(Season 2): GENEVIEVE COLE. E5

To read the previous episode, click Broken

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Episode 5 Title: Complex Scenario

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“This is ridiculous!” I spat out. I was not only disheartened about it but also furious. After all my effort of convincing Julius that I was not lying to him, but telling the truth he ended up being killed. “Why is it that whenever we are close to finding the truth something destroys it? Everything regarding this case gets broken! I do not want to give up on this case because Julius death proves he was not guilty but innocent. The master minder of the elimination of your father played him. He thought they must have helped his mother but they lied to him. The innocent man did not even know his mother was still at the hospital bed. What is the way forward now?”

Quincy answered, “I’m still thinking of the way forward. I am sure he was able to get across with someone that confirmed the whole thing.”

“He was going to contact me after finding out the truth.”

“It means there are insiders among the prisoners.”

“I am sure about that,” I said. “The real murderer must have put someone there to monitor him. This is really sad news.”

“I will take you to the office, and drive to the location of the jail cell, talk to the prison administrator and some of the cell guards.”

“Why can’t we go there together?”

“I don’t want eyes on you. I don’t know who is watching you now that they know you went to visit Julius.”

“It will make things worse if you get yourself involve in this.”

“I will only show I am concerned about the death of the prisoner,” Quincy said. His face looked dull and I could tell he was miserable about the unfortunate incident.

“I am the right person to do the questioning and not you,” I said. “Have you forgotten you said the case must not be linked to you and I? Let me do this once and for all.”

Quincy Harvey sighed. “I will take you there and wait for you in the car.”

“Okay.”

“You still have to be careful and have it at the back of our minds that you were threatened.”

“I can’t forget,” I said and took my seatbelt. “Let’s go.”

*****

The partners arrived at their destination. Genevieve came out from the car and walked to the entrance gate. Quincy lowered his car window, pushed his head over, and spoke to her.

“You have to be careful in there,” he said. “Be at alert. Don’t ask pushing questions, you understand what I mean?”

She smiled moderately. “I understand. I won’t stay long.”

She went inside and saluted some of the workers before going to the prison supervisor’s office. She knocked and sauntered inside. The supervisor got up and shook her hands.

“Please have your sit.” He said and sat down back.

“Thank you.” Genevieve said and assembled herself on a chair positioned opposite him. “My boss informed me about the prisoner that was killed by one of his cell mates.”

He nodded. “Yes, you are right. His body has been deposited in the mortuary.”

“This is very sad. Julius and I spoke about something very important yesterday when I came to see him. I will like to know if he made calls or he received a visitor yesterday.”

“All prisoners are liable to make and receive calls two times in a month,” he said. “It could be their family members, friends or lovers. The deceased did not make or receive any calls for the past three months, so he made some calls last night.”

“Can I get the phone numbers he called?”

“It is our rules and regulations to clear call records between a prisoner and his caller.”

Genevieve sighed disappointedly. “So there is nothing you can do to help me?”

“I am sorry.”

“What about the cell mate that stabbed him?”

“His case will be taken to court and charged for what he did,” he replied. “To me, there’s no need for that.”

“Why?” Genevieve asked in a puzzled tone. 

“The prisoner was already sentenced to die by hanging by next week.”

“Did this prisoner have a visitor last night?”

The supervisor touched his chin for a short time and answered. “I think so because some of the prisoners had visitors. Maybe he was one of them. You can interview the prison ward that guarded the cell of late Julius and the stabber.”

The detective rose on her feet and shook his hand. “Thank you for your time. I will find my way to meet the warden.”

“You are welcome and my regards to your boss.”

She gently smiled. “I will send your regards.” 

Quincy was pressing his phone when he looked up and sighted a man wearing a black cap, brown polo, blue jeans and shoe. He was standing by the side of a tree gazing at his car. Quincy dropped his handset on the passenger’s seat and fixed his eyes on the person. The man dipped his hands inside his left pocket, took out his phone and spoke on it for close to a minute. He ended the call and kept back his phone. He folded his arms and looked on at the director’s vehicle.

