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.
Wow wow
ReplyDeleteA very nice ending
Keep it up dear
I'm frigging surprised... dint even think Mr Temi wuld be d murderer.
ReplyDeleteThumbs up Carina, more grease to ur elbow.
@Vivian... Thank you dear.
ReplyDelete@Temitope... Thanks! You are a darling.
yay!!!!! I predicted right,, nice ending,, at least the culprit will be severely punished
ReplyDeleteNice story,suspense filled.keep up the good work
ReplyDeleteInteresting Carina! I really enjoyed this stories.
ReplyDeleteWahoooo! Intriguing! Kudos Carina. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteWahoooo! Intriguing! Kudos Carina. Keep it up.
ReplyDelete