Chapter 3 — Who did it?
“What happened? Am I next?” Victory asked
“Ola, he wants you in for questioning”
“Why?” Ola trembled as he spoke. He mustered up courage then stood up and went in.
“Olamide Bankole.. The first son of a great man”
“How, how.. Oh, you probably did a background check of everyone of us, I guess” Ola said. He was still trembling. He prayed Mr. Adams didn’t notice his sweaty palms.
“Actually, I knew your father in College. Wasiu.. Wasiu was a nice man”
“Wow, I don’t know you…my dad never mentioned you”
“Anyway, back to business.. Who was Patricia Adeyemi to you?”
“She is Victory’s cousin and our friend. She stayed here with us before securing accommodation in the school hostel. She still came here often to cook for us. We were all really close friends.”
“So how close was she to you, male friends?”
“Uhm.. She was close to Jo more than me but overall I think she was very close to Leke.. He and Esther came here to visit often so it was obvious to see she was close to him. She liked to be around him and from the looks of things, she even used to visit him in his hostel then”
“Were you ever jealous of the fact that she only liked Leke and Jo?”
“No.. She is pretty and.. uhm.. maybe for a while I.. I had a crush on her..
“Who do you think could have done that to her?”
“I don’t know sir. Everyone seems innocent. Anyone could have done it sir, anyone… I mean.. she is endowed and smart and funny… and…There was one time though.. Oh… No..
“What? What is No?
Just then, Ola started chocking and coughing..
“Should I get you water?”
“No… thanks… I..I…” He fainted
Mr. Adams called his friends as they rushed to pour water on his face.
He woke up coughing coarsely.
“What did you do to my friend, Mr Man?” Jo shouted at Mr. Adams
“Watch your language..” Mr. Adams replied
Ola stood up, he looked at Victory’s eyes, then mine… then straight to Mr. Adams. Then he pointed at a figure..; You did it… You did it.. Why?
Victory looked at who his fingers were directed to: “Jonathan?.. Ola, you know it’s not possible” Victory said
Jo looked at Ola in disbelief. I was shocked and stunned at the same time.
“How can you be accusing me like this?” Jonathan replied angrily
“You and Leke’s bet.. He always won… You said it yourself. That if he wins again, you will deal with him”
“Ola, what?” Victory asked confused
“Leke and Jo.. bet?” I said still in shock
Mr. Adams deep sighed as he remembered his meeting with his nephew.
…At the prison,
“A bet? Leke, are you crazy? So this is the type of life you are living in school. Yet you pretend to be a good Christian child.. After all your parents did… This is what you turned out to be? So, who are your fellow accomplice in this stupid bet”
“Just one sir.. I think…I think he killed Tricia and framed me... It was a one-sided bet. I always got the girls before he did. I.. I am sorry Uncle.. Will God ever forgive me?” Leke wept bitterly.
“Give me the details of this person, I will pay him a visit”
….Back to present…..
“Well, Jonathan.. How did you do it?” Mr. Adams asked
“Do what? What are you even saying?” Jonathan asked
“Tinu.. Where you one of the victim?” Mr. Adams asked Tinu who was shaking already
“Victim? What Victim?” Victory asked. She was as confused as I was.
“I think so but I didn’t know it was a bet.. It was Leke, that afternoon. My sister was not at home. I liked him then so I didn’t feel bad or stopped him when we…” Tinu confessed immediately as tears fell down from her eyes.
“Stopped him when you did what? Wait, Tinu.. So.. you are not a vir.. heh.. Mummy will hear about this” Victory said as she placed her hands on her head
“Sister, I am sorry.. I don’t know what came over me. It was last year.. It was only once..
“So Jo, do you want to be arrested before you say the truth?” Mr. Adams asked.
Jo turned back but for some poor decision making, tried to escape. He was immediately caught by police men at the door post.
“Ojo Jonathan, you are under arrest for the murder of Patricia Adeyemi on the 10th of this month. Anything you say now would be used against you in the Court of law”
Victory wept, Ola sobbed, Tinu wailed silently.. While I stayed quiet in shock, waiting for this nightmare to come to an end.
***Two days later:***
“So you are finally ready to speak. How did you do it?” The detective asked him.
Jonathan scoffed, his lips were brittle and he was bleeding all over his face.
“Did it?; He smiles..; Anyway, I have nothing to lose anymore. So I may as well tell you about it then.. It was 11pm when Ileft for vigil.
No sooner had I arrived, Leke and Tricia came in together looking like some model couple. Their smiles disgusted me. Especially his... How did he keep getting them first? Am I not attractive enough? I came closer to them. For some reason I have sharp hearing so I overheard them saying something about the uncompleted building. Going over to continue what bullshit? Came into a church and the first thing he had on his mind is Sex. Such an animal.
As it turned out to be, she went alone as someone called Leke back. I saw that as an opportunity to confront her. She took his jacket as it was a cold night, smiling and giggling in it as she walked alone to the building. I followed her closely.
She didn’t even deny it. And for some reasons she feel warm and believes Leke would be hers forever. I laughed in me. Leke is a Playboy. He can never change. I was still pissed.
I pulled her close to me. She tried resisting. In fact, that is why she died. She kept hitting her head through it all. If she hadn’t resisted, maybe she would have survived but No, she kept denying me of what she gave freely to Leke.
Anyway, I cleaned myself with the jacket and went back to the vigil. We have this secret passage at the back which late comers choir members hop in from.
I took the chance, hopeful no one would be there. I was glad.
No one saw me, in fact, nobody knew I had left.
Leke went back to the scene incriminating himself the more. So, now what?”
“Hmmnn..” the interrogator only said to him as he stood up with the recorder he had on.
………
It had been a month since Jonathan’s arrest. I am still coping with the shock and twist of Tricia’s death.
Victory and Tinu now live at home, they come to school from home now.
Ola stayed behind at the Kraken’s. He is bold enough. I mean he lived with a murderer.
I still couldn’t believe Leke was not what he made us all believe. He was my neighbor, yet I knew little about him. Immediately he was released, he withdrew from school. I heard he was expelled or something.
Jonathan was sentenced to 30 years. His parents got hom a good lawyer to make that happen. I felt so bad for him.
Life could be unpredictable at times, but I never thought it could turn out to be this unexpected…
The End
