I cnt bliv v bn up since 5am reading ds beautiful piece of yours, & i must say its s great 1.... writing s quite tasking.....thumbs up bro!!

let's see what the lawyer has to say.

I hope it doesn't complicate matters more
Well done. Mr larry

When Chike Okafor was ushered in by Daniel, the detective raised eyebrows at seeing him, for the lawyer was the thinnest man Lot had ever laid his eyes upon. Okafor was a tall, slender man with bushy grey hair; he could have been someone’s conception of a biblical prophet if not for the size of his upper body, which was not in agreement with the lower. He could have been a professional runner if he had put those tentacles he called legs to good use. Like his legs, the lawyer’s neck was long and very slender, giving the head the hieratic appearance of a bird of prey his spectacles with diamanté rims showed that he was well to do in his profession.

In the years that had passed, Chike Okafor had risen in stature to one of the most reliable lawyers in the country because of his continued work with defending the political thugs, his profession had attained him connection with citizens of higher echelons.

He stepped into the room with a smile which seemed particularly inappropriate to the shape of his rather smallish head, with ears that stuck out almost at right angles. He saw Lot, gave a broader smile and extended his hand for a shake. Lot immediately grabbed his paw in an iron grip, shook it up and down, and by the time he would release it the lawyer was already close to tears in anguish.

"You’re welcome, Barrister Okafor.”

“It’s a privilege to meet you, Detective Lot,” Okafor replied with renewed smile, “I’ve heard a lot about you, sir.”

“You’re the deceased’s lawyer, right?”

‘Which one of the deceased are you referring to? I heard that two people have been killed.”

“Mr. Jamal Malik.”

“Of course, of course. I manage all his legal issues. He was my client.” His eyes wondered around the room with curiosity and they rested on the picture of the deep-cleavaged golden Goldie.

“For how long had he been your client?”

“For about five years now.”

“Did the deceased write a will before his death?”

“Oh yes, he certainly did—a couple of times.”

“A couple of times?”

“Mr. Malik had written and rewritten his will four times since the last five years.”

“What brought you here today?”

“I received a call last night from someone anonymous telling me about the demise of my client. I came to confirm the veracity of the information. I had been calling Mr. Malik’s number since last night without much success. I’d have called Mrs. Malik if I’d had her phone number.”

“Do you know the name of the caller?”

“No, I don’t.”

“What about the voice? Do you know whose voice it was?”

Okafor shook his head no.

“Was the caller a male or female?”

“It’s very hard to tell. I think the caller made it a task to hide his or her voice. The voice could easily have been either a man’s or a woman’s. besides, I was paying more attention to the words than the voice. It was a very short call actually, less than a minute’s.”

“Barrister, how close are you to the Maliks?”

“Not very close. I don’t come here much. As a matter of fact, this is my second time of stepping my feet into this compound. The family members don’t even know me. Mr. Malik kept his will a secret—not even the wife knew about it. He strictly instructed me to make the content of the will known only after his demise.”
"When did he create his first will?”

“That was in 2007.”

“What was the content of that first will?”

"Fifty percent of every of his property should be shared among his four offspring—Ruth, David, Gabriel and Esther. He had it altered in 2009 where he excluded all his family members and bequeathed the whole of his properties to charity.”

“Charity? Why would he do that?”

“That was the same question I asked him. All he was able to tell me was that he did it as atonement for his sins; whatever that might have meant. But again, he had it changed in 2011.”

“To what?”

“he left everything to his wife—Mrs. Hannah Malik.”

“That’s quite interesting. He must have loved the woman so much.”

“The kind of love he had for that woman was unshakable.”

“His doctor wouldn’t agree with you.”

“What?”

“Never mind. When did he have the will changed for the fourth time?”

“That was last year November.”

‘What is its content?”

Okafor stared at Lot, “It’s confidential.”

“Then un-confidentialize it; we’re investigating a murder case for crying out loud.”

“Okay. The fourth change is remarkably different from all the others because a new name was added among the beneficiaries.”

“By the new name, I suppose you meant ‘Abel’.”

The lawyer was astounded, “How—how did you know that?”

“Again, never mind. What is the full content of the will?”

