"Femi, I am really proud of you. You did a great job", the D.P.O shook his hand.
"I did my best sir coupled with my colleagues' cooperation and assistance", he replied with modesty.
"There is every possibility that you will be promoted to the position of the Assistant Commissioner of Police", he said to Femi smilling.
"I pray and hope so", he smilled back sitting opposite the D.P.O.
"Don't worry. I'm sure you will get it because you deserve it."
"Alright. I have a good news for you though", he told the D.P.O with a smile.
"Really? What is the good news?", he asked with curiousity written all over him.
"We caught the police officer who took away the ransom", he announced happily.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"He is one of Mr. Garba's men and he disguised himself as a policeman just to get the money."
"What?"
*********************
Mrs. Balogun and Iremide were in the reception of the hospital waiting for Mrs. Obed who went to see the doctor. She was talking to her son when she saw Bolu's car driving in.
She looked on as the car drove in. Iremide noticed the distraction and stretched to get a view of the distraction.
"I thought you said she won't be coming today?", Iremide asked his mother.
"I thought so too", his mother said back.
"If we had known she would come, we would have waited for her to pick us up instead of taking a public transport", Iremide said as Bolu entered.
"Good morning mummy, good morning Iremide", she greeted with a smile.
"How are you doing my dear?", Mrs. Obed asked.
"I'm fine ma", she replied.
"I'm so sorry for your loss", she muttered.
"What loss?", Bolu questioned with a bewildered look.
**********************
"Thank you doctor for all you have done, I'm really grateful", Mrs. Obed thanked.
"It is my duty ma'am", he replied with a chuckle.
"I know it is your duty but it is very rare to see a doctor in this age and generation treating his patients without taking a dim from them before doing that."
"Its okay ma'am. Your daughter will be discharged tomorrow by God's grace but she will be on a wheelchair for a while. Probably 3-6 months depending on how fast her improvement is."
"Okay doctor. We will go to her school by next week so she can defer a semester."
"I will advice you to defer a session for her full recovery", he counselled.
"Alright doctor. How can we get the bill?"
"Ask the nurses at the reception for it", he replied her.
"Ok, we will pay the money today or tomorrow before we leave", she said standing up to go.
"Bye ma'am."
**********************
"Mummy, we've gotten the money back", Femi said passing the bag to Mrs. Balogun. "You can proceed to pay the bills while we return the rest of the money to Fola's father.
"Thank God!"
"How are we going to repay him for his kindness?", Mrs. Balogun inquired.
"Femi can we talk outside for a minute", she peered at her fiance.
She was unable to fathom what Mrs. Balogun meant by her loss. She was having a feeling that things are not right. She wondered what could be wrong.
"Alright", he said.
They got outside and Bolu started.
"Did you tell Iremide's mother anything?"
"Anything? Like what?"
"Did anything happen to any of my parent?" She asked back ignoring his question.
"No.. yes..nothing", Femi stuttered unable to look her in the eyes.
"What happened Femi? Tell me what it is please. Stop hiding things that I ought to know away from me please", she pleaded.
"I'm sorry", he apologized.
"Just tell what the hell happened. Don't sorry me", she yelled.
"Mother is dead", he blurted.
"What? Whose mother?"
"Your mum."
"Femi, my mum is gone? No!!!!!!!!!!", she screamed.
********************
"Mummy, I need to take Bolu back home", Femi said to Mrs. Obed who just came out of the doctor's office.
"I hope all is well dear", Mrs. Obed questioned with concern.
"Bolu's mum is dead", he announced.
"Oh Goodness! When did it happen? Was she sick?", she asked.
"Yes", he answered.
"Oh My God! I wanted to visit her when Fola first got admitted into the University after hearing of her illness but I was unable to. She has been sick ever since?"
"Yes. She was diagnosed of cancer. The death was expected but Bolu's father took her to India for chemotherapy thinking it will delay it."
"How is Bolu?", she asked with concern.
"She isn't taking it lightly."
"Poor girl."
"I never knew she was unaware", Mrs. Balogun commented.
"You were the one that told her", Femi asked.
"Yes."
"You knew?", Mrs. Obed questioned.
"Yes, Femi told me on our way home yesterday. If we had known they were going through a trying time, we wouldn't have asked them for the money."
"Please do take her home and drive safe", Mrs. Obed told Femi and he nodded.
"When is the doctor discharging Fola?", he asked.
"He said tomorrow", Mrs. Obed replied him.
"I don't know if I would be able to come pick you guys up tomorrow but I will try. I need to stay with Bolu till her father comes back. I don't want her to do something unpleasant over her mother's death."
