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Copyright 2018 by Macaulay Olayinka

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: August 2018

ISBN 978-0-359-19318-9

Lulu publisher

Ibadan Oyo state Nigeria

The road lies hidden beyond us

With no sight of what lies ahead

No knowledge of where this road leads

The storm cloud our only companion

Stuck with each other in the middle of now and yesterday

And a constant tug to turn back

Look! It's just a bend

Be at peace

The road still goes on and it gets smoother

This is just a bend in the road....

Victor - Who inspire it and will not read it but whose love shines through the pages.

Pops - Because of your support and love throughout the writing of the book and also within my own life. You've helped me in more ways than anyone else.

## A KILLER WHO WANTS TO GET EVEN

The first victim is pushed to her death

The second drowned in a pool

The third is burnt to death.

Three down, more to go.

These are people who deserve to die. And at the end, there will be no one left.

## WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES FOR REVENGE

Jessica Arawole's world is falling apart. One by one, her friends were dying.

Jessica's certain she's been watched. She turns to the authorities for help but they didn't believe her.

Nobody believed her except for Detective Victor Ayeni

Together they must uncover the ultimate truth before it's too late

# ~ONE~

January fifteen 2014

Click!

T he soft noise was enough to wake Gladys Omojola. Surprised that she had dozed off, she called out to her boyfriend. "Baby, is that

you? Of course it was. Dele had called earlier and told her that he'd be around for his usual weekend visit, but the call had been hours ago. Dele promised to come around at seven, and now...it's past ten.

Why was he late anyway? "Baby, I'm up here, at the balcony" she said loudly, and when there was no response, she felt the first tiny bit of fear, which she quickly dismissed. Yet she heard no footsteps. Standing up from her favorite chair, she looked around the room. Everywhere was quiet. Moving to the balcony, Gladys was able to see the road leading to the house. But sometimes this old house seemed so empty. Even though the building is at the back of the university medical center yet sometimes it felt isolated from the rest of the world.

Oh, it wasn't as if she had nobody, she had friends, but they were miles away, the best one anyway. Immediately they all got out of college seven years ago, they all drifted apart, not when the world was waiting for them to conquer. She do talk to some of them once in a while, she just wish they weren't that far away. She's not much into making new friends, the ones she had now are just classmates and nothing else. If not for dele, she would had been alone. He should be up at any minute. Or had she imagined the click of a lock downstairs?

Staring into the night, Gladys was suddenly cold. What's keeping him?

Creeeeaaaak!

Is that the sound of a door opening?

Her heartbeat skipped.

This last sound was not a figment of her imagination. "Deedee?" she called again "baby, is that you?"

Monday to Thursday nights she was usually alone, and she usually didn't mind being alone, enjoyed the peace and quiet after the chaos of the school. Not tonight...

"Deedee?" she called out as she moved into the house. She has no reason to be scared but the cold finger of fear slid down her spine convincing her otherwise.

She looked around but nothing has changed; everything was as they always were, but no Dele.

Or is it a burglar? She'd heard stories of burglars; she just hasn't encountered any before. Will they rape her and kill her afterwards?

Oh, for heaven's sake, she was letting her imagination run wild. The kind you get from watching too many horror movies.

So where is dele?

She reached into her jeans for her phone, nothing there. The stupid thing was missing, probably in her room. Turning back to the balcony, she heard a gentle foot step. Close by.

Then the smell of a floral perfume reached her and the hairs on the back of neck stood up.

Her heart nearly stopped as she looked over her shoulder. There was movement in the shadows. "Deedee?" she said again but her voice was in whisper and fear caused her pulse to pound. "Is that you, Deedee? This isn't funny..."

Her word died in her throat.

A woman half-hidden in the shadows, stepped forward.

Gladys froze.

"You?" She cried. Panic crept up her spine, and the woman before her smiled, it was as cold as ice.

"What do you want?" Gladys cried as she tried to move back. But before she could take a step, the woman pounced on her, strong hands clutching and squeezing. It wasn't as if she was weak, she struggled but it was too late. Athletic arms pulled her off her feet.

"No!" Gladys cried. "No, no please!" she tried to wriggle herself free. In a heartbeat, she was flying over the railing. Screaming, and trying to break her fall, the concrete floor rushed up at her.

Terror nearly caused her heart to seize as she hit the floor. Crack! Pain exploded in her head. For half a second she stared upward at the woman.

The woman stood Victorious on the landing.

"Revenge is sweet, isn't it? The woman whispered.

Why? After all these years, was her last thought...Then there was only darkness...

***** ***** *****

Jeez! He was running late again. Gladys will be so angry, and all for helping his idiot of a friend out. The guy got drunk again, he would have loved to lock him out but that would have disturbed his weekend with Gladys. He got to a stop sign and he stopped. There had been a time when he had run anything remotely yellow, but now with Gladys, he had suddenly become a model driver. Who would have believed that? But he was ready to make everything perfect with Gladys. Once he's done with law school, and get call up to the bar, he will ask her to marry him.

His rumbling stomach and the clock on the dash reminded him that he was late. The light changed, and Dele Ogidan drove along the university gate until he reached the medical Centre road. He pulled into a spot in front of her house. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, and the box of pizza, he eased open the gate and went in. Once the gate were locked behind him; he tried to figure out how he was going to apologize, when he saw a figure on the ground. Moving closer, he saw it was Gladys.

"oh God!" he bit back a scream as he dropped everything and ran to where she was, lying on the concrete floor, blood pooling beneath her head. "Oh God, oh God, oh God!" he whispered. He dropped his keys and fished for his cell phone. He was trembling all over as he dialed 119.

"One-one-nine dispatch".

"Help, I need help" dele yelled. "It's my girlfriend"

"Sir, please state your name and emergency"

"There's been an accident, there's blood everywhere. Oh God, I can't find a pulse. Please just hurry".

"I need the address and name of the victim".

"It's....it's......my girlfriend.... Her name is Gladys Omojola, please you need to hurry"

"Give me your address, sir".

"Um... H4, medical road, Jaja".

"Inside university of Ibadan?"

"Yes please hurry"

"I need you to calm down, help is on the way"

"You need to hurry" dele said into the phone

"Sir, what's your name?"

"Dele Ogidan...I was coming over for the weekend and oh, sweet Jesus, I found...her..."

"You need to stay with the victim; a patrol car has been dispatched"

"Oh lord" he whispered as he hung up

In the distance, sirens blared. "Hurry please" Dele said, his heart pounding, and his mind black with fear".

Don't panic, she's going to be okay, she has to. Calm down. She can't die on you now, knowing how much you love her. She can't just die on you now, not now.

# ~ TWO~

June twenty-six 2015

Victor walked along the beach. It was the weekend, three days after Daniela Osagie's funeral. He was trying to follow everyone's advice that he should take some time off to clear his head. But he wouldn't. The case ate at him.

He took a deep breath and watched the water lap at the rocks.

He should go out more; beach, party, movies or just stay at home and try to find a game on TV, anything to just get his mind off this case.

A young girl killed at her prime, wasted life and dreams. She had everything planned out and suddenly, it was all gone. Who could have done that to her?

He eyed the sailboats cutting across the water but he was still sifting through the evidence. Phone records gave up no clue, there had been no evidence collected that pointed to a specific killer, and as the hours and days passed, Victor knew the case was getting colder and colder. He'd gone over the last days of Daniela's life, talking to the people who saw her last, tracing the footsteps of her final hours, but no one had seen or heard anything that had offered a lead to the killer.

So what did he have to do to find her killer?

"Very little "he said to no one as he walked back to his car. He found his keys in his pocket and was about to unlock the door when he saw the scratch, a long one that went down the driver's side. He looked around, hoping to spy the culprit who had scratch his car but he saw no one running or watching, anger pounded at his temples and his fists balled strongly.

He took another look around, saw a couple of kids walking and laughing and talking but they didn't so much as glance over their shoulders as they walk on.

Whoever had scratched the car had gotten away with it, and it pissed him.

"Take it easy, clear your head, and get a little exercise" he mimicked his own advice as he backed out of the parking space.

He drove straight to the station; his mood was still the same. There was work to catch up with; a case of a scorned lover who bathed his partner in acid and also a case of domestic violence, the beaten wife still holding the kitchen knife in her shaking hands as the husband lay dead on the floor. These were people who had once pledged to love each other for better or worse; they were now monsters.

He parked at the station parking lot and cast another angry look at his car.

It would cost him a good sum to have it repainted.

He turned and walked into the station house, which was a little quiet than during the week. He's got a lot more work done on days like this. There were always few Detectives doing the same, or working weekend cases.

Criminals unfortunately, didn't work nine to five

He went over some paperwork, made some calls and was crossing out some names on his list of suspect when he heard the footsteps behind him.

"What are you doing here on a Sunday?" Adetoun said. She was carrying a backpack over one shoulder and water bottle by its neck in her other hand.

"Same as you, I thought you were traveling this weekend?" he answered

"That didn't work out, "she admitted and he wondered about her private life. She was not beautiful in any conventional sense; she had too many pimples for that. She doesn't have a model body or style, her mouth was much too wide and her nose a little too big for classic beauty. Yet every feature was in harmony with every other feature in her gentle face and the overall effect was greatly sensuous and attractive. Her best feature was her long legs. Adetoun was one of the most close-mouthed people he knew. He had no idea what she did on her off hours and they have been colleague for six months.

"I saw your car." She was shaking her head. "Ouch"

"Don't start please." He said, angry again.

"Sorry, so what have you got?" she nodded toward the files, open on his desk.

"Nothing. You?"

"Same as you, I'm still going over the things we found in her house.

"Anything good?"

"Nothing yet. But I'm not quite through with everything yet."

"Good luck," he said

"Maybe something will turn up."

He leaned back in his chair as she grabbed the strap of her backpack and walked out of the office leaving him alone again with his thought.

# ~ THREE~

Jessica Arawole went shopping. When she came home early that evening, she parked her black BMW in front of the house instead of the garage. Now that she was getting paid like she wanted, she could afford anything she liked. She needed to make three trips to unload the trunk of the car.

As she was picking up the last of the shopping bags, she suddenly had the feeling that she was being watched. She turned from the car and looked towards the street. Two children were playing in the street with a gray dog. Other than that, the neighborhood was silent. Two cars were parked on the other side of the street but as far as she could see, there was nobody in them. The estate affords privacy. That's why it's pricy.

Sometimes you act like a silly fool, she told herself. Who would be watching you?

But after she carried the last bag inside, she came out to park the car in the garage, and again she had the feeling that she was been watched.

Later, near midnight, as Jessica was sitting in bed reading, she thought she heard rumbling downstairs. She put the book aside and listened.

Rattling sounds in the kitchen, directly under her bedroom.

She got out of bed in her night gown; it was a deep blue silk that she had bought just that afternoon. She hesitated, listened to the sounds for a moment, and then decided to check.

She felt silly, what she heard was probably the natural sound a house makes time to time. On the other hand, she had lived here for eight months and had not heard anything like it until now.

She stopped at the head of the stairs and peered down into the darkness

Nothing.

She went downstairs and across the sitting room, breathing fast and shallow, unable to stop herself from shaking. She switched on every light as she passed. As she approached the back of the house, she still could hear the noises, but when she stepped into the kitchen and hit the light, there was only silence.

The kitchen looked as it should. There was no intruder and no sign that there had been before she arrived. She stood there and waited for the noise to begin again.

Nothing there, just the soft sound of the refrigerator

She tried the door, it was locked. Everything was intact.

She knew exactly what was wrong with her. This was a symptoms of the Idon't-deserve-this –happiness disease. She had come from nowhere, from nothing and now she has almost everything she had always wanted. She had run away from everybody including God. She was afraid that God would take notice of her and decide that she didn't deserve what she'd been given. Then the hammer would fall. Everything she has got would be smashed and swept away. The house, the car, the bank accounts, her new life seems like a fantasy, too good to be true, certainly too good to last.

When will she stop belittling herself and pretending that everything she has were only the result of good fortune? Luck had nothing to do with it. Born into a family of despair nurtured not with milk but with fear and uncertainty, unloved by her father and merely tolerated by her mother, raised in a house where self-pity and bitterness has drove out all hope. But that was behind her now. The house and car would not be taken away from her, she did deserve them. She worked hard for them, and she is talented.

Nobody had given her a job simply because she was a relative or a friend; when she had come to this city of Lagos, she hadn't known anyone. No one had heaped money on her laps because she was beautiful. She has made it because she is talented, she is a good writer. She earned every naira she was paid and God had no reason to be spiteful.

"So relax" she said aloud.

No one had tried to get in the kitchen door. That was just her imagination. She turned off the light and went upstairs.

She slept soundly.

****** ****** ******

It was the third time in a month that Lara was observed without her knowledge. Lara is a woman of habit, she always stick to a routine.

On this morning, the private pool was empty. It was not usually crowded to begin with. "I know you" the figure whispered. It was five minute to seven. The morning sun was passing through the trees causing the pool to sparkle.

The figure wondered if Lara could sense that she had only minutes more of life on earth. Did she have an uneasy feeling or an urge to skip her swimming this morning? Even if she did, it wouldn't do her any good. It was too late.

The sliding door opened, and Lara stepped out. Twenty-six years old,

Lara was more attractive than she had been eight years ago. Her body looked good in bikini. Her black hair framed and softened her sharp chin.

Lara dropped the towel she was carrying onto a chair. As the figure watched, with anger building up inside, then just as quickly was replaced by the satisfaction of knowing what was about to happen. There was an interview when a daredevil stunt diver said that the moment before he began to dive; knowing that he was risking his life was a great thrill.

For me it's different, the figure thought. The moment before I reveal myself to them is what gives me the thrill. I know they're going to die, and when they see me they know too. They understand what I am about to do to them.

Lara stepped onto the diving board and stretched. The figure watched as Lara bounced softly, testing the board then positioning her arms in front of her.

The door to the changing room opened just as Lara feet left the diveboard. In that split second, their eyes locked. The figure caught Lara's expression as she dived into the water. She was terrified, aware that she was incapable of flight.

The figure was in the pool before Lara had surfaced. Lara was held in a tight grip before she could find her balance. As Lara flailed about, kicking her feet, the grip grew tighter. How foolish she was. She should simply accept the inevitable. "It's my turn" the figure whispered into Lara's ear, in a calm voice.

The end was coming. In her desperation for breath, Lara had opened her mouth and was gulping water. The figure held her still underwater, wishing she could read her mind. Was she praying? Was she begging God to save her? Was she seeing the light that people who have experienced a near-death event claimed to have seen?

Within ten minutes, all was calm again. With a satisfied smile the figure watched as Lara's body sank to the bottom of the pool.

It was fifteen minutes after seven when the figure climbs out of the pool, changed into a new clothes and jogged out into the street like another early morning jogger.

# ~FOUR~

"You need a woman" Alex observed as he pulled the department cruiser into the front of Victor's house.

"Good. Maybe I can borrow one of yours". Victor reached for the handle of the door. What he didn't need was an advice from a guy who can't even keep one girlfriend. His friend and partner was smart and intelligent but he didn't know when to keep his nose out of other people's business.

"Hey, I'm a one-woman man these days: Alex insisted. "Right"

"I mean it" Alex slammed the gearshift lever into park

"If you say so"

"I could set you up". Alex Faluyi is a young Detective, about thirty-five, with a smooth dark skin, a killer smile, and enough ambition to take him from his poor background and through university on a full scholarship. Not only had he excelled in class, but he made the dean's list every semester and then, upon graduation, with his future brighter than the sun, he decided to join the police force.

"I know this nice lady, a friend of my sister..."

"What? "Victor shot him a look meant to shut him up. "Forget it. I'm okay"

Alex didn't back off. "You are definitely not okay. You never go out and you work yourself off for a department that doesn't appreciate you. I'm not happy with your life".

"Thanks dad. And I do go out; I attend bible study every Thursdays, youth meetings on Fridays and lunch at the church on Su..."

"Stop, just stop please. I meant GO OUT, like somewhere apart from church gatherings, all I'm saying is that you need a life, and you should have some fun."

"I have plenty"

"Is that right? When last did you go on a date?"

"Good night, Alex" he slammed the door of the car shut, and then made his way to his apartment. "Woman" Like that will solve his problem. He inserted his key in the door and went in. Alex had been his partner for three years now and he was more than a friend. They could take a bullet for each other but the man doesn't know when to shut his mouth. What did Alex know?

Nothing! That's what the man knew: nothing.

Victor had learned long ago that women only added to his problems; especially one that does not share his faith and his heart.

Claudia Morris,

Beautiful,

Intelligent,

Sexy,

His wife.

The one woman, his mom had been against. He had given her his heart still; the only woman he had allowed to break his heart and she had, on more than one occasion.

Hurt me once, shame on you

Hurt me twice, shame on me.

Dropping his keys on the table, he removed his blazer. God, he could use a company now. But not a woman`s.

Rolling up his sleeves, he walked to the refrigerator and stared at the emptiness. Even the freezer was empty. He got out the only thing in there; bread and made some sandwiches.

He settled into his chair and told himself that Alex was wrong. He didn't need a social life. He had the church and his work.

He turned his attention back to his dinner. He had a couple of reports to write and he wanted to pull his notes together; there were a few cases that were going stale, he will need to look over them, see if he missed anything. He had plenty to do.

Alex was wrong. Victor didn't need a woman. He was pretty sure of that.

******* ******* *******

The telephone rang at seven o'clock, and she moved in surprise even though she'd been waiting all afternoon for that sound. It was Olivia; her best friend and agent.

"It's your agent, sweet. We have to talk."

"Isn't that what we are doing now?"

"I mean in person, silly"

"Oh," she said sadly. "Then it's bad news then."

"Did I say it was?"

"If it was good, you will just give it to me on the phone. Face to face means you want to hold my hands and talk me out of suicide".

"Wow, you have quiet an imagination, I guess that's what makes you a good writer, but no, they have not decided yet."

"If phoenix studio said no, just tell me". Two months ago Olivia sent one of her book sheepish wolf to the biggest international production house in Nigeria; phoenix studio to be made into a movie. They have kept them on hold for a whole two months and the suspense is killing her.

"They haven't decided yet."

"But it's been two months".

"Sugar, are you listening to me? The deal hasn't fallen through. I just want to discuss my next move with you and some other plans running in my head."

"Plans, what plans?"

"A reunion" she said, giggling through the phone. "I want to bring our grammar school classmates together. Can you meet me tomorrow?"

"Where should we meet?"

"Let's meet at Planet 10".

"Not that place again, that place is quiet expensive?"

"Sweet, what are we going to do with all that money we have if not to spend it on expensive things and exclusive places? See you tomorrow sweet".

Jessica couldn't stop smiling even after she dropped the phone.

# ~FIVE~

"What is going on here?" the naked woman whispered, unable to speak loudly, unable to scream because of the tight collar at her neck. She was shivering in the cold, but that would soon change. A bit of smoke was already beginning to get into the tiny room. Flames would soon follow. There wasn't much time.

"Please, she whispered again. " Please let me go, for the love of God!"

"What do you know about God's love? You are a sinner Abena, and as such you will pay for your sins."

"Ho...how did you know my name, please just let me go, I will do anything you want."

The shadow stepped into light

"L...!" Abena was paralyzed when she saw the face

"Hello there. How long has it been?"

"What...are...what are... you have no right to do this to me". She said as she struggled with the chain on her hands.

"Oh, but I have every right." The woman said "In fact I'm going to do anything I want with you, once I was at you mercy. How does that feel now, Abena, tell me, to be helpless and tied down like this, just wish your friends were here to watch and laugh at you." she screamed

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Abena said choking on her tears. "Plea...please, I'm sorry" her terrified eyes bulged and blinked as she tried to think.

"What are you sorry for?"

She placed a gloved hand upon Abena, as if to calm her and from somewhere outside, through the cracked window, she heard a car. She had to finish this fast before the fire attracted attention.

"Please forgive me, let me go and I promise, on one will ever know this happened." Abena clutched at her hand desperately.

"It's too late." Her voice was measured and calm, but she was shaking not from fear but from excitement of what to come. From the corner of her eyes she noticed flames beginning to lick through the door. The time has come. She turned to the small radio on the cabinet and turned the dial, switching the stations until she found what she wanted: music.

"Do you remember this? Just like before the reverend father begin the mass, hope you remember that, Abena. Do you still say your prayers?

Because you will need it now" She smile wickedly

"No, please, don't...oh God..." Abena was struggling with the chain, her wrist and ankles bleeding and raw from her bonds

"For your sins Abena Ekeson, in the name of the father, the son and the Holy Spirit, I commit your soul to hell.

