Episode 24
By 8:45am that fateful day, I was led into the state police headquarters by the policemen who surrounded me as if I was the most wanted criminal in the country. I couldn’t believe myself. I felt like crying. I felt like throwing up. Of course I knew I was in for a tough ride with the police. Slowly I was led into an office
where two officers with the rank of A.S.P were seated. Jessica was prevented from entering the office by the inspector who led the arrest.
‘’madam you have to stay outside and wait for your lawyer to show up. Allow us to do our work please’’ he breathed as he blocked her from entering the office.
I just didn’t know how to react over the situation I found myself. I just felt like a cursed man. Of course things stopped going well for me the day I started sleeping with Jessica. Perhaps the curse was from her.
‘’Mr. Kelvin, this gun belongs to you right?’’ one of the senior officers asked after studying me for few seconds. I just didn’t know what to answer. I knew my comments could be used against me in future. I simply kept quiet, angering the officer.
‘’Mr. Kelvin, I believe you know what happens to kidnappers in this state?. You will rot in jail and your house demolished. Its better you help us to quickly end this case and I promise to help you as well’’ he said softly, leaving his eyes on me.
‘’I’m not a kidnapper. I’m an honest Nigerian. The gun was just to protect myself. I have been robbed countless times in my house and I had to get it for my protection. I’m not the man you are looking for. I didn’t kidnap any lawyer. You are just wasting your time with me’’ I screamed desperately. The inspector quickly hit me from behind, silencing me.
‘’I think its better we put him in the cell for some hours so that he can cool off’’ the other officer suggested, putting great fear into me with his words.
‘’now can you write your statement, detailing all you know about the kidnapped lawyer and how you were arrested’’ the first officer asked. I nodded quickly.
‘’yes I can’’ I breathed.
‘’good, here is a pen and a paper, write all you know’’ he added quickly while the inspector quickly removed my handcuffs.
Slowly I wrote how I met the kidnapped lawyer once in my house and the reason he visited. I equally added how I was arrested because of the gun found in my bedroom. I wrote everything with a clean conscience, hoping to convince the officers with my statement. Unfortunately the inspector who was breathing down my neck as I wrote the statement wouldn’t allow me to finish.
‘’this is crap’’ he screaamed as I was writing the last paragraph, grabbed the paper and shook with rage while the senior officers stared at him.
Yes he looked quite older and experienced than his two superiors in the room and it was as if they gave him that respect.
‘’what’s the problem inspector, give me the paper’’ the first officer slowly demanded while the inspector hesitated before handing over the paper to him. He read it slowly, breathed deeply and left his eyes on me for some seconds.
‘’according to your statement you have no motive for kidnapping the lawyer but the names Jessica and Jude, looks very interesting. Hmmmm. With what you wrote here it seems the lawyer just handled a little family case with your family and it isn’t something that would warrant you to kidnap him, unless of course you and Jessica are in it together. How did Jessica get the house in the first place and how did you end up being her fiancée and how come the house was released without a fight the moment your cousin showed up with the lawyer who was eventually kidnapped that same day?.
Hmmmm your statement isn’t very concise but quite interesting. I guess we will have to question your fiancée and Jude. For now you will have to stay in the cell while we do more digging. Just pray that the lawyer’s kidnap really has nothing to do with your family because we are going to dig deep’’ he said softly. The inspector grinned, grabbed me roughly and led me out of the office. It was just as if he had a personal issue with me. He was really handling me as if we had crossed each other’s path in the past.
Jessica quickly jumped up on sighting me once again.
‘’my love, my lawyers will be here in three minutes. Just don’t get worked up’’ she breathed with eyes filled with unshed tears.
‘’Madam, if I were you, I would be preparing my own defense right now. Your husband just implicated you’’ the inspector muttered coldly, leaving her totally colored up with disbelief as she stared at me with eyes filled with questions..