Meanwhile, Mr. Green searched for the handset as he walked back to the gate. He asked for the phone from the security men on duty, but no one admitted to seeing it. Then, he walked back to his apartment to inform Jeffrey of his discovery.
“I could not find it. You must have dropped it in the car after you picked my call.”
Jeffrey looked puzzled, and tried to recall what happened after the call with Mr. Green.
“I think you are right. But I gave my driver options. He was supposed to be here in two hours.”
“If you have his number off heart, I can contact him for you.”
Jeffrey scratched his head in defeat while trying to take his seat and explained, "It had never crossed my mind to store anyone's number on my head, not even my dad's own.”
“There is nothing to be worried about. By the time your dad begins to miss you, he will ask him to come for you.” “All right, Mr. Green. Can I have more scripts? I'm done with these.”
They settled down and continued with their work. Unfortunately, the driver never showed up, and his father never missed him. So, he spent the night at Mr. Green's apartment. It was obvious he had to go to school the next day with his school uniform unwashed. Now, Mr. Green gave him a spare pajama and assisted in washing his school uniform and boxers. He felt responsible for Jeffrey's plight.
“I hope your dad will not be mad at you.”
“I should be the one mad at him. He ought to have sent the driver to come and look for me or come by himself. It's like I'm not relevant to him,” he blurted out with anger.
“It's all right. Don't conclude yet. Everything will be all right.”
Before they went to sleep, Mr. Green had ironed his school uniforms, and inner garments. He prepared the guest room that had not been used by anyone for a long time for him.
“Good night, Mr. Green.”
“Good night, Jeffrey.”
In the morning, Jeffrey woke up with allergic rhinitis commonly called hay fever, which made him to sneeze and had watery eyes. He was embarrassed and could not imagine going to school with watery eyes and sneezing around because he was aware that his haters would mock him, so he decided to stay behind. Meanwhile, Mr. Green was pleased with his decision, but he suggested that he should visit the school clinic. Now, they got prepared, and he drove him to the school clinic before reporting for classes. Then, he promised to come and pick him after school, which he accepted.
“You will be fine, Jeffrey. I will come for you after school.”
“It is all right, Mr. Green. I will wait for you.”
Now, he left Jeffrey in his ward and walked back to the reception. Then, he gave the receptionist a perfunctory nod before he walked out. On his way to the classroom, he stopped at the newspaper stand to buy the morning newspaper, but what he saw as the headline baffled him.
(Mr. George Morris' car, all the occupants including his son and the driver, burnt to ashes.)
At that instance, Mr. Green tried hard to steady himself because the newspaper almost fell off his hands due to shock while at the newspaper stand. He looked at the headline again, as though some mysteries must have changed it. Subsequently, he was able to recall himself when the vendor called his attention, “Sir, you are yet to pay for the paper.”
“So sorry,” he said, and quickly paid for the paper and walked back to his car. Now, he was capable of composing himself before he sat back and went through the details of the story. Then, he discovered that the driver was attacked a few meters away from the school by unidentified gunmen. The petrol bomb attack made the car and its occupants to burn to ashes.
Nevertheless, he was aware that most wealthy men sometimes fall apart with their partners, clients, and associates. Mr. George Morris belonged to the class of the wealthiest men in the city, but what perplexed Mr. Green was the attack on the driver. If the attack was as a result of a class or corporate feud, then, it should be on Mr. George Morris and not his son's driver. Thereafter, a thought flashed through his mind and he analyzed, 'Could his enemies be targeting his son?'
Presently, he could not think of any other answer to the question apart from 'yes' because Jeffrey was the Young Master of the Morris family, and his only successor, who was likely to be prone to attack.
'This is barbaric. How can they drag an innocent child into their fight?'
He thought for a while, and he concluded, 'In that case, Jeffrey is not safe anymore.'
Then, he made a detour to the clinic. When he got there, the doctor, a young man of his age, had already administered the drugs and some were capable to making him sleep for a long time, which Mr. Green was pleased with. Now, he ensured that Jeffrey was not aware of anything else apart from that he was at the clinic because he should treat his hay fever. Meanwhile, he was surprised when he saw Mr. Green walking into his ward again.
“Mr. Green, you just left. Why are you back? It is like you forgot something?” Jeffrey inquired in a rush.
“No. I just came to check on you, as I promised. How are you?”
“Wow! So, soon? As you can see, I just had my medications. I know I will be fine after now.”
“Certainly. You will be fine soon.”
Then, the frightened Mr. Green kept him company as though his presence would keep him away from harm. After he slept off, he walked to the doctor's office and left him with an instruction.
“Doctor, I do not want anyone to know that he is here. I will come for him myself.”
“It is all right, but why? If I may ask.”
Mr. Green thought of a good reason and hinted.
“I would not have his friends abscond from classes to come and disturb him. Otherwise, you may not be able to control the number of students who would flood the clinic.”
“You are right, Mr. Green. I will let my colleagues know about that and take all measures to keep his stay a secret.”
“Thank you, doctor. I will be on my way.”
“You are welcome.”
Then, he left the clinic a bit relieved.
'I would scout for more news about the accident before the end of the day,’ he thought to himself, and walked to his car. When he got to the classroom blocks, his colleagues and students were standing in twos and threes with their hands folded across their chests, and keeping a sad face. Then, he pretended to be oblivious to their worries, and asked one of his colleagues what was going on.
“Oh! Mr. Green, haven't you read today's paper? The news there is disturbing.”
“What news, please? Can you tell me before I read it?”
“Mr. George Morris' car and all the occupants including the driver were burnt to ashes yesterday. We fear that his son, Jeffrey, could be one of the occupants.”
Now, Mr. Green feigned surprise. He folded his hands across his chest too, and screamed.
“Oh my God! What a loss. What could lead to such an accident?”
“The newspaper report said that it was a petrol bomb attack on the vehicle by unidentified people.”
“So bad. What is our society turning into?”
Then, he walked away from the informant and colleague and got into his class. Unlike before, his students were already seated because they were afraid of being punished the way Jeffrey was punished the previous day. For that reason, they were seated while they discussed the newspaper headline.
He looked around the class and spotted Jeffrey's vacant seat and began to act again.
“It is like Jeffrey would be punished today again for coming late? I will double his punishment.”
Now, some students wanted to explain what happened, but he cut them short.
“Mr. Green, his driver was…”