****** ******* *******

When Jessica stepped into the VIP lounge of planet 10, she saw half a dozen movie actors and actresses, famous faces, but none of them was at table number three. That table was generally considered to be the most desired spot in the room, for it faced the entrance and was the best place to see and be seen. Olivia was at table three because she is one of the most powerful agents in Lagos and because she charmed the waiter just as she charmed everyone who met her. She is a petite woman, who knows just the right thing to wear, and she wears them well. She defines elegance.

They have been best friends since high school. Looking around her, Jessica knew they have both come a long way. When Olivia saw Jessica approaching, she stood up and embraced her.

"Sweet, you look lovely as usual."

"And you are the center of attention as usual."

Olivia grinned. "What can I say, I enjoy it, and I imagine everyone's staring at us."

As she sat down, she said "we dare not look to see if they are looking."

"No way! We wouldn't want them to think we care". Olivia said with merriment in her eyes.

Jessica sighed. "I've never understood why one table should be so much more important than another."

"Well, it's an obsessive thing in humans. If one car is better than another, a man or a woman-this certainly isn't a sexist issue- will work harder to be able to afford it. The agitated desire to be better than the next guy is in everyone."

Jessica shook her head. "To be seated at the best table doesn't mean I'm automatically a better person than the guy who gets second-best. It is no accomplishment in itself."

"It's a symbol of accomplishment, of position." Olivia countered.

"I still can't see the sense in it."

"It's just an elaborate game."

"Which you certainly know how to play."

Olivia was delighted. "Do I?"

"I'll never learn the rules."

"You should sweet. It's more than a bit silly, but it helps business. No one likes to work with a loser. But everyone playing the game wants to deal with the kind of person who can get the best table at the VIP lounge of planet 10."

Their server arrived with their menu and a bottle of champagne, and after few minutes of small talks he removed the foil from the neck of the bottle and poured it. The server seems to treat Olivia with affection and Jessica realized that getting the best table in the VIP lounge might also have something to do with treating the staff as friends rather than servants.

Jessica frowned at Olivia "you must really have bad news for me. Is it so bad you have to soften the blow with champagne?"

"What made you say that?"

"A seventy -five thousand naira bottle of champagne...?" Jessica looked at her thoughtfully.

"You are such a pessimist." Olivia said

"A realist."

"Sweet, why do you have negative mind. Most people would have said,

'ah, champagne. What are we celebrating?' but not you Jessica Arawole."

"Are we celebrating?" Jessica asked. The possibility really had not occurred to her.

"In fact, we are" Olivia said.

The server slowly filled both glasses. Clearly he wanted to know what they were celebrating. It was also obvious that Olivia wanted him to hear the news and spread it. Grinning, she leaned towards Jessica and said "phoenix studio loved sheepish wolf and they are making your book into a movie"

She stared, blinked, opened her mouth to speak, and didn't know what to say. Finally: "they don't"

"They do"

"We can't"

"We can"

"Nothing is that easy"

"I tell you we got it. They are offering two hundred thousand plus other expenses"

"Naira?"

"What do you think two hundred thousand naira will get you- a champagne-maybe? Two hundred thousand dollars baby"

"Oh my God". Jessica was glad she was sitting down or she might have fallen.

She was stunned

"You are not kidding about this Olivia because I will kill you if you are."

Raising her glass, Olivia said "A toast. To my sweetest client and friend, with the hope she will learn there are some clouds with silver lining and that a lot of apples don't have worm in them and will have more faith in me."

They clicked glasses.

"The studio must have added a lot of tough conditions to the deal."

"Stop looking for potholes on this road."

"We are not on the road."

"Funny, you know what I mean." Olivia said

She stared at the bubbles rising in her glass of champagne. She felt as if hundreds of it were rising within her too, bright bubbles of joy, but a part of her acted like a cork to contain the emotion, to keep it securely under pressure. She was afraid of being too happy. She didn't want to tempt fate.

"I just don't get it." Olivia said. "Why are you looking so sad? You did hear me, right?"

She smiled. "I'm sorry. It's just that when... I was little I learned to expect the worst every day. That way I was never disappointed."

Reaching out to hold her hand, Olivia said, "the past is gone and buried, sweet".

"I always try to convince myself of that, but what if..."

"There's no if...sweet. Just let it go. Let the past remain buried."

She wanted to lean back and drink a lot and let happiness consume her but she could not totally relax. She was always aware of that darkness at the edge of things, that nightmare waiting to jump out and eat her up.

Her parents had instilled in her a quiet but ever present and unshakeable distrust that stained everything good, everything that should be right and bright and joyful.

"I'm sorry, sometimes I can be silly. I haven't even thanked you, I'm happy with the deal, Olivia. I really am. It's wonderful. You are the best agent in the business."

"You are right girl. But this time I didn't have long to convince them, they liked the script so much they were ready to give us anything to get it. And it wasn't just about having a smart agent or luck, you wrote a good book. We can afford this champagne precisely because you wrote this book and it's beautiful because it's you. This book is what you are, and it shines.

You deserve the success. My advice; get used to it".

She desperately wanted to believe her friend.

"I'll try."

They drank more champagne and discussed her books the sheepish wolf and made plans about the reunion and laughed more than she could remember having laughed in years.

Olivia had to leave at past nine in order to keep a ten o'clock date. Olivia invited Jessica to join her but she declined, pleading a prior engagement.

As they both moved to where their cars were parked, Olivia said, "Are you really going home to someone?"

"Yes. Me, myself and I."

"Why not just come along with me. You can crash at my place."

"The unwanted guest"

"I just invited you."

"I don't want to spoil your plans with henry."

"You know henry will love to have you."

"Thanks, but I I'll like to be alone." Jessica said.

"If you don't..."

"Olivia! I'll be fine."

"Okay, if you say so."

She hugged Olivia, hurried to her car and drove away.

# ~SIX~

The congregation was standing for the last chorus of the opening hymn as Victor slipped into the back row. He looked like he'd been beaten and drowned. The weather must have discouraged a lot of people from coming, so that meant he had plenty of room and he didn't have to worry about dripping all over perfectly dry worshippers.

Just as the minister was warming up to his sermon, the back door open and Alex strolled down the aisle, dripping wet and slipped into the seat behind him.

"What are you doing here? You didn't tell me you were coming". He whispered

"I thought I'd surprise you, and see about your special social life" Alex said with a sheepish grin

"Shut up and listen to the minister then."

It wasn't until the closing hymn that they could manage to talk again.

"I'm starving". Alex whispered as the first verse rang around them

"Why exactly are you here?"

"There's been another murder".

He stood up and Alex followed him down the aisle and out of the church, he was never glad leaving the church before the final prayer.

The Mapo-hill police just called it in," Alex said as they reached his car.

"Looks like we have another dead girl."

"What?"

"Abena Ekeson, twenty-six years old Ghanaian, burnt to death in her home."

"Jesus!" Victor exclaimed. He hadn't seen that one coming.

"And get this, she was chained. From what I understand, a neighbor got up to go to the bathroom, looked out the window, and saw the flames. By the time he raised an alarm, it was too late to save the house. Come on leave your car I will drive and fill you in. They walked together to Alex's car. Victor forced himself into the passenger side of Alex's blue SUV and clicked on his seatbelt. The traffic was thick as it always did from the church parking lot to the main street.

"This is what we know so far," Alex said, turning on his blinker and looking over his shoulder as he drove his way into the next lane. "Abena lived alone".

"She got any boyfriend? "Victor asked

"Boyfriends according to her neighbors" Alex spit out.

Victor barely noticed the view as they spanned the bridge connecting mainland with the expressway. Victor was trying to piece together the puzzle.

Victor withdraws a fruity gum from his pocket and offered it to Alex.

He shook his head and kept dishing out the available information they had on the case.

Family lives in Accra. It doesn't look like robbery was the motive. It was pure murder. The neighbor said he saw a woman coming out of the house through the front door. The woman climbed into a silver car and drove away."

"That's it? A silver car? No license number, make or model?"

"Silver car. Toyota, maybe. That's it. No one saw anything suspicious, or if they did, they're keeping it to themselves. Aside the man that calls the fire department, none of the neighbors knew anything until they heard the siren."

"Great" Victor complained.

"The map- hill police think the murders could be connected."

"I don't see how"

"That was why we were called in".

"They must be mistaken. Why will a killer go interstate?"

"I wish I know" Alex said with a sad face.

****** ******** ********

The house was dark.

Jessica parked the car in the garage and walked to the front door.

The night was chilling.

She let herself into the house, switched on the security light, closed and locked the door. She switched on the living room lights as well and was a few steps from the door when she felt she was not alone in the house.

Jessica froze.

She waited, counting her heartbeats, then told herself it was nothing. Nobody could have gotten into the house without breaking the door.

Right?

"Hello?" She called out. "Anyone there?"

She waited but all was quiet.

Your imagination, she told herself.

Starting for the kitchen, she heard a footstep, the quiet scrape of leather against tiles.

Her heart nearly stopped.

Someone was definitely in the house.

"Hey!" she called again, telling herself it had to be someone she knew. Someone with a key? Olivia was the only one with a key? She just left her at the restaurant? How could she had made it back before her?

"Olivia?"

Again there was silence.

Was she going crazy?

She knew she heard something.

Someone.

Fear gave away to anger. This is her house, she wouldn't let anything or anyone scare her out. She moved closer to the opened kitchen door.

Clunk!

What was that?

Her anger gave way to fear again and she ran. She headed toward the front door but then thought of it. She ran for the stairs and took it two at a time. She was breathing hard but over her gasping, she heard the incoming footsteps.

The gun! When she went to Texas for vacation, she had been curious about guns so she had learn how to shoot and had gotten a gun for a research on one of her books. Getting back, she had realized how almost impossible it was to get a permit for it but eventually Olivia with her connection had gotten the permit. Now the gun lies in a drawer unused in her bedroom.

She ran into her bedroom. She slammed the door, fumbled for the key in the dark, finally hit the light switch, and engaged the lock.

There was a strange noise in the room. It was a loud sound filled with terror; she looked around wildly for the source of it before she realized that she was listening to her own uncontrollable breathing.

She was close to panic attack but she knew she must control herself. She thought of calling the police, but she could be dead before they show up, or what if they found nothing? Won't she look stupid?

She hurried across the room toward the nightstand. Suddenly, someone tried the locked door behind her. The door held. Someone was definitely out there. It wasn't her imagination. But what do they want? She doesn't have valuables in the house.

The Glock 19 was in between her pairs of nightgown. Out of all the guns she saw at the firearm shop, she had chosen the Glock 19 because of its light weight and very low recoil and because it's easy to conceal and well, the shop keeper said it's a home defense handgun. The Glock 19 holds a total of 15 9mm rounds. She picked up the gun with hands that nearly failed her, she pressed the button on the side of the hand grip to eject the magazine and insert ammunition one at a time into the top of the magazine until the magazine is full. She then reinserted the magazine upward into the hand grip until it was locked in place. Then she faced the doorway with the gun.

"I have a gun and I will shoot you if you don't tell me what you want" she screamed

There was just silence

"What do you want from me? Just take everything you want in the house and leave".

No sound.

No movement.

She went to the door and put her ear close but there was no movement outside the door. She eased the door opened, still nothing.

The house was so cold, so suddenly cold. She paused long enough on the stair to listen. Nothing.

She stepped down the stair nervously, she went into the kitchen. It was empty. She closed the door and proceeded to the living room.

Every hair on the back of her neck stood at attention. Someone was there. She swallowed hard, panic shooting through her as she moved closer to the room.

A scream died on her lips.

In the open front door, standing in the darkness, was a shadowy figure of a woman in a black outfit

Jessica gripped the gun tighter.

The woman's features weren't clear, but she could see her eyes...oh dear lord. She knew that eyes. You don't come across many people with those eyes. Or could it be contacts?

Her memory was something she had been proud of, one she could always trust but at that minute it failed her.

Jessica's throat turned to sand.

Waving the gun, she said "who are you? What do you want? How did you get in?"

The figure took a step toward her.

"Hello, Jess. The voice had a deep, somewhat gravelly sound like a male's.

Jessica cleared her throat nervously. "What do you want?"

"Come to see you."

"Why?"

"I had to see you again."

"I don't know you."

"Really? You've always had a good memory, what happened to you?"

This person really knows her. Could this be a prank?

The shadow took a step toward her.

"Look, just tell me what you want because this is not funny" Jessica yelled And she took another step forward.

Jessica backed pass a group of furniture-two chairs and a small stool. She started moving toward her right, trying to put the chairs between her and the intruder.

The figure took two more steps and Jessica could see a little part of the intruder figure. What she thought was a dress was actually a black jumpsuit. She still couldn't see her face.

Then she saw the knife, and the sight of it was like a blast of ice that froze her heart. The intruder meant to stab her?

The instant she spotted the knife, Jessica froze. She stopped backing away, even though the figure continued to approach. A knife will do that. It freezes your heart. Surprisingly few people have the stomach to use a knife against another living thing. A gun, poison, bomb, a blunt instrument- all can be used cleanly, most of them at a distance. But a person with a knife must be prepared to get dirty and must get close, so close that you can feel the heat escaping from the wounds as you make them. It takes a special guts, or madness, to slash at another person and not be disgusted by the warm blood rushing over your hands.

"I've been watching you." the intruder said

For a moment, the fear that made her legs draggy and turned her insides to water was upstaged by more powerful emotions: hate, anger, fury. This intruder had entered her private space uninvited, and she was possessed by a rage that blurred her vision and make her heart skip.

Jessica stared at the pistol in her hand, stunned like she was seeing the gun in her hands for the first time.

"I'll shoot! I will! I swear to God I will!" she cried

The woman stopped

"What do you want from me?" Jessica asked

The woman didn't move.

Jessica fired, and nothing happened.

She had forgotten to disengage the safety level. Using her palm she pulled the slide to its rearmost position and released it to chamber a round. She aimed and pulled the trigger.

The sound of the shot filled the room.

The woman screamed as the knife spun away from her. She fell backwards but she was up as soon as she went down.

Jessica didn't think she had hit her. There wasn't any blood. The bullet must have stuck the knife, breaking it and tearing it out of her grasp.

She raised the gun again, and the woman must have sense she will fire again, because after staring at her with hatred for few minutes, the intruder ran for the front door and before Jessica could get another shot, the figure disappeared into the cold night.

She moved close to the window when she realized the intruder might have faked her departure. Jessica was carrying the gun at her side, the muzzle directed at the floor, but she raised it in anticipation. At last she eased forward until she could see outside. It was empty. She went to the door and double locked it,

Weaving slightly she walked across the living room. She sat down and picked up her phone to call the police.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, her vision blurred with hot tears. She tried to hold them back but they still came anyway. She was not crying because she was hurt. She was weeping because in some way she can't explain, she felt violated. Olivia had begun to convince her that she could let down her guard. For the first time in her twenty six years, she seriously had considered the possibility of living much less defensive than she had all her life. With all the good news and Olivia's encouragement, she had been willing to look at the idea of a life with less fear. A life with more fun; more relaxation. It was a beautiful dream, this new life, not easily attained but worth the struggle to achieve it, but this intruder had taken this fragile dream by the throat and had almost strangled it.

This person whoever she may be had reminded her that the world was a dangerous place, a dark place with predators on the hunt for preys. Just as she was struggling out of her pit, she was kicked back into doubt and fear and suspicion.

She wept. Why wouldn't she. She was humiliated. And because this woman, this stranger had taken her hope and tramped on it.

# ~ SEVEN~

Patterns.

Every scene, every building, every room in the building, every person, everything has its own patterns. Victor searched for patterns in the city and the night.

They fascinated him. Six months ago Victor had been the first Detective to arrive in response to the anxious phone call from a woman screaming that her daughter had been stabbed.

Minutes later, when he had arrived at the house on Sylvia road, Victor had seen a lot in all of his years on the force. He'd witnessed man's inhumanity to man, seen the effects of abuse, addiction and rage. He'd never been surprised by how sick people could be to each other but...what he saw, was something he couldn't have imagined.

He had found the victim's bedroom crowed with shocked neighbors. One man was bent over the bed trying to revive her. Others were attempting to pull the parents away from the heartbreaking sight of their daughter's body. Victor could see the stab wounds in Chizara's chest and heart that must have caused a painful death and had drenched the sheets with her blood.

She never woke up, the mother's scream attracted not only the neighbors but the security guard and the cleaner who were in the next house. The result was a thoroughly compromised crime scene.

There had been no signs of forced entry. Nothing was missing. Chizara had been a twenty six years old law student who surprised her parents for a weekend visit. The logical suspect was her ex-boyfriend, Joshua. He admitted that Zara had told him she wanted both of them to start seeing other people, but he also insisted that he had agreed it was a good idea because neither one of them was ready for a serious commitment. His claim that he was out all night with friends was verified to be true.

Joshua had visited the Tekena's house a few times. He knew a spare key was kept near the back door. He knew that Zara's room was the first one to the right off the back staircase. But that wasn't proof that in the middle of the night he had driven more than fifty miles from Island to Okota to kill her.

He remembered the time a prisoner on trial for murder escaped from prison, raced across the parking lot, stole a car and drove away. We got him in twenty minutes, Victor thought. So why in six months can't I find the animal that killed Chizara Tekena? And he has killed again. He was sure of that, it's the same person. The trip down to Mapo-hill confirmed it.

He shrugged. It was a rotten day, rainy and unusually cold for early September. I used to love this job, he thought.

At the wheel, trying to weave his way out of the traffic, Alex said "one thing just leads to another"

"As usual"

"It's getting late"

"Yeah"

"You want to head to the office now or leave it for tomorrow?"

"Now will be good," Victor said

As Alex drove past the entrance of Surulere road, uphill pass the stadium, communications put out a woman-in trouble call. Information wasn't clear. Apparently it was a break in and assault with a deadly weapon. It was not clear if the assailant was still on the premises. Shots had been fired. Likewise, they didn't know if anyone was hurt.

"Have to go in blind" Victor said

"That address is just a couple of streets from here" Alex said.

"We could be there in a minute."

"Want to assist?"

"Sure".

"I will call in".

Victor picked the microphone as Alex took a sharp turn at the first corner. A Street later they turned left again and Alex accelerated as much as he dared along the narrow street.

Victor's heart accelerated with the car, he felt an odd excitement in his stomach. Alex drove into a new estate set well back from the street surrounded by a long fence and a security post, the kind that makes you sleep well at night just knowing it's there. Alex parked outside the gate of the third building. They got out of the car.

Victor reached under his jacket and slipped the service revolver out of his shoulder holster

****** ******* ****** After Jessica had finished crying at her desk, she had decided to go upstairs and make herself presentable before she reported the incident to the police. She didn't know how fast they would arrive. She was something of a public figure having written six bestsellers and having received an academy award nomination few months ago. She treasured her privacy and preferred to avoid the press if at all possible but she knew she would have little choice but to make statement and upon statement. The only thing she could control was her appearance when the policemen arrived.

As she washed her face and combed her hair and changed into a silk top and jeans, she was not aware that these actions would damage her credibility with the police.

Although she thought she was in command of herself, Jessica got the shakes again as she finished changing clothes. Her legs turned to jelly and she was forced to lean against the closet door for a moment.

She imagined that she heard strange sounds in another room of the house, a part of her knew she was just imagining it, but another part was sure that she could hear the intruder returning for her.

By the time she ran to the phone and dialed the police, she was in no condition to give the calm and reasoned report she had planned. After she hung up the phone, she felt better, knowing help was on the way. As she went downstairs, she kept repeating to herself; stay calm. Just stay calm. You are tough; it was the same line she said to herself so many nights in her parent's house.

By the time she got to the front door, she had begun to get a grip on herself.

She was standing at the door when a car stopped in front of the house. Although they had not come with siren blaring and red lights flashing, she knew they were the police, and she opened the door as the first man stepped out of the car.

The first man was powerfully built, dark in complexion, with bright eyes, and had the no-nonsense voice of an officer. He had a gun in his right hand. "Police. Who are you?"

"Jessica, she said. Jessica Arawole. I'm the one who called".

"This is your house?"

"Yes. There was some..."

A second Detective, taller and lighter than the first, appeared and interrupted her before she could finish the sentence. "Is he still on the premises?"

"What?"

"Is the person who broke in still here?"

"Oh no. not anymore."

"Which way did he go?"

"I don't know" "Was he armed?"

"No. I mean yes".

"Which is it?"

"Yes".

"How long ago did he leave?"

"Maybe twenty, maybe thirty minutes ago"

They exchanged a look that she did not understand but which she knew, immediately, was not good for her.

"What took you so long to call the police?" the dark one asked

He was slightly hostile

"At first I was....confused," she said. "I was shaking. I needed a few minutes to get myself together." "Twenty minutes?"

