Chapter 11
“Thompson, you were too harsh on her”, Mr. James scolded me when I reported what transpired between Isadora and I to him two days later while on our way to a mall.
“Everything going on is eating away the trust I have in her, what is a relation without trust?”, I asked Mr. James who only smiled.
“I have this strong feeling that whatever is going on with Isadora is connected to what we are investigating”, Mr. James responded with all seriousness.
“What made you think so?”, I asked him curiously.
“I have this instinct, a very strong one for that, and you have known me for long to understand what I mean by such instinct”, Mr. James smiled more.
“It better be good”, I frown at him.
“I hope so too”, Mr. James enjoined.
We soon arrived and Mr. James parked the car
“One of the Nurses that was kidnapped younger sister works in outlets here…as arranged, we’ll meet her and she will hand us some documents”, Mr. James reminded me while I nodded.
“I still remember everything without missing out any single detail”, I smiled mischievously at Mr. James who shook his head in a sarcastic manner.
We both alighted from our car and walked towards the entrance of the mall, I sighted Isadora’s car parked in one of the parking lots. It was empty and no one was inside, Mr. James also noticed but pretended not to know what I was looking at till I called his attention.
“Bros…let’s focus on our assignment here”, was his response which shut me up.
We arrived where Mr. James claimed was the location, a young pretty lady smuggled an envelope to Mr. James and quickly vanished without a word. We were heading back to the exit when I caught Isadora in an embrace with a man, this wasn’t casual embrace which generally is used as a form of greeting. Although Isadora wasn’t holding onto the man as it should be, their posture spoke volume. Mr. James noticed that I’ve frozen in my track staring at a particular direction, he simultaneously tilted his head to take a look at what tied me to a spot. Shock were written all over his face, but the shock soon metamorphosed into an expression I couldn’t read or didn’t bother to read. Just then, Isadora saw me and violently pushed the man away, he staggered and fell down. I was still trying to process what I just saw when the man stood up and walked towards Isadora, I didn’t watch what happened next but angrily storm off while Mr. James ran towards Isadora, I didn’t stop to look back to know what happened next but heard Isadora’s voice in the background calling me. I stormed toward the road, stopped and board an incoming taxi to my house.
“Please let me explain, it is not what you’re thinking Thompson”, Isadora pleaded on her knees while holding me by my right leg.
“There is nothing to explain, your funny attitude all those period explained everything clean and clear”, I barked at her while pushing her off my leg.
Mr. James and Agnes banged into my house breathing heavily.
“Thompson, calm down”, Mr. James pleaded.
“There is nothing to calm down about here, plus I caught her…”, I began but was cut short by a hot slap from Mr. James while both ladies gasp out in shock.
“You are just ranting like a mad man, why can’t you be rational?”, Mr. James spit angry words at me while I went dumb trying to process what happened.
“Did you just slap me Jamie?”, I asked still feeling where he slapped.
“Yes I did, and I will slap you again if you dare raise your voice on anyone here again and be shouting like a mad man”, Mr. James threatened sternly as he raised his hand up for another slap but Agnes raced in between us facing him.
“Common James, please it’s okay…don’t make matter worst. Drop down your hand, don’t hit your friend”, Agnes pleaded with Mr. James.
“Mr. James hesitated for a while before lowering his hand, again turned to face me, she led me to the nearest seat.
“What you saw at the more isn’t what you think”, Mr. James began as I sat up with a mock expression but Mr. James continued ignoring my facial expression”, Isadora wasn’t alone, she was with Agnes but
You weren’t patient enough to wait. Agnes, tell him what happen”, Mr. James nodded toward Agnes.
“I wanted to get some new appliances for my new eatery, so I informed Isadora about it. We both went to the mall to get them. On arrival, I saw what I wanted but Isadora excused herself to check something up when I heard her asking someone to leave her. I was still trying to pay for what I purchase so I hurriedly left only to find a man holding her against her will. I recognized him immediately, his name is Biggie, and he had been making threats, demanding one thing after the other from Isadora. I know all this because Isadora told me everything from when it started. We didn’t want to tell you because the man threatened to kill you if we do”, Agnes pause to catch some glimpse of Isadora.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take it from here”, Isadora beckoned on Agnes who nodded.
“Okay”, Came Agnes’ response.
“Biggie is my ex, his full name is Joseph but was known as Big Joe, which birth his nickname, Biggie. Met him years back, it happened I was returning home from my night shift when I stumbled across a struggling man lying and crawling on bare ground in pains, I called for help and rushed him to the hospital where it was discovered that he was poisoned and was brought in early if not won’t have made it. He was lucky and survived, his recovery wasn’t hard for the Doctor was very good in his field. He was later discharged after been certified okay by the Doctor. But I noticed he was reluctant to return home, so I book a room in a hotel for him. He stayed there for a week before informing me that he was relocating. One thing led to another and we began dating but I broke up with him in the early stage of the relationship when I found out he was one of those underworld guys. That was when I understood his relocation plans and since then, I’ve not heard from or spoken to him”, Isadora looked at Mr. James who nodded.