"Twenty percent of his whole property is to be equally shared between Ruth Brown and Esther Malik. Forty Percent should also be equally shared between his two sons—David and Gabriel. The remaining forty percent goes to Abel. I was surprised that he bequeathed the lion’s share to this Abel. When I asked him he told me Abel was his first son whom he thought was long dead but he was not sure. He decided to include him in the will now because he had reasons to believe that the so called Abel was alive. However, he later added that if any of the offspring was confirmed dead at the time of the reading of this will, the deceased’s share should be passed directly to his or her child. Otherwise, the portion should be distributed equally among the remaining surviving offspring. This is the news I’m here to share with Jamal’s family members.”

“So, Abel was the codicil. What about Mrs. Malik? Why did he cut his wife off the will?”

“He smiled strangely at my question when I asked him, then he made a rather queer comment, ‘She won’t be needing it’—that was the statement he made.”

Lot had received the photographs of the corpses. He selected the pictures of the second corpse and scattered the photographs on the table for the lawyer’s view.

"Do you recognize the man in this picture?”

Okafor picked up a photograph and held it close to his face. He studied the image therein for some time and shook his head as he dropped it. ‘No, I don’t know him. Who is he?”

“That is the supposed Abel Malik whose name had been included in the new will.”

The lawyer picked up the picture again and whistled, “Oh my God! Abel is dead!”

“I’m still having some reservations about the identity of the man until a potential witness step forward to declare that the man is really the estranged son of late Jamal Malik.”

“Are you saying that none of Mr. Malik’s children recognize him?”

“None whatsoever. Abel had been away from home for about twenty years. And the dead man isn’t in any position to explain his own true identity.”

“And nobody has stepped forward?”

“No one. That is why you’ll have to put a hold on the reading of the will for now. Do I have your co-operation?”

“Of course, you do. I understand what’s at stake.”

“Thanks a lot, Barrister Okafor. Before you go, I’ll like to ask you one last question.”

“Shoot.”

“I was told that Mr. Malik placed a call to you on the night of December twenty-fourth, asking you to come the next day. The call was about his intention to change his will. I’m wondering why you refused to appear the next day as scheduled.”

The lawyer listened attentively to the detective. When Lot had finished, he leaned forward, stared straight at his interrogator’s eyes and said, “Detective, I swear with everything I hold dear in my life, Mr. Malik did not call me that night you mentioned. He didn’t call me at all.”

Ahh, and the plot thickens
Still I follow

The person behind this whole thing sabi play games wella o but ojo gbogbo niti ole,ojo kan niti oni nkan.Keep up the good work Larry

Oga Larry i hail ooo

hmmmmm

we'll get there, that's one thing i know
whoever the caller might be

ermmm...so Ogbeni Lot dey patronise allen junction, olosho things...lol

nice job Mr. LarrySun

The man called Lot.......


Larry, I did not get the chapter you said that you sent oh! Besides I will like to ask some questions about the book when am done with it.

Na wa o! A lot o mysteries are yet to be unravel, more are cropping up. Well done Larry. U have way of making thing unpredictable in ur write up and that's the beauty of it. Fire on sir.

TWENTY-TWO

David Malik and his wife came into the interrogation room where Okafor, Lot and Daniel were waiting. David’s expression was of impatience as he sat himself down. Okafor stood and came forward to greet the couple.

“How do you do, Mr. and Mrs, Malik? We've never really met, but as you probably know already, I'm Barrister Okafor. I can't tell you how distressed I am by your father's demise."

“We’re good, Barrister. Thank you.” Anuli replied.

“Your first name is David, right?” Lot asked the husband.

David nodded.

“A good name it is,” the detective elucidated, “It suggests great strength.”

“Thank you, detective. This is my wife.”

Anuli was skinny but full-bre*sted; her bosoms were of the size that cameras linger on in movies, and she possessed the face of a child. Her eyes were narrow and slightly slanted under thin brows which looked as if they had been plucked out. They gave an exotic distraction to a face which might have been thought interesting if not pretty, were it not for the sullen downturn of the overlong mouth. She was wearing a long sleeveless cotton dress, patterned in blue and black. Her only jewellery was a ring—a red stone surrounded by pearls—on her middle finger.