"Maybe it was only fifteen."

"Did you see which way he went when he left the house?"

"I didn't, and why are you saying 'he'?"

"You said so". The light Detective said "No. I did not. You kept saying 'man' and 'he'.

"So..." the dark one said with enough hostility to kill.

"It was a woman who attacked me..."

The two Detectives gave each other that look again.

She thought: what have I done wrong?

# ~EIGHT~

Jessica Arawole was one of the most beautiful women Victor had ever seen. She appeared to have a few drops of Fulani blood. Her hair was long and thick. Her eyes were as clear as the sky on a good day. Her flawless complexion was a light milky bronze shade. Her face a bit long but that was balanced by the size of her eyes –enormous-and by the perfect shape of her patrician nose, and a perfect thin lip. Hers was an erotic face, but an intelligent and kind face as well, the face of a woman capable of great tenderness and compassion. There was also pain in those fascinating eyes, the kind of pain that came with experience and Victor suspected that it was not merely the pain she had suffered that night; some of it went back a long, long time.

She sat on one end of the chair in the book-lined sitting room and Victor sat on the other end. They were alone.

Alex was in the kitchen, talking on the phone to a desk man at the station.

Upstairs, two uniformed men were checking for fingerprint.

"What are they doing?" Jessica Thomas asked.

"Who?"

"The two men upstairs?"

"Checking for fingerprints."

"They won't find any."

"Why would you say that?"

"I think she wore gloves."

"I see."

"Do you? Why did your partner go to the kitchen to make his call? Why didn't he just use the phone here?"

"I guess he wanted you to have a personal moment." Victor said hastily.

"I think he just didn't want me to hear what he was saying."

"Oh no. he was only..."

"You know I have the strangest feeling," she said interrupting him. "I feel like I'm the suspect instead of the victim."

"You are just tensed" he said

"It isn't that. It's something about the way he looks at me."

"Alex can seem cool at times." Victor said. "But he's a good Detective.

"He thinks I'm lying"

Victor was surprised. He shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. "I'm sure he doesn't think any such thing."

Alex walked in at that time and beckoned to him.

"Writers and movie people, Alex said scornfully. They need that attention and publicity like you and I need food".

"Not so loud." Victor said

"I don't care if she hear what I think, I don't like people who make up stories to get newspaper coverage." Alex said.

"Are you saying she made this all up? That's ridiculous."

"You will see" Alex said.

Victor was suddenly uneasy. Jessica Arawole brings out the knight in him; he wanted to protect her. He didn't want to see her hurt, but Alex apparently had something unpleasant to discuss.

"I've got to talk to her now". Alex said.

"Should I get her or you'll do it in the sitting room?"

"Anywhere is good for me, I really don't care."

Victor put a hand on his partner's shoulder. "Wait here. I'll get her. ******** ******* *******

Jessica sat on one of the dining chairs, she was nervous, wondering why Detective Alex disliked her so fast. His manner was cold. She felt like the accused at a trial. She would not have been surprised if he had pointed a finger and accused her of witchcraft.

The nice one, Detective Victor sat across from her, the warm light from the yellow shaded wall lamp fell over him, and cast soft shadow around his mouth and deeply set eyes, giving him an even gentler and kinder look than he had. She wished he was the one asking questions, but at least for the moment, his role was evidently that of an observer.

"Miss Arawole," Alex said, "there are several things about your story that troubles me."

"I know, your eyes are so transparent I can tell."

He blinked in surprise but quickly recovered. "Umm. Officer Dada and Kunmi have been from one end of the place to the other, twice and they can't find any sign of forced entry. No broken windows. No smashed locks and the bullet recovered was from your gun"

"I always keep a spare key outside under the foot mat for my cleaner, maybe this person somehow knew where I kept them."

"Which means someone might have been watching you?" Alex asked.

"Yes, now that I remember, she said she had been watching me."

"Alright, you also mentioned that she looks like someone you knew, is that right?"

"Yes, but I don't know where. When I saw her eyes, I just had a feeling I had seen them before."

"Is there any reason this person will want to harm you?"

"I don't know."

"Okay. Another thing that bothers me. After you drove her out of the house with a gun, why did you take so long to call us?"

"I didn't take long."

"Twenty minutes"

"At most"

"Most people want to get hold of the police right away. They want us on the scene in ten seconds, and they get furious if it takes us a few minutes to get there."

She glanced at Victor, then at Alex, then at her fingers, which were tightly laced. She sat up straight. "I... I guess I...broke down." It was a difficult and shameful admission for her. She had always prided herself on her strength. "I went to that desk and sat down and began to dial the police number and...then...I just...I cried. I started to cry and I couldn't stop for a while".

"You are telling me that you cried for twenty minutes?"

"No, of course not, I'm really not the crying type."

"How long did it take you to get control of yourself?"

"I don't know for sure."

"Fifteen minutes?"

"Not that long, maybe five."

"When you regained control of yourself, why didn't you call us then? You were sitting right there with the phone."

"I went up to wash my face and change my clothes," she said. "I've already told you that."

"I know," he said. "I remember. Grooming yourself for the press."

"That's not true," she said, beginning to get angry with him. "I wasn't grooming myself. I just thought I should...."

"That's the fourth thing that makes me wonder about your story," Alex said, interrupting her. It absolutely amazes me. I mean, after you were almost stabbed by a crazy woman, after you broke down and wept, while you were still afraid that she might come back, you still took the time to make yourself look presentable. Isn't that Amazing?"

"Excuse me," Victor said, leaning forward in the chair. "Alex, I know you've got something. And I know you're leading up to it, but I don't think we can make assumptions about Miss Arawole's honesty based on how long she took to call the police. We both know people sometime go into a kind of shock after an experience like that. They don't always do the rational thing."

Jessica wanted to thank Detective Victor for what he just said, but the look on Alex made her realized it won't be appropriate at the moment.

Alex frowned at her for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, good enough.

So you saying I should get on with it."

"All I'm saying is, it's getting late, and we're all very tired," Victor told him.

"Okay, Miss Arawole, I'd like to hear your description of the intruder just once more."

She sighed and settled back against the sofa, feigning boredom. She didn't want him to know that he was rattling her. What was he after? "The woman who attacked me, "she said, "was about five-nine feet, but I'm not really sure."

"Complexion?"

"I'm not sure about that too, maybe fair"

"Tattoos?"

"Excuse me?"

"Does she have any tattoos on her body?"

"How do I know? She was fully clothed."

"Color of hair?"

"I don't know, her head was covered."

"Eyes?"

"Oh yes"

"What?"

"She got two eyes."

"Miss Arawole..."

"What do you want me to say?"

"This is serious."

"The eyes were unusual shade of gold, maybe it was contact, I'm not sure but that was the first thing I noticed."

"Come again"

"Unusual shade of gold or brownish gold."

"Maybe contacts?"

"Maybe, but it's almost like I've seen that eyes on someone before."

"Maybe on a cat or a blond."

"Excuse me"

"How many women have you come across with gold eyes later, you travelled outside the country recently?"

All Jessica could do was just stare back at him.

"Age?"

"Adult."

"Any other unusual characteristics?"

"Like what?"

"You mentioned something about her voice."

"Oh, that's right. She had a deep voice. Masculine voice. It rumbled.

Alex was smiling, it was not a friendly smile. "Your description of the intruder sounds like a character from a book. A golden eyes?"

"What do you mean?"

"Miss Arawole, did you listen to yourself, your description is so detailed it's almost like you are reciting a poem, like you've been rehearsing it.

What I mean in short is that you are a liar."

Jessica was so stunned by the bluntness of the accusation, by the boldness of it that she could not immediately think of a response

"Alex, are we handling it exactly right?" Victor asked

"Oh yeah. The gun was fired by you, you said you hit your target, but there was no single drop of blood. Every finger print belongs to you, oh because the other woman wore gloves. And the description you gave belong to a woman with a golden eyes. I'm sure that character is the one on your next book. Is this all a play out of your next book?"

"That is absurd."

Detective Victor said "Alex, maybe you should let me finish up with Miss

Arawole."

"What's there to finish? It's over, done, kaput." Alex pointed an accusing finger at her. You are so lucky there's no way for us to punish someone like you for wasting our time like this." then he turned and walked away.

Detective Victor didn't make any move to leave and obviously had something more to say to her but she didn't like having the other one walk out before some important questions were answered. "Wait." She called back

Alex stopped and looked back at her. "Yeah."

"You aren't going to leave me here alone? What if she comes back?"

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Oh geez." Alex said. "Will you please drop the act? I'm not going to waste more police time or taxpayers money to provide you protection you don't need." He walked out of the room.

Jessica went to the dinner chair and sat down. She was exhausted, confused and scared.

Victor said, "I will make sure the two officers stay with you until morrow.

She looked up at him. "Thank you."

He nodded. He was noticeably uncomfortable. "I'm sorry there's not much more I can do right now."

"I didn't make up the whole thing," she said.

"I believe you."

Victor regarded her with interest and his eyes were sympathetic. He was a handsome man, but it was not his good looks that most pleased the eye. There was an indescribably warm and gentle quality in his features, a special concern and understanding so visible in his face that she felt he truly cared what happened to her.

"I'll stop by sometime tomorrow. Maybe by then you'll have something you remember to tell us."

"I won't," Jessica said without hesitation. "But thanks for...being kind."

She thought he seemed reluctant to leave. But then he was gone, and she was alone in the sitting.

For a minute or two, she could not find the energy to get up. She felt as if she had stepped into the ocean and had taken every bit of her strength to swim ashore.

At last she got up, went to the phone and thought of calling her friend but then she didn't have the strength to talk to Olivia.

"There was someone here," she said aloud. "A woman was in my house tonight. I didn't imagine it. I saw her.

# ~NINE~

Darn!

The shock of the bullet on the knife was worse than the crack of a whip.

She could still feel the pain.

She should have killed her right there. All she wanted to do was just scare her, feel a little pain, the kind she had lived with for years; Instead Jessica had shot at her. Who could have thought?

Adrenaline sizzled through her blood.

When she looked at her, Jessica didn't recognize her. Her disguise was perfect.

In that smallest of heartbeats, Jessica Arawole had realize she was about to meet her maker. She should have been frozen from fear. But the fool had shot her instead. That shouldn't have surprised her.

Smiling to herself, she remembers that Jessica had always been tough.

That's what she had admired about her. She thought of Gladys. Oh, Gladys with all her foul mouth had screamed as she'd been pitched over the railings. Over the years, she'd seen Jessica pictures on her book jackets, and every time, it was a shock to see that Jessica Arawole had acquired such classy look.

At Saint Louis she'd been one of the smart but quiet ones. People liked her, some even worshipped her. Some like myself until that fateful night.

They'd all ruined her life at that moment.

Jessica and Abena and Lara and Olivia and chizara and Daniela and Jola.

They used to sit at the same table. Best of friends all of them.

Weren't they cute? She thought as the bile rose in her throat. Now Abena and Lara and chizara and Daniela were gone. She'd save Jessica for last. For some reason she wavered about killing her. She still remember when she was new and lonely, she had sat in a corner in class crying, and a little later, Jessica had showed up, sat beside her. "I'm also new," she said.

"We can start our own fresher's club."

She knew Jessica had lied about being new because she felt sorry for her. That's why something told her that she hadn't been one of the girls. But then she had been there that fateful and did nothing to stop them.

Olivia had always been the prettiest girl and richest - the definition of silver-spoon kid- in the class, petite, great body, noticeable even in the Saint Louis pinafore uniform.

Lara had always been mean. As a writer for the school paper, the scenes column was supposed to be about school activities, but she always managed to find a way to take a dig at someone.

People like me, she thought, savoring the memory of the look of terror on Lara's face when she saw her at the pool.

Jessica had been popular, but she hadn't seemed like the other girls. She had been elected to the student council, where she'd been so quiet you'd think she couldn't talk, but anytime she opened her mouth, whether there or in class, she always had the right answer. What surprised her was how much prettier she was now, and how much she had done for herself.

She was slim but not painfully thin anymore. Somewhere along the way, she'd also learned how to dress well.

The memory of that night mingled with the imagined laughter of the girls came to mind. Why should I spare you? She thought. Maybe Jola first, Olivia then you.

Then you can all have a good laugh at me, all of you together, in hell.

# ~TEN~

Jessica was awakened by the telephone. The loud ringing tone broke into her sleep and made her sit up.

The caller was Olivia. While having breakfast, she had seen the morning paper's account of the incident. She was shocked and concerned.

Before she would tell her any more than the newspaper had done, she asked that Olivia read the article to her, she was relieved to hear that it was short, just a small picture and a few column inches on the sixth page. It was based entirely on the small information that she had given the reporters last night when they finally called. She told Olivia all of it, and she was outraged. "That stupid useless policeman!, If he'd made any effort at all to find out about you, what kind of person you are, he'd have known you couldn't possible make up a story like that. Look sweet; I'll take care of this. Don't worry. I'll get some action for you."

"How?"

"I'll call some people."

"Who?"

"How about the IG of police?"

"Oh, sure."

"Hey, he owes me," Olivia said.

"I don't think I can go through all that trouble again."

"Okay, how about I hire you a PI then?"

"Private investigators? In this country?"

"Yes, I know just the agency. They're good. Considerably better than most police."

"Isn't that expensive?"

"I'll split the cost with you."

"Oh, no."

"Oh, yes."

"That's generous of you but...."

"It's not generous of me at all. You're extremely valuable sweet. I only want to protect my interest."

"That's nonsense, and you know it," she said. "You are generous, Olivia.

But don't hire anyone just yet. The other Detective I told you about, Detective Victor said he'd stop around later this afternoon to see if I remembered anything more. He sorts of believe me. Let's wait until I've seen him.

"Well...all right," Olivia said reluctantly. But in the meantime, I'm coming to pick you to stay over at my place. Pack a bag; I will be there in the evening."

"Olivia, I don't need a babysitter."

"I know."

"I was perfectly safe all night, and I..."

"Listen, sweet, I'm coming and you'd better have a bag packed. If you won't let me inside, I'll just stand by your front door like a palace guard."

"Really, I..."

"Sooner than later," Olivia said gently, "you're going to have to face the fact that you can't get through life alone. No one does. Now and then everyone has to accept a little help. You should have called me last night."

"I didn't want to disturb you."

"For God's sake, you wouldn't have disturbed me! I'm your friend. Sweet, it's all right to be strong and independent and self-confident. But when you carry it too far, when you isolate yourself like that, it's a slap on the face to those of us who cares about you. Now go pack your bags and wait for me"

Jessica sighed. "Yes, ma".

"Good girl. I will see you at five."

"Yes mom."

"I'm so much better than your mother."

Jessica laughed. "Yes, you are."

When she hung up and glanced at the drawers that stood in front of the door. After the uneventful night, the blockade looked foolish. Olivia was right, she can't shut herself in forever. A change of environment might help.

She got out of bed, put on her slippers and went to the drawer. She dragged it away from the door, back to its former position. She walked into the bathroom to shower.

******* ********* ********

Jessica's ordeal was an answer to a prayer. She hated staying alone. She just can't stand loneliness. If Jessica really knew why she was so eager to have her around, she might hate her.

"Where's henry?" Jessica asked, breaking into her thought.

"He's disappeared again."

Big surprise.

That usually meant he was with another woman.

Henry Nwosu has a problem with fidelity. A major problem. Monogamy wasn't in the man's vocabulary. He just couldn't seem to keep his hands off other woman.

"What's up?" Jessica asked

"I don't know, just came home last night and didn't meet him."

"He just doesn't give up, does he? You know what you should do.

Olivia."

Olivia sighed. "I know it's crazy, but I still love him."

"He's using you."

"I just have to wait until Henry grows up."

That could well be forever. "He's thirty, how long do you think it'll take?"

"I don't know, but I really love him. I know I sound pathetic, like one of those women who puts up with everything because of love. But I really do care for him and...and you don't know how lonely it can be when there's no one else around." She stared at Jessica with so much sadness.

There were tears in her eyes as Jessica took her hands. She bit her lower lip trying not to sob.

"I know it is wrong to put my happiness in one person."

"Yes Olivia, it's wrong because..." Jessica hesitated, choosing her words carefully... "Because the love you have inside of you is something very precious, far too precious to waste on those who are unworthy to receive it."

"You are right sweet. Yes you are"

Jessica took her into her arms and hugged her. She wasn't the only one in need of a friend.

"Maybe you should start taking doses from your own medicine."

Jessica urged her back. "I should. The doctor turned patient."

Both laughed.

"Thanks babe." Olivia said hugging her back. "Go freshen up, then I can give you the gist on our reunion."

******* ********* ******** Victor looked up from his stacks of paperwork as Alex slipped through the open door of his office.

He handed Victor the paper in his hand, then leaned against the file cabinet of Victor's office. In his trademark black shirt and black jeans, he let his gaze wander through his office.

"What?" Victor asked from behind the desk and a mountain of paperwork that never seemed to diminish. Crime is a big business in Lagos.

"There's something I've got to say and you probably won't like it."

"Try me."

"It's about the woman last night."

"Jessica Arawole"

"Yeah, you liked her, didn't you?"

"Well...sure. She seemed nice enough."

"That's not what I mean. I mean you liked her enough to ask her out."

"Oh no. she's good looking, but I didn't..."

"Don't play innocent with me. I saw the way you looked at her. I've not seen you look at a woman like that lately."

Victor was quiet for a while. Finally he said, "You're right. I don't get bothered by every pretty girl I see. Jessica Arawole is....different. And not just the way she looks. She's beautiful of course but that's not all of it. I like the way she talks. I like the way she thinks."

"I like the way she looks," Alex said "but the way she thinks bother me."

"She wasn't lying." Victor said

"I'm not going back there. Here's what I've got to say that you won't want to hear."

"I'm listening."

"No matter how attractive you find her, that's no excuse for what you did to me last night."

Victor looked at him confused. "What did I do?"

"You're to support your partner in a situation like that. Several times last night, you took her side against mine."

"I felt you were too harsh on her. She had been through a rough time..."

"I still won't accept that, she made all of that up."

"I don't believe that."

"Shey na your head you dey use think at that time?"

Laughing Victor said. "Mehn, you no well."

"Seriously, if you thought I was been harsh, why didn't you take me aside and ask what I was after."

"I did ask, I asked you about it just after you took the call from the station. I wanted to know what you had, but you wouldn't tell me."

"I didn't think you'd listen," Alex said, "by that time you were already drooling over her like a lovesick boy."

"That's unfair and you know it.

Despite his trying to sound angry, there was a small smile on his lip.

"Okay, all right. But you were unfair to me last night.

Neither of them spoke for a couple of minutes.

"Whatever weakness and faults you might have, you're a pretty good partner."

Alex nodded. "Well...you, too. Except sometimes you're too... soft."

"That's a compliment right?" Victor said with a little frown.

"Yeah." Alex said smiling. "So what's in that file you've been battling with, another case?

Victor stared at the paper in his hands, trying to remember where he was before his partner came in. Suddenly he stood up spilling the cup of water on his table.

"Trouble."

"There's always trouble."

"This is bad," Victor passed the file to him "that file contains the report from the lab and it shows some similarity in the two bodies".

"Are you saying that the two deaths are related?"

"You need to check that out. Our two dead girls and the dead girl in

Mapo-hill had something in common, they went to the same high school."

"Coincidence?"

"No way."

******* ********* ******** Azarat Alli kadiri, his immediate superior and the reason he had his job with the department, breezed in. Azarat was usually all business. He'd never seen her in anything but suit. She had kept herself in good shape for a woman of forty-six who'd spent the last ten years behind a desk. She had too much willpower to run to fat. Her first marriage had gone under because of the job, her second because of childlessness. Azarat had given up on marriage and children, now the job took the place of both. The men in her department didn't necessarily like her, but they respected her. She handled the men she oversaw with an iron fist; their very own iron lady.

"Alex, I want the lab reports before five. If there was a single hair on her cloth, I want to know where it came from. Do your job. Give me something to work with so I can do mine. She folded her arms over her chest and learned a shoulder against the door frame. "Victor, so tell me about this recent discovery, I read the report and I wondered why nobody did a background check on these girls."

"That's because we never thought they were connected." Alex said

"I suspected they were connected but not in that line. Look at the age range." Victor said

"But these girls were murdered in different locations and even one in a different state." Alex said

"So now we know they are connected and in fact school mates. There must be a pattern here."

"In each case, nobody heard anything" Alex added. "Or saw anything"

"Ask again," Azarat said simply. "And find someone who did, I want you to check out the school, school records, talk to other ex-class mates.

Anything more on our number two?"