Quincy decided to come out from the vehicle and walked towards the direction of the man. When he noticed he was coming at his way, he ran off but Quincy followed him in swiftness. The man wearing a black cap was able to reach where he parked his vehicle and drove in full speed.

“Shit!!” snorted Quincy. He quickly looked at the plate number. After that, he had no choice but to go back and wait for his partner without entering his car. He choose to stand by his car and observed who was coming or going inside the building.

Genevieve met with the guard. She was female.

“I will like to know if the prisoner that killed Julius received any visitor last night.”
U“No but his brother called him.”

“He’s brother?” she asked.

“Yes ma.”

“Did he give a name?”

“He said his name was Sparo.”

“Sparo? What kind of a name is that? Was it immediately I left, Julius made calls?”

“Yes ma.”

“What about the guy that stabbed him? When did he receive a call from his brother?”

“In the evening, I think by 7pm.”

“Can I see and speak with him?”

The woman shook her head. “You can see but I doubt he will speak to you. He has refused to say why he killed Julius. He said he is ready to die when we asked why he did it.”

“Your supervisor informed me he was supposed to die by hanging.”

“That is correct ma.”

Genevieve felt there was absolutely no need to interrogate the stabber. She gave her right hand for a handshake, thanked the warden and left the building.

******

I came out to see my boss with his quaking eyes. He ordered me to get into the car quickly. I obeyed and asked him what the matter was after he drove off. He told me what he saw.

“Someone is following you Genny or maybe the both of us!” he blurted out.

“I don’t think it’s us but only me. No one suspects you.”

“They know you are still investigating the case. This is becoming dangerous!”

“So what do we do?”

“We?” he asked and looked at me. “Since you said this does not have to do with the both of us, they know you are looking for the truth. What you have to do is lay low for now.” He fixed his eyes on the road.

“What!” I exclaimed in shock. “Why should I lay low? I am no longer afraid. I will not be a coward!”

“Don’t question me Genevieve Cole! You are not a coward. This is the right thing to do! I regret telling you the truth about the relationship I have with Freddie Arinze. I regret allowing you to investigate this case with me…”

“What?”

“I was not thinking straight when I foolishly agreed to this nonsense! Your life is at stake because of my stupidity!! How could I be so careless? Why should I even agree to this in the first place when I know how I feel about you?” He hit the wheel of his car in fury. “This is a huge mistake! My father warned me not to get you involved in this! I should be ashamed for not honoring the dead man’s wish!”

“This is not your fault! You should not put the blame on you.”

“I will put the blame on me!! Don’t make me feel like a good person!”

“You are a good man Quincy. Stop talking like this!”

“You are dismissed from this case,” he said to my surprise. “In fact, you are no longer permitted to continue to investigate my father’s case underground.”

“You cannot stop me Quincy Harvey.”

“I have the right to do that! I am the son of Freddie Arinze!”

“And I was like a daughter to Freddie Arinze. He was my boss, friend and mentor. Don’t make me lose my temper!”

“I don’t care he was all that do you. You are not his blood!”

“Stop the car!!!” I yelled. I was hurt and angry. Very angry with the man I hate to love. He stopped his vehicle.

“What do you want?” he asked me.

“I know you are saying all these to make me furious and stop me from investigating the case but I will not! You can never stop me! Don’t try to intimidate me Quincy, I will not fall for your antics!”

“Genny you have to understand I am doing this to protect you. I love…”

“Protect yourself first!” I said, took my handbag and rushed out from his car. I banged the door hard! “See you at the office boss.”

“We should go to the office together! This is a busy place and you are not safe here.”

I walked away without uttering a word and curved to another direction to search for a taxi. When I turned by back, Quincy drove off.

*****

(QUINCY)

I am beginning to think this is the worst day of my life. Not even when I received a call, that Freddie Arinze was dead. It pains me to the bones that I put Genevieve, the woman I love into this horrible mess. 

