(S2): PARTNERS IN CRIME! E8.

Sorry for delaying this episode.

To read the previous episode, click Here 

*** 

Episode 8 Title: The Truth in all the lies.

***

Adebiyi ran down the stairs when he heard the horn of Tiwa’s car. He opened the door for her and she sat down tiredly. He closed the door and watched her pull off her shoes. She inhaled and looked at his direction.

“Have you eaten dinner?”

He gave her a look. “Yes I have.” He walked to stand in front of her. “I wasn’t expecting you by this time. You and your partner are supposed to be following the pastor. You told me that one hour ago when you started trailing him.”

“We are through?”

“So soon? What happened?” He sat beside her.

Tiwa sighed. “I would have called you on my way home but my phone went down. We didn’t expect where he would drive to.”

“Where did he drive to?” Adebiyi asked curiously.

“To the Akanju’s house.”

He widened his eyes in disbelief. “You must be joking.”

“Right now I am serious.”

“Why would that be the first place he would go to?”

“I have no idea. I thought maybe he would check where he must have dropped her shoes or go back to the crime scene if he was the one that actually drove the Hilux there.”

“But the corn woman described a taller man."

“Yes but we can’t hold on to only that. Like she said it was quite dark.”

“How long did he stay at the house?” He asked.

“He stayed there for a while. Genevieve and I got nothing. The detective waiting close to his house will give me an update if anything changes.”

“This is confusing. I got a call from the victim’s father after you left the office. He wanted me to release his daughter’s body for burial.”

“But we haven’t solved the case.” She said in a concerned voice. “Why is he changing his decision now?”

“I asked him and his reply was that he wanted his daughter to rest.”

“I know we are wasting time to solve this case but one thing I know, we get it right very soon. We will speak with Abraham. Genevieve and I will see him tomorrow at his school. There’s something she wants him to do for her too concerning a rape case.”

“I see. Whatever decision you and your partner make, let me know.”

“We will.”

“Maybe I should have listened to you. Is it too late for me to ask for a warrant?”

She smiled and put her hand gently on his lap. “I don’t think we will find evidence there. The repaired tiles in his home are not enough. Her phone is still missing and we have no idea where her shoes are. If he didn’t go straight to his house after we saw him then he must have gotten rid of them. What we need now is either a confession or a witness.”

“What about the assistant pastor?”

“Genevieve called him. He would come by the office tomorrow morning.”

“Do you think he is capable of helping the pastor get rid of the body?”

“I don’t know until he gives us a good reason where he was on the day Sade was murdered. He must have a concrete alibi. ”

Adebiyi cleared his throat and shook his head. “I am sure this young girl had a dream…”

“Oh yes. A dream to live and take good care of her mother when she becomes a woman and that was taken away from her. I am so eager to arrest Pastor Simon. I don’t even know why I am still calling him a pastor. He is using that title to defraud and deceive his followers.” She exhale heavily and rose on her feet. She clung on to her body. “Before we fell in love with each other, you never wanted children. Why?”

He heaved a sigh. “Is not that I didn’t like children. This world will live in is dangerous. People like us fight against that yet people get killed by their fellow humans either by knife, gun poison… there are awful things like accidents, diseases…I didn’t want to bring a child to witness such.”

“What made you change your mind?”

“You,” He replied with a smile. “I fell in love and I believed as parents to our children, we will be able to protect and lead them to become great.”

Tiwa turned to him with tears in her eyes.

Adebiyi jumped on his feet and touched her. “Why are you crying?”

“I believe Sade’s parents protected her yet she was raped and killed.” She bowed down her head.

He rubbed her arms. “It’s okay my love.”

“She was so young.” Her lips jiggled as she spoke. “Her killer is walking freely yet we can’t do anything. We can’t even put handcuffs on his wrists!”

“It’s okay Tee. We will get him…” He lifted her chin to peer more into her misty eyes. “We will.” He cleaned her face and shoved her gradually into his arms. “I believe in you, Tiwa. I have always believed in you and I know you will catch him.”

She closed her eyes. “I hope so.”