Victor didn't like victims by numbers. "Gladys's boyfriend was the one who saw her that night. He's clean. She was already dead when he touched her. The lab confirmed the time".

"We can bring him in again, but neither of us believe he had anything to do with it, and he didn't even know the other girls" Alex said

"Well, check him out again anyway. What's his name?"

"Dele Ogidan. He drives a Honda civic and he's an honor student from an upper-middle-class family". Victor recited from a note pad

"Adetoun will bring him in".

"Wait a minute..."

"I'm assigning a task force to this business," Azarat said, cutting Victor off. "Adetoun, Solomon, oreitan, Alex and Essien will be working with you. I want this guy before he kills the next woman." Her voice remained mild, reasonable and final. "You have a problem with that?"

Victor started to open his mouth then caught Alex's warning glance. "No, we all want to get him."

"Good. Keep me posted." Azarat said as she walked out of the office.

"You got it." Victors muttered under his breathe.

# ~ELEVEN~

Jolade Dara always checked the caller ID on true caller before answering the phone. When Sam was out of town, as he had been since yesterday. She was a more cautious about answering either the phone or the door or even going outside. It wasn't that she was scared; it was just that in the course of their marriage she'd ceased being Jolade. She and Sam were like twins. She was used to being with him.

She liked being married.

She'd always liked being married and she'd move earth and heaven to remain Mrs. Jolade Samuel no matter what it takes.

Her life had been in confusion before she'd found Sam, and she wasn't going to let him slip away. Now she lived in a large house, and had everything she wanted.

Without a child yet, she sometimes felt lonely.

So it was only natural when she checked caller ID that morning, saw it was an unknown telephone number and almost didn't answer. But then could it be Sam? She thought

She picked up the phone. "Hello?" she said

"Hi JD," a sweet female voice said. Only old friends called her that. "It's

Olivia, sweet"

"Olivia?" Jola said as if she didn't remember who she was.

"Olivia Awopetu, your friend from high school. St. Louis, remember?"

"Oh, Olivia. How are you? Long time no see." Jola said. She was slightly puzzled. Olivia was nobody's friend. She never partook in anything that won't benefit her. And she never called even after exchanging numbers few months ago when they ran into each other at the mall. There had to be a reason for this.

"Look, I'm sorry for not calling all the while. I've been busy. If you read the papers, you will understand." Olivia said from the other end.

"Oh, all is forgiven." Jola said.

"The reason I'm calling is that I'm planning a reunion for our class set. And I will need everyone's input and how to mobilize people. There's been a huge turn up. I want to know if I should count you in also. What do you say?"

"Okay, count me in. what do I do? And when?"

"I will send you details later, but if you have any of our classmate's contacts, you can send them to me." "Okay, I can do that." Jola said

"All well then. I will stay in touch. It will be great to see you again." Olivia said as she hung up.

Liar! Jola thought as she stared at the phone wishing she had not picked the call.

******* ********* ********

"According to the list of our mates who'd responded, it's a sure thing now to go ahead with the planning. Just got off the phone with JD, she said to count her in." Olivia said as she sat beside Jessica in front of the television.

"Jola Dara, the short fair girl on our table?" Jessica asked

"Same one. Met her few months ago at the mall, collected her number.

She wouldn't shut up about her husband and marriage life."

"Good for her, she didn't strike me as the marriage type." Jessica said "Oh really..." Olivia was cut off by the sound of the phone. "Hello?"

After a moment's of hesitation, then a deep voice. "Hi, I hope I've got

Olivia Awopetu. This is Detective Victor. You might not know me, but..."

Olivia cut in and wink at Jessica at the same time. "I know who you are. Hold on for her." Passing the phone to Jessica, "I think you've got a stalker. It's your Detective"

Taking the phone, she stood up, walked towards the guest room. "Hello Detective."

"Hi, I was a bit worried when I didn't meet you in your house yesterday.

Got your friend's number from one of the officers I left at your house."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I had to switch off my phone due to some unwanted calls but I left Olivia's number in case you wanted to reach me." Jessica said

"I understand. Hope you are alright?" Victor asked after a few moment of silence.

"I am fine, thank you. And thank you for going through the trouble to talk to me."

"It's no bother. I...um...well, I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me on Saturday?"

Her mouth was wide open. He wanted a date? Her heart was about to leap out of her chest, but she told herself to sound cool, If that was possible. She had never felt like this with a man before.

"Oh," she said. "Well... I don't think I can."

"I see."

"I mean, I'd like to."

"You would?"

"But I really don't have much time for a social life in recent days." She said

"I see."

"I've just gotten this deal, and it's going to keep me busy all day and night."

"I understand." He said

"It was very nice of you to ask."

"Sure. Well... good luck with the deal."

"Thank you." Jessica hung up. The phone rang again. Checking the number, it was Detective Victor again.

He spoke before she could. "Am I really that ugly?"

"What?"

"Or is it because I'm a police officer?"

"Detective Victor..."

"You know what some people think about police officers."

"I don't care about what others think."

"Really, maybe you turned me down because I don't have much money."

"Det..."

"Victor."

"What?"

"Call me Victor."

"Victor, I've spent most of my life without money."

"Then I wonder what's wrong with me."

Jessica smiled. "Nothing is wrong with you."

"Thank God!"

"Really, I said no for just one reason. I don't have time for..."

"Miss Arawole, even president Obama manages to take a night off now and then. Even Dangote has leisure time. Even God rested the seventh day. No one can be busy all the time."

"After what I've been through in the last two days, I just need to be alone for a while."

"That's exactly what you don't need. You need to go out, be among people. It's all right that you're with your friend, but you need to get out and enjoy yourself. And I can help with that."

She said. "Okay I give up."

"Saturday night?"

"All right."

"Where should I pick you up, your place or your friend's?"

"My place."

"I'll pick you up at seven."

"See you on Saturday at seven." She laughed as she hung up.

Moving to the sitting room with a smile on her face.

"What was that all about, you were in there for a long time." Olivia asked

"I got a date."

"With the policeman?"

"Well, not with you." she said smiling.

"Lucky you. I haven't seen you go on a date in years. I'm sure this will be good for you. You need to start having fun." Olivia said.

"We'll see how this goes. Don't get your hopes high yet, it's just one date."

"If you say so." Olivia said with a knowing smile.

# ~TWELVE~

Before driving home, Jessica decided to stop at Styles 'n' smile, her regular salon to wash and straighten her hair.

Styles 'n' smile offered hair treatment, body massage and the occasional gossips common to salons. She didn't mind the gossips; in fact, she found it surprisingly easy to participate with some of the stylist there.

"The usual?" one of the stylists asked.

"With a pedicure, I owe it to my feet," Jessica said as she sat in.

The stylists don't wear uniform or name tags, but Jessica was in here often enough to recognize Debola, with her quick smile and sharp wit. She is chubby, tall and friendly whereas the lady, who worked with her, Risi, was a little more reserved, not as outgoing and was always wearing clothes in loud colors. Today's shade of choice was a rich purple on a bright yellow sure to hurt the eyes just by looking at it. Different in their ways, both ladies were attractive and witty enough to keep the customers coming back.

Debola saw her sitting and said. "Aunty, good evening, how body, hope u don dey okay?"

Jessica responded. "I'm great, thank you Debola. Will you be doing my hair?

"Yes ma. I see wetin happen to you in the blog yesterday. Shey they no wound you?"

Oh no. Jessica thought. "Yeah, no harm," she said, slightly uncomfortable as there were two other people on seat.

"I didn't hear about that, how did you know?" Risi asked.

"Na for Linda ikeji blog I see am".

"That's got to be tough, having your business on Linda's blog; you must be popular by now." Risi mentioned

Jessica didn't know how to respond. Yes, these women knew a bit about her; she'd gladly offered up a few details whenever she comes in for hair business or other things. Obviously, she should have kept her mouth shut.

She managed to force a thin smile. "You have no idea."

The customer sitting close to Jessica turned to look at her closely.

"I think I recognize your face now. You're that writer who was almost raped in her house." The customer said

"No be rape o, Na thief they wan thief." Adebola said

"There was one blog that said rape." The customer replied

"No believe anything wey those blog people talk except na Linda ikeji write am." Debola told her then looking at Jessica in the mirror caught the look of humiliation on her face. "Sorry" she mouthed, whispered something to Risi, and then turned her attention to her hair. "I see say that cream don dey work for the dandruff for your hair because I no see dandruff again."

"Huh! Oh I think your cream is working." Jessica quickly jumps in.

"You make hair creams now?" the customer turned her attention on Debola.

Thereafter, the rest of the hours went uneventful.

As she was paying at the cashier's, Debola walked up to her. "I dey sorry. I for no talk am loud as I talk am, but I don dey worry for you when I see am for Linda ikeji."

"That's okay, I should be used to it by now, but... you know", she shrugged "Don't bother about it."

"Make you dey careful ma, plenty evil dey this world but Na God go help us. Hope you go come see us soon". Debola said as she collected her receipt from the cashier and handing it to her.

Don't count on that, Jessica thought as she took the receipt and tucked it into her bag. "Yes. Thanks". With that she headed for her car.

******* ********* ********

After signing out for the day, Victor went home and washed, changed from his shirt to jeans and a white polo and walked two streets to the hideout.

Alex was already there, sitting in a back booth, still in shirt, a bottle of Guinness in front of him.

Hideout as regular customers referred to it was an ordinary neighborhood bar. It had nothing more to offer than pleasant music that wasn't turned too loud, cleanliness, courtesy, comfortable stools and booths. Sharwama and Asun served from the small kitchen, and good drinks at reasonable prices.

Victor slid into the booth, facing Alex.

"What do you want?" Alex asked

"A million dollars in cash, a Rolls-Royce, eternal life and the praise of the masses." Victor said.

"What'll you settle for?"

"A bottle of malt."

"That I can provide." He said calling on the barman. "Bring a bottle of malt and two plates of Asun."

The barman brought the drink and the meats.

They were silent for a while and then they talked for a few minutes about the murdered girls. There were about twenty to twenty five people in the bar. Several of them had ordered Asun. The air was filled with the mouthwatering aroma of hot beef fried with onions and sweet sauce.

Finally, Alex said. "It was wrong of me to talk to that Arawole woman like I did."

"I thought we are done with that."

"I feel like I should apologize to you.

"Not necessary."

"You know with everything your ex-wife did, you are supposed to be the one bitter about every woman, but you never take out your frustration on them." Alex said

"Who says I'm not bitter. I just found a way to deal with it. I can't cut down every mango tree, just because I got tripped by one. I can't hide from every woman forever, Alex"

"Must have been bad, what she did to you. You never did talk about it."

Clearly Alex wanted to hear about his ex-wife. He didn't feel he wanted to discuss his past marriage with Alex, but then they've been friends for a long time, then partners.

"It's alright if you don't want to talk about it, want another drink?" Alex said.

Victor stared at the bottle of malt as he might stare into a crystal ball. "I don't think I want to talk about it, it's a part of my life I don't ever want to remember. That part is gone."

"Okay guy, I won't try to pretend that I understand what you are feeling.

But if you ever need to talk, you know I'm here."

"I know. Thanks.

"So you doing anything tomorrow night?" Alex asked

"I think I have a date."

"You think?"

"I know I have a date."

"With the Arawole woman."

"Yes, I called her yesterday and she agreed to go out with me tomorrow evening."

"Guy, you are a smooth rider. That was fast."

"I guess." Victor smiled

"I hope you are not taking her to one of your church gatherings?"

"Give me a break; I happen to know a few nice places."

"Really, I'm hearing that for the first time." Alex said. "Does she have a sister or a friend she can hook me up with?"

Victor smiled at him. "I don't think so, but I thought you said you are one-woman man these days?"

"Yes I am."

"What happened to the last girl you took out?"

Looking innocent, Alex said, "What are you talking about."

Victor grinned.

"Ask her if she got any friend, maybe we could doubt-date tomorrow night."

Victor tried to scowl but couldn't. He grinned more instead. "No way.

You've got to find your own date and go your own way."

"You are selfish my friend." Alex said.

"If you say so."

"You really think it can work with you two?"

"You make it sound like we're planning to get married. It's just a date."

"Well, good luck".

"Thank you".

# ~THIRTEEN~

Saturday night, at exactly seven o'clock, Victor arrived at Jessica's house in a blue jeep.

Jessica went out to meet him. She was wearing a short yellow dress. She hadn't been on a date in more than sixteen months, and she nearly had forgotten how to dress for one; she had spent two hours preparing her outfit. She had accepted Victor's invitation because he was the most interesting man she'd met in a couple of years and also because she was trying her best to overcome her tendency to hide from the world.

She avoided making friends and finding love, for she was afraid of the pain that only friends and lovers could inflict. But at the same time that she was protecting herself from the pain, she was denying herself the pleasure of good relationships with good people.

Victor hurried around to the passenger's side and opened the door.

Bending down, he said, "The royal carriage awaits."

"Oh, this must be a mistake, I'm not the queen."

"You look prettier than the queen."

"Better not let her hear you say that. She'll have your head for sure."

"Too late."

"Oh?"

"I already lost my head to you."

Jessica laughed nervously

"Easy, I won't bite." Sensing her nervousness

"That's what the big wolf said to red hood, and we both know what happened to her."

"Okay, I'll be gentle; will try not to draw blood."

"Oh, that's reassuring."

"I think you'll just have to wait and see."

"You seem pretty sure we'll still be friends a few weeks from now.

"Why wouldn't we be?" he asked

"Maybe we'll get into a fight tonight, first thing at the restaurant."

"Why, over what?"

"Politics."

"I don't talk or do politics."

"I don't too."

"Short argument."

"Maybe religion."

"I'm a Christian."

"I was raised a catholic. But I'm not much of anything anymore."

"Any way, I don't do religion. I believe religion is just another way of enslaving people."

"I do too"

"We don't seem to be good at arguing."

"Well, maybe we'll fight about the restaurant you're taking me."

"No. where we're going, you'll love everything." He said.

He took her to Ricci's restaurant on U&I foyer

. It was an intimate place, seating no more than sixty and somehow appearing to seat only half that number; it was cozy and comfortable, the kind restaurant in which you could lose track of time and spend six hours over dinner without realizing it.

Lami, the owner, who turned out to be Victor's friend was one jolly guy, kissing Jessica on the cheek, and punching Victor lightly in the belly and recommending pasta to fatten him up. At last Lami escorted them to a corner table. After getting them glasses of grape fruit, he left them, winking at Victor to show his approval.

"He seems like such a nice guy." she said when Lami had gone.

"He's some guy." Victor said.

"You like him a lot."

"I love him. He's the perfect friend."

They fell smoothly into discussion of police work and then books. He was so easy to talk to that Jessica felt she had known him for years. There was none of the awkwardness that usually spoiled first date.

They talked about films, and music, fashion.

The food was nearly as good as the conversation. When she finished dinner and looked at her watch, Jessica was amazed to see that it was five minutes past ten.

Lami stopped by their table to greet them, then he said to Victor, "how was the pasta?"

"Not bad."

"But not as good as the last one you prepared."

"This pasta is alright too."

"I don't want alright, I want perfect, and you can give me that you know."

Puzzled, Jessica said, "you lost me, what are you both talking about?" "Victor here is the best cook this place has ever had, he owns part of this restaurant and I've been on his neck to come back so we can manage this place together."

"Victor can cook?" she asked

"He didn't tell you?"

"No."

She looked at Victor, and he grinned sheepishly.

"Whoa, a police officer who owns a restaurant."

"Half of it." Lami said.

Victor laughed. "It's no big deal; I just do that for fun."

"You should taste his food."

"Lami is too generous with his praise. It's not that good."

"He won't listen; maybe you can talk some sense into him, jess." Lami said as he walked away from their table.

Later, in the jeep, as he was driving her home, Jessica said, "why did you give cooking up?"

"I didn't give it up, but I'll be a fool if I seriously thought I could make it as a cook."

"But Lami is doing alright, and it's not as if police work is paying that much."

"My cooking is not as good as Lami made you believe."

"I think he knows what he was saying."

"Can we not talk about my cooking?"

"Why?"

"I'm bored."

"You're difficult."

"And bored." he said.

"What shall we talk about?"

"Anything. How about we talk about our next date."

"You want to see me again?"

"You don't think I'll want to."

"I didn't think anything."

For the first time all evening, they were awkward with each other.

"Doing anything tomorrow night?"

She smiled and said, "I'm free."

"Great, what would you want to do?"

"Whatever you want."

He thought about it for a moment. "Shall we make a whole day of it?"

"Well... why not".

Fifteen minutes later, they were in front of her house.

"I'll pick you up at noon after church."

"I'll be ready and waiting."

"Great."

He walked her to her gate, and kissed her on the cheek, "tomorrow." "Thank you for the dinner." She said.

He nodded, and till she locked the gate before driving off into the night.

******* ********* ******** Alone in her own home, standing in the middle of the kitchen, she didn't know what to do.

Sam just called to tell her his trip had been delay; he won't be coming home until Tuesday morning. What was she to do with herself before then?

She hated the fact that everyone thought she was weak, that she couldn't handle her life by herself. But that wasn't it. She could. She just didn't want to.

In high school, she had loved being part of a group, needed that feeling of being a half of a solid whole. The few years she was without her friends, she'd always felt adrift. Almost as if she was doomed to drown. She couldn't function alone. Guessed that's why God created human in pair.

But her husband Sam had saved her and they'd married to create this perfect union.

And this reunion stuff. She doesn't know how she will handle seeing her old friends again. Well, when Sam gets home, they'll talk about it and he'll teach her what to do and how to handle all of them.

She walked into the living room again and started thinking about her high school days. Some things don't remain the same forever. If she had thought what they experience in school would have kept them together, she had been wrong. She had only gone for the ride that night like most of them; she doubted all of them knew what they were getting into except for Olivia of course. She could have bet her left arm that Olivia planned it. She thought about it afterwards and had almost gone to report to the school authority, But Olivia threaten to put it all on her. That wicked girl!

Now acting as if all was good between them.

She was so deep in thought that she missed the first sound. She sat down and closed her eyes. Willed her muscles to loosen, then she heard the sound.

Her eyes flew open. No one was in the house. She stood up to check the door. Then she stopped short. Pure terror shot through her.

A woman stood in the shadows. A woman with a gun leveled squarely at Jola's chest.

"Don't say a word," the woman orders in a low hiss that caused Jola's blood to run cold. "Not one word."

Jola swallowed back her scream.

What could she do? She could run, but there was nowhere to hide. She could...

The woman stepped out of the shadows and for a second jola thought she'd gone mad.

She blinked, disbelieving. She nearly wet her pants as she saw her attacker cruel expression. Jola hadn't seen this face in eight years and to think she was just thinking about her. Has her mind conjure her? "Please don't.

Show some mercy. I'm really sorry for what we did...I'd...I did."

"Uh-oh. I guess you didn't hear me." The woman said. Her lips twisted in an ugly grin.

Before jola could utter another word, the woman fired point-blank. Jola fell back, stumbling against a small table.

Pain exploded behind her eyes.

Her attacker stepped closer, holding the gun on her.

"I hope you enjoy your trip down to hell."

As darkness pulled her under, jola watched her killer drop something before she slipped out the unlocked front door.

Why? She wondered, why after all this years?

The blackness dragged her under. A blessing and she gave herself up to it.

# ~FOURTEEN~

Jessica could not remember another day that was as much fun as that first full day with Victor Ayeni.

They went to the Chinese restaurant on the run for lunch; he seemed as familiar with the staff at Yin chuan as he'd been with those at Ricci's the night before. Jessica watched the way he spoke to this one, greeted this one, the ease, like he'd known them forever. She admired someone who could be at ease with people without worrying about impressions, opinions. To be that way you first had to be at ease with yourself. Somehow, as content as she was with her lifestyle, she'd never quite gotten there.

The food was not that extra ordinary, but the stunning view made up for it. After lunch, they went to Freedom Park, for an hour they walked through part of the park. They later stopped at Chan grill for hamburgers and fries.

They later drove to the Bar beach, where they sat and watched the sun set into the ocean and relaxed to the rhythmic roar of breaking waves.

It was not just where they went that made the day special. None of it would have been half as interesting or as much fun if she'd been with someone else. Victor was so full of fun and energy that he made the bright day brighter.

And they never stopped talking; from books to music, from movies to art, people, dogs, religion, sports, fashion, food, architecture, Saturday morning cartoons. It seemed urgent and vital that they know what each other thought about those and a million other subjects. They chatted as if they had just learned God was going to strike everyone in the world deaf and dumb at sunrise. Jessica was drunk, not on wine but on the flow and intimacy of their conversation.

