🙆WHO KILLED ATIM🤷
Episode 7.
Story by Miriam Edem.
It was really a long day I must say for the officers out there, but for me, it was ages locked anxiously in a room without knowing what’s going on out there.
Dusk was falling and I began to wonder what’s going on and why I haven’t seen my saviour yet.
The door flung open and I looked to see it was dinner but I was not interested.
“Where are the officers plea-se? Are they not back yet? I asked but the man ignored and locked the door back..
Only God knows how miserable I would have been if my saviour was not there for my rescue. Probably by now I would have been so maltreated and abandoned here, but God c@m£ throu-gh for me s£nding a man concerned about the case who stood in the gap.
I sat down back on the floor i was like a rejected orphan looking at the ceiling for a very long time until the door opened again and I heaved a sigh of relief as I stood up from the floor I sat going to the door.
“Ayi? The man called out looking at me after I greeted him. I was looking so frustrated as i went to him as if my life depended on it.
“Sir I’ve been waiting for weeks now what happened? I asked.
“Ayi i thought I told you to calm down? you’ll fall sick with worry, the man replied.
“Sir what do you want me to do na? How can i be sitting here all day when I’m not used to such life, its ma-king me sick alre-ady in fact I’m very sick! I shouted losing it.
“Hey! An officer shouted and attem-pted to approach me but the man st©pped him.
“Its okay, the man said to the officer while I bowed my head.
“You better respect……. “I said its okay, the man cut in interrupting the officer who still insisted.
“I’m so sorry sir i didn’t mean to shout at you, mbok ku yad esit, I apologized and he nodded and sat down.
“Can you sit down now let’s talk? He asked and i quic-kly drew my seat and faced him.
“Good! So at a point i had to join the guys to know what’s going on. At 8miles the tenant took us to the compound she saw Atim once and it was a big one. We got in inquiring about Atim with her picture and no one seemed to know her. But someone suggested it must be a different compound because residents there pas-ses throu-gh the compound she was seen to hit the road. So we had to go into surrounding compounds that linked to the identified one and we saw a woman who recognized Atim, the man narrated and i breathed out.
“oh finally, i said.
“Yes and we asked how they are related which she replied Atim is actually her late sister daughter and she is the one doing the catering business which Atim do help her out from time to time. She also attested to the fact that Atim visited yesterday afternoon and helped her to cook but she didn’t stay to eat because she said someone was waiting for her and she hurried off, the man continued.
“And that was me right? I asked.
“What time did Atim arrived your house? The officer with him asked.
“Few minutes past 5pm, i replied.
“Then the woman was right same with Atim, she pas-sed from 8miles to your place, the man said
“Then the poison? I asked
“The food Atim cooked was tested and it was proven safe, the man replied and my eyes bulged out
“Oh abasi!Which one will i take again abi the poison fell from the ceiling? Who killed Atim? I shouted again angry we are just going in circles and the man heaved.
“The woman who c@m£ here was not Atim aunty…. in fact there are not even related to begin with. Atim just got herself involved with her after her mother died and resorted to stay with her despite her family warning, The man said.
“Is that so? Then there’s every possibility she poisoned Atim after all they are doing dirty jobs, who knows what they were fighting for and one had to take away the other from the way, i boldly said and the man smiled as if what i said was funny..
“We can’t say that for sure she killed Atim when we have no evidence to back up such claim, the man said.
“Evidence? Then why is she hiding if she’s Clean? Besides the woman telling Atim she will deal with her is that not enough evidence that she is capable of taking Atim off the way? I asked.
“Ayi let us do our job, we are trying ha-rd to see where we can find her, so do you have any idea of where she might be? the man asked.
“Me? No of course, i replied.
“So you see we are on the same page, because no one seems to know but we are trying to see how we can get the location throu-gh her phone numbers then we can squee-ze out the truth from her. The best you can do is pray this comes out successful, the man said and i nodded.
“I’m doing that sir, but I’m just concerned and feeling so frustrated I’m stuck here doing nothing, i said.
“Just step up the prayers okay, then you’ll be doing something to help this case, don’t you religious people say prayers is the key? The man asked.
“No doubt sir, and that’s how God brou-ght you to me na, this is no coincidence but God intervention, i replied.
“Impressive, now eat so you’ll have more strength to pray and I’ll talk with the officers to give you something to change up and where to have your bath and also a place to stay for the night. See you tomorrow, the man said tapping me on the l@p and stood up.
“mbok sosongo o, esiere papa, i said getting up also and he left with the officers…………..
🙆WHO KILLED ATIM🤷
Episode 8.
Story by Miriam Edem.
The next day I was brou-ght out from where I was to my executive room to continue from where I st©pped. But this time around I saw my mom and my siblings waiting for me.
Seeing them my heart skipped as I feared they have been dragged into this mess also.
“What are you doing here? I asked alarmed.
“So we should not visit you after slee-ping in the police station eh Ayi? My mom asked and I got relieved and tried to hvg her but she refused.
She was so mad at me and it was so obvious,
“Mommy at least hvg him na, my junior sister said.
“Did I come here to hvg? So Ayi, you finally felt like having a woman and you could not tell me so I’ll get you one to marry huh? You have to go carry someone whom her village people have killed alre-ady to put you in trouble eh? She asked and I rolled my eyes knowing who my mom is.