***

“This is unbelievable.” Quincy said to Genevieve after she explained to him in their bedroom. They were sitting on top of the bed, “Why didn’t you or detective Tiwa call the victim’s mother to confirm what the pastor went to do in their house?”

“If there was a problem she or her husband would have called one of us.”

“It doesn’t mean! Call her.”

“And when she becomes curious to know why we are asking, what do you think we should tell her? I can’t lie. If she knows that man killed her daughter, she won’t think twice to do something drastic. We have no evidence yet and that is delaying the arrest of that rapist!”

He got up from the bed. “For how long will you and your partner wait? Nothing is happening.”

“That is why we will talk to the pastor’s son.”

“And you think he will choose between you and his father."

“No,” Genevieve answered. “He will have to choose between his father and his best friend, a girl that he called his sister.”

“Blood is thicker than water. Don’t put your hope on him, he might disappoint you.”

She stayed quiet and inhaled. “There are some many things on my mind. I want to wrap up the cases I have. That pastor is not only a killer but also a rapist. No wonder he never did anything to find out the truth about that Jordan.”

“How far have you gone?” he asked.

“I am meeting up with the girls tomorrow. I hope they come and say the truth.”

“And what happens next?"

“I will have to talk to Jordan’s sister.” She said.

Quincy gave her a surprise stare. “And how will that help you?”

Genevieve smiled. “Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

He climbed the bed. “I hope your plan works out well.”

“At the office, I asked the gate man if any delivery man came and he said no. My secretary lied. She was the one that bought the wine and card for me.”

To his surprise, she began to laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding me! She has a crush on my husband.”

“You are not serious. Anyways, I warned her never to try it again.”

“She wasn’t sacked?” She asked stunned.

“She begged and promised never to repeat such again.”

“I don’t like the idea that she still works for you.”

“Akin is watching her for me.”

“He better watch her well.” She smiled at him.

Quincy smiled back at her but the smile vanished when they heard the cry of Freddie. “I think it’s your turn to check up on him.”

She stretched her hands up and yawned. “You know I am very tired and weak.” She rested her back on the bed and closed her eyes.

“You are pretending but I won’t stand up at midnight, it will be your turn.” She continued to yawn. “Pretender!” He got up and walked out of the room.

Genevieve opened her eyes and grinned sheepishly.

***

“Are you sure he is saying the truth?” Jordan asked his sister over the phone.

“Why would he lie? I have told you what he said. Please, allow me rest. I need to sleep!”

“What about the time you didn’t allow me sleep?”

“Leave me alone, please. What do you want me to say? I told you what he said. Why are you bothered? Are you scared of something?”

“I am not scared of anything!”

“Then leave me alone.” Justine said angrily.

“See, one of the detectives accused me of attempted rape and she might secretly be investigating about it.”

“Does Zach know anything?”

“Zach is a gossip. He is nosy and he might know something about me. He is in my choir group.”

“So what do you want me to do?”

“Ask him one more time what the detective asked him.”

“Is that all?” She asked uncaringly.

“Yes and get back to me immediately.”

“That will be after school hours. Can I sleep now?”

“Yes, goodnight.”

She ended the call without giving him a reply.

***

The next morning at the door, Chisom turned her face away when Leroy wanted to kiss her cheek. Both of them were having marital issues. Leroy made it known to her he wouldn’t allow her work.

“Are you still mad at me?” He asked her as she took a step backward to give him enough space to walk out the door.

“It’s already late,” she said coldly. “You should be at work by now.”

“I won’t be able to concentrate.”

“Don’t concentrate, I don’t care.”

“Why are you talking like this? You were not working before we moved here and we didn’t have this problem. What made you change your mind?”

“I am bored.”

“Then make friends.”

“I should make friends with people that have jobs, right? You want them to mock me that I depend on my husband to eat, buy my undies, make my hair…”

“Don’t make me feel bad, Chisom!” Leroy uttered. “You and I know that’s not true. You have your own money and you are capable of taking care of yourself. This is not about being independent. I am not complaining working alone to take care of this family. I just don’t want to stress you.”

She didn’t say anything.

