The following day, we were t our investigation room preparing to go pay a private visit to Alhaji Danladi, since we all already scheduled an appointment with him. Agnes’ phone beeped with a message.
“One of my staff just informed me that there was a package that was delivered few minutes ago, that I should come and get it”, Agnes informed us as she left the room putting us all in suspense.
“I have no idea what the package is, so stop staring at me like that”, Biggie fired at Mr. James who was already staring at him.
“I didn’t say anything, I only stared”, Mr. James defended.
“He didn’t say you said; he only said you stared…same words you used”, I cut in with a short laugh.
“Now you see?”, Biggie asked Mr. James as if to prove to him that he was right.
“Two adults chasing clouts”, I teased them as we all burst into laughter.
Just then, Agnes came into the room with a look that suggested something was wrong. We didn’t say a word but stared at her curiously.
“What is the problem?”, Mr. James broke the silence.
“You have a letter”, Agnes nodded toward me as she walked to my direction.
“From…?”, I raised an eye brow.
“Isadora”, Agnes answered and the atmosphere in the room turned into that of shock and fear.
“Wait, hold on…is it an old letter or a recent letter?”, Mr. James asked Agnes who nodded in the negative.
“A recent letter…”, Agnes replied Mr. James as she handed me the letter.
Gently, I collected the letter from Agnes. Took some curious peep at the handwriting on the envelope, it was indeed Isadora’s writing. But Isadora was dead and already buried. And the dead tell no tale, there’s no way a dead person can possibly writes a letter. It’s impossible. I was still holding and lost in thoughts when Biggie came closer and collected the letter from me.
“I have the feelings that this letter I genuine but we never can tell. All of you move out from the room let me open it. If it unfortunately turns out to be a letter bomb, you’ll all be fine”, Biggie instructed us.
“And you?”, Mr. James asked Biggie.
“Well, I’ll be the test tube…if anything goes wrong, then so be it”, Biggie responded to Mr. James with a smile.
“Goodluck”,I patted Biggie’s shoulder as I exit the room.
“And you too, it was nice knowing you, but I believe I am not dying today”, Biggie winked at me.
“I hope so”, Mr. James smiled at Biggie before following behind.
We all moved outside waiting, after five solid minutes, Mr. James’ phone vibrated with a message from Biggie that we should come in. We opened the door hurriedly with Mr. James taking the lead, found Biggie sitting in a corner of the room sweating profusely. Agnes rushed to him while James scampered over to turn on the Air conditioner that was turned off. I walked toward Biggie, gave him a hand, and led him to a seat. I sat close to him as he continued breathing heavily, but his breathing gradually returned to normal.
“You are a brave man”, Agnes commended Biggie who only stared at her like a ghost.
“I don’t think I will ever grow the balls to do that, not in this life”, Mr. James muttered
“And for that, he deserves accolades”, I enjoined as Biggie sat up and handed me the already opened and exposed letter.
“It’s genuine, it’s truly from Isadora.
I collected the letter from Biggie with a look of respect and appreciation.
“What is in it?”, Mr. James asked me stretching his neck as he tried to read the letter I was holding.
“Let him read it for us to hear, that is, if it’s not too personal”, Agnes touched Mr. James’ arm.
“My dear Thompson”, I began at the same time stealing a look at everyone.
“Go on…we are all ears”, Mr. James egged me on. I nodded and resumed reading the letter.
“I am aware that this letter might come to not just you but everyone as a surprise, you might be wondering how a supposed dead person is writing to you.
The letter you wrote to me I received it and I must be honest, it made me cry, when the thought of what I left behind struck my mind. I know that since the time I met you, you have always loved me but afraid to say everything out...even to the point I began to doubt the feelings you had for me. But your letter to me proved me wrong, that you are a young man capable of loving and loving truly. I am blessed to have you met and fallen in love with you and having you in my life.
I know you might be wondering about where I am, if I am safe and where I am now.
How is your friend Jamie? I hope he is good and bouncing? Hope Agnes is taking good care of him? How about Biggie? I hope he is keeping to his Promise of keeping you safe for me? And hope Agnes is keeping to her Promise to Biggie's son?
