’t mention.”

“There is something important we need to talk about.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about our former boss.”

“Uncle Freddie?”

“Yes. I am beginning to believe you, that he was murdered. I want us to investigate the case.”

“But I thought you are not interested in the case.”

“I am now,” he said in a flat tone. I could not tell if he was lying or saying the truth.

“I have changed my mind about it. I have already made up my mind that it was a robbery case.”

“Are you sure?" Leroy asked. "I am ready to work with you on it."

“I am sure about it. I should be on my way now.”

Leroy kissed my left cheek gently. “Drive safe.”

"Thanks."

I hopped into my car, thinking thoroughly about what Leroy said to me. Was he trying to get information to know if I was still on the case? Why did he have to lie that his wife said they should relocate. I cannot point an accusing finger at him. We are yet to know where Oscar has been going to, the traitor still unknown. I was not going to feel sad about it anymore but work towards finding the truth. I increased the speed of my car to go meet the woman I do not know if I loved or despised.
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To be continued… Tuesday by 6pm.