“Please, say something.”

Chisom looked at him. “You won’t allow me talk to the people that can help me get a job and you think I will be happy with you? I am angry and I will continue to be until I get something doing and bringing up about having another kid will not solve anything. Go to work!” She stepped away from him and walked inside to sit. She took a remote and turned on the television. “Shut the door on your way out.”

Leroy gazed at her and sighed. He simply did what she told him.

***

By 9:35am, the assistant pastor arrived and he was led into the interrogation room. Genevieve was yet to arrive and Tiwa called her thrice but she didn’t pick. She decided not to wait but question him all by herself.

“I hope there’s no problem, detective.” Pastor Roger said to her the moment she entered. He appeared composed and attractive as usual.

She sat down opposite him. “No.’ She asked him where he was on the day Sade died.

He looked confused. “Am I in trouble?”

Her facial expression was stern. “Do you think you are in trouble?”

“I doubt because I have not done anything bad. To answer your question, I went to the hospital to be with my younger sister.”

“Abraham said he was supposed to see you on that day.”

“That is true but I couldn’t call him at that time. My sister was in labor, she was having difficulty to push and my attention was needed for me to pray for her.”

“How long did you stay at the hospital?”

“I left there midnight to go home and freshen up.” He smiled cheerfully. “She gave birth to a bouncing baby boy.”

“That means you have more than one alibi.”

Pastor Roger’s face changed. “Excuse me. An alibi? Am I a suspect in a murder investigation?”

“I would need the contact of your sister and the address of the hospital too.”

“Jesus Christ!” he said in shock. “Why would you think I would be the one that killed Sade?”

“I didn’t say you killed her. I thought you could be an accomplice in the murder.”

“An accomplice? Does that mean you know who killed her?”

Tiwa stood. “I want the contact and address now.”

“I can’t believe you would see me as that.” He rose. “I am a man of God. Don’t judge me by my look or the people I work with.”

She looked at him with curious eyes. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I am not capable of anything evil!” he brought out his pen. “Can I have a piece of paper?”

“Sure.” She left and returned in a flash. She handed the paper to him and he wrote on it.

He gave her the paper, she thanked him and he left with a sad mien written all over his face. Tiwa gave Idara the details to confirm the alibi. She was returning to her office when she sighted Genevieve with two young women. She walked closer to them.

“You have not been picking my calls.” Tiwa said to Genevieve.

“I am sorry. I called you back when I saw them but you didn’t pick.”

“I was talking to Pastor Roger.”

“Any luck?”

“Miss. Effiong has gone out to confirm his more than one alibi.”

“Wow! If he has more than one alibi then he is not the accomplice. I want to speak with these ladies in my office. I will check up on you when I finish with them.”

“No problem.”

***

One hour later, Idara returned and checked on Tiwa in her office. The pastor’s alibis checked out. More than five nurses saw him during that period. Immediately Idara left, Genevieve walked in and sat down.

“I went to see the girl that Oma talked about.” Genevieve said. “My phone was in my car.”

“I understand. What did she say?”

“She believed Jordan raped her in her sleep. He drugged her.”

“That guy is a serial rapist.”

“The girls that came with me wrote their statement against him. He raped them.”

“What!” Tiwa exclaimed.

“He threatened he would kill them if they said anything. I think it is only Oma that was able to escape from his fifthly hands.”

“And she was bold enough to talk about it in church but they didn’t believe her. What are you going to do now?”

“I will talk to Abraham to help me convince his stalker to confess about what her brother has been doing or I will use Abraham as a tool to get the truth from her.”

“You think she would fall for that?”

“Like Sade’s friend said, Justine is not a bright student.” Genevieve said. “Don’t worry, she will succumb.”

Tiwa smiled. “If she does, I will be very happy.”

***

At 12:23am, Tiwa and Genevieve arrived at the school after the lunch break. They went to the principal’s office to ask for permission to talk with Abraham and Justine for a period of time. A teacher called Abraham away from the class and took him to a quiet place where there were trees.

“What do you want?” He asked in a disrespected tone as he saw them.

