Finding Robinson's Killer. Episode 5

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I, Ross Johnson could not believe it.

"You are Linda the woman Robinson and Tunde fought over for?" I asked her. 

                                

"Yes."

I wondered. The same woman who I classified as ugly two grown-up men fought over her like toddlers. No wonder they say one man's meat is another man's poison.

I said to her. “That means if you’re really Linda you are aware Robinson was a stripper."

"I'm aware he was a stripper."

“Then why did you treat him bad?"

“I wanted him to focus more on his job and forget being a stripper. I wanted him to quit but he wouldn't listen."

"You must be aware he was sleeping with married women?"

Ejiro bow down her head. "Yes I knew."

"And you were okay with it?"

She raised her head and peered at me. Her eyes were red, upset at my question. “I was not okay with it, never did. That was mostly the main reason we always quarrel. I hit him on the head that day because I found out that he was sleeping with…” She swallowed.

                                                                                  

“With who Ejiro?” I asked. 

                                                     

The anger in her face faded away. She bit her lower lip. “Let’s forget about it detective. It’s all in the past.”

“Who was he sleeping with?” I asked. “Mrs. Matthews?” 

                                                                               

She glared at me stunned. “How did you know about it?”

I didn’t answer her. Her question was irrelevant. “Why are you really here Ejiro? You just can’t come here to tell me you were the victim’s girlfriend. I am certain there’s something else you want to say.”

She sniffed her nose.  “After we closed from work on Friday, I didn’t go home immediately. Robinson and I were supposed to have dinner together but he cancelled it. He told me he was going to have a drink with our boss before going home.” 

  

“Temi Matthews?”

                  

“Yes.”

                                     

“What happened after he told you?”

“I left and I never saw Robinson again.” She began to sob.

“Are you sure it was with your boss?” I asked her immediately, I didn’t have the time to watch her like a nollywood movie.

She nodded.

“Where was your boss while you were talking with Robinson?”

                                                        

“Mr. Matthews was outside.”

I rested my back on my chair and went into deep thought to calculate. The boss left his office to a supermarket to buy some things before heading home. He had an accident while he was probably drunk. What did he actually buy in the supermarket? 

                                                                                               

I said to her, “Do you have any idea which supermarket your boss shops?”

“He has a supermarket close to the office.”

“His own?”

“Yes.” she replied.

I checked my wristwatch, it was 5:15pm “Who runs it?” I asked her.

“His son.”

                                                                                                                                           

I rose on my feet and gave Ejiro my right hand for a handshake. “Thank you for your time.” She stood and shook my hands.

“Please don’t mention my name to my boss.”

“I walked to her and touched her on the shoulder. “I won’t, you can go home now.” I removed my hand.

She signed. “Thank you detective, please find Robinson’s killer.”

“I will.” I collected the address of the supermarket from her and drove there. When I got there, I introduced myself to one of the male workers and asked after Felix Matthews. I was told he was around and his employee went over to call him for me.  Mr. Felix was motionless when he saw me. I quickly went to him.

“I need to ask you something.”

                                   

“Detective I am innocent.”

“I am not here for that. You were with your friends in the evening meaning you never saw your father here that day.”

His left eyebrow rose. “I am not aware of that.”

“Can you ask one of your workers if he came here on Friday to buy somethings?”

“Does it have anything to do with the death of Robinson?”

“No.” I lied. He asked one a female worker who confirmed it to be true. I asked what he bought and she said it was a bottle of whisky. ‘Robinson Ajayi was beaten and struck with a broken bottle to his chest’, I thought. I left there immediately and drove to the abode of Mr. Temi Matthews. I met the maid at home who informed me her boss and his wife were not yet back. I had no choice than to wait for them. I called the maid to question her.

“You confirmed your boss came home on Friday in the evening, can you tell me exactly what time?”

“Oga I no fit remember what time but he come for evening time.” she answered me in pidgin English.

”Did he bring home a bottle of whisky?”

She shook her head. “Oga no bring bottle. He come with nothing but e file.”

I nodded and we heard the horrn of a vehicle. I had no patience to wait for them to come inside instead I walked to meet them outside and approach the car as they came out from the vehicle.

“Detective what are you doing here?” Mrs. Matthews asked.

I turned to her husband with my handcuff in my hands. “You are under arrest for the murder of Robinson Ajayi.”

“What!” he exclaimed. “I didn’t kill him!” His wife screamed out of shock.

“Why didn’t you tell me you drank with Robinson after work?” I asked.

He widened his eyes. “I did not!”

“I have a witness!!” The anger I saw in him depreciated. ”Robinson told someone you scheduled to drink together after work on Friday.”

“Temi tell me you didn’t kill Robinson?” Mrs. Matthews asked her husband. She places her hands on her head.

“Shut up woman!!” he barked at her. “You think I didn’t know you were sleeping with that animal, foolish woman.” She stared at him dazed. She wanted to say something but he did not let her but pounced on her. I waited a bit, what she did was bad. Cheating is a sin. After few seconds I went over to stop him from killing his wife, I grabbed him by his hands and shoved the handcuff into it. His wife was in tears, begging for forgiveness. I took him to where I parked my vehicle and I shove him into the back of my car. I opened the door of the driver seat but I held back. It still did not feel right to me, something was not right. His wife was begging me not to take her husband away.

                                                            

“Mr. Temi Matthews,” I said. “You are not capable of killing Robinson alone.”

He did not answer me.

I continued. “How can you limp and also have the strength to beat up an agile man before stabbing him?”

He made no sound.

I smiled cockily. “Well, I will have your son arrested because he is the only person that can help you do it.”

He froze. “My son had nothing to do with it!”

“I want the truth, who helped you?”

“Makinwa.” He said out of no hint of emotion.

“Makinwa helped you?” his wife asked surprised. “Temi you have finished me!”

“But his wife confirmed his alibi?” I asked.

“His wife?” Mrs. Matthews asked surprised. “My brother is not married.”

Then it dawn on me it was all a set up to lie. I quickly made call to an officer at the station and directed him to the residence of Makinwa. My colleague arrested him and took him to the station, when I asked him the reason for colliding with his boss, he said Mr. Temi Matthews promised to give him back his position at the office and pay him huge amount of money. He said with so much bitterness in his voice that he was glad Robinson was gone because he was sleeping with his sister. I purposely took the two of them to the worst cell at the station. I knew their newfound cellmates would beat them unapologetically.

The end.