Sageez:
shift make I seatdown

Oya comman siddon. Iyaff shift

ah ah... what's happenin, "Of All The Stories In Nairaland"..............

Gamesound:
ah ah... what's happenin, "Of All The Stories In Nairaland"..............

Work happened. I sincerely apologize. A publisher contacted to express his interest and make me stop the updates. Just went through their deal and it isn't good enough, so much I'd rather publish it myself and put it up for free. Anyways, I've been on the road all day and my brain is scrambled right now, but I promise to put up chapter nine and ten tomorrow. I'd be good once I get some sleep. Thanks for the understanding, I won't let y'all down again.

johnspurgeon014:


Work happened. I sincerely apologize. A publisher contacted to express his interest and make me stop the updates. Just went through their deal and it isn't good enough, so much I'd rather publish it myself and put it up for free. Anyways, I've been on the road all day and my brain is scrambled right now, but I promise to put up chapter nine and ten tomorrow. I'd be good once I get some sleep. Thanks for the understanding, I won't let y'all down again.

would av been cool if u dropd one 2day bt all the same take ur time nd dnt starv me 2moro

Me:

Logs on to www.nairaland.com


Clicks on 'followed topics'

"Thank God, Johnspurgeon014 must have dropped new update"

Clicks on topic: "Of All The Girls In Lagos (story By John Spurgeon)"

"No Update!!!

Awesome story you've got here...but, in the course of reading, I noticed you typed some sentences in the present tense whereas you're writing in the past. Do well to take the correction.

Hope all is well mr john ??.... It doesn't take this long to post your previous updates...

remiseyi:
Hope all is well mr john ??.... It doesn't take this long to post your previous updates...

Yeah v been thinking on the same note. We can only pray all his well*Sighs*

DandyPearl:
Then let's call dem. Mattkent, donkross1, maggielovely, calmdove, jaytoy, henz24, girlharley, damyem, sageez, afz9095. Comman see something ya'all

present ma. I don show

Sorry for the delay. I'm on a work trip, socializing prior to a quarterly meeting, and there is quite a lot of distractions here. Nevertheless I promised, and even though my glo network is weak, I intend to fulfill my promise, so here it goes...


CHAPTER NINE


Andy drove to the Bankole family house despite Lade’s protests. It was the sensible thing to do though. Banks needed first aid and Vanessa had a kit. Moreover, home seemed the safest place to be that night with what they’d just done.
“Should we… shouldn’t we… uhm… I’ve got Cindy’s number crammed.” Lade turned around to face Banks. She was standing at the balcony with a glass of wine in her hand. Banks was sitting on his mother’s recliner with a half-filled glass next to a bottle of Chardonnay on the coffee table in front of him. “We could call her…find out what is happening…what Sting is up to.” She turned to face him. His handsome face was bruised, but the wounds were clean. Damn her hands for shaking too much. She would have done more than just plaster the little gash on his left temple and the right corner of his lips.

They had come out to the balcony after the dinner Andy had prepared. Andy had gone to his room afterwards and this was the first either was broaching the subject of their elopement since they got back.