By the time he took her home, she was reluctant to let him go. He saw her to the front door this time, and as he turned to leave, Jessica couldn't bear to wait a long time to see him again. She said "what about

Wednesday?"

"What about it?"

"Doing anything for dinner?"

"Oh, I'll probably fry some eggs with bread that are just getting stale in the refrigerator."

"All that cholesterol's bad for you."

"And maybe I'll cut the mold off the bread, and take it with the egg."

"You poor boy."

"The bachelor's life."

"I can't let you eat eggs and stale bread. Not when we can get the best cuisine in town."

"So nice of you."

"So how about I take you to dinner, on my bills this time and treat you to the best food ever."

"Uh-oh, nice deal. But how about, you come to my place on Wednesday at six to experience my culinary skills."

She grinned. "Now, that's a better deal."

"See you Wednesday"

"Six?"

"Six sharp."

He kissed her on the cheek, and he walked away and then he was gone.

Half an hour later upstairs in bed, while still reliving the day, the telephone rang. Without checking the ID she answered. "Hello."

There was no response.

"Hello?"

The caller listened for a few seconds, and then hung up.

Jessica stared at it thoughtfully for a moment.

Unknown number.

Some people just don't know any better. She told herself. They're rude.

Why call with unknown number and hang up.

Wrong number?

Must have been.

But what if it wasn't a wrong number?

Stop looking for bad things in everything. She told herself.

She curled in bed.

In a while, she forgot about the phone call.

Twenty minutes later, she was asleep.

# ~FIFTEEN~

Victor parked on the outside of the gate. As he climbed out of his jeep, he saw Alex talking to Adetoun and one other officer. Alex left them and waved at Victor.

"What've we got?" Victor asked

"Another dead body."

"Not again." Victor said. "What do we know?"

"Like the rest; young and alone. Her husband was out of town for business and when he got home this morning, he met his wife with a bullet hole. Robbery was ruled out; the victim had some pretty rocks on her fingers and in her jewelry case. Laptop, phones, iPads...all untouched."

Victor didn't like it. "Homicide?"

"I think so, though no evidence to back it, we're still doing some check, it will take a while." Alex said.

"Was the husband questioned?"

"Yes, nothing there."

As they walked into the station, Azarat Alli Kadiri signal to them and they both went into her office.

"Don't tell me we don't have anything yet?" Azarat said. She stood in a navy blue suit, hips and hands resting against her desk. Victor and Alex were seated in the chairs by the door.

"I've only been briefed about this on phone." Victor replied "Do we think there's any chance this is related to the other killings?"

"A check is going on, and until we get that, we have nothing to go on with.

This could just be a random killing." Alex said

"But you don't believe that." Azarat said

"No." Alex muttered

"How soon can we get that background check?"

"Probably, tomorrow morning." Victor replied "I don't want probably, make it happen tomorrow."

"Yes ma'am" Alex.

"Somehow the killer had access. Find out how he got in and out."

"All right, I'm checking with gun dealers that I know. But so far nothing on the gun used"

Lines of frustration tugged at the corners of Azarat's mouth. Her fingernails drummed against the lip of the desk. "This killer got to slip up, when he does, we'll nail him. Meantime, how do I explain that to the IG and the press?" Azarat asked, and then answered her own question. "I don't...not yet. We'll just keep it low.

"Maybe he'll tip his hand if we play it cool," Victor suggested

Azarat straighten. "Just as long as the lack of attention doesn't push him into killing again, that would be hard to explain to the public."

******* ********* ********

"What do you mean, JD is dead?" Jessica said.

She'd been wiping the dining table after her lunch, a combination of macaroni and fish stew when Olivia knocked on her door.

Now Olivia's face was pale, her lips compressed. "JD was shot, Jessica," she revealed. "Shot in her home."

"What do you mean? How do you mean?"

For an answer, Olivia threw the day's paper on the table. Sure enough, there was JD's picture on the front page; about an intruder, a gunshot and a wealthy husband out of town.

JD is dead.

Murdered.

She'd not been in touch with the girl in years, yet they'd been friends once.

"It's so unreal, I spoke to her few days ago, and she was going to come to the reunion." Olivia muttered

"I know dear, I was there." Jessica said as she put her hand on Olivia shoulder.

"I've been so nasty to her, and now she's dead, just like that." Olivia continue

"There's no way she would have known."

"You think?" Olivia said turning to face her

"I know." Jessica said

Looking at Jessica, Olivia stretched her arms to hug her, "I don't think I tell you enough, but I'm glad I have you."

"Aw, I love you too."

"You see why we need that reunion. It'll help put a check on each other."

"Do you think it's a good idea to go ahead with the reunion?"

"Of course, we can have a memorial for JD.

"Sure." Jessica managed a smile.

# ~SIXTEEN~

At seven o'clock Wednesday evening, Jessica arrived at the front door of Victor's apartment. He lived upstairs in a two story building. When he answered the door, he had a smile on his lips. "Didn't know you missed me this much."

"Don't kid yourself, I love keeping to time."

"Here I was thinking that I'm something special." He said with a shrug

In spite of his attempt to keep the smile off his face, she still saw the smile in his eyes. She wanted to hug him, but she held back

"Can I come in anyway?"

"Oh. Sure. Sorry."

He lived in two bedroom apartment, with a large living room.

"The food is almost ready, hope you like potatoes?"

"Hmmm, the great chef."

"I will be right back."

While he was in the kitchen getting the foods, she took a closer look at his apartment. Tall shelves were full of books. There were two settee, a dining table with two chairs, a flat TV screen by the wall and an efficient sound system. Although this arrangement was not unusual, the room had great personality.

He returned from the kitchen with two dishes and she moved to take one from him.

"Why don't you bring out the juice from the fridge, it's just by the table."

"Those really smell good."

"Have a taste before you pass your judgment".

"Okay".

They both sat down at the table, while Victor dished the food, Jessica poured the juice. They ate in silence. After they cleared the table and washed the dishes. Victor switched on the sound system then went to one of the chairs in the far corner of the room.

She followed him, sat beside him. "That was the best food I've eaten in recent time, what you did to that potatoes. What is it called?"

"Potato pancake," he answered, "I'm just an amateur."

"And I'm just the queen of Sheba".

Laughing, he said "you are easily impressed".

"Maybe I am, but I know good stuff when I see one".

"Thanks, but can we not talk about my culinary skills".

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Movies," he said

"Do you really?"

"Maybe books."

"Really?"

"Or fashion".

"I can take a hint," she said.

They sat silently side by side on the chair, eyes closed, heads leaning backwards listening to the music and to each other's breathing.

After sitting quietly besides Jessica for fifteen minutes, listening to James blunt classical music, Victor found himself thinking how nice it was sitting beside a woman without talking and not getting bored. He'd never felt anything like this, not even with his ex-wife. In the silence he could feel that they were communicating, with their fingers linked together. He opened his eyes and looked at her beautiful face; suddenly she opened them like she felt him looking. Their eyes locked, and after a moment it seemed that he was no longer merely staring at her, but into her, through her eyes, into her soul.

Jessica moved closer, she kissed his throat, his cheek.

"A penny for your thoughts".

"They're worth more than that," he said

"A thousand?"

"More than that".

"A million naira?"

"Maybe a million dollar". He smiled at her

"Expensive thoughts". Jessica looked at him

"Umm"

"Of what?"

"Of what is happening here".

For a while Jessica had no reply for that, she just stared at him and he stared back.

"You know, I might not ever let you go".

She sensed that he was prepared to make a commitment if he could determine that she was ready to do likewise. But that was the problem. She wasn't ready. She didn't know if she would ever be ready. She wanted him. She couldn't think of anything more exciting or rewarding than the two of them coming together enriching each other's lives. But she feared the disappointment and pain that would come if he ever stopped wanting her. She was afraid of commitment.

Looking for a way to avoid the indirect question in his statement, hoping to keep the conversation casual, she said, "You might never let me go?" "Yes".

"Won't it be difficult for you, trying to do police work with me in hand?"

He looked into her eyes, trying to determine if she understood what he had said.

Nervously, she said, "don't rush me Victor. I need time. Just a little time".

"Take all the time you want".

"Right now I'm so happy that I just want to be silly. It's not the right time to be serious".

"So I'll try to be silly." He said. "What shall we talk about?" "I want to know all about you".

"That's sounds serious, not silly".

"Tell you what. You be half-serious, and I'll be half-silly. We'll take turns at it."

"All right. First question".

"What's your favorite breakfast food?"

"Spaghetti," she said

"Your favorite lunch?"

"Spaghetti,"

"Your favorite dinner?"

"Spaghetti"

"Wait a minute," he said "I figure you were serious about breakfast. But then you slipped in two silly responses in a row."

"I love spaghetti."

"Now you owe me two serious answers".

"Okay."

"Where were you born?"

"Mapo-hill"

"Raised there?"

"Yes,"

"Parents?"

"I don't know who my parents are. I was hatched from an egg.it was a miracle. You must have read about it. It was all over the news."

"Very silly indeed".

"Thank you."

"Parents?" he asked again

"That's unfair," she said "you can't ask the same question twice."

"Who says?"

"I say."

"Is it that terrible?"

"What?"

"Whatever your parents did"

She tried to deflect the question. "Where'd you get the idea they did something terrible?"

"I've asked you about them before. I've asked you about your childhood too. You've always avoided those questions. You were very smooth, very clever about changing the subject. You thought I didn't notice, but I did".

He had the most penetrating stare the she'd ever encountered. It was almost frightening.

She closed her eyes so that he couldn't see into her.

"Tell me."

"I don't want to talk about it now"

"It might be good for you."

"No, please, Victor. It's been a beautiful evening so far. Don't spoil it."

"Sooner or later, I want to hear it."

"Okay," she said. "But not tonight"

He sighed. "All right. Let's see....who..."

"My turn."

"Oh, thought I was asking the question?"

"Works both ways, Detective."

Hands up, he said "ask away."

"Tell me about your ex-wife."

"Wow, no silly questions?"

"It comes after this one."

"What if I don't want to talk about it?"

Trying to make fun of him, "what kind of example will you be, you said it was best to share your feelings with others."

"I was wrong," he said

"You were right."

He closed his eyes, said nothing.

"I will tell you about my parents."

"You certainly know how to make a deal."

He stood up and poured the remaining juice into two glasses, and gave one to her. Victor found himself talking about Claudia. He didn't realize he was going to open up to her until he had already begun speaking; he seemed to hear himself suddenly in mid-sentence, and then the words poured out. For half an hour, he spoke continuously, pausing only for an occasional sip of the wine, recalling his first impression of Claudia.

During his second year as an officer with the LSPD, Victor had met his ex-wife. She was a salesgirl working the jewelry counter in a jewelry store, and she helped him choose a gift for his mother. She was so charming, so petite and so pretty, that he couldn't resist asking for a date, even though he was certain she would turn him down. She accepted. After they had been together for one year, he asked her to marry him. She said no.

Claudia was forthright about her reasons for refusing him. She wanted to get married, but the right man had to have substantial fund and a good job. A police officer, she said would never make enough money to provide her with the lifestyle and the security she wanted. Her former relationship had failed largely because of lack of money. She had discovered that worries about finances could burn the love out of a relationship, leaving only a shell of bitterness and anger. She didn't rule out marrying for love, but there had to be financial security as well.

Strangely, her determination to marry for money did not decrease Victor's respect for her. He revealed his financial situation to her. Practically begged her to look at his savings account. She said it wasn't enough. Two months after, he had put enough money together with his best friend Lami and they opened a restaurant, when Claudia saw that, she decided to marry him. Months after without his mother's approval, they were married.

They enjoyed five months of marital bliss before the trouble started. Salary wasn't paid for two month, the restaurant wasn't going well, and there were bills to settle. Claudia couldn't take it. Victor had betrayed her trust and failed her. Not a man of his words. Six months later, she walked out of their marriage into another man's arms; his account Manager.

"I was a fool, I had made up my mind that she was exactly right for me, something special. No matter what she did, no matter how selfish she was or how unfeeling, I made excuses for her. Lovely excuses, elaborate, creative excuses. I was so stupid."

"No Victor. You are human," Jessica said. "Just human like the rest of us."

"Then she came back." Victor ignored her words

Surprised Jessica said "she did?"

"You want to know why she came back."

"Yea."

"My mother died and left me everything. At first it looked like maybe half a million but then I discovered she made some investment with my father when he was alive. And the return was over fifteen million."

"Whoa."

"The restaurant was picking up, that windfall was enough for Claudia."

"Maybe you'd have been better off if your mother had died poor."

In a voice laden with despair, he said "I'm ashamed to admit it I wasn't really bothered about my mother's death, just the money and I was so glad to have Claudia back."

Putting her hands on his shoulder, she said. "It's over Victor. It's done."

"She came back and wanted to renew our vows. We did. In eight months, she cleaned me out.

"Didn't know settlement works in this country." Jessica asked

"Oh, she didn't take anything in the divorce."

"What?"

"Not one naira."

"Then, how?"

"It was all gone by then."

"Gone?"

"Stole it," Victor said numbly

Jessica put down her cup. "Stole it? How?"

Victor put one shaky hand on hers. "There wasn't any way I could have suspected her. I mean, she changed. She learned to cook my favorite foods. She always wanted to hear about my day when I got home. She stopped buying a lot of clothes or jewelry or anything. She was so...easy going and in bed...she was fabulous. She was exactly what I had wanted in her. Except...except all the time she was cooking and listening and being the perfect wife, she was..."

"Bleeding your bank accounts."

"Of every naira. All except the five thousand naira I used to open the account."

"And then just walked out?"

Victor shivered. "I came home one day, and there was a note from her. It said, 'if you want to know where I am, call this number and ask for Mr. Olumide. Olumide was a lawyer she'd hired to handle the divorce. He said it would be a simply case. She didn't want anything from me. She just wanted out and for real this time. I was hit hard. I couldn't figure out where I went wrong. I nearly went crazy trying to figure out what I did wrong. I thought maybe I could change, be a better person, maybe I could win her back. Then few days after... when I needed to get some food stuffs at a supermarket, my card was declined for lack of funds. I went to the bank and there I knew why she wanted nothing. She'd taken everything already.

"You didn't let her get away with it, did you?" Jessica asked

"At first I was just kind of dumb and then...I don't know...ashamed...I was ashamed of what I'd let her do to me. I didn't want anyone to know. Then I became angry, with myself, with her, with almost everybody."

Jessica didn't know what to say.

"The divorce went through smooth as a glass. I haven't seen her since the morning of the day she walked out. Found out she got married to my account manager after our divorce was finally".

"Same guy she left you for the first time?"

"Same one."

"Whoa." Jessica said

"So I decided to put it behind me. Lami lent me some cash to sustain myself till I get back on my feet, was ready to sell him my share of Ricci's but he won't have it. I figured I'd lose myself in my work, like I'd done the first time she left. But I was torn up a whole lot worse than I realized. I couldn't do my job right anymore. Every woman I had to deal with...I don't know. I guess I just...just saw Claudia in all women. She didn't only take my money, she took my self-respect, and she even took my ambition. I just can't seem to care about anything anymore. Being an officer has forced me to see the worst in people and how one person's selfish decisions can hurt so many others, but nothing has prepared me for what she did.

"Looking at you now, seems you got them back."

"I had a life changing experience, and I began a relationship with God through a friend. God took hold of my life and transformed it. I got to know how much he loved me when I was at my lowest. He was there, even in the darkest of moments. I've still got a lot to work on but God is helping me make sense out of my life... I realized I've spent enough time being angry. I learnt forgiveness is not for her but for me."

"Sound like a wonderful experience."

"It is"

They were both silent for a while, then Jessica took his hand, and held him.

At first, she offered only consolation, and that was all he sought; but without either of them knowingly determined to change the embrace, the quality of it began to change. He put his arms around her, and it was no longer clear who was holding and comforting whom.

His hands moved up and down her back, up and down and he marveled at the smoothness; he was thrilled by the firmness and strength and flexibility of her body beneath the blouse. Her hands roamed over him too, stroking and squeezing and admiring his hard muscles.

Realizing what was happening, he froze, uncomfortably reminded of the vow he made to God and himself. Though the desire was so strong that it overcame his thinking, he pushed her away gently.

"I wouldn't do that to you."

At first she didn't get what he meant but when reality of his words dawn on her she was so moved by his words of selflessness that for a while, she couldn't speak.

"I should be getting home."

"We've got a lot of other nights that we will be spending together."

"So many". She replied

"Like fifty years."

"Or sixty."

He delayed her leaving for another fifteen minutes, but finally she got up. He went with her to the car. They stood there and looked at each other, neither of them wanting to say goodbye.

"You still owe me a story you know."

"I know."

He kissed her chastely, and then he opened the driver's door for her.

"Call me when you get home."

"I will."

She drove away from there, while Victor stood watching her until her car disappeared around the corner.

# ~ SEVENTEEN~

Every early on Tuesday morning, Victor was at his desk, trying to work out the puzzle in front of him. Six dead women; five of them from the same high school, that couldn't be coincidence. All murder in different locations, even different state. He'll bet his next salary that the last victim also went to the same school. What could be the connection? And what has the school; St. Louis got to do with this killer; it's a girl's school. All he knows is that St. Louis is at the heart of everything.

He was still brooding over the papers in front of him, when Alex entered his office. His expression said it all. His usually cocky smile was nowhere to be found.

"You okay?"

"Fine," he replied

"Let me guess, she also attended St. Louis."

"Yes."

Victor's grind his teeth.

"What could have gone wrong in that school that their old students are getting murdered one after the other?"

"I wish I know. But we are going to find out."

"How do you mean?"

"We have an appointment with two staffs of the school that were on board eight years ago".

That's Jessica hometown, Victor thought. Still in the midst of everything He hasn't been able to get his mind off her.

"We leave tomorrow morning." Alex scratched his head and continued to stare at Victor.

"Oh! I'm supposed to meet Jessica tomorrow; I'll have to call to cancel."

Victor said. "What's eating you? You've been staring at me."

"You'll not like what I'm about to say."

"Not again." Victor rolled his eyes

"Bear with me. We got a file this morning before you came in. it was an old picture from our latest victim's house. Pictures of girls in uniform, apparently St. Louis students because some of the murdered girls were in the picture. There was someone else I recognized in the picture."

"Who?" Victor got a bad feeling.

Alex stared at him "It seems your girlfriend attended St. Louis as well." ******* ********* ********

At 01:30pm, when Jessica was deeply involved in James Hadley novel with a snack of Amos chocolate cookies, the telephone rang.

"Hello?"

There was only silence on the other end of the line.

"Who's this?"

Nothing.

She hung up. That's what they told you to do when you got threatening calls. Just hang up. Don't encourage the caller. Just hang up quickly and sharply.

She was sure it wasn't a wrong number. There had been a threat in that silence, an unspoken threat.

She was so caught up in the moment that when the doorbell sounded, she screamed.

Then the phone rang again.

She stared at it for a moment, finally picked it and shouted, "What do you want?"

"Huh... I don't know yet." Victor said at the other end.

"Victor?"

"That's my name."

"I'm sorry, thought it was someone else."

"I got that, do you think you could come open your gate, we've been standing here ringing your bell for a while."

"You are here?" she said as she moved to the door.

"I am here."

Victor wasn't alone; he was with his partner Alex. Jessica didn't like the look on their faces. What came to her mind was that this wasn't a civil visitation.

"Hey! Is anything wrong?"

They both looked at each other.

"Not this routine again please," she said.

Alex turned to her and said, "Miss Arawole, I...well... I owe you an apology for the way I treated you the last time."

Jessica seemed surprised. "Oh...well...I suppose you were only doing your job."

"No, that's the problem, I wasn't doing my job. At least I wasn't doing it well."

"It's okay."

"But will you accept my apologies?"

"Well...of course," she said uncomfortably.

"I feel very bad about the way I treated you."

"It's okay."

She looked at Victor and it seems he was wrapped up in his own thoughts, mostly staring out at the window, mostly silent.

"Is there something else?" She asked, reading the serious expression in his face.

"There's a case we've been working on that leads us to your door. Victor said.

Suddenly she understood why Alex had come to apologize. "You caught the woman?" she guessed, crossing her fingers and hoping against hope.

"Nothing like that, I'm afraid." Victor reply.

"Then why are you here?" she asked

He reached into the file in his hand and bought out a brown envelope. Within were color copies of snapshots of women, some smiling, some not, all attractive, and all familiar.

He handed the pictures to Jessica.

Taking the pictures one after the other, Jessica felt like she was standing on a swamp with no solid ground in sight.

******* ********* ********

The headlines were magnificent. She had bought Punch newspaper.