Anuli said in her quiet voice:

“It has been a frightful shock to David—to all of us actually; but particularly to him.” Her hand was on her husband’s shoulder.

When everyone had seated, Lot said to David: “Mr. Malik, would you mind telling us your middle name?”

“Hussein. I’m David Hussein Malik. My father named me Hussein, but David is the name my mother gave, which I happen to like better.”

“Thank you,” Lot turned to the wife, “And you too. Mrs. Malik? Yell us your full name, including your maiden.”

“I am Anuli Gloria.”

“Her maiden name,” her husband added, “is Veer.”

Daniel opened his eyes wide, “You’re joking, aren’t you?”

David glared at him and asked, “Do I look like a mascot to you?” He added, “There is one born every minute. Believe me when I tell you that you’re not the brightest star in the constellation, because I’m an expert in celestial navigation.”

“It’s Hindi,” Anuli explained, “My great-grandfather was an Indian investor who came to Nigeria in the early Twentieth Century to set up an industry. Not long after settling in this country with his investment, he married a young Nigerian lady, added to his retinue of wives he left behind in New Delhi. The young woman’s name was Ajoke; but my father told me he used to call her A-Joke; and because she didn’t understand the English, she didn’t mind being called that. My great-grandmother was the new wife, and my great-grandfather’s name was Ramesh Veer.”

Lot sighed and said, “I was afraid you were going to say that you were somehow related to Amitab Bacchan or Dharmendra.”

“I was likewise afraid that it was your wife who turned to a pillar of salt,” Anuli replied immediately. The reply was fired back so quickly that Lot suspected it had been framed in advance, ready for the proper occasion. She added, “I only have an Indian origin, nothing else.”

“Are you an Hindu?”

“My great-grandfather was, but I’m not. I’m a Christian.”

“I’m glad you are,” Lot replied, “The only thing I like about the culture of these Indians is there method of handling the deceased—they cremate them. After that, nothing else—all their beliefs about jinxes, suttees, talisman, portents, elixirs and sorcery are plainly ridiculous. Most especially their view about reincarnation. Quite revolting, I must confess. You can never convince them that when a man dies his soul vanishes. It doesn’t travel into another body to be reborn.”

“It’s not all Indians who believes in reincarnation,” Anuli argued, “I’m a Christian though, but I strongly believe in reincarnation. I believe that a man does not die and face judgment immediately. There is always a moment of respite where he’ll go back to the world in another body and consciousness to change his ways and atone for his sins.”

David stared at his wife as if he was seeing her for the first time.

“Reincarnation is a mere word for individualism,” Anuli continued, evidently enjoying the temporary spotlight. “Reincarnation is also for the human experience. You see, Detective Lot, we mortals are so pompous that we have deluded ourselves in believing that in all of eternity, and all of the vast universe, that we are the only ones who have undergone the human experience. I’ve always believed that it’s happened before, on the very earth.”

Daniel Famous wondered what the woman was talking about.

“In the Almighty God’s scheme, what is a few billion years is only here and there. Perhaps there have come and gone a dozen human civilization in the past billion years that we know nothing about. And after this civilization we are living in destroys itself, it will all start up again in a few hundred million years when the planet has all its messes cleaned up. Then finally, one of these civilizations, say a five billion years from now, will last for eternity because people will treat each other the way they ought to do. That’s what I call reincarnation, basically.”

The detective allowed her to ramble for a decent interval. When she stopped, there was silence. Eyes were looking at her curiously. Only one pair of eyes was of admiration—the lawyer’s. the first person to speak thereafter was her husband.

“What book have you been reading, Ann?” David asked, not without a tone of astonishment.

When Lot spoke, he said, “Thanks for the lecture, Mrs. Malik. We’re going to ask you and your husband a few questions about the cases we’re investigating.” He paused and added, “And I would appreciate it if you didn’t open another chapter in your volume of Reincarnation Brittanica and lecture us one more time.”

“Don’t worry about that, she won’t.” David replied sharply, his eyes were cold.

‘Thanks for the assurance, Mr. Malik. So, how long have you been married to each other?”