“Show some respect, Abraham!” the teacher said and walked away after he apologized and greeted them.

“What do you want?” He asked nicely.

“We are here for two things but I will be the one to go first.” Genevieve said. “I know Justine has a crush on you.”

“So?”

“Do you like her?”

“No.” His eyes were angry.

“I am investigating her brother. He is a rapist.”

Abraham gazed at her for a moment without showing any sign of shock. “I knew it. I knew that girl wasn’t lying.”

“You mean Oma?”

“Yes! She stopped coming to my church but she said he wasn’t able to rape her.”

“There are others girls he raped.”

“What! I talked to pastor Roger about it. He was the only one that believed me. He needed permission from my dad to take action on the case but my dad refused. He said the girl was lying to tarnish the image of the choirmaster and the church. So how can I help?”

“We want you to convince Justine to say the truth.”

“So it’s true she caught her brother. I don’t think I can do it.”

“Tell him the other option.” Tiwa said.

“Is there another option?” Abraham asked Genevieve.

“Yes.” She told him.

“I don’t want to date Justine. She’s rude, dull and she never liked Sade.”

“I know but if I can tell her I have been able to convince you to go out with her then she would tell me the truth.”

“I know Jordan disrespects her but will that be enough to go against her brother for me?”

“We will try.”

Abraham shook his head. “I will think about it and get back to you tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

“Can I go now?”

“Not yet,” Tiwa said. “We know your father raped and killed Sade but we have no evidence.”

He didn’t flinch but peered into their eyes. “I have no evidence.”

“You are a witness.”

“I am nothing!” he appeared furious and pointed a finger at them. “Two of you should stay away from me!” Abraham turned his back on them. “I have nothing to say!”

“Do what is right and tell us what happened.”

He started to cry. Tears soaked his handsome face. He heard their footsteps coming closer to him. He heaved a sigh and shut his eyes. “Don’t say a word to me. If you knew what happened that day, if I should open my mouth to say it, it will break hearts including yours too.”

Tiwa swallowed.

Genevieve questioned. “Why?”

He opened his eyes. “Because you won’t believe it when I tell you.”

“Then tell us.”                
                                    

“What will I tell my mother when she finds out I knew what was happening and I couldn’t save her.”

“Sade?”

He shuddered and took a deep breath. “She trusted me. She believed in me. I didn’t know on time and when I did, I protected my father.”

“Was that why she quarreled with you?”

“Yes. She wanted me to confront him. I was afraid.”

“You have to tell us, Abraham.” Tiwa said. “Don’t beat around the bush.”

He shook his head sorrowfully. “I can’t, please! Don’t get me involved.”

“You are already involved,” she said calmly.  “You only have to tell us the truth.”

He started to walk away.

“Wait!”

Abraham halted. He refused to turn his back.

“If Sade was your blood sister and you knew a man raped and killed her, would you keep quiet? I am not going to force or arrest you for holding information. Okay, just give us something to help us figure out what happened. Give us a description of what transpired between her and your dad and we can come up with ours and use that against your father. Whatever you say will be off record. Please, you have to help us. ”

“First of all, where is Sade’s phone and shoes?” Genevieve asked Abraham.

“I don’t know.” He replied.

“Just tell us the little you can, please.”

He inhaled a deep breathe. “When my father dropped me off at Pastor Roger’s house, he was supposed to go to the church from there. When I knew the pastor wasn’t around, I ran outside to check on my dad but he had driven off. I couldn’t get a taxi on time and when I did and arrived home, I noticed my dad’s car. I knew he was around. I knocked but he didn’t answer. I used my key and entered, I heard a female voice screaming, I didn’t realize it was Sade’s voice.” he shut his eyes. He didn’t want to cry anymore. “I thought he brought a girl home and I was upset, so I went to my room, put on my headset and listened to music with my phone. I slept for some minutes and woke up. I felt I should check up on my dad but...” The fears he held back exploded out from his eyes.

Tiwa walked closer to him and placed her right hand on his shoulder. He shivered. “It’s okay. What happened next?”