SERIAL KILLER ON PROWL

YOUNG WOMEN ON TARGET

When will the police learn or improve. Bunch of idiots, what do they know.

So they are yet to understand that this is no ordinary killing but an act of justice.

Humming to herself, she drove down the busy road.

Time was running out and while the police were still busy trying to figure out how the murders were connected, it was time to make her move.

She'll love to kill two birds with a stone.

******* ********* ********

Jessica flipped through the pictures, studying each face and only stopping when she came to the last one.

"I...I... I feel...oh God" she muttered.

Jessica's knees turned to jelly. She took in a deep breath and sagged heavily against the dining table.

Victor was quick. He grabbed her arm. "Steady," he said as he guided her to a chair.

This were her friends; her former classmates! Jessica thought with a stab of pain. What they'd told her had been a shock.

"Do you recognize these faces?" Alex asked

Nodding. "They are some of my former classmates." She said

"They are women who had died during these twelve months."

"I lost touch with everyone except Olivia and Lara after graduation. I knew Lara drowned but I didn't know about Daniela and Abena and

Gladys. I heard about Jola few days ago. Dear lord, we all used to sit at the same dining hall table."

And now only Olivia and I are left, she thought. What kind of fate is hanging over us?

"We assumed it started with Gladys Omojola a year ago, She was pushed from the balcony of the house she was staying in med school until new evidence came up, now we know this actually started two years ago with a girl, she was killed in her parent's house; she was the odd girl out until we realized that she was killed in Olivia's former house; that couldn't be a coincidence. Lara Adegbite drowned in the pool near her house. Daniela Osagie was strangled with her scarf in her home. And four months ago, Abena Ekeson was chained and burnt in her house, last week Jolade Dara shot. That sounds like a hard luck class, don't you think?" Alex said

"That much death in so small a group can't be coincidence, and there's no other connection between this women. St Louis is the only thing they all have in common. So, do you know anything or anyone who might be after your group of friends, probably someone with a motive from your high school days? Is there anything you know that might help us stop this?" Victor asked

"I...I don't think... I can't think of anything," Jessica said "and, it's been eight years since we all left high school, why would someone wait this long to start taking revenge?."

"That's the only theory we have now, and sometimes the shadow of the past can stretch far than you think". Alex

"Do you think the woman who attacked me here is the same person who has been doing the killings?

Alex and Victor looked at each other.

"We have thought of that angle but we think it's only possible that a man is doing the killing because these women are not of small statue, like in the case of Lara; she's tall and athletic. From the reports there was no sign of struggle, so the guess is that a man is responsible. Let me ask, can you honestly say it was a woman who attacked you or a man disguised as a woman" Victor said picking his words.

Jessica opened her mouth then closed it.

# ~EIGHTEEN~

The lights in the house were off and she didn't bother to switch them on. She closed and locked the door and walked through the kitchen to the guest room.

Olivia was in the guest room, she was lying on top of the bed with her hands and feet tied and gag in her mouth. She shook her head hard trying to remember how she got into all of this.

She had been out drinking and flirting with some friends the night before, and because she was drunk, she had called for uber to take her home. She could hardly remember anything after that? She shook her head to clear it.

"Surprise," a familiar voice whispered.

Olivia couldn't see the face clearly in the dark but she thought she recognized the voice.

"You thought it was funny what you did, didn't you? Do you think you are funny now, Olivia?"

That can't be. The owner of that voice is died, she had made her findings. Whimpering sounds came from her throat as she shook her head from side to side.

"That's not the right answer, Olivia. It has never been. All of you girls thought it was funny."

Olivia began to shake her head up and down. Her breathing was harsh and shallow. Olivia tried to shrink back against the mattress.

"Olivia, you must answer me. Here, let me take the gag off. I brought you something to eat. You don't have anything in your kitchen, how do you cope?"

"I....I...manage" she whispered

"Olivia, you're mumbling. I'm surprised at you. You ridicule people who mumble. Anyways, I bought you chicken burger, I couldn't get your favorite; spaghetti, you used to eat that almost every day in grammar school. Do you remember that?"

"Yes...yes...."

"I know you remember. It's important that we don't forget the past. Now I'll take off that tape on your hands, if you make any stupid move, I'll be forced to knock you out. Do we understand each other?"

"Ye...yes"

With a quick gesture, the woman pulled Olivia to a sitting position and cut the tapes on her wrists.

"Go ahead," she urged. "Start eating." She pushed the nylon of food to her and sat in front of her so that she could watch her expression. She was pleased to see that Olivia was crying.

"Olivia, you're so afraid, aren't you? And I bet you're wondering how I knew where you live. Let me tell you a story. Eight years ago this weekend, a bunch of school girls invited a new girl that just transferred to an illegal party on school ground. Now, as you know, the new girl had always wanted to be part of that crowd, of the inner circle, and she thought that she was liked enough to be invited to that party. But for some reason, it didn't end up the way she expected; somehow, some boys were invited to that party as well. The girl was told the only way she'll ever belong to that circle was for her to come to the party. Now see, she wanted in so badly that she went ahead with it. Unknown to her, it was a set up, and she went in foolishly. Even after she was raped by three of the boys, she still thought it was part of the plan. I guess you knew how that story ended. Abena-you know I never liked that girl. Frankly, I was afraid of that tongue of hers- that razor sharp when she turns it on you- assured me that the girls at your table screamed with laughter every time they talked about it. How you called me names, I bet none of you knew that my virginity was taken that night?"

Olivia had been taking bites of the burger. Now she dropped it into her lap. "I am sorry..."

"Oh dear, what are you sorry for? You still don't understand that you have lived two years too long. Let me tell you about it. Two years ago, I went in search for you, I wanted to look into your eyes and hear you apologize because I knew you were the mastermind of that night. I found your house, saw the figure sleeping in your bed and thought it was you. How you could sleep at night knowing what you did to me when I couldn't get a decent sleep chill my blood. I was furious that I grabbed a knife from the kitchen and I kept stabbing that girl. Olivia I made a mistake when I killed that girl. I was killing you, Olivia. The next morning, I realized what I had done, I was scared the police will come for me. But after waiting for weeks and no one even had a clue about what happened, I knew I was on a right path. That mistake liberated me. That morning I understood that I have the power of life and death. And I've been exercising it ever since. You all deserve to die for what you did."

She stood up. Olivia's eyes were wide with fear; her mouth hung open; the burger lay in her lap. "Now, I have to go and get something, but think about me. Olivia. Think how lucky you have been to have enjoyed a bonus two years of life."

"But...wait...I hear...heard you were dead"

"I came back from the dead for you" she replied Olivia with a smile

In a quick movement, she tied her hands and gagged her mouth, pushed her back on the bed, and fastened the long rope over her body.

"The final stage of the plan is about to unfold. Try and guess what it might be."

Then she was gone. Outside, the moon was rising, and from the bed Olivia could see the faint outline of her mobile phone on top of the dressing table.

******* ********* *******

"I know all of them. The idea that their deaths are related; don't you think that is far-fetch" Jessica said

"Maybe, but don't you think it's an extraordinary case of lightning striking in the same place, not twice but five times? There's a connection to St Louis. And it's no coincidence that all the women dead are from the same table." Victor said

"But that's crazy; why wait eight years for revenge?" Jessica asked

"Miss Arawole, we don't know everything yet, but you've been attacked once, I don't think that was just random." Alex said

"What are you saying? That the person that killed my former classmates was the same one that attacked me here?" she asked

"I don't know what to tell you, but in an unbelievable twist of fate, all five of the dead women had not only gone to school with you but shared table with you and Olivia. The odd girl who has no connection with St. Louis lived in a house where Olivia used to live. Are you following my thought process? This is no coincidence". Victor said

"Oh God" Jessica Whispered

"Jessica, think about this. Is there one single person who has a reason to want to hurt you? Victor asked

"I...I don't think so." She replied

"You said last time that you think the person that attacked you was someone familiar, how do you mean?" Alex said.

"Well, I thought she looked familiar, I really can't remember where I knew the woman; moreover I didn't see her face clearly." Jessica said. "You're sure it's a woman?"

"Now that I think of it, yes I am."

"Could this person you thought she was have any reason to hurt you?"

Alex said again

"Detective, I really don't know, maybe with time, it might come to me, but right now I don't know." Jessica said as she picked her phone up. "I have to call Olivia, and let her know about all this, maybe she can think of something."

"Alright do that, meanwhile, until we know exactly what is going on, you both got to be very careful." Victor said looking at her with so much concern reflected in his eyes.

"Thank you." Jessica said.

Alex moved outside and Victor followed but when he got to the front door, he glanced back and before he could get any word out, Jessica ran into his arms and held on to him so tight. Victor hugged her back. For a while they stood like that without a word.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Jessica said nothing. She shook uncontrollably.

Victor took her to a chair, urged her to sit down then knelt in front of her.

He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wipes her wet forehead. "What can I do for you?"

"I'll b...be okay," Jessica said shaking

They held hands.

Eventually, she said, "I'm trying to stay strong b...but I'm scared."

"I know. I'm here for you." Victor responded.

He kissed her on the lips and slowly Jessica's grip relaxed.

After a while, Victor said, "feeling better?"

"Yeah. A little."

"Will you be okay for a while, I need to go to the office and drop my report and then I will be back."

"Okay."

"I'll see you in a bit." Victor kissed her on the head then went after Alex.

After trying Olivia's number one more time, she placed the phone on a small stool beside the chair. She stood and wandered about the house for a while and after some minutes; she picked her phone to call Olivia again. Why isn't she picking her phone? It keeps ringing. She said she was attending a cocktail party; maybe she's still hung over from last night.

She moved to the chair to sit. She wrapped her arms around her abdomen and wondered why she kept thinking back to that one night in high school. Maybe she should have told Victor about it, but is it possible for someone to hold a grudge on something that small for eight long years.

She stood up, picked her car keys and her mobile phone. She'd never been particularly religious, but had tagged along to mass at high school. "When your troubles are too much to bear," the Reverend Sister had said, "then it's time to talk to God."

# ~NINETEEN~

Jessica pulled on the parking brake and looked through her windshield at the church. It was larger than she'd expected; a whitewashed building with curved glass windows and a bell tower separated from the rest of the church. She'd chosen St. Joseph because it was closer to her place and unlike other churches, it's the only one opened.

A fool's mission, she told herself as she got out of her car and made her way into the church.

Inside, the building was huge but inviting. The ceiling was two full stories above the tiled floor and decorated with painted portraits of the saints.

Most of the seats were empty. Only a few devout were inside.

Jessica paused to stare at the altar and felt something; a need to believe.

She hopes she finds what she needs here.

******* ********* ******** Father Jude Ejifor watched the woman hurry into the church. It seemed as if she was searching for something or someone. Another lost soul come home.

"Can I help you?" he asked, approaching.

"Hello, my name is Jessica. I think I'd like to speak to a priest." She said slightly breathless

"You think?"

"Yes... No... I mean I want to." She seems a little confused, but he was used to that.

"I'm a priest," he said and she looked at him as if he had claimed he was from outer space. "I'm Father Jude Ejifor.

Obviously she wasn't one of the flocks.

"Oh. I didn't think you were allowed to wear jeans in church." She said still eyeing him suspiciously.

"It's probably not a great idea," he admitted "but I was just cutting the grass around the convent. I didn't think anyone would catch me and I'm pretty sure God won't mind."

She lifted an eyebrow. Obviously he wasn't what she'd expected.

"Are you here for reconciliation? He asked motioning to the confessionals position near the altar. "Father Moses is officially on duty and I'll round him up for you."

"No," she said suddenly. "I'm not here to confess anything, I just need to talk...to someone." She stared steadily at him "could I talk with you? I mean, when you've got a minute."

"How about now?" he wanted to think that it was his sense of purpose, his calling that made him accept her offer, but there was another reason; the look in her eyes. "I'm not in a hurry." He touched her lightly on the arm and pointed her in the direction of the yard.

Jessica decided to trust him even though she was a little nervous.

Father Jude guided her past the last row of seats and through a door to the open space where flowers surrounded a square of marble sculpture of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus.

"This will just take a few seconds," he said as he unlocked a door and returned the cutlass he was holding and locked the closet door again.

"Messy business," he said as he turned and led her to a cane woven chair, "but then God's work is never done." He looked down at her and smiled.

It was a great smile.

"Should you be tired of being a priest, you can always get a job as a model; you are too handsome for a priest." She spoke out as he sat beside her.

He laughed aloud. "Never thought of that, but since you mentioned it, I will give it a thought. So tell me what's on your mind?"

Before coming to the church, she had the perfect rehearsal about what to say and how to start saying it but looking at father Jude's smiling face, she didn't know where to start.

"Don't know where to start?" She sighed

"Why don't you start at the beginning?" Father Jude said with a kind look on his handsome face.

All those years ago

Her mind drifted back against her will, and became aware of a pressure on her chest and began to have some difficulty drawing her breath, for the common feeling associated with her childhood was one of suffocation.

She saw the shabby one room apartment, where they had lived from the time she was ten and the memory of it was an unpleasant one. She could hear the grandfather clock -the only valuable thing her father ownedticking, an ever present sound that in those days had seemed always to be mocking her with its constant reminder that the misery of her childhood stretched almost to eternity and would be counted in millions.

Her father, Akintunde Arawole, had found that life as oppressive as it was in Jessica's memory, and unable to change it, he had taken the frustration out on his wife and two daughters.

When Jessica was thirteen and her elder sister, Elizabeth was sixteen, he drank himself to death. Six months after, her mother went to work but made a mess of it; before their father's death she has never worked a day in her life.

She couldn't hold a job, and because of this they went hungry most of the time. Both sisters had to beg neighbors for money and food.

Jessica couldn't tell father Jude everything about her mother; how she encouraged them to prostitute their body so they could go to school. She couldn't tell him about her miserable childhood for she would have needed hours to explain. Besides she wasn't looking for pity, and she was not by nature the kind of person given to sharing the intimate details of her life with others-not even with a priest, nice as he might be. She only referred to her past with few sentences, but from his expression, she thought he sensed and understood more than she told him; perhaps the pain in her eyes and face, was more easily read than she supposed.

"I was in junior class when my sister travelled to Canada. After so many years of lack and misery, we finally had a break. The money started coming. We could eat good foods and wear nice clothes and my sister became the golden child."

"Which was hard for you to compete with, I would think?" Father Jude observed

"I know people believe that, but actually, Lizzy-that's what we called her- was great to me. She was my best friend."

It seemed to father Jude that Jessica was talking more to herself than to him.

"She sent me stuffs; clothes, shoes and then because I bugged her so much, she got me the latest phone". She smiles at the memory. "I asked her to let me visit her, and she made me a promise, which she was unable to keep. Months after months she kept making excuses, and not knowing what she was going through there; I was disappointed and I was bitter. I remember telling my mother that I wasn't going to talk to her again and I'd be glad if I never saw her again".

"Is she still in Canada?"

"She's dead."

Startled, father Jude said, "Oh. I'm sorry. I..."

"It's not a recent loss," she assured him. "Two weeks after I said those words to my mother, she died in a plane crash en route to Texas for a conference. My mother was never the same after that. She kept telling everyone I killed my sister with my bad mouth."

"You have to know that it wasn't your fault." It was obvious to father Jude that she still blames herself.

She smiles at him "I overheard her telling a friend that if God wanted one of her girls, why it has to be Elizabeth?"

"I'm so sorry" he couldn't find the right word to say.

"For a while mother was inconsolable but gradually her grief gave way to anger. She made living a hell for me. After that I couldn't wait to get out. Few months after, with some clothes in my backpack I ran away from home and I never returned."

"Your mother never had a change of heart?"

"My mother died three years ago. I didn't know she'd cancer and was dying. I would have gone home to see her, but she didn't ask for me. In fact, she told her brother who she was staying with that she didn't want to see me. It felt like the final rejection. One of her friends called me when she died. I wasn't sure of how I will be received at the burial, but I attended anyway. It was a sorrowful experience.

She looked down for a moment to compose herself. Father Jude waited.

He was as good at waiting as he was at listening.

"After I ran away from home, I stayed with one of my classmate; Olivia, her parents were out of the country and she was alone with her elder brother in a big house and enough money to feed an army. In our senior year we did something I'm not proud of; we singlehandedly destroyed a girl's life.

# ~TWENTY~

Father Jude tried to picture this vibrant, pleasant woman going through all what she just described. He simply couldn't do it. His imagination rebelled. Most people who have passed through turbulent currents of life were bound to have a lasting scar on them. But this woman sitting across from him project an uncommon inner calmness.

"I can't picture you capable of hurting anyone." Father Jude said

If only you know. She was reluctant to expose the truth to him; he might think less of her. The same reason she didn't tell Victor. But then this is a priest.

"I've done some terrible and ugly things, believe me. In our third senior year in grammar school," Jessica said looking anywhere but the priest's face. "We had different groups, you know how grammar school is; the bookworms, the snobs, the pretty, and the talented; there's a group for everyone. Our group which was made up of seven girls was the envy of others; we were popular. Other girls wished to be part of us, but we never took anyone. We did everything together and sat at the same table. We had some transferred students, and among them was a girl named kikiope, she was really pretty and intelligent but with a very low esteem. She desperately wanted to be part of our group. She was always hanging around us, especially around Olivia; she really liked Olivia. I really didn't mind her coming around; she's lively but I think the others were finding her exhausting. To get rid of her, someone came up with an idea; I'm not sure who but we all went along" Jessica closed her eyes for a while trying to chase away the guilt rising up in her stomach.

"Do you care for water?" father Jude asked. He could see how hard this was for her. She didn't strike him as someone who opens her life or her past to strangers. Priest or no priest.

"Please." She whispered

While the priest was gone for the water, Jessica thought about that pretty girl. She'd worked so hard to forget the girl and the episode, and then she'd been shocked back to reality when Victor came with that strange story. What became of her after grammar school? Did she finally write her finals? Did she go to university? Funny, how none of us ever talked about that episode, not even Olivia. Olivia! She hasn't returned her calls, where could she be?

"Here you are." Father Jude jerked her back to reality.

"Thank you."

"Any time. So..."

"With enough cash flow from Olivia, we organized a party, that wasn't illegal in school; we were allowed to have fun. What we were not allowed to do was have boys over. Kikiope was invited for the party- you could see the excitement on her face, the trust, and the innocence. Kiki was told the party was for her. Then later the party turned wild, Olivia and some of the others had other plan that I never knew about. I stood there and did nothing while the poor girl was raped. After the second boy, she passed out. I was scared and I told them to put an end to it but they were just getting started. Not minding that she'd passed out, the third boy went in. Then it appeared like she stopped breathing or something, we panicked and ran. We left her there." Jessica paused and took another sip from the glass of water in her hand. "We were so scared, we thought she was dead. Nobody went for help, we were too scared to do that. I wanted to go back and check her but I didn't have the courage to go back alone. I'm sure none of us slept that night. The next morning, at the assembly kikiope was paraded. No one knew how the school authorities got to know. We were called one by one because she mentioned our names but we all denied." Jessica paused as she remembered the journey to the VP's office. The other girls had gone and told her what to be expected. She left the office thankful that she was safe from the wrath of the school authority but never could forget the look on kikiope's face.

"That afternoon at lunch, the whole school already knew about the episode. When she entered the dining hall, we were laughing as she picked her way to a table. I remembered Abena going over to her and asking if she had fun. After facing the school panel the third day, kikiope was expelled from school; few months to finals. We never knew what happened to her. We didn't care. We finished our exams, graduated and no one ever mentioned that episode again. I guessed we all tried to pretend it never happened." She finally looked at father Jude.

"Why are you saying it now?" father Jude met her eyes.

"Because father, five of my friends are dead, and I think I might be next."

******* ********* ********

"So get this," Alex said as they both stepped into his office. "The MHPD found hairs left at Jola Dara's house. Red hair."

"Red?"

"There were quite a few hairs found near the front door. In fact it was synthetic."

"Obviously, a wig."

"Yes, a wig. And they didn't find any on the body. Nothing.

"So what're you saying? Victor asked. That it was deliberately left there?" "That's the problem. I don't know what I'm saying," Alex admitted.

The sky was clear outside, at other time; Victor would have savored the day, gone down for a walk. Today he was tensed, the case getting to him. The connection was obviously St Louis, but there was something more going on as well. A crazy person or an art of revenge? His money is on

revenge. What does Jessica know that she's not telling? She definitely knew something.

"You okay guy?" Alex came to stand behind him.

"I just wish we can wrapped this up on time."

"You know..."

