The cloud was heavily pregnant and likely to give birth to a downpour of rain. Despite the condition of the weather, the atmosphere of Bernard's house was one of merriment. Relations, friends, and well-wishers had come to facilitate with Bernard and Ngozi on the safe arrival of Gloria and Chioma.
Mr. Eugene was joyously munching a piece of fried turkey which he gulped down with a bottle of wine. He looked so happy, grinning from ear to ear. Seeing him at that moment, one wouldn't believe he was the same person who was in a rage a few days ago.
"You can't blame me much for my reaction the other day. Even if a master owns a thousand sheep and one gets lost, he will leave his comfort zone to look for the lost sheep. How much more my lovely daughter? The apple of my eyes. My Queen for that matter" Mr. Eugene said, chuckling.
"With all these adorable names you have given your daughter, which one do you now remain for her husband to call her? One of Mr. Eugene's friends questioned.
"They are still so many lovely names now like..." Mr. Eugene turned to Bernard in mock expectation.
"My baby boo. My honey. My heart and many more which I won't disclose now to avoid expo and cheating in the exam hall" Bernard replied while everyone in the house roared in laughter.
Bernard's joy was beyond bounds. He had finally regained freedom from the miserable hell called a Police cell. His ordeal amid Goliath, Devil, Red snake and the rest of them would always linger in his memory. His experience there was enough to inspire a movie. He would surely write a book about it someday.
Though the purpose of a prison is to punish and reform criminals, the suffering and maltreatment meted out to the inmates was abysmal, to say the least. Having spent some years under some circumstances, many hardened criminals had always thought that coming into prison or a police cell is as good as coming to take in the fresh air. Bernard never wished to go back there again. If he should go, then, it must be because he was there to preach the gospel to the prisoners or contribute financially or materially to the needy in the prison yard. They needed a lot of things to be put into place since the Government hadn't capable of providing their essential needs. Some relations and friends don't ever what to associate themselves with anyone who might have spent some time in jail.
"Please, try and eat to your satisfaction o. There is still enough food to eat and wine to crown it all" Ngozi said amidst her joy. Some friends were busy taking camera selfies with Gloria and Chioma.
"Mummy, Emeka is crying" Anita had come around to call on her mother who had been lost in thoughtful imaginations. Anita had to tap and shake her mother's arms before she could jolt from her deep imaginations.
Dr. Anthony's hospital had become a second home to Ngozi and her children. Dr. Anthony had thought of taking her down with her children to his house where she can be more comfortable for some time pending the time all her troubles got sorted out but Ngozi was afraid that she could probably put the doctor into another trouble. She pleaded to have her stay in the hospital for a while. She couldn't afford a naming ceremony for her son but she decided that he should be called "Emeka" as rightly suggested by her late husband. She believes Johnson would be glad wherever he is at the moment if his baby boy is named "Emeka". She never understood why he chose that name; that would have been a good question to ask him had been he still alive.
Though Emeka was right beside her, her mind was so far away from the present. Her imagination had taken her to where everyone was felicitating over the arrival of her missing sister and Gloria. She wished her imagination could quickly come into reality where she could be a happy woman again.
"Has he confessed yet?" Mr. Eugene asked. He had come very early in the morning to the police station to enquire about the ongoing case of his missing daughter, Gloria. He had barely sat down at the DPO's office before he started ranting and vibrating angrily like a cobra.
"Please, calm down, sir. We are working tirelessly on it, my boys.... the DPO was still trying to give an explanation when Mr. Eugene cut him short.
"Don't tell me to calm down. I can't just open my eyes and allow one useless boy to use my daughter for a money ritual! I have told you that he's highly responsible for my missing daughter. What evidence do you still want? Let's sue him to court and let him die by hanging. If you know that you are not capable of handling the case, tell me. Let me take it to Abuja where your boss over there can handle it to my satisfaction!" Mr. Eugene retorted.
"I am sorry sir. I can imagine myself in your shoes. I know what it means to be on a search for a missing daughter for days and still not find her. My boys and I are working ceaselessly to ensure your daughter is found hale and healthy" During their conversation, an officer brought a handcuffed Bernard into the office. Bernard had lost so much weight already and he looked pale and skinny. His eyes were already swollen as a result of a severe beating from the police. He had encountered so much pain within a short period. He stood before them like a criminal before justice.