"Don't worry about us, my dear. Just go. Once we get home tomorrow, I will come visiting too."
"My car would be here. Maybe I should give the keys to your husband so he can use it to transport you back home."
"Alright, thank you for all the help you have rendered. God bless you."
"Amen ma. We thank God for both Fola and Iremide's life. Where is he?", he asked Mrs. Balogun.
"You mean Iremide?", Mrs. Balogun asked back and Femi nodded. "He went to see his sweetheart", she answered him with a smile.
"Alright, goodbye", he muttered turning to go.
"That reminds me, I haven't seen Ife ever since the rescue. Did she travel?", he asked Iremide's mother.
"No she didn't. She is a very sensitive child and I don't want her to know that her brother was hurt by the kidnappers. So I asked Bolu to help me take her to where Biodun is staying for the main time. When everything dies down, she will come back home", Mrs. Balogun explained.
"Oh! That means she is at aunty Bidemi's house?"
Iremide's mother replied him. "Yes, Bolu's aunt."
"Alright. See you when you come home", he uttered with finality.
"Take care of you and Bolu please and extend my condolences to her and her father", Mrs. Obed said to him.
"I will do just that ma. Odaabo (goodbye)", he remarked waving at them before moving out of the hospital.
He got into the car to meet Bolu having a conversation with her father on the phone.
"Hello daddy", Bolu said into the phone.
"Hello princess, how are you doing?", her father said calmly.
"What is happening over there dad?", she asked.
"What happened? Nothing happened. Just that we are coming home tomorrow."
"Cut the crap daddy and tell me what happened to mum", Bolu yelled.
"Why the yelling? Your mother is dead", he announced bluntly. "Are you satisfied now?"
"What?", Bolu sobbed again.
She didn't want to believe Femi. Now she believed her mother was gone forever.
"Yes, she is. You knew all along that your mother was sick and you left for Nigeria. You stood by your friend instead of coming back to stay with us here. Your friend is more important than your family right?"
"Dad....." She cried. "I am sorry. Fola is also like a family."
"Just shut up. Not telling you about her illness all these while is because we don't want it to affect your academics. You ruined the opportunity of having the last conversation with your mother before she gave up the ghost with your stupid and unnecessary anger issues."
He was silent for a while and then he cried out. "Boluwatife, my wife died in my arms.
"Daddy, I am sorry."
Bolu was pleading but there was silence from the other end. She looked into the phone and saw that he was still there.
Probably crying.
"Daddy? I said I am sorry", she said crying. "Daddy......"
Her father disconnected the call and she howled in tears unable to contain the pain of not having a mother anymore.
************************
"What do you know about the death of your wife, Mrs. Folake Garba, Bisi your cook, Tunde Adewuyi and also the attempted murder on Folake Obed, Iremide Balogun and Rachel Olukoya", the officer questioned Mr. Garba who was sitted with confidence and a stern look on his face.
"I won't say a thing until you allow me call my lawyer. Besides you have no evidence to show that I actually killed them."
"You think so? We have a solid evidence that can make you rot in jail. You think your position in the society can bail you out? You must be mistaken."
Mr. Garba laughed evilly. "You think you can intimidate or threaten me with that? I know my right and you can't do a thing to me till you have evidences. For now, I am just a suspect."
The police officer laughed. "I can see you have no idea Rachel is in our custody."
"What?", Mr. Garba exclaimed jerking upright with a horrified look on his face.
********************
"Rachel Olukoya, tell us all you know about Mr. Garba and your involvement with him if you want to come out of this alive", a policeman questioned Rachel in the other room.
Tears trickled down her eyes as she answered. "He used me. He wanted to kill my baby and I. I have said all that I know. Ola, his son is innocent. He doesn't know of any of his evil deeds. Please release him."
"Are you saying this because he is your husband?", the police asked.
"No. I just want to make things right. He is truly innocent and he is a good man."
"If he is a good man like you claimed, why then was he insisting on his marriage with Fola."
"He doesn't love her. He just want to make his father happy."
"Alright. Apart from you, who else is involved in this?"
She replied. "Tunde who was killed in your custody, Jacquar and Freeman."
"You need to give us a detailed description of who Jacquar and Freeman is. You also need to tell us how and where to get them", he told her jotting down the names.
"You are a pretty lady, why did you let him turn you to this?", the police officer questioned all of a sudden.
Rachel couldn't answer.
She burst into an uncontrollable tears as her tears mixed freely with the liquid secretion from her nose.