What if something terrible happen to her? My father kept her under my watch and I messed everything up because of the love I have for her. I want her to be safe but how can I protect her if she has refused to listen to me, if she chooses to probe the murder case because of her stubbornness.

I know what I said to Genevieve was hurtful, but I said those words to make her angry with me and it should stop her from going after the case. Right now, I do not care anymore about how she feels about me. I will apologize and beg her after I put the murderer away. I just want to protect her from the preying eyes of the enemy. I will not allow the love I have for her blind me. Her safety is my priority and I will make sure I keep her safe.

I have to find out something first before going to the NIB.

*****

I went to the office and found my director’s office locked. I went into mine and saw my fellow homicide detectives except Oscar. I saluted them and sat down on my chair.

“Is everything alright?” Leroy asked in a concerned tone.

“Yes.” I managed to give him a reply which was a lie.

“I don’t believe you.” Jasmine spoke and came to stand by my desk. “Where have you been since morning? The director has not come to work.”

“I don’t have a reason why the boss is not yet at work. I came on my own in a taxi.”

“In a taxi?” Leroy asked with his eye wide open. “This is unlike you. Is your car faulty?”

“No.”

“So why did you come in a taxi?”

“Detective Leroy,” I said and gazed into his eyes. “I am not complaining. I did not feel like driving on my own.”

“You should have called me very early in the morning to come and pick you up.”

I smiled. “Next time, I will.”

Jasmine said, “I hope all is well?”

“Yes, all is well.” I answered her and she walked towards the entrance door. “I am going for lunch, anyone wants to join me?” 

Leroy stood. “I am very hungry. Chisom woke up late and I did not want to disturb her.” He said and followed Jasmine.

“Is everything alright?” detective Akin asked after two minutes of long silence.

“Julius is dead.”

“What!!”

I narrated everything to him. 

“This cannot happen! I thought we could be able to crack the case that was why I made sure I got the personal information about his mother. What will happen now?”

“I have no idea. Quincy Harvey wants me out of the case.”

“Maybe he is scared your life is at risk. I think he wants to protect you.”

“Do you agree with him I back out from the case?”

“He is the boss. He is trying to protect you.”

“Should I pay a visit to the mother at the hospital? Maybe she can tell us what she knows if I tell her, her son was killed.”

“I can’t let you do that,” I said to him honestly. “I do not want eyes on you. You are an undercover detective on the case and it should remain that way. I will find time to do something about her bills later.”

“You still want to pay for the bills? I do not think there is need for that. If that woman hears that her only child is dead, I don’t think she will be able to survive it.”

“Julius was her only child?”

“Yes.”

I shook my head out of pity. “I want you to help me find out codely if she knows about the death of her son. Try and find the main doctor treating her.”

“I will.”

I looked around the office and faced Akin. “Where is detective Oscar?”

“He has not come to work today.”

“That’s strange,” I said. “He’s always the first person to come to the office. I hope his daughter is okay. Let me call him.” I took my phone, searched for his name and dialed his number. It rang twice before he answered me. “Good afternoon detective Oscar, I hope all is well?”

“Good afternoon detective Genevieve, all is well,” he replied. “Why do you ask?”

“You have not been to the office today. I was wondering if Yvonne is fine.”

“She’s is fine but you can make her mood better when you agree to be my wife, her new mother.”

A slight smile poked on my lips. “I am happy all is well. Are you still coming to the office today?”

“I doubt that. Is the big boss complaining?” he questioned in a sardonic tone.

“No. He doesn’t know you are not around.”

“Good,” he said. “I am working on something. I have been running around today and my mission is not yet accomplished.”

“What mission?” I asked in a muddled tone.

“You will find out when I am through finding out the truth.”

“I think you are not been straight forward. What is going on?”

Oscar responded with a long laugh. “Take care, Genevieve.” He ended the call. I dropped my phone on the table and touched my chin mildly before I spoke to Akin. “I want you to do me a favor.”

“What favor.”