She has been disturbing me for a while now to settle down but I’ve been dodging from her, right now if its possible for her to skin me alive she will gladly do it.
At my age my mom was still able to land us a dirty sl@p whenever we commits, and with the tone of her voice I had to give a distance just in case her hands goes into motion, that Yoru-ba woman really knows how to handle us well.
“I’m talking to you Ayi! So as I’m alive after your father left us, you want to s£nd Me to him shey? She continued and I heaved.
“Ahh mommy its not what you’re thinking na, why should you die now when I’ve not opened the restaurant I promised you, I said.
“So it is in this cell you will open the restaurant ba? Your news has spre-ad everywhere, ashawo died in Ayi house……. “Eh! I shouted cutting in.
“Eh knock you there! So you think no b©dy saw the police parading in and out of your house like barracks huh? Chai Ayi why didn’t you tell me you wanted a wife eh Ayi! My mom started her usual tone that will be followed by an outbur-st of cry if care is not taken.
“But mama hear me out na. Atim was just a friend and the rain was falling when she visited me. Nothing happened o mama nothing happened, I didn’t t©uçh her, she’s only a friend and its so unfortunate she died in my house for the very first time I let a woman sleep over, I said spelling that p@rt out to my mom as a deaconess in mountain of fire she is, highly religious.
“Brother how is the case? Sorry we are coming now we were not allowed to see you throu-ghout yesterday we heard that news, My sister c@m£ in.
“Well i was proved innocent…….. “Then let’s go na what are we waiting for! My mom cuts in.
“No mama not that quic-k, i said and heaved.
“What is remaining again na? You didn’t kill her shey? She asked.
“Mama the food she ate at my place as proven safe but this is a murder case. It looks kind of simple because God took out protocols for my sake and i can’t be off it until the killer of Atim is revealed and I’ll be declared innocent, i replied.
“Oh mogbe ooooo! Ayi just kill me o so I’ll know you’ve finally succeeded! She shouted.
“Mommy calm down na no one has died here with the way you’re shouting, my sister said also shifting from my mother before she will pounce on her.
“Why did you shift? If i hold your mouth eh, i will so draw it and make sure it loses its elasticity, my mom said and i ru-bbe-d my head and leaned on the wall wishing they never c@m£ so i can manage my trouble in peace.
“Ohhh! Mama why all this na? Look at the situation of brother and you’re not helping issues here. Okay what if someone didn’t come in for him? by now you would have been crying for your son but let’s thank God we are still seeing him in one piece. We disturbe-d to see him and here we are, but where’s the support and encouragement you’ve shown? Rather you’re ma-king him feel bad, not now mama, my other sister said while i just folded my hands quiet looking at them and my mom was calm with that sober look, just as i suspected she began to cry,
“My enemies shall not succeed, no! Their weapons over your life shall not prosper! She shouted standing up adjusting her head tie and our eyes bulged out knowing its one big marathon prayers she’s about to explode and i quic-kly went to her ma-king her to sit down.
“Amen mama amen, God didn’t allow their weapons succeed. Won’t you like to know how the case is going? I asked quenching the fire at once…………….
Few minutes later they left and dropped the food they brou-ght for me and i breathed out cleaning my face.
“Finally I’m alone as usual, I said to myself and decided to eat as my mom drew my ears and made me promise her i won’t starve myself like i did yesterday.
After eating i couldn’t help but laugh at the prayers my mom was about to explode. The sight of her praying is always something I cant pretend or st©p myself from laughing. That’s why before i left home to stay on my own, I’m not always around whenever the family prays because I’ll be the devil roaring with laughter.
The door opened and my dad friend finally walked in and i stood up greeting him,
“This one you’re smiling like this today, looks like today will be good o, he said and I happily nodded.
“I hope so sir, my family just left, i said.
“Oh yea i found out they were restrained from seeing you and knowing how mothers can be, i decided to let her in, the man said.
“Thank you Sir i appreciate, i said.
“Its okay, so I had a call from the team who has been working to know where Margaret is…….. “Who’s that sir? I asked cutting in.
“Oh i didn’t tell you? Her name is Margaret and a location was ermm…. You know traced with one of her phone numbers just around 4a.m this morning, so we’ll go check it out, the man replied.
“Oh that’s why you’re not on your uniform? I asked.
“Exactly, we’ve turned spies now, he replied smiling and i nodded.
“Honestly sir i don’t know what I’ll do for you when i leave here, thanks so much for everything, i said and he t©uçhed me on my shoulder.
“Lets say you’re enjoying the good things and name your father left behind. I’m simply repaying him back for the good friend he was to me in school and I’m so sorry i couldn’t attend his burial, this is just my little way to help out his son so don’t worry too much Ayi i gat this, the man said.
“Still sir this is so much, not everyone remembers the good or will want to as-sociate himself after all i don’t know you, i said.
“Well lets say i gat this thing called conscience, the man said.
“Oh akwa ete! Yak abasi odiong fi, i prayed.
“Amen, okay i have to hurry off now, my boys are waiting, he said.
“Bye sir and good luck, i said before he shut the door behind………..
Tbc