The Next Day
After Denise left the Constable’s office the previous day, he got a call from his father, who was anxious to know the outcome of their meeting. He promised to give him the detailed report the next day. That morning, he reported to his father’s office. After the greetings, Arthur went straight to the point, and asked, “How was your meeting yesterday?”
“Our meeting was okay, but Sir Relish was emotionally disturbed. He had grown lean, and too old for his.”
“It is expected. I can imagine how he feels,” Arthur sympathized, and asked further, “Tell me, what does he want?”
Denise narrated Whitney's confession to him, and he expressed, “That is weird!”
“Yes, father. She thought that after mom got married to a strange man who only existed in her mind, that you were free for all.”
“I’m glad that your mom not marry another man, and I was not free for all because by now, they would have dragged me to court for a divorce and demanded for property sharing. Daughters of Jezebel,” he cursed. Denise laughed, quietly, and inquired, “What do I do, father?”
“Count me out of this. Left for me, I would like them to rot in jail,” he blurted.
Denise expected that, and he smiled. Then, he asked again, “I can feel your pains, but what do I do?”
“Do whatever you like, but ensure that they do not cause any trouble for your mother,” he warned.
“I got you, father,” he said, and took his leave. The message ruined Arthur’s day because it reminded him how much humiliation Nichole went through for waiting for him. To appease her, he gave her a call, and she picked at once, “Hello, hubby,” she greeted cheerfully.
“Hello, Nichole. Are you too busy at work?”
“No. I have only a few patients for mammogram and cervical cancer test. Is anything the matter?”
“Not really. I want to close for the day. Do you mind if I pick you?”
Nichole hesitated before she asked, “I hope there is no problem.”
Arthur ignored her question and stated, “I will pick you in the next twenty minutes. Is that okay?”
“It is okay,” Nichole responded, and attended to her patients hastily. Before her husband arrived, she was set to leave him.
At the Constable’s Office
After Denise left his father’s office, he sent for Jude, and when he arrived, he informed, “We are visiting the station to see my uncle.”
At that moment, Jude’s eyes sparkled, and he wondered what his visit to his uncle got to do with him. “It is okay, boss. If I may ask, which of your uncles?”
“Your former boss.”
“Mhh!” He exclaimed and wrinkled his brow. Nevertheless, he had hoped that they would meet some day, but not so soon and impromptu.
“It is not for anything serious. I want to interrogate him on some issues, and your presence will make him to be honest with me. Did you get me?” Denise clarified when he saw his expression.
“I got you, boss,” he responded cheerfully when Denise allayed his fears. Soon they were at the Constable’s office. He was happy to receive them because he really felt for the humbled Sir Relish and his wife, and was out to help him come out of the predicament with gusto.
“Good morning, Constable,” they greeted one after the other.
“Good morning. I am delighted to have you all,” he received them with glee.
“Thank you.”
“Kindly take your seat.” he responded and motioned them to a seat.
“Meet, my staff, Jude Addy,” he introduced after they took their seats
“I'm pleased to meet you, Jude,” the Constable greeted, and never attached any meaning to his presence.
“It is my pleasure to meet you, Sir,” Jude responded with a soft smile. Then, Denise demanded, “I wish to have a word with Mr. Stephen Bailey if it is possible.”
“Why not? It is possible,” the Constable consented to. Instantly, he asked his orderly, over the intercom, to fetch Mr. Stephen Bailey, and he did. Before ten minutes, an emaciated Stephen appeared. He could recognize Denise quite well, but he was able to recognize Jude because he saw his video of late. As usual, Denise fixed a hate look on him, and without greetings, he requested, “Who are the wolves?”
At that point, Stephen’s eyes fell on Jude, who he believed had given him the details of the wolves. Thereafter, he looked down. Nevertheless, all eyes were on him, and he stammered, “They are my partners.”
Now, Denise looked at the Constable, and requested, “Can I have a chat with them too?”
“Certainly, but he will fish them out by himself.” he declared, and focused on Stephen, who consented at once.
“It is okay.”
Likewise, the orderly, who was standing beside him, took him back to the different cells, which was tasking to fetch them. After twenty minutes, he was able to gather them, and they walked back to the office. To Denise, he was relieved when he saw him walking in with three men. His reason for requesting to see them was to ensure whether Whitney was one of them.
“These are the wolves,” Stephen pointed out in his standing position. Nevertheless, the three were vexed to see Jude, a boy who they conscripted into the business, sitting down beside a fulfilled Young Chief Executive Officer, while they stood like truants before a school headmaster.
“What about the females among you?” Denise faced one of the wolves, and asked with an intimidating tone. The constable smiled within him, when he realized why he requested to see them. Now, the three looked at Stephen for his response because they never knew if he had the female wolves.
“We don’t have females among us,” he responded coldly. Denise shook his head in rejection of their statement, and faced the Constable.
“I would love to see the female wolves,” Denise requested, and the constable who understood his game assured, “That won’t be a problem, Sir Bailey. We will fish them out.” Likewise, he looked at his orderly, and instructed, “Take them back to the cell, and return at once.”
“I got it, Sir,” the orderly said, and ordered the suspects, “Let’s go.” The wolves moved at once, but Stephen hesitated, and looked at Denise. When their eyes met, he inquired with a dejected tone, “How is my son?”
To avoid losing his temper, and hitting him, Denise ignored him, and faced the Constable.
“Let’s go,” the orderly ordered again with a firm tone, and Stephen obeyed. Nevertheless, since their arrest, the wolves had not seen him at a close range. They felt cheated because he assured them that he was connected with the higher ups, and that they needed not to be afraid of any arrest. They had worked for him and many other criminals in the city for years, and he built his resort, with the income from the kidnap and ransom which they expected for him. Now, they had nothing to show for it. To them, that was their opportunity to give vent to their anger.
Slap-slap. Whack-whack. Kick-kick
Before the orderly could process what just happened, Stephen was on the floor, and the wolves walked on as if nothing happened. That was how they subdue their victims before kidnapping them. Trying it on the boss, who failed them, was not a bad idea. They thought. After they left, Denise turned to the Constable, and appreciated, “Thank you, Constable for making my investigation simple,”
“It is my pleasure. I am glad that you have discovered things for yourself. She was not one of them.”
“You are right, Constable. I will get back to you very soon.”