“I cannot tell you to promise me. I will only plead for you to do it.”

“Do what?” he requested.

“I want you to ask Jasmine out.”

“To ask Jasmine out for what?” he asked. “I don’t understand you detective.”

“I want you to ask her to be your girlfriend.”

Akin stared at me with his widened eyes. He removed the medicated glasses on his face and put it down on his desk. “You should have one or two reasons why you want me to ask her to be my woman.”

“Yes I do,” I told him. “If Jasmine agrees, don’t get attached.”

“I have not given you a positive answer,” he said. “You don’t even know if I will agree to it.”

“I know you will because you want to help Quincy Harvey and I crack this case.”

I could hear him sigh out loudly. He scratched his left side of his head and gazed at me. “What do you want me to do?”

I smiled widely on my lips. “That means you have accepted.” I said in an eager tone.

“I want to help.”

“Thank you! Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Currently single and not searching. I want to focus on my job for two more years before considering entering into a real relationship.”

“I see. You are still young. Now over to business, if Jasmine agrees, you have to make sure she trust you with all her heart. I want her to be able to open up to you about her past. She might tell you something if she knows about the murder of Freddie Arinze.”

“I will try but I can't promise you anything.” Akin said. “She might not agree to have a relationship with me.”

“Let’s give it a try first.”

“Will you tell the boss?” he asked. “He has to approve for me to go ahead with the plan.”

“I understand, I will tell him when he comes back.” I said and recalled he was not yet back. Where might he be? I asked myself silently. I wore a worried face.

“Detective Genevieve,” Akin called my name. “Are you okay?”

“Should I? The director is not yet back and I am wondering where exactly he went to.” Jasmine and Leroy entered and sat down in their respective chairs. Leroy asked if I have heard from Oscar, I told him yes.

“The director came in few minutes ago.” Jasmine said.

 

“He’s back?” Akin and I enquired at the same time. 

She looked at him and back at me. “Yes he is back. He looks tired.”

I swiftly rose on my feet and headed out of the office to meet Quincy. I knocked on the door, he gave the order for me to come in. I entered and saw him seated. He had removed his jacket and tie, and he loosened the first and second button on his shirt. His hands rested at the back of his head.

“Where have you been?” I asked and sat down facing him.

He lifted his left eyebrow up. “Are you no longer angry with me?”

“Of course I am but I was worried about you.”

He chuckled gently. “When did you start to get worried about me?”

“Today, “I replied him quickly. “Where did you go to?”

Quincy dropped his hands and balanced them on the table. “I went to check if I will be able to have the contacts of the owner of that car I ran after.”

“Did you find anything useful?”

“No.”

“What happened?”

“I went to meet a friend who knows an inspector. We went over to the police station to check for the records when I gave him the car plate number. It’s a stolen vehicle.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” Quincy replied. “The car was stolen yesterday evening at a beer joint. The owner of the car gave a report immediately she noticed her car was missing at the spot she parked.”

“This is getting more difficult to tackle. Have the police been able to locate the car now?”

“No but I believe it will be found soon. That man might abandon the vehicle somewhere and look for another vehicle to monitor you. I don’t have short memory; you are still dismissed from this case.”

“You can never stop me. I will investigate the case on my own if you are no longer interested in working together with me. I will not beg you.” I told him about the plan about Jasmine.

“He can try his luck. He has my permission to do that.”

I rose up.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I am going home without you. Akin will take me home.”

“On his bike?”

“Yes.”

“We will go home together,” Quincy said in a commanding tone. “Wait for me to rest a little.”

“It is not a must for us to ride in the same car. See you at home.”  

*****

I arrived home, thanked Akin and went to my room to rest.

I woke up one hour later and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner for the two occupants living in the house. I took out ingredients from the fridge to prepare spaghetti and turkey sauce.

After I finished cooking, I went to have my bath, dressed in a simple gown and wrapped a scarf on my head. I went to dish some food for myself and ate alone.