Abraham sniffed his nose and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “The moment I came out from my room, I heard a tremendous noise at the living room. Something must have fallen and I could hear the female voice crying and, threatening to expose him. That was when I realized it was Sade.” He turned to face Tiwa.” I tiptoed to check. I peeped down and saw my father smashing Sade’s head on the broken tiles. I swear I froze. I saw blood and before I could say anything, Sade could no longer move her naked body. She was dead.”

“She was naked?”

“Yes. My dad rushed to his room, brought her clothes and wore them for her. He never knew I was watching in fright.”

“We know your dad didn’t drop her body where we found her.”

He opened his eyes in astonishment and started to cry again. “But you don’t know who he was, right?”

The partners shook their heads.

“My dad made a call immediately and said Sade came to his house but she fell. I feel terrible, I feel sad for Mama Sade.”

Tiwa and Genevieve looked at each other inquisitively and back at him.

“Why are you talking like that?” Genevieve asked.

He stared at her. “Figure it yourself. As for Justine, you can tell her what she wants to hear as long as she will say the truth about her brother. Goodbye.”

Tiwa looked at Genevieve. “You can go and talk to Justine now. I will call Adebiyi to send detective Leroy to Pastor Simon.” Her phone started to ring. She looked at her phone. “You can go now, it’s Adebiyi.”

“Okay.” She walked away.

“Hello dear,” Tiwa said.

“The victim’s father is here for the body.”

“Did he say anything concerning Pastor Simon coming to his house yesterday?”

“No.”

“What about his wife?”

“She didn’t come with him. Anything?”

“I was about to call you. Don’t give him the body yet. I want you to delay him. I want Leroy to bring in Pastor Simon for questioning.”

“You have evidence?”

“Not yet but don’t worry, we are arresting him today. I will call Sade’s mom to come over to the office. When she does, put her where she can’t see her husband. Genevieve and I will be on our way soon.”

“Okay love.” he ended the call.

Tiwa put a call through to Mrs. Akanju.

Forty minutes later, Genevieve joined Tiwa in her car. “What took you so long?”

“It wasn’t easy to convince Justine but I finally did it.” She said excitedly.

“For real?”

She wrote her statement and she would tell her parents when she gets home. I spoke to Abraham to be nice to her for a while. Jordan will be arrested today.”

“That’s good.” She turned on her ignition. “We have to go to the office now.”

When Pastor Simon came, he wasn’t alone. A male lawyer was with him. Adebiyi took him to the interrogation room.

***

When they arrived at the bureau, Tiwa called Adebiyi to the lab. She narrated what Abraham said to him, doctor Omoni, and Idara.

“He didn’t say who his father called?” Adebiyi asked.

“No.”

“When I saw the body of Sade, she wasn’t dumped like a piece of trash. The man you talked to said they thought she was sleeping and that is because of the position the man placed her. It was someone that cared for her that positioned her like that. Who is tall that was close to her?”

“Her father.” Tiwa and Genevieve said together but this time they didn’t smile. Sadness overtook their faces.

“I wasn’t satisfied with his explanation on that day.” Tiwa said. “Even if he was waiting for his guest at the hotel, he already knew she wouldn’t come. Why wait? Why not go home?”

“But it doesn’t make sense.” Idara said. Why would Mr. Akanju agree to take his daughter’s body away and keep quiet?”

“That is what we are about to find out.” She looked at Adebiyi. “Where is Mrs. Akanju?”

“In your office.”

“Okay.”

“But how do you get them to confess when you don’t have evidence against them?” Idara asked.

“That’s true.” Omoni said. “The witness is not here.”

“They have been lying to us.” Tiwa said. “This is the time to lie to one of them.”

Genevieve went to meet Mr. Akanju in her office, he was unhappy that they were delaying him.

“We are sorry but we have to talk.”

“Talk about what?”

“Let’s wait for my partner.”

The lawyer of Pastor Simon told him not to say anything when Adebiyi walked inside the room.

“Detective Tiwa and Genevieve will join you very soon.” Adebiyi said.

“Why is my client here, Mr. Gold?”

“To answer some questions and he will be free to go.”

