Read Chapter 13&14 HERE
Chapter Fifteen
8th August, 2010
5 am
Dave drove through the busy Abuja roads, enjoying the serenity and the cool music from the car radio. He leaned back on the seat and breathed deeply.
“I’m exhausted”, he thought as he manoeuvred another turn. If he wasn’t on the road driving, he could’ve chosen to sleep off.
His mind wandered to the beautiful lady he had just dropped off.
“What did she say her name was again?” He frowned as he tried to recall.
“Yes, that’s it. Norma”, Dave smiled as he pronounced it. “I like it. Strange name for a Nigerian lady though”, he added.
He smiled as he recalled how limp she had been when he carried her in his arms. There was something about her eyes. Those eyes reminded him of his mother. Not to mention the fact that she looked so familiar, as though he had met her somewhere before…somewhere like his father’s church.
Dave smiled ruefully as his family came to mind – his father, mother and sisters – the perfect family. Almost as quickly as he remembered them, he forced them out of his mind.
“That was a long time ago Dave. You chose this life, remember? You left home and became the black sheep. You never understood God and you never will”. Dave calmed his raving mind and focused on the road.
Ten minutes later, he pulled into the driveway of D-Den. He parked and got out, pulling his jacket around him tighter. He heard sirens in the distance but didn’t make too much of it.
“Probably police officers off on another armed robbers hunting spree”, he though as he walked into the building.
The club was almost empty now. The lights were out and two cleaners and a bartender were cleaning up the main floor. Dave was sure that there were still people in the inner rooms by the side and the VIP lounge upstairs. It was always like that. Those ones would find their way home before 6 am.
“Welcome sir”, the workers greeted as he made his way to the elevator.
“Thank you”, he replied briskly.
Dave made his way to the topmost floor of the building and walked down the hallway till he got to the last door with the inscription ‘DAVE DANIELS’. He checked his wristwatch as he brought out his card-key.
“5 am. That lady’s place is really far”, he muttered as he slot in the card. The door opened and he went in.
“Back to my office”, he whispered as he switched on the light and shut the door.
“What the…”, Dave cursed as his feet hit a stack of cartons. Dave froze as his eyes fell on a figure wedged between the cartons….a female figure.
Stark naked.
“What is she doing here for God’s sake? How did she get in here?” He asked to no one in particular. He was shocked as he touched her, trying to wake her up. Dave fled backwards at the coldness of her skin.
With his hands to his mouth, he let out a shrill cry.
“She…she…she’s dead!”
“Who is this? What is going on?” Dave’s thoughts swirled around as someone began to knock.
He opened the door to find policemen rushing into the room. He recalled the faint siren sounds at the background. They had been following him!
“Officers, I don’t… I just…what is going…”
“Mr. Dave Daniels, you are under arrest for murder and drug trafficking. Anything you say or do will be used against you in the court of law. You are entitled to all your constitutional rights, including the right to legal representation. Let’s go.”
Chapter Sixteen
8th August, 2010
4.15 am
Noma poured herself a glass of juice and sat on a low stool as she sipped slowly. Her thoughts were on so many things at the same time. She wrapped her hands around the glass cup and stared at nothing in particular.
“Hmm…hmm…”, her younger brother, Nosa coughed as he entered the kitchen.
Noma turned and smiled at him weakly.
“How are you doing?” He asked as he reached for the can of juice from the refrigerator.
“Fine”, Noma nodded.
“Hmmm…”, he replied as he studied her.
Noma shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. Nosa was barely 20 years old but he always knew things. Noma wondered how much of what happened she could reveal to him. Nosa had always treated her like a younger sister even if she was the older one. He was the one who had been willing to fight when two of his friends had insulted her when they were much younger. Noma had stepped in quickly and stopped the scuffle.
“I’m fine Nosa”, she repeated firmly.
“Okay”, he replied, still studying her. “It’s alright”, he said finally as he made his way out of the kitchen with a glass of juice in his hand. “Anytime you are willing to talk though, you know where to find me.”
Noma nodded at his retreating back. Nosa was home for the holidays. He was an Engineering student at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Delta State. He would be home for the next two weeks. She decided there and then, not to let him in on what had transpired. Thank God it was over. Thank God for Dave.
Noma continued sipping her juice as she remembered what had happened that night.
“I was almost raped”, she whispered to herself. It was still like a dream… a bad dream she had. Only it was no dream. It had really happened. She had known Jackie and Ada were not really Christians but to think they would go to such lengths? She never had an inkling!
“Three years…” Noma muttered. “We stayed together for three years yet…” she used her hand to wipe away the tears that had trickled down her face as she recalled what had happened when Dave dropped her off that night.
When she got to the door of the apartment, she remembered that she was not with her purse. She tried to remember if it was in Dave’s car. She knew it was not. She recalled that the last time she saw it was when she held it while going to ask Jackie when they would leave. It must have fallen to the floor when she fell. Her phone was in there with her house key, one of her ATM cards and her NUT ID card. She was glad that they had made the decision to always leave a key under the foot mat just outside the door to the flat. Noma had actually suggested it but she never knew she would one day be in need of it. She retrieved the key from underneath the foot mat and opened the door. Jackie and Ada were not home yet.
“Pack up”, she heard the Voice clearly.
“Holy One, I’m sorry”, she muttered as she remembered when He had woken her up to pray the previous night.
“Pack up”, she heard again, louder.
Noma quickly hastened to obey this time. She had no need to continue living with people who wanted to harm her. She packed up her belongings over the next two hours.
“Where to now, Holy One?” she asked as she stepped out of her apartment, dressed in jeans and a white T-shirt, pulling her luggage.
“Back home, daughter. Come back home.”
By 9:00am, she was staring at the rocky hills of Kogi State heading to Benin City, Edo State.
To be continued next week, thanks for reading🥰
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