I stored Quincy’s own inside a cooler on the dining table. I ate to my satisfaction and diluted the meal with white wine. 

I waited for thirty minutes for Quincy. I went back to my room to sleep when my phone began to ring. It was my mother calling.

“I am sorry mom,” I said after I pressed the green button. “I have been very busy.”

“I know but we need to act fast about your sister. She called me that her husband beat her few days ago but she is claiming he has asked for forgiveness and won’t hit her again. She believes him because he went down on his knees! Genny, Jennifer’s husband is lying! I can feel it.”

“I want you to relax your mind. She is old enough to know what she wants. I know he blinded her with his lies because she is desperate to have children. Give me a week to sort out myself, I am going through an emotional ordeal. Will a week be okay?”

“Yes… please don’t think too much. I hope you can handle whatever emotional trauma you are going through. Stay strong, please my daughter.”

“I will mom. Have you told Jennifer you have been able to contact me?"

“Not yet,” she said. I heard a low laugh. “I want to surprise her.”

I smiled. “Thanks mom. Take care.”

“Take good care my Genny Genny.”

I switched off my phone and slept. I woke up the next morning, had my bath, dressed and went to the living room. I looked over at the dinning and found it clean. I went to the kitchen and it was very neat. I called out Quincy’s name but no answer. I went to his room and he was not there. I went to the living room window to check if the car he use to drive to work was there but was nowhere in sight. I knew he had gone to the office alone. Probably he was still angry I refused to come home with him the previous day and I have determinedly rebuffed to back out from the case.

I went to search for my car key, saw it and drove away to the NIB. I deliberately refused to see Quincy in his office and I pretended to be happy in the midst of my coworkers. Oscar offered me a mug of hot coffee. He dropped it on my table, and I forced a bright smile at him.

He smiled back and left to speak with Jasmine. 

Quincy and I ignored each other for close to three days. We hardly spoke in the office or even at home. Even at weekend, we could cook together in the kitchen and say two or three words to one another. I was the saddest girl on earth but had to wear a cheerful look on my face. Quincy lips lacked smile during the period. I wanted to apologize for my behavior but pride would not allow me open my mouth.

Akin continued to try his luck to woo Jasmine but she told him to give her time to think thoroughly about it. On a Tuesday morning, I planned to speak with Quincy during lunchtime for a make-up friendship. I sincerely missed his jokes and company. He was not yet at the office. I left the house before him.

I went to see a detective in another office and went back to mine. I saw Leroy, Oscar and Jasmine arguing over something.

“You don’t have the right to tell me what to do!” Oscar yelled at Leroy. “I told the both of you about it few days ago. Don’t you think she has the right to know he has been lying to us about his identity?!” 

“What is going on?”

“I was not the one who found out.” Jasmine said. ”Oscar did and he told us.”

“Told you what?”

Oscar turned to face me. “If Quincy really cares about you, he should have told you who he really is.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I decided to do some personal findings about the boss. I went to the international airport to meet a friend who refused to give me the information I wanted. I called a close pal living abroad to dig into Quincy. Well, I am still trying to get more details but I have something he refused to disclose to us.”

“And what is that?”

“Our director's real name is Quincy Arinze. He is Freddie Arinze’s son!”

My eyes and mouth opened wild before I could talk. “How long have you known about this?”

“It seems you know he is the son,” Oscar said in a disappointed tone. “I knew about it three days ago.”

“What about Leroy and Jasmine?”

“Is that important?” detective Jasmine asked.

“Yes.” I replied. My heartbeat was beating very fast.

“I told the two of them immediately I got the information about the boss.”

“Oh my God.” I muttered out in panic.

“Detective Cole, are you alright?” Leroy asked.

Akin opened the door in a forceful mood without knocking. He was breathing loudly. “I have been calling your phone detective Genevieve!”

I swallowed. “My phone is not with me. What is it?”

“I do not have good news,” he said. “I received a call few minutes ago, Quincy Harvey has been shot!”

*****

To be continued…. Sunday. 8pm!