“Going to two years now.”

“I suppose your parents and siblings were there at the ceremony.”

Davis shook his head. “None of them attended, I married her in the East, a far away place from home. In fact, this was the first time my father met my wife.”

“That means you’ve been away from home for a long time, right?”

“Right.”

“For how long?”

“Long enough for my father not to know me enough.”

“Why is that?”

“I’d rather not talk about it.”

“His father used to date his girlfriend.” Anuli said suddenly.

elpiroski: Ahh, and the plot thickens
Still I follow

Thanks a lot, Elpiroski.

seunviju: The person behind this whole thing sabi play games wella o but ojo gbogbo niti ole,ojo kan niti oni nkan.Keep up the good work Larry

A cunning and greedy game-player. Remember what happened when Cain challenged Richard to a game of survival?

pricelesslove: Oga Larry i hail ooo

Thanks a lot, ma'am. Bless you

Flakeey: hmmmmm

we'll get there, that's one thing i know
whoever the caller might be

ermmm...so Ogbeni Lot dey patronise allen junction, olosho things...lol

nice job Mr. LarrySun

Lol @ bolded. He's a man too

rapmike: The man called Lot.......


Larry, I did not get the chapter you said that you sent oh! Besides I will like to ask some questions about the book when am done with it.

I'm sorry, I slept off last night. Will send it tonight.

Adinije: Na wa o! A lot o mysteries are yet to be unravel, more are cropping up. Well done Larry. U have way of making thing unpredictable in ur write up and that's the beauty of it. Fire on sir.

Thanks a lot, Adinije. We're getting closer to the denouement.

well done larrysun.

Ok, I'm up to date now. Blinks eyes properly. Finally have a clearer Understanding of what the razzmataz is all abt. Don't normally take sides with the Xters in plots...but so far so good, its been an intriguing ride. The suspense, twist, action, tongue-lashing(don't particular like that part), revelations, ingenuity, and...and well, I'm still following until I witness the end. Nice Job again Mr Larry. Awaitng the final draft of the CollAbo!

hmmmm
this Jamal has wronged many pple including his son
who knows how many people he hurt (mistery unravelling...)

anyways fingersX

LarrySun: I'm sorry, I slept off last night. Will send it tonight.

ok

LarrySun:
... Lot sighed and said, “I was afraid you were going to say that you were somehow related to Amitab Bacchan or Dharmendra.”

“ I was likewise afraid that it was your wife who turned to a pillar of salt, ” Anuli replied immediately.

Shey dis woman dey for inside my head ni?
The perfect response for the 'nosy' detective.

Fire on

Great work. I swear down, this is really interesting.

More strength, sire.

sanandreas: well done larrysun.

Thanks, Sanandreas.

kelsmic: Ok, I'm up to date now. Blinks eyes properly. Finally have a clearer Understanding of what the razzmataz is all abt. Don't normally take sides with the Xters in plots...but so far so good, its been an intriguing ride. The suspense, twist, action, tongue-lashing(don't particular like that part), revelations, ingenuity, and...and well, I'm still following until I witness the end. Nice Job again Mr Larry. Awaitng the final draft of the CollAbo!

I don't like the tongue-lashing too.

Will write the final draft of the collaboration as soon as I'm done here.

Thank you, sir.

Flakeey: hmmmm
this Jamal has wronged many pple including his son
who knows how many people he hurt (mistery unravelling...)

anyways fingersX

Who do you think is more callous between he and Cain?

rapmike:
ok

Sent.

alizenbohr:

Shey dis woman dey for inside my head ni?
The perfect response for the 'nosy' detective.

Lol! I don't blame him much; it's the work of a detective to be nosy.

ezeigbo194: Fire on

Okay, sir. Soon.

Iaz93: Great work. I swear down, this is really interesting.

More strength, sire.

Wow! And Iaz is here! I'm glad.

hahahahahaha, just waiting for more secrets to be opend, i never knew Jamal was this promiscuos, all accusing fingers to one man...

But can't wait to know the killer.

LarrySun: Who do you think is more callous between he and Cain?

Jamal! Jamal! Jamal!