Tiwa walked into Genevieve’s office with Sade’s mom.

“What are you doing here?” He asked his wife.

“You didn’t know he came here for the body of your daughter?” Tiwa asked her.

“He told me but I didn’t agree to it. I left the house to stay at my friend’s place. I was there when you called me to come here.”

“Were you at the house yesterday when the pastor came?”

“No.” She gazed at her husband. “Pastor Simon came to the house?”

“What is the meaning of this?” He asked in an angered tone.

“Please, sit down Mrs. Akanju.”

She sat beside her husband. “What is going on?”

Genevieve sat on her chair and Tiwa stood beside Mr. Akanju.

Tiwa leaned forward to him. “Pastor Simon has finally confessed to what he did.”

“Confessed to what?” Mrs. Akanju asked confused.

Her husband didn’t act surprise but acted jumbled. “Confessed?”

“Yes and he said you are involved.”

The size of his eyeballs increased. “I am involved in what?”

“He raped your daughter and both of you killed her together.”

“That’s a lie!”

Mrs. Akanju speedily rose on her feet, with her hands on her chest. She widened her bright eyes and almost lost her balance. She held on to the desk. She was breathing hard. “Tell me this is a dream, tell me this is not true!”

“I had nothing to do with it!” He uttered and faced Genevieve. “Please, take my wife away from here, I will say the truth. The pastor is lying against me!”

“I will not leave here!” She began to cry. “Tell me our pastor didn’t rape and kill our daughter!”

“How am I sure you will say the truth?” Tiwa asked him. “You are likely to defend yourself. Pastor Simon has written his confession. You killed Sade and got rid of her body!”

“I didn’t kill my daughter!” He spat out as his eyes started to get teary. His wife’s body trembled.

“But you dumped the body.”

He nodded. “Yes, I did and I am so sorry!” He burst into tears.

Mrs. Akanju glared at him directly. She was in total shock. Her hands and lips quivered as she searched for words. “No, no, you could not have done that. Daddy Sade, why? Why?!” She pounced on his body and started to hit him on his chest. He apologized repeatedly as he cried. Genevieve quickly grabbed her. “Leave me alone! You are a wicked man!”

“I know it will be difficult to remain here.” Tiwa said. “Maybe my partner should take you outside and get some fresh air.”

She released herself from Genevieve’s grip and wiped her face angrily. “I want to hear what he has to say. I won’t touch him again!”

“I am sorry, Beatrice.” Mr. Akanju said.

“Sorry for yourself!”

“Tell us what happened on that day.” Tiwa said. Genevieve turned on the recorder on her table.

“When my guest didn’t arrive at the hotel…”

“A hotel?” His wife asked.

“He will explain better when he finish.” Tiwa said.

Mr. Akanju continued, “I was about to leave when I received a call from my pastor that Sade came to his house and said she didn’t want to join the choir anymore. I knew he was panicking over the phone but he didn’t tell me why. He wanted me to come over to his place. I didn’t take my car to the hotel, I left it in my office. I boarded a taxi there and I met Sade’s lifeless body. He told me she fell down his stairs when he was trying to convince her to fill the form.”

“And you believed him?”

“What was I supposed to believe? She didn’t look raped. She was dressed.”

“He dressed her up after he killed her!”

“I didn’t know until I saw you and your partner at my house telling me my daughter was raped and murdered. That was why I told you to keep the body and find out the truth.”

“Recently you told me the medical examiner might be making a mistake about it.” His wife said.

“That’s because Pastor Simon told me he didn’t rape her.”

“No wonder you were always going to see him and I wondered why you would do that during the period of mourning our daughter!”

“I am sorry!”

“Sorry is not enough! You believed him over the detectives. You believed him over the people that gave us the truth about what happened to Sade!”

“Are you saying he convinced you to take her body away?” Genevieve asked him.

“I wanted to call the police but he told me it would ruin his reputation and he was ready to give my family anything we wanted.”

"She was our only child! How could you choose material things over our daughter!” She started to cry. She knew the tears won’t stop crawling down her face.