“So what now brought him back? How come you still have his number and all?”, I asked Isadora impatiently.
“I deleted his contact and changed my line after that, I don’t know how he managed to get my new line and began bombarding me with calls. He later told me that there’s a case you’re nosing on, that you should abort it or get ready to face the consequences. I had to beg him nit to harm you. And since then, he always demands for money in order not to kill you. At times, Agnes assist me in paying”, Isadora sat down’
“Money…hmmm, so you mean someone had been blackmailing you into giving them money with my own life?’ I asked Isadora.
“Not someone Thompson, I know Biggie ad I know what e is capable of”, Isadora cuts in.
“He is nothing but a bloody opportunist!”, I responded angrily.
“Opportunist or not, blackmail or not…I don’t care about him. What matters to me most is your life and I can’t trade it for anything”, Isadora raised her voice.
“Is that why you allowed an idiot from the blues to come and sip you dry financially using me as a leverage?”, I asked Isadora raising my voice also.
“Thompson, I value you and I can’t let anything happen to you”, Isadora yelled at me.
“That’s enough”, Mr. James ordered sending both of us into total silence.
“That’s better”, Agnes giggled. “Now Isadora. You said the Big-ass or whatever he calls himself said Thompson should abort the case he is investigating?”. Mr. James questioned Isadora.
“Yes”, Came her sharp response.
“You said you saved him from poisoning right?”, Mr. James questioned further.
“Yes” Isadora replied with a questioning look while I started getting hint to where Mr. James’ questions were driving to.
“Wait a minute”, I cut in while Mr. James looked at me.
“Yes…”He narrowed his eyes.
“Remember they were gang members but all got poisoned but one person survived. Her story aligned with it, to make it clearer, he is already making threats about our investigation. I am having this feeling that this is our guy”, I noted while Mr. James nodded.
“He was one of those guys that killed those Nurses, smoking him out will lead us right to the individual who mastermind the whole plan”, Mr. James chucked sinisterly.
“Wait…what plan?... Investigation…what are you both taking about?”, Isadora cut in looking lost.
“Agnes’ baby”, Mr. James dropped the bomb shell.
“Hahaha…you must be kidding me”, Agnes laughed loudly but on seeing the seriousness on my face and that of Mr. James cut short her laughter and quickly added, “My baby girl is dead”.
“That is where you are wrong”, Mr. James informed her.
“Wrong? How?”, Agnes’ face was visibly confused to portray the state of her mind.
“Yes, your baby is alive”, I dropped the shocker.
“What?!“, Agnes and Isadora screamed together in shock.
“How is that possible? I mean… I saw her body being buried and…”, Agnes began.
“That’s where you got it wrong, it was not your baby that was being. Your baby was swapped for the dead baby, remember you said there was a scratch on your baby but there was none on the dead one” Mr. James explained to a perplexed Agnes.
“Then who swapped her from me?”, Agnes asked calmly.
“The act was carried out by three nurses at the hospital where you put to birth. Later, the person who wanted the child had them eliminated by Biggie and his gang. In order to clean his track and avoid traces organized an indoor party, inviting biggie and his gang. Served them meat, wine and other delicacies which he smuggle in poison. Everyone died later on from the effect of the poison, but how Biggie managed to survive is still a mystery”, I explained further while Agnes sank down with her hands on her head.
“Egbami-oo, so my baby is alive all these years and I never knew”, Agnes screamed.
“I now understand the reason behind his relocation and why he came back. So if they found out he was still alive there would have been trouble for him”, Isadora faced Mr. James.
“Exactly, that’s more reasons he uses threats”, Mr. James cut in.
Then the odd is now against him, we now have the leverage to get to the bottom of this”, Isadora responded resolutely.
“I will do whatever it takes to get back my baby”, Agnes swore under her breath.
“But didn’t you tell us about this, rather you both chose to keep it a secret”, Isadora accused us.
“It was for Agnes’ sake, didn’t want to laden her more in past sorrows”, Mr. James answered.
“I understand and it’s okay by me, now that we are all cool…let’s get to the bottom of this and get the asses of everyone involved this mess kicked”, Agnes stood up from the floor with determination written all over her face.
“I never had anything with Biggie any more, I never cheated on you Thom…”, Isadora began but I cut her short.
“It okay Isadora and I am sorry for the way I reacted love”, I opened my arms while Isadora ran into it sobbing like a child who had miss its mother.