"Look here, I know that you have gone to renew your wealth with my innocent daughter's blood. I swear if my daughter is not found, I will see you off to your grave, you bastard!" In his fury, he stood with the intent of landing a heavy punch on Bernard's stomach but was restrained by one of the police officers while the DPO pleaded with him to sit down.
"That's okay sir. Please, leave the work for us. We know how to deal with a criminal like him. said the DPO looking at Bernard with disdain.
"Please, sir. I am innocent. I know nothing about this issue. Please, I beg you in the name of Jesus. I swear. I know nothing about this" Bernard pleaded his innocence tearfully. Mr. Eugene had wanted to punch him in his mouth and watch his teeth pull off but the DPO pleaded once more while he ordered Officer Patrick to lead him back to the cell.
"Sergeant Augustine, I want justice to prevail in a short period. I don't want to see that bastard on the surface of the earth again. He has cost me so much pain. I am ready to spend my last kobo to see him off to his grave. He is a criminal and a ritualist. Such a person needs to be evacuated from society in no time to avoid another causing other people pain" Mr.Eugene declared.
"Don't worry sir. We are at work already. He will produce your daughter. I'm sure she's still much alive" the DPO assured him.
"All right. No problem. I will be eager to hear good news soon" Mr. Eugene said as he stood to leave the DPO's office. He walked towards the cell gate to see Bernard one more time and to remind him of what could probably befall him if he doesn't produce his daughter on time.
"You will never find it funny if you don't provide my daughter in a short period. I will shoot you myself! I am just giving you a space of time to beg the witches and the wizards in your entire village to help you find my daughter. If not...Ojigbijibi...Hellfire will be ready to welcome a bastard like you!" Mr. Eugene blurted and sparked like a god of thunder. He stormed out of the police station to his destination.
"Abi na true say you use him daughter do ritual?" The red snake moved closer to Bernard to question him even when the look on the young man's face was as innocent as one who could hardly kill an ant.
"I swear. I know nothing about this issue. I can never murder my wife. Why in God's name would I have done such a horrible thing?" Bernard replied tearfully.
"Abeg, no cry for here o. Nobody to help you with ordinary paracetamol if you cry and come to get a headache join. As we dey here so, we don turn to Governor and vice governor for here. Before you know it, you too go don get a better post for here. No dey cry like small pikin. As you dey cry, you dey boil my mind with anger" Devil retorted.
"Leave this guy alone. He still wan think about his life. Abeg, let him think am very well. You wey no get any problems than to eat and smok like say your mouth be chimney. Abeg, leave am make he dey think how he go better for am" Goliath known as the governor stated.
Dr. Anthony and Ngozi with her baby strapped on her back came around to visit Bernard again. Anita was left in the care of one of the nurses at the hospital.
"Five minutes. No more, no less" Officer Patrick mentioned as he unlocked the cell gate for Bernard to see his visitors. Bernard's appearance this time looked worse than how he was the previous time they came around.
"Bernard, were you tortured by the policemen? Oh no! Dr. Anthony, please, I think I am going to do what I told you earlier. She turned to speak with Dr. Anthony whose mind had been shattered already.
"Please, don't say anything. You can't be stupid for crying out loud!
"What do you want to say? Bernard requested.
"Bernard, you and your wife have been passing through a lot of pains because of me. Please, let me lie to the police that I am responsible for everything going on so that they can lock me up in the cell while they set you free. Your children need you. This pain has to stop right here. I mean now!" Ngozi said amidst tears.
"No. It's not your fault. I can never blame you for whatever happened. You have your own life to live too. I believe this is a phase that I need to pass through. It was bound to happen. I believe...." Officer Patrick came around and cut him short of his words.
"Time up! Oya move oga"
"Officer, please, I still have one or two words to explain to him" Ngozi pleaded
"You can come some other time. I don tell both of you to say na five minutes but out of pity, I still dash una another extra three minutes. Abi I no try? Abeg, move joor!" Officer Patrick pushed his affront.
"Please, don't forget to pray for me. I don't know what the future entails. I don't want to die. I still have a long way to go. I am innocent. Trust me. I know nothing about this issue" Bernard kept on shedding tears and lamenting as he was being dragged back to the police cell
"Bernard, you can't go alone. You know nothing about this issue. I am the cause of your predicament. I am coming down with you!" Ngozi proclaimed. She tried to barge into the police cell where Bernard was being taken but Dr. Anthony dragged her back.