I just want to let you know that I miss you guys especially you Darlene. I so much Miss you that it hurts. I don't want to sound like a damsel in distress, but u must admit that not being by your side has its effect on me. Over the years, I've grown addicted to your presence.
I don't want to bore you with long epistle, I just want to send you my reply and check up on you, you might as well call this letter A REPLY FROM ISADORA, depending on how you want it.
In your letter, you said that LIFE WONT BE THE SAME AGAIN...that the day I died, A PART of you DIED with me; I can imagine how devastated you were Darlene, but I want you to know that it would sadden me not to have my old jovial, lovely, hardworking and crazy humorous Thompson. I want you to always look at the bright side of life, ignoring it's dark side. For at times, most things that happened in life happened for a reason and for a purpose. I want you to be strong and courageous for my sake, and remember that one day you and I will be reunited again, not in dream but in reality...not in death but in life, not in the spirit but in the flesh.
That said, I want you to be the strong and brave young man I met on that bus on my way back to Choba, the young man I fell in love with at first sight. The young man who stole my heart and ran away with it, thereby giving me sleepless nights till I found him at the event that caused me my life. There are many things I would have loved to say but time won’t permit me. Check under my car driver’s seat…you will see an envelope, check inside the envelope and you will see a flash drive. I believe it will be of great help to you in unfolding all secrets and exposing those behind my death.
Take care my love till we meet again. Until then, I wish you the best of luck. Yours, Isadora…with love”, I finished reading the letter and Mr. James began going through his note book. I was not aware he was noting down points and important details while I was reading the letter.
“Supposed dead person”, Mr. James quoted the letter.
“What does that supposed to mean?”, Biggie asked Mr. James.
“Isadora is not dead, she might be dead to the world, but alive hiding somewhere from those that killed her in the first place”, Mr. James answered Biggie.
“Oh…I see”, Biggie responded.
“See…having you in my life, I was safe and good. Not being by your side has its effect on me, reunited again not in death but in life, not in spirit but in flesh”, Mr. James quoted more words from the letter.
“There are points here and again, it’s impossible for a dead person to write a letter except someone is impersonating them”, Biggie cut =s in.
“But in this case, I doubt it’s an impersonation since she made mention of the event that caused her death and also of the evidence in her car”, Agnes chirped in from where she was sitting.
“But I saw her, lying lifelessly and cold…mo sign of life, her face was pale”, I began and everyone went silent as if paying their last respect to a deceased.
“We all did, we all saw her…that is why we all had doubt at first on hearing about a letter from Isadora”, Mr. James touched my shoulder gently.
“I have this instinct that Isadora is alive”, Biggie tapped his fist on the table.
“A killer always have instincts?”, I joked dryly.
“And it is the killer’s instinct that makes one cautious or get killed”, Biggie corrected.
“I get you, same way you had an instinct that the letter was genuine and not a bomb as we all feared”, Agnes cut in with a smile.
“But we need to be cautious…”. Biggie began.
“Just In case, it is a trap…the other side of a killer’s instinct”, Mr. James chuckled in.
“I see nothing funny with what you are doing; Agnes fumed at Mr. James who froze on his track.
“It is very funny, he is indirectly saying he admired my instinct”, Biggie tried calming the situation as I stared at them as though they were transparent glass I could see through. I had many things going through my mind and argument and little quarrels from lovers wasn’t one of them.
“Mr. James and Agnes, the both of you will pay Alhaji Danladi a visit while Biggie and I will go check on Isadora’s vehicle.
“No, I will follow Agnes to Alhaji Danladi’s place, you and Mr. James go check up Isadora’s car”, Biggie chirped in. I didn’t debate him for I know he must have had his reasons. “The outcome from Isadora’s car will determine the final dance we’ll take”, Mr. James snickered behind me.
“I pray what we find in her car covers the remaining evidence we are searching for and the loops we want to fill”, Biggie muttered as he made towards the door with Agnes trailing behind him.
“I wish you guys luck, and please be careful”, I called after them.
“We will, and you guys also”, Biggie called back before shutting the door behind Agnes.
“I think it’s time”, Mr. James announced few minutes later as he stood up and made toward the door.