Before he could finish his thought, Azarat with another Lieutenant walked in

"Hello boys, tell me something I don't yet know"

"We've talked to Jessica Arawole and I think that's a dead end." Alex said

"I got more from the Mapo-hill PD. It turns out our murdered girls had more than a lunch table in connection." Azarat chipped in

"How did you find out about that?" Victor felt his eyebrows shoot skyward.

"The Mapo-hill PD found diaries belonging to Abena Ekeson while processing her things at their lab and I think our girl had being living in guilt all this years from what happened in high school. She wrote some interesting confession in her dairies." Azarat said

"Can we get a copy of it" Alex said

"You know me better than that." she collected the files from the officer behind her and gave it to Alex. "Still got the pictures?"

"Still do"

"There's a girl called Kiki that was bullied by her and some other girls, |Abena wrote about the girl in her dairies. I think it's worth looking into and maybe check if she's in one of the pictures. Find out the mystery behind the stories in that diary today and probably get that Jessica talking. Keep her and Olivia on a tab 24/7. I don't want another murder on our hands."

"Yes ma'am" Alex said as he reached for the phone.

"Don't ma'am me. Did you get through to any of the staffs who worked at

St. Louis?" Azarat asked

"We've talked to three people who were staffs there eight years ago. Only one was able to give me something to work with. She was the school secretary at the time. She gave us some contacts. I have an appointment with one of the contacts at 2pm." Alex answered her.

"That's progress"

"Hold on, did you mention Kiki? The secretary gave me a contact of a girl called kikiope, could it be the same girl?" Victor said

"That's interesting, I want you to follow that through, and get me something at the end of today. Pray we don't find another girl dead somewhere." Azarat said while she packed the files on the table and exited.

"You and me both," Victor sighed as he went back to his seat.

# ~TWENTY ONE~

Father Jude was listening hard, his jaw balanced on the knuckles of both hands, his eyes focused on her. He was listening so hard that at first he didn't understand what he was hearing. He just couldn't process the last sentence. After serving the lord for seven years and listening to confessions every day of the seven years, he thought he had heard it all, but this?

Father Jude asked the only question that came to his mind. "Have you informed the police?"

Shaking her head in affirmation Jessica replies. "The police found some evidence that points to my friend's murdered. They didn't connect some of the death until recently because some happened out of town. For some days, I've being feeling like I was being followed or watched and few days ago, I was attacked at my house." Jessica rushed on as if she didn't want to waste any minute.

"Maybe it was just a case of coincidence." he said

"That's what I keep telling myself, these girls were my friends in grammar school and we sat at the same lunch table, we were in that ugly situation together. It couldn't be a coincidence that five of them are dead."

"You think your friends dying have something to do with what you did in grammar school?" father Jude asked when he could get his mouth to work.

"I don't know what to think, its either kikiope is on a revenge mission and killing my friends or this is God punishing us for what we did to her".

Jessica said all the while staring at the floor.

"But that's..."

"Ridiculous?" she suggested

"Well, yes."

"She nodded. "Maybe".

"God isn't malicious."

"I know," she said responded. "It's silly. Yet...silly things can be true sometimes." She sighed, shaking her head in confusion. "I've always wondered how easy my life had been since grammar school, I have really worked hard to put the past behind me and just go on, but there was always this feeling that the hammer would drop at any time. I was always looking out for it because I don't think I really deserve the good life I have. I guess this is it. It was only a matter of time before God noticed some unpunished sins."

"You really think that's how God works?"

"I don't know. I have really lost touch with God."

"I think what you need to do is to search your heart and find the courage to forgive yourself. You have punished yourself long enough. Let me ask; did you ever asked God for forgiveness?"

"Every single day."

"Then let me shock you, right now God can't even remember what terrible things you did, because once he forgave, he forget also. So all this pain you are inflicting on yourself is just because you are yet to forgive yourself."

"Could it be that easy?" Jessica dared to raise her eyes

"I'm not saying what you did was right, but it's done anyway, and I know for certain that God doesn't hold grudges. You just need to forgive yourself and let go."

"I'm over it" Jessica said with a stubborn look on her face

"I was expecting that. Even though you are an adult now, you can say you don't care, that you are over it, it doesn't mean that the pain of what they did to you will vanish in a moment. The scars run deep and are painful and it may seem your parent don't deserve that forgiveness, but as long as you hold on to the past, you will never be free. And when it seem like you are healing, when the past is revisited as it is now, it's like the skin over those old wounds is being peeled again. It hurts, it threatens to bleed again. Bring back old memories that you'd hoped and prayed were long forgotten." He didn't smile as he looked at her, and Jessica was suddenly aware how dark it has become and how the atmosphere has changed.

Father Jude said, "I can't tell you what to do, Jessica I can only suggest you pray and talk it over with God. He can help you get rid of the past", He spread his hands wide. "That's probably not the answer you were searching for, but it's the best I've got."

"How do you talk to God when you don't understand what's happening in your life and it seems God is absent? How do you stay connected in a crisis without communication? How do you keep your eyes on God when they are full of tears? How can you be sure he's even listening to you?"

"You can tell God exactly how you feel, unmask your pain to him. He can take it. God can handle your doubt, anger, fear, grief, confusion and questions. Did you know that admitting your hopelessness to God is a statement of faith? He has brought you this far; not your strength mind you, trust that he is taking you to a higher level of glory. Circumstances cannot change the character of God. God's grace is still in force. He is still for you, even when you don't feel it.

"I wish I can be sure of my faith as you are."

He sighed through his nose. "You know, I wear a collar, but it doesn't mean I have all the answers. I'm just a man."

"And here I thought you were touched by God." Jessica said lightly

"I guess I'm supposed to say we're all touched by the father." He smiled.

"I suggest you speak with Him. And then listen. He will respond."

"How do you, father hold onto your faith?" she asked in surprise. "How in a world with so many deaths; accidents, old age, murder, diseases and disaster?"

"Sometimes, it's hard. I want to scream at God sometimes. And there are nights I lie awake bewildered. But this life has its joys too and it's nothing but a place we have to pass through on our way to somewhere better.

Death is only our means of passage to our reward.

"Heaven, you mean."

He hesitated. "Or the other place"

"I wish I could be so sure of my faith in God".

"Oh, you can. I can help you along the way but you have to want to have a personal relationship with Him first."

"I'll really want that."

She hadn't got all the answers she sought but she knew she had started on a right path

"I didn't even realize how late it is."

"I usually have that effect on people." He said

"I think I know why. Thank you for your time."

"My pleasure," he said and the glow in his eyes and warm handshake told her that he meant it.

"Let me walk you out, I don't get to walk beside a beautiful celebrity every day." He walked through the chapel where dozens of candles were lit on the altar and few people were sitting in silent prayers. "Perhaps I'll see you at mass one of this days." He suggested as he opened the door of her car.

"Perhaps," she said

He touched her hand, his fingers brushing the back of her knuckles. "Call me after you talk with God."

Jessica glanced into his eyes and with all honesty. "I will" she promised and he stepped away from her as she got into the car. As she guided the car away from the church, she saw him lift a hand and she waved back.

Maybe this path will finally bring the happiness she wanted. Maybe it will.

******* ********* ********

On the surface, palm groove resembled any other place in Lagos. There were some pretty streets and some ugly streets. New houses and old houses. Palm trees and beautiful flowers. The thing that made palm groove different from other part of the town was what lay under it. Underground Railroad. A lot of people would be terrified to live in a place where you could go to sleep at night listening to an earth tremor, but the residents enjoy that feeling.

Mrs. Rita Lasekan lived in a corner house on a quiet street. It was a small house with a big yard.

Victor rang the bell.

An elderly woman came to the door. Her hair in cornrows. Her face was wrinkled, and her eyes were quick and bright. She had a friendly smile.

Wiping her hands on a dish towel, she said "yes?" "Mrs. Rita?" Victor asked.

"That's me"

"My name is Detective Victor Ayeni"

She nodded "I know. I don't get too many visitors this days." She stepped back, opened the door wide, and he went in.

The sitting room was decorated in moderate fashion, wall filled with framed pictures and inspirational sayings. A basket filled with balls of yarn and knitting needles. A wall clock with a mouth and eyes hung on top of the television.

Victor sat on the chair close to the door. Mrs. Rita settled into what was obviously her favorite chair. There was a moment of absolute silence, where even the clock seemed to pause, as if time had stopped.

Then Mrs. Rita Lasekan spoke "well, let's get straight to the point. I don't want to waste the whole of my day on this issue."

"Yes ma'am, I just want some information. Just like I told you on the phone, some women have been found dead and somehow, they all seems to attend the same school, St. Louis, where your daughter kikiope once attended."

" You see, I have been expecting something like that for a while; for everything we do there's always a repercussion, and when those girls did what they did, I knew it was coming back to haunt them. I wish my daughter had never stepped feet in that school, what those girls did to her was unforgivable and the school authority didn't lift a finger to punish them, instead my daughter was expelled, when all she wanted was to belong and be accepted."

"Are you saying their crime was so unforgivable enough to be killed for it, eight years after?"

"Think whatever you want". She stared back at Victor, "What those girls did destroyed my daughter, nobody cared then, now those girls are dying and suddenly everyone is on their toes to find out why."

"From what you are saying, you or your daughter could be considered as suspects considering that the killing are looking more like an act of revenge." Victor said angrily as he adjusted his seat.

Mrs. Rita smiled sadly at him. "Do you think that bothers me? Do you think I'm afraid of the police? Mister, let me tell you, I've been accused of worse than that in my life."

Victor was uneasy where he sat. "Are you confessing to something?"

"I didn't kill those girls, if that's what you want to know, and my daughter didn't do it either."

"I will need to talk to your daughter so I can be sure of that, I'm sorry I can't just take your words for it. For now, she's a suspect to this killing"

"I wish I could help you with that, but you see, kikiope died six years ago. ******* ********* ********

While Victor was leaving Mrs. Rita Lasekan's house, he thought about fear. That was the key word; it was the emotion that had forged him. Fear, his life was one long denial of fear. He refused to be affected or driven by fear. He would not admit that anything scared him. Early in his career, he had experiences that taught him that even acknowledgement of fear could expose him to danger. He remembered his mother. She often told him that there was nothing to fear but fear itself and that fear itself is like a shadow, not worth fearing at all. "God has not given you the spirit of fear, he made you healthy, Victor, and he gave you sound mind. Now if you mess up, it's nobody's fault but yours". With his mother's love, discipline, and guidance, he had eventually come to think of himself as near invincible. He was not scared of anything in life.

Now, for the first time in a long run, he felt some atom of fear.

Recollecting what Mrs. Rita told him. After telling him everything Jessica and her friends did to her daughter, how kikiope died in a road accident with her father six years earlier. She had stared at him with those clear eyes and whispered "Are you a man of faith, Detective? I've heard of cases where ghost go about hunting those responsible for their death, I'm sure you must have heard cases of people seen walking around after they are dead. I think this is one of those cases" She said studying Victor closely. Victor found himself staring back for a long time with no reply

"That's crazy! There's no such thing as ghost, once someone dies, they stay dead" he had almost shouted it at her.

"Do they?" she has replied with her eyes still on him

He had shaken himself like someone awakening from a bad dream.

But now, sitting in the car and replaying what she has told him all over again, some thoughts had started coming to life.

Is it possible that ghosts are real? Truly he had heard talks of dead people seen around but he had always thought of them as superstitious. He had read books on haunted places but he always felt people are confusing memory that lingered in certain places for ghost. One of the reasons he hated watching "African Magic", they kill brain cells with all those motion and talks on ghost, and spirit being. If ghosts exist, should he be looking for vampires, mermaid and werewolves as well? Because once you open the door for one belief, then you need make allowance for others.

Then again, his faith repelled at such, man is appointed to die once and after that comes judgment. No space for ghost hunting.

Victor thought of Jessica, and the knot of fear pulled tighter.

# ~ TWENTY-TWO~

When Jessica awoke, she was astonished to see that it was nine o'clock. She shivered as she got out of bed. She searched around the bed for the a/c remote and when she couldn't find it she hurried over to the a/c and put it off then opened the window. The sun was breaking through the clouds, reflecting the way she was feeling. After the meeting with the reverend father yesterday, she knew the sun was breaking through the clouds in her life.

Jessica's last conscious thought before she fell asleep last night had been that she must let Victor know everything about her past..

Speaking of which, she was getting concerned about Olivia. It wasn't unusual not to hear from her for days but it wasn't in Olivia's character not to call back after seeing missed calls. Jessica had called her more than twenty times and sent messages as well.

Something is not right

I might as well check on her after lunch with Victor. Jessica thought as she made her way down to the bathroom. Maybe a hot shower would do, she thought.

The phone rang as she was stepping out of the shower. For a moment she debated about letting it ring, then grabbed a towel and rushed into the bedroom. "Hello"

"Hi sugar," a smiling voice said.

Olivia!

"Olivia, you got me worried, where have you been, I was just thinking of checking on you"

"I'm sorry Jess, I'm out of town, I got a job I had to attend to and you won't believe this but right now I'm having the best time of my life. I'll call you as soon as I get back to town, don't worry about me. Talk to you later Jess."

"Hold on..." Jessica was stunned when she heard the click sound. Olivia has disconnected the line.

She kept staring at the phone for some seconds. "I hope you are enjoying yourself, selfish girlfriend, I will try not to worry about you." Jessica said to the phone before dropping it on the bed.

However there was something strange about the call that she couldn't get. ******* ********* ********

Time was running out and while the police were busy trying to figure out the lingering mysteries, it was time to wrap things up. There was something else she had to do. Detective Victor Ayeni! That man is a complication, He's like a dog with a bone. He will never let go until he has solved all this. Well, this complication will only add to the excitement. The thought bought a smile. Had Jessica even told Victor about what she did in her past? How wonderful it would be to actually see Victor's expression when he discovered who she really is.

******* ********* ********

At five pm all the Detectives assigned to the case but Solomon and Adetoun were all in the conference room. Azarat had a copy of all the reports in front of her, so she went over each, point by point.

"Those are the facts," Azarat said. Behind her was a map of the city with the murder sights highlighted with blue and red pins.

"What we seem to know is that, with these murders, there are no calling cards, no witness, nothing, we are dealing with one smart killer who seems to know how to take care of a crime scene"

"I would say we are dealing with a man with training?" Alex asked

"Umm," Azarat said as she paused a moment, to make certain everyone in the room was taking it in. they were restless, overworked and frustrated.

"And did anyone notice that some of the girls didn't look like they put up much of a fight?" Victor pushed aside the file in front of him. "So it had to be someone bigger, taller and much stronger in the case of Lara because she was an athlete."

"Solomon and I talked to some of Jolade's neighbor, they all described her as a loner and she didn't go out much or have visitors, and just like others nobody saw anything." Alex said

"But in the case of Jessica Arawole, she said it was a woman who attacked her, are we ruling out her attack to be connected to this lunch table murder?" Essien asked

"Look I don't want to throw a brick on this, but what if this guy is not working alone, he could have a partner who is a woman, because I don't believe her attack was random." Victor replied

"Okay, so we have a male with a woman accomplice working together for revenge of some sort and our only suspect is dead, did I get the facts or leave something out?" Azarat paced around looking them all in the face

"It's all we've got for now," Victor stated, annoyed at having his own mind stated by someone else. Before he could continue, Solomon busted in.

"I've got something." He held a yellow pad in his hand. He's been spending his day in town planning going through dusty records. "Those people at the planning office are bad record keepers; I wouldn't trust my death certificate in their hands."

"Solomon!" they all called out.

"Sorry. I requested for our girl, kikiope's records, seems the bodies were burnt beyond recognition, so body identification was difficult, there was really nothing to bury except bones. Now to the interesting part; three years after, the mother started receiving fifty thousand naira monthly. I knew this because I sabotaged her account details."

"Who is making the payment?" Victor was calm as he worked through the next steps.

"That's the interesting part, the deposits were made in different names, but I suspect it's the same person."

"Could be a relative." Victor said

"So I thought, but when I asked Mrs. Lasekan, she was reluctant to talk but I got the feeling she doesn't know as well. She just assumed it was someone trying to make resolution for her daughter's death."

"She doesn't know or she won't tell?" Victor asked

"Okay people, this is what I want, Solomon, I want a copy of the transactions and I want you to track it. Every bank the transaction were made from, I want their CCTV videos."

"It's on its way."

"Essien, Alex, get that woman down here. Its high time she told us everything she knows."

"Yes ma'am"

Azarat nodded at Victor. "Check on Jessica and Olivia, and keep a close mark on them as soon as possible." He couldn't argue with that.

An hour later, he was on the road.

******* ********* ********

Victor bought her a box of strawberry yogurt. Jessica accepted it at the door.

"You know how to keep a woman off balance, Detective. Most men go for chocolate."

"Too ordinary. Besides, I know you will prefer this to chocolate. You look different."

"I do? How?"

"Maybe it's your hair." He wanted to touch it but he wasn't sure if he should.

"Oh yes, it's a new wig. You like it?"

"Yes. The color is nice. Now he did touch her hair, just a little.

She liked the way he did it, in a gesture that was both friendly and careful.

"What are we watching?"

"Watching? Oh yeah, poltergeist, its horror movie, you said you love horrors?"

She turned to face him. "You do listen"

"Yes, I do". He took a step forward, almost without thinking. He knew what he wanted, and was comfortable with the sudden rush of desire. When you wanted too much, too quickly, he thought, it was best to take things slow.

His mouth was close to hers. His hands were still in his pockets. "You like butter on your popcorn?"

Jessica didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Very much"

"Good. Then I don't have to go for two different boxes." he said as he closed the door after her.

******* ********* ********

"I'd forgotten just how frightening those movies can be". It was dark when Jessica settled back in his car, filled with pizza and coke.

"I'm impressed, was expecting some nail biting and for you to dig holes in my arm, but none of that with you."

"I told you I love horrors." She let her eyes half close, not even aware of how easy it was for her to relax with him.

"Tired?"

"No, just comfortable." As soon as the words were out, she straightened.

"I think we need to talk first, before I feel too much comfortable."

"You want us to find a suitable place to talk?"

"I don't think I want to look into your eyes while I talk."

"It can't be that bad, and whatever you want to say won't change the way I feel about you."

Interested she faced him. His profile was in shadows, illuminated sometimes by passing headlights. It was funny how sometimes he looked safe, solid, the kind of man a woman might run to if it were dark. She shook off the thought, better not get too attached. People say stuff they don't mean sometimes.

"You wouldn't look at me with such tenderness if you knew half of what I have done to get to where I am"

"I may not have known you long, but I know one thing. You're not as awful as you think you are. You might have done terrible things in the past, it doesn't matter now." He let his fingers play through her hair. The gesture was as friendly as before, but not as guarded.

She withdrew. He sensed it though she hadn't moved away. It wasn't long that she began to speak, so fast at first as if she was on a timer. He listened without interrupting her, sensing she wanted to get everything out at once and marvel at her strength, how could one person go through all that and still come out whole? He wanted to tell her how strong she was, but he held back.

One hour after, they were both silent in the car. Everything was so still, she could feel her heartbeat like a time bomb ticking away.

He continued to toy with her hair as he collected his thought, knowing any wrong word could send her running.

"There's something I've noticed about you."

"What?"

"You feel good." His fingers moved over her ear as he drew her closer.

"Victor..."

"Relax." He made long slow rubs up her back and down again. "Another thing I've noticed is that you don't relax much."

His body was hard against hers, his lips warm against her cheek. "At the moment it isn't easy."

"We all carry regrets with us, Jessica. Today is what is important. The choices we make from now on are what will define us, we can't beat ourselves up for the mistakes of the past, it will only keep us from the joy of today and the happiness God has in store for our tomorrow."

"It's can't be that simple, people don't get a shot at that kind of redemption."

"I have to believe they do, there is a grace that speaks for each of us." He drew her close and laid his cheek against hers. Whether her sigh was of pleasure or relief, he didn't know, but she was relaxed against him.

"There's something else that's been on my mind."

"What?"

"You." he drew her back a little to look into her eyes. "I know you needed time, and it might seem like I'm rushing you but I'm not taking you lightly. I don't want to go another day without you." He bent to kiss her.

She was trembling and no amount of lecturing herself on making her own choices would stop it. Tensions shivered through her. She wanted what he was offering yet afraid of what taking it would do to her.

"You are shaking."

"I feel like my heart will burst."

He smiled.

There was a smile on her lips as she put her hands to his face and drew him back. She loves him so much it hurts. Could she take what he's offering her?

"I feel...I don't know. There's never been anyone like you. I keep worrying that I'll make the wrong move". She said looking into his eyes

Nothing he could have said would have reassured her more. She drew his face down to hers. Their lips met, just a nibble, just a test that threatened to grow to a hungry bite. "You've done well so far."

