SHADES OF LUST
Episode 33/34
Written by Oluwatosin Odebiyi
‘’The first time you told me your surname and village, I was scared you were after me. I thought you knew a lot about me and I decided to play along to know how much you knew about me. But now I don’t just know how to act anymore’’ Jessica breathed, turned and backed. I breathed deeply, drew close and held her by the waist.
‘’you have to tell me everything. There isn’t any need hiding such an open secret’’ I urged her softly.
‘’I met Jude’s father during my early years as a banker. He really trusted me with a whole lot of things and I never failed him. I virtually took charge of his account, till I left the banking sector to start my own business. We still maintained the
cordial business relationship and I ran numerous errands for him with my establishment. When he returned to the country earlier in the year, he asked me to get a new contractor for his building project in the village because the old contractor wasn’t delivering like he wanted. I had to go down to the village with him and after seeing the house, he asked me to wait for him to see his brothers and I obliged for some hours but had to leave when it was getting late. The next day I heard he was dead and I just couldn’t get myself to show up at his burial even though it hurt my conscience’’ she narrated convincingly. However I couldn’t help but notice some loopholes in her story.
‘’so you never had an affair with him?’’ I asked. She turned and faced me with a deeply colored face.
‘’of course not. We just were friends and nothing more. I was surprised when you said he showed my picture to his son’’ she answered softly. I breathed deeply.
‘’Jude is planning to start up a formal investigation on his father’s dead. I hope you can tell the police all you just told me because it looks as if you were the last person seen with him before his death?’’ I asked. She nodded slowly
‘’yes I won’t mind telling the police all I know but I don’t want to be involved in the case. Just find a way to keep me off it. I beg of you. Now is time to prove that you really love me’’ she suddenly demanded, taking me aback with her demand.
‘’Yes I really don’t want to be involved in any of it. Remember I kept quiet and believed you after finding out the kind of life you have been living?. I believed you because I love you. I hope you will reciprocate by protecting me?’’ she asked, leaving me stunned and a bit uncomfortable.
‘’since you are innocent, you have nothing to fear’’ I muttered weakly.
‘’you don’t understand how this country works. I’m a very wealthy young lady. The police can easily bring up a theory and rope me in with motive. I want none of it and you have to protect me. I didn’t kill the man. I have no reason to’’ she pushed on, leaving me totally confused and speechless..
‘’I will see what I can do’’ I weakly promised.
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I headed back to my house after a quiet dinner with Jessica. Of course I had a lot to figure out. I had a decision to make. She sounded so convincing and innocent but then deep down I felt she was still hiding something. I felt she didn’t tell me all she knew about my uncle. Perhaps she wasn’t directly responsible but could know what really led to the man’s death. Unfortunately I knew I had no choice than to find a way to conclude my investigation without involving the police or telling Jude everything I knew.
It was something I had to do, not because of my strong feelings towards Jessica but as a leverage to protect myself.
Yes she knew a lot about my criminal life and if things go wrongly could drag me down with her.
There wasn’t any doubt Jude’s father was murdered but supposing Jessica was actually telling the truth, it then meant that my uncle’s murderer was still free out there.
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I returned to my house around 8pm, to see Cynthia waiting for me. I was so surprised to see her in my house by that hour. I equally haven’t seen her in a long while and her presence kind of left me totally shocked.
‘’What the hell!’’ I exclaimed as my eyes fell on her abdomen which really was bigger than it used to be. I could help but have silly ideas in my head as I faced her.
‘’aren’t you happy to see me?’’ she asked with a calm disgusting smile.