“I had no choice but take my daughter somewhere and place her body there. I am sorry Beatrice, I know she was our only child but we can have another. Pastor Simon prophesied Sade wasn’t going to be my only child. I am deeply sorry, Emem is pregnant for me.”

She slapped him hard on his face. “Oh my God! I hate you! I hate you!”

Genevieve had to take her away from the room.

“Do you know where he kept Sade’s shoes?” Tiwa asked him.

“He threw them in the trash outside his house. He is with Sade’s phone. He asked for it and I gave it to him. He gave it to someone that would help him unlock the phone. He is supposed to take it today to know the contents of her phone.”

She shook her head. “Do you know the place?”

“Yes, I do.”

“You will give the address to my partner. She will collect the phone.” She could barely look at him in his eyes.

“I am sorry. He told me if I didn’t ask for my daughter’s body he would take everything from me. Poverty is a disease. I can’t go back to it.”

“Money is truly the root of all evil. You are under arrest for being an accomplice in a rape and murder case. You will be charged to court for your sentence. A colleague of mine will bring a sheet for you to write what you said before he will place handcuffs on you. May God forgive you.” Tiwa said and peeped at the door and called a detective. She told him what to do. Tiwa gave Idara and Leroy the pastor’s home address for them to search the trash can at the front of his house. She joined Adebiyi at the interrogation room.

“What is going on detective?” The lawyer asked her. “What has my client done?”

“He is under arrest for rape and murder of Sade Akanju.”

“That is insane!” Pastor Simon barked and rose.

“Mr. Akanju has written his statement! I am sending my team to check the wastebin in front of your house for her shoes! I am also getting Sade’s phone too. Even if you deny it, I will ask for a warrant to take your DNA and match it with the sperm found in Sade’s body and I am certain it will be yours!”

“Oh my God!”

“What does that mean pastor?” His lawyer asked him. 

“It means he raped and killed the girl.” Adebiyi said.

“It was a mistake!” The pastor stammered. I…”

“Say no more Mr. Simon.” Adebiyi said with a straight face. “You are under arrest.”

 He slumped on the chair and bowed down his head in shame.

***

Two weeks later at the funeral, Family and friends said goodbye to Sade at the cemetery. Sympathizers’ saluted Mrs. Akanju before they left. She turned her back and sighted Tiwa and Genevieve. She walked up to the partners and hugged them.

“Thank you for coming.”

“It’s nothing.” Tiwa said.

“May her soul rest in perfect peace.” Genevieve said.

“Amen and thank you very much for what both of you did.”

“It’s our job. So what are you going to do now?”

“For now, I don’t know. I still cry in the middle of the night. My husband betrayed me. He deserved what he got. I called Emem and she told me he is not even the real father of the baby. She said the Pastor is the father.”

“Unbelievable.”

“This is serious.”

“Very serious detective Tiwa,” Mrs. Akanju said. “The judge made a mistake. Fifteen years in not enough for daddy Sade but I am glad Pas…” She sighed. “I am glad Simon will spend the rest of his life in prison. I have to go now, thank you for everything.” She hugged them again.

As Tiwa and Genevieve walked towards their car, Abraham called them and they turned back. They saw him with a woman. He greeted them and introduced the woman as his mother.

“My son told me everything his father has been doing whenever I am not around. It’s a shame Sade died. I loved her and it’s very sad we won’t see her again. You did well detectives.” She shook their hands and left her son with them.

“I am sorry I couldn’t save Sade.” Abraham said.

“It’s okay.” Tiwa said. “You helped us.”

He looked at Genevieve. “I heard Jordan was arrested. I am glad Justine told the truth.”

“I hope you are still nice to her?”

He laughed. “Well, yes. She came to the funeral with her mom but they have gone. Thank you once again. I know Sade will forgive me.”

“She will.”

“Bye.” he waived at them and they reciprocated. They entered into their vehicle.

“So what’s next?” Genevieve asked the moment Tiwa switched on her ignition.

“We plan my wedding.”

"Finally! Thank God it has nothing to do with murder!”

***

The End.
***

Partners in crime season3 will commence soon. I think next week. I will keep you posted.