# ~ TWENTY-THREE~

By the time they got to her house, it was already ten pm.

"I know it was difficult talking to me about your past, but I want you to know that I appreciate you trusting me enough to tell me. And it will also help put some pieces together about the murders of your friends. This killer will be stopped before he or she strike again, I promise."

"I guess I didn't trust you enough to tell you before, but not anymore."

"Understandable."

She smiled "I'm glad you're here. I'd hate to be fighting this alone."

"You'll never be alone again," he whispered "some officers will stay outside your gate until I come in the morning, I need Olivia address so I can send some guys over to her house."

"She's not in town, tried calling her but the network is bad, will pass the information to her when I get in touch with her."

"Isn't that strange? Did she tell you where she is?"

"No, it's not strange of her to leave town like that," she added seeing the look on his face. "She called yesterday, and she sounded okay though a bit off."

"Still, I'll need her address and you don't step foot out of the house until I give you the okay."

"Yes sir," Jessica agreed "besides I'm not going to be alone today, not with the officers outside.

Because there was a frown between his brows, Jessica lifted a finger to smooth it away. "Don't worry, I will be fine."

"It's my job to worry." For a moment he just held her, knowing it was going to be hard to walk out the door and trust her to someone else's care. "The men outside are the best, nobody's going to get in the door while they are here. Alex and I will relieve them in the morning."

"You'll call if....well, if anything happens?"

"Count on it." Taking her face in his hands, he held it a moment, and then pressed a kiss on her forehead. "You're so lovely. When this is all over, you will have to marry Me." it was the quick surprise in her eyes that made him realize what he had said. The realization caught him off balance. To cover it, he tucked her hair behind her ear, and then backed away. "Let me have the address".

"Certainly" she smiled as she got a pen and a slip of paper.

"Lock the door after me."

He pulled it shut behind him, wishing he could shake the uneasy feeling that things weren't going to go as neatly as planned.

******* ********* ********

Hours later, he was in his office, when his partner walked in.

"Days are getting shorter," Alex commented as he fell into the second chair in the room.

"And the night longer." Victor added.

"She's going to be fine, you know." Alex said while staring at the frown on his face.

"I told her about Claudia."

Alex's brows lifted. That, he knew was more of a commitment than even he'd believed Victor could make. "And?"

"And I guess I'm glad I did. She's the best thing that's happened in my life."

"My boy is in love"

"I didn't say I am in love." That came out quickly. "I just mean she's special"

"Certain people have difficulty admitting to emotional commitment because they fear they will fail in the long haul."

"Have you been reading those books again?"

"No, I made it up myself. Maybe I should write an article on love."

"Look, if I was in love with Jessica, with anyone, I wouldn't have any trouble saying it."

"So? Are you?"

"I care about her. A lot."

"Okay."

"She's important to me"

"If you say so"

"I'm crazy about her."

"We are getting close."

"All right, so I'm in love with her. Happy now?"

"Have a gum. You'll feel better."

He shook his head, and then heard himself laugh. Collecting the chewing gum, he threw it in his mouth.

"You're worse than my mother."

"That's what partners are for."

They both stared at each other in silence, and didn't notice when Solomon entered.

"Are you guys doing staring competition?"

"We are getting there."

"I've got something from the bank on Anthony way."

Victor sat up straight and Alex did the same.

"Got something from the CCTV camera from that branch and I got some pictures as well, some of the pictures are not clear. There was a name that appeared more times on the account statement at the Anthony branch, and guess what? It was one of the security guys in the bank. We are bringing him in the morning."

"Now I just wish for a longer day" Alex said as he slumped back into his seat.

"I just want this to be over, so I can start sleeping again."

"Can I get those pictures?" Victor asked.

"I made you a copy. See you guys in the morning" he dropped off the file and walked out.

With a feeling of closing in on the goal, Alex and Victor began reviewing the documents.

******* ********* ********

Morning light was filtering through the windows.

And the bed was cold.

She stared at the ceiling and bit her lip.

She wanted to laugh out loud

It's been a long time she woke up happy. She felt vibrant. Flashes of the night before ran through her brain. Lovely Images, which made her smile as she lay in her bed. Victor wanted her still. She had expected him to push her away; in fact she had been prepared for it. But instead, he had drawn her closer, promise to be there with her and for her. That was something unexpected but definitely the best anyone had ever said to her in recent time.

At eight, Solomon and Essien were in position out front so Alex and Victor could catch a little sleep. The two partners will be coming later in the day to relieve them after leaving the station.

After offering them breakfast which was declined, she sat in front of her laptop to work.

Three hours later, as she got up to stretch her legs, her cell phone beeped. She picked up without checking the caller.

"Hello?"

"Jessica?" Olivia said, her voice trembling.

"Olivia?" Jessica felt relief. "Where are you?" I've been calling and calling."

"I'm sorry; I didn't go out of town like I told you."

"What?" Olivia sounded strange. Maybe tired? Or so Jessica thought as she strained to hear her friend's over the crackle of a bad connection. "You didn't travel? But it's been over a week, and you never bothered to call me."

"I know. I'm sorry, I.... I've been trying to work things out with Henry."

"Wait a minute." Jessica moved to the sitting room, hoping she could hear more clearly. "You said you were done with him."

"I was...I am...I...uh, I'm confused..." that explained the weird tone in her voice. "I need you; I need someone to talk to. Please." Olivia said, sounding desperate.

That did it. Her friend needed her. "Where are you? When would you want me to meet you?" she asked

"In my house, now will be fine, I really need you." Olivia voice wavered, as if she was on the verge of tears.

Jessica glanced at the clock, it was nearly noon and Victor would be around anytime soon.

"I have to wait for Victor; I can meet you in one hour."

"Thanks, Jess"

Jessica hung up and put the phone on the table next to her. What has gotten into Olivia? Jessica knows Olivia never wants to let go of henry friend but when they had parted last week, Olivia sounded confident and sure of her decision. Maybe something else was going on. Jessica had the sensation that something deeper was bothering Olivia.

"Thanks, Jess," Olivia had said. That was it. That was what was bothering her. Olivia had never called her that...something is definitely wrong. She had to go to her friend. Olivia had always been her own woman, confident and seems not to need anyone. She must really be hurting. However she can't go now, Victor had said not to step out until they have more information about the killer, at least not without him. She will have to wait.

As she returned to her laptop, her cell ranged again. It was a number unknown to her.

"Madam, this is Detective Adetoun, from the homicide department."

"Oh...hi Detective. Is there any news?"

"We've got him, ma. We've got the killer. He was picked up few minutes ago."

"Oh my God, that's good news, what of Victor? Is he all right?"

"Yes, don't worry. He asked me to call you and let you know you can relax. He will be held up for a while."

"Oh thank God, please do you know how long victor will be held up?"

"I'm not sure, is there an urgent thing you need him for, maybe I can pass the message across to him?"

"Umm, don't worry." Remembering the two officers outside; she said

"You should talk to Detective Solomon. I appreciate your call."

"We're all just glad it's over."

"Yes." she squeezed her eyes shut a moment then stepped outside to hand over the phone to Solomon. "He's been caught".

Then she dashed into the house for her purse and her keys. When she hurried back out for her phone, Solomon was still pulling details out of Adetoun. Impatient, Jessica tossed her purse into the car and waited.

"Sounds like a clean catch." Solomon said when he hung up. "The man came into the station himself. He has all the girls' picture with him.

"Oh, God." She wanted to see Victor, talk to him. But he's still at the station and she has to see Olivia.

"I suppose you can't wait to share this with some friends."

"You are right; I have to see my friend."

"I get it. Do you want me to take you there?"

"No, I'm sure you want to get back to the station and tie up the loose ends. It doesn't look as though I need police protection any longer."

"No."

"Please, can you tell Victor that I will be at Olivia's place in case he needs me? I've tried his number but it's not reachable."

"Will do that".

****** ******** ********

"Afternoon, people." Azarat said, suppressing the low conversation around the table. Everyone is edgy this afternoon. Alex looked like he could sleep on his feet, Victor stood looking out the window and Oreitan was harassing everyone, something she did a lot more when she is stressed.

"So where are we?" Azarat asked. "Victor?"

"None of my contacts on the street have a clue. The security guy that was brought in this morning could not give us anything."

"Many of the deposit were done all over the city, only few with Anthony.

Got back answers from all but two banks I queried on the deposits.

Nothing checked out." oreitan said

"I want that security guard queried again; get him an artist if possible, I want a picture of this woman out." Azarat stared hard at each of them. "I want to know her connection with this girls and why she's sending Mrs.

Rita the cash."

"I guess we'll find out when we find her." Alex pinched the bridge of his nose, annoyed the headache was already there.

"Victor, stay on that security, see what you can get out of him." Azarat threw a glance around the table. "Let's keep going people, we'll turn up something and hope it's not another body."

******* ********* ******** Victor walked toward the small conference room that was also reserved for interviews. He met with Liz one of his taskforce team.

"Has he said anything yet?" Victor asked, falling into step beside her.

Liz shook her head. "Nope, But he's giving the artist a description to work on."

They came to a stop in front of the room where Alex stood with a file. On the other side sat the security guard, arms crossed over his chest talking to the artist. Alex acknowledges them with a nod, handing Victor a thin folder.

Victor looked at the man sitting in the interview room. His face was hard, as if he was angry. But more than angry; more like he was afraid.

"Let's have a chat with the man, shall we?" Victor said to Alex.

The man looked up when Victor and Alex entered the room.

"Sir, please I've said everything I know," the man said

"I'm here to help you but you need to give me something, what's your name" Alex replied him while he sat in the seat opposite him.

"Abbey sir"

"Abbey, you want to tell me, you've been helping someone to deposit money with your own name and you know nothing about her, not even her name? You really want me to believe that?"

"I swear sir, the first day I made the deposit for her, I asked for the name to put on the slip, she said I should put my name because she trusted me, after that I never bothered to ask, I was only been nice."

Alex shared a look with Victor. "Okay, give us a description, a thorough one."

"I'm trying sir."

Victor picked up one of the discarded drawings on the floor. He stared at it and he felt a chill run through him. "Why does this portrait look familiar?"

Alex collected the paper and after staring at it for a while, gave it back to the artist. "Only to you."

"I think you should look at this, Victor" Liz said as the artist placed the final sketch on the table.

Victor's heart stopped as the face in the sketch registered.

"Sweet God" Alex breathed "this can't be right"

"Abbey, are you sure this is the woman"

"I'm sure sir that is the best description I have sir?"

"Look at this, would you say it's the same person you are trying to describe". Liz brought out a snapshot from her wallet and showed it to Abbey.

"That is the woman, exactly. You know her?" abbey confirmed

Victor's heart kicked back into motion. He picked up the sketch, his hand trembling. He looked at abbey and swallowed. "We do"

"And right now I know where she is," Alex was on Victor's heels as he ran out. "Liz, get some units to Adetoun house now."

"On it"

As Victor rounded the stairs to parking space, Solomon got out of the parked van.

"What are you doing here?"

Half wild with fear, Victor caught him by the neck of his shirt. "Why aren't you with her? Why did you leave her alone?"

"What's wrong with you? Once Adetoun called to verify it had gone down, there was no reason for me to hang around."

"When did she call?"

"About forty-five minutes ago. But she said you were...." Though his mind rejected it, the expression on Victor's face told him everything. "Oh God, not Adetoun? But she's..." an officer? A friend? A woman? "She called telling me there had been a clean arrest and to pull off the guard and come in. I never questioned it. I never thought to verify with you.

"We've got to find her"

He grabbed Victor's arm before he could push past him. "Jessica should be safe, she's headed to her friend's place"

Nothing else was needed to have him rushing down the steps to his car.

******* ********* ********

Jessica pulled up at the gate to Olivia's house after a frustrating thirty minutes' drive. She told herself the good part was that it was over.

Slamming her door, she dropped her keys into her purse. On the way, she had bought Olivia favorite chocolate and wine. They are going to spend the rest of the day eating junks with no care in the world. The idea was so pleasant; she didn't notice that the gate to Olivia's house was unlocked. Like her, Olivia cherish her privacy so much she does not have any live in domestic worker including a security guard.

Alarm came first when she notice the front door was also opened. Then with a laugh, she dismissed it and started forward. Olivia must have left the door opened for her.

She didn't notice the figure melt out of the shadows and into the light in the sitting room until she had stepped in the door.

"Olivia..." the greeting died on her lips.

It was like a bad dream, she thought in a moment of blank panic, when she'd thought herself only a step away from safety only to find her worst fears confirmed. She knew she could turn and run, but she was only an arm's span away and the woman in front of her would catch her. She knew she could scream, but she had no doubt she'll be silenced. There was only one way. To face her fear.

"Lock the door, Jess, unless you want to die right there" the woman said with a gun pointed at Jessica. Numb with fear, she stood shaking; then playing for time, she slowly turned the key.

"Hello, Jess."

"I remember you now." Her lips began to form words and then froze.

She's going to kill me, she thought.

"Are you surprise, Jess? Do you still laugh when you think about me?

Like you did in school?

No, I didn't, Jessica thought. I felt sorry for you.

"Jess, answer me"

Her throat was suddenly dry she wasn't sure if any sound could come out.

"I'm sorry for what I did to you."

"This. Is. karma. Come along, let's go see your friend."

When she entered Olivia's bedroom, the room was dark, but she could make out the figure of a woman lying on the bed.

"Olivia, I bought you an old friend. You, sit down."

Before she could get herself together, she was pushed into a chair and tied to it.

The chair she was tied to was against the wall next to the window facing the bed. With growing horror and the sense of being in the midst of a terrible nightmare, Jessica strained to see Olivia. She was silent and only an occasional rough sigh told Jessica that Olivia was still breathing.

"I tried to make amends, I tried to reach you when I had the means. I wish I could take everything we did back." Jessica twisted her hands in an effort to see if she could pull the cords apart, but they were too tight.

"It doesn't change what you did and I will make sure you all get to pay for it, your other friends didn't tell you...oh...I forgot they are dead,"

Jessica stared at her in dismay. She didn't want to believe what she just heard. Was it possible she was responsible for the death of Lara and Gladys and Jolade and Daniela and Abena?

Things like this don't happen in this country. You only get to read about them in foreign books. Nigerians are not known to be psychopaths. Or are they? Could it be happening in this country and you never get to read about them? We don't go crazy and start killing people just because we feel like it.

"You all deserve to go to hell for what you did." She continued like

Jessica hasn't spoken

"It was wrong, but do we deserve to die for it? Taking a life is a sin before God, that's what the reverend sisters taught us and you as an altar girl should know that." Jessica hands clenched. The need to live surged through her. "I know you wanted to go to seminary, this is all against your belief."

"And thanks to all of you that dream never came through."

"Please, God does not approve of killing?" Jessica pleaded

"You don't get it, do you? You think I care what anyone thinks of me now? When I'm done with Olivia, you're next. You're going to join the rest in hell and have a nice reunion party."

"Kikiope, plea..."

"It's Detective Adetoun to you"

"Oh my God"

And one more piece to the puzzle fell into place.

******* ********* ********

"I will kill her with my bare hands," Victor mutter as his car barreled off the expressway. "If she touches so much as one hair on Jessica's head, I will kill her."

"Easy partner, we have to do this by the book." Alex patted his arm.

Victor silently prayed they could get there in time.

He'd heard from Alex side of the conversation on the phone with

Solomon that the crime unit crew had crawled over Adetoun's house. They'd discovered items connecting her to the crimes, disguises and wigs that had hairs that were found at some of their crime scene. There were notes and a laptop that had already been taken as evidence.

But no Adetoun.

He prayed that he wasn't too late.

Why had he left her alone? He was reluctant to leave her this morning. Why, why, why? He beat on the steering wheel. Victor told himself not to think the worst. Jessica was alive. She had to be.

******* ********* ********

"You won't believe how easy it is to change your identity in this country. Nobody get to do a background check on you because there's no record to check. Convenient? I spent four years in the police academy, it was hard for a girl but if you are determined like I am, you will get through. At first it was difficult getting the whereabouts of you girls but with a little help and cover from my department, it was easy going after you one by one. Do you know people rarely suspect you if you are an officer. It was fun searching you out."

"Kikiope, you are a police officer, it's your job, and you took an oath to protect. Taking a life is a sin. To kill breaks God's law and man's. You understand both laws as a police officer and an altar girl."

With anger kikiope moved closer to her. "What do you know about breaking God's law, what you did to me wasn't lawful, you should be in jail for it? God didn't protect me that night. Nobody believed me. You all turned on me. Everyone blamed me. Everyone"

"What we did was terrible, but someone told me that we are not defined by our past but by what we do now." Jessica said as she strained against the cord.

"It's too late now, I'm what you made me. You understand that Jess? I am what you made me. I have to end what I started." At a deliberately slow pace, kikiope walked across the room, removed the hanger with a nylon on it and walked back. "Would you like to pray, Jess?" she asked.

Stunned and horrified, Jessica watched as kikiope began to slide the nylon over Olivia's head.

"No...no...no..." before the nylon reached Olivia's nostrils, she tipped the chair, falling forward, protecting Olivia with her body. The chair hit kikiope on her leg and pinned it. Kikiope yelled with pain. As she struggled to push the chair, she could hear the sound of the front door being smashed open.

# ~TWENTY-FOUR~

It will be a matter of seconds before they force open the door, she thought. I came so close to completing the mission. She looked down on Jessica and Olivia.

"Give yourself up," Victor shouted. "It's over. You know you can't escape"

Oh, but I can, she thought. I did it once. She signed. Nobody is going to keep me in some cage.

The liquid was in her other pocket; she had kept it for Jessica. She took it out and held it to her mouth, then closed her eyes and drank it. She was on the floor in a minute.

Victor rushed in with Alex behind him. The body was sprawled on the floor, the vial beside it. Kikiope was foaming in the mouth. Victor bent down, and looked into the face of the woman who had taken the lives of so many innocent people.

He tug at the cord binding Jessica and drew her close. He ran his hands over her legs and hands to make certain all was fine. "I could have lost you."

"I'm not hurt," shaking violently, Jessica clung to Victor as if she'd never let go.

And Victor wouldn't let her. He held onto her as the other policemen began to stream in.

"Olivia!" Jessica cried, but her friend didn't respond.

"I will take care of her!" Alex said as he cut off Olivia bonds and carried her gently out of the room.

Jessica turned to Victor and she touched a hand to his face, he could only drop his forehead on hers. "I'm shaking."

"Me too"

"It's over, let's go home."

With arms hooked tight around each other's waists, they walked to the car. She noticed, but didn't comment that he'd dent the car. Inside the car, she huddled against him again. No one had ever been so solid or so warm. She felt alive.

# ~EPILOGUE~

"Will it always be like this" Jessica asked with humored tiredness in her voice. She and Victor sat on the chair looking out at the sea of wrapping paper covering the living room.

Victor put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him, enjoying the scent of her perfume.

"Every time." Victor replied

It had been a lovely and long day. Victor and Jessica had held a little party at his house. All the guys in his department had been there. Olivia was also present with her current boyfriend.

Jessica had never been among so many guys. There had been so much laughter.

"What are you grinning about?"

"Just thinking about Alex's costume. Who wears costume to a house party?"

Victor pulled her close again and kissed the top of her head. "The guy is an idiot," he pulled out an envelope and places it on her lap. "I've wanted to give you this, but without the boys breathing down my neck."

She looked back up at him and her eyes sparkled. "What's inside?"

"Open it."

With care, she opened the envelope and screamed. "I can't believe it. You're really going to take off two whole weeks to go to Seychelles with me?

I'd do anything for you, he thought. "Um hmm. But there's a kind of a catch."

Her eyes narrowed. "What catch? Alex and Olivia are not coming?"

He drew a breath and then spilt it out. "I want it to be our honeymoon."

Her eyes widened

"Your logic appears to be flawed, Detective." she said lightly not wanting to take a leap when a step was indicated. "We can't go on a honeymoon unless we've had a wedding first"

He didn't take his eyes off hers and in two long beat of his heart. "Marry me, Jessica. Build a family with me."

"Yes," she whispered. "It's all I've ever wanted. You're all I've ever wanted. I love you

He fumbled in his pocket for the simple but elegant ring that had been all but burning his pocket all morning, brought it out, slid it on her finger, "I love you, more." But she didn't look at the ring, just kept looking into his eyes. As if she couldn't get enough of him. And he knew that this time, with this woman, he'd done it right.

She giggled and felt younger than she had felt since she was fourteen. There might yet be problems in life, everything wouldn't go smoothly all the time. But she felt that she was ready to face the rough spots. It was time that she collected the happiness in life that God sets aside for everyone. And from all indication, she knew that the future could only be a happy one.