Banks watched Lade a bit, his bruised face expressionless. Her face flushed at the attention. She broke her gaze and looked at something else, as she felt goose pimples on her neck and arms. She seemed restless and he knew why. He shook his head. “No…not yet. Maybe tomorrow.”
She turned to stare out again. She heard him move and looked over her shoulder to see him get up from his chair and walk up to her. He leaned on the balcony backward next to her. He seemed hesitant. “I don’t know how else to ask you this…” She scratched her neck and shifted her stance uncomfortably.
“Are you okay?” Banks asked.
“Mhmm…” She looked him in the eye for a second and looked away. She had broken a sweat under the night breeze. “Why do you…Why do you ask?” Banks shrugged. “Nothing, I just want you to be okay.”
She looked at him with shifty eyes. “I’m fine... depressed maybe. I’d have been better if we were at your studio with all those paintings around to distract me, but you insisted on bringing me here.”
Banks’ eyes lifted slightly. She was trying to change the topic. “Let’s not bring that back up. We’re here now, and we are safe…for tonight. It’s going to be one day at a time baby, but I promise we’d figure it out.” He took her free hand in his. Her palms were damp. She withdrew almost immediately, like she’d just realized.
“I’ll like a bathe, then I’d call it a night after that…Are you coming?”
“I’d stay out here for a bit longer. I’m not yet sleepy.”
Banks nodded. “Okay…” He was reluctant to leave her by herself but there was nothing else to say so he left for his room. Lade stayed up for a long time but retired to Banks bedroom suite, changed to her night clothes and slipped into the bed beside him.
Lade woke up the next morning with a splitting headache, an itchy neck and a dry throat. Banks was snoring lightly beside her. He either had pills to blame, or he wasn’t much of an early riser. She needed to drink water badly. That and a long, warm shower. A fix would be a surer fix though.
She slipped out of her side of the bed careful not to wake. She sat for a moment reflecting on the first night they’d spent together. She’d never thought it would be uneventful. Okay, the circumstances weren’t in favor of… she felt… empty. She remembered Cindy’s purse in her bag and shook her head as if willing the thought away. Her cravings were urgent this morning. The empty feeling would only get worse, she knew, unless she…just one last time. One last time, then try to quit. There was an unused syringe in Vanessa’s first aid pack. All she needed was a lighter and a spoon. There had to be one in the kitchen. She took a look at Banks sleeping with his bruised face and her eyes got misty. Just one last time.
Musa threw the gate open and waved Vanessa good morning as she drove in. Vanessa greeted him through her window and directed her car up the driveway to pull up behind Banks Mercedes parked outside the front porch. She alighted, still wearing scrubs, retrieved her overnight bag and a grocery bag full of fruits and marched off around the house for the kitchen entrance. She was dragging her red, ALL-STARS kicks-encased feet and looked in need of a hot soak in the tub and a long sleep.
Vanessa walked past the pool yard and got in to the house via the kitchen door. She dropped the grocery bag on the table and would have continued straightvto her room, but she noticed the black, smooth leather purse tottering over the extreme end of the table. It didn’t look like any she’d seen with her mom. Susan never used purses, and it definitely didn’t belong to her. Neither of them had been home last night or this morning. She took it and weighed it in her hands. Her curiosity got the better of her. She unzipped it and took a look inside. Her eyes grew twice its size and her lower jaw dropped open. She was looking at a thick wad of one thousand naira notes and… Indian hemp wrapped in white paper and a brown powder in Ziploc bags – three grams of each at least. One of the ziploc bag of heroin was half closed…meaning someone here just… there could be only one explanation.
Vanessa turned to the door that led to the hallway which connected the rest of the house frowning in suspicion. She looked at the rest of the long kitchen surface. She found the lighter on the table, a swab of cotton wool and a table spoon were in the sink. Vanessa’s breathing became long and deep and her face bony. Her chubby face didn’t look so friendly when she was angry. She stormed out of the kitchen in search of Banks. How dare he bring his junkie friend to their house?


***

Cindy used the snifter to draw a thin line of coke away from the little dump left on the tray. It was the fourth one in the last six hours. an ashtray on the dresser table next to the coke tray was filled with ash and at least fifteen cigarette butts. She wore a red, long sleeve night gown. She reached for the syringe on the tray with the brownish liquid in its compartment and smiled in anticipation. She had prepared it when she woke from her nap (wasn’t long or deep enough to call sleep). She made a fist with her left hand, found her favorite vein (the one at the crook of her left arm) and shot it all in. Her eyes rolled up and she threw her head backward sniffing and exhaling through her mouth. She lost her balance and gripped the dressing table with her free hand to steady herself. She slowly slid to the floor with her eyes closed and waited for it. Silence. Peace. Five seconds. Fifteen seconds. The feeling kept heightening. Thirty seconds. She was feeling raptured now. She leaned on one limb of her dresser chair and dropped her head backwards on the chair. The calmness washed over her slowly. Dulling her aches. Quieting her thoughts. Relaxing her frayed nerves. Serenity for the moment. She allowed her mind to float away. Her body went limp and her muscles relaxed. Drift.
She heard herself snore from faraway. Like she’d left her body, and was… drifting; a panicky thought. However, footsteps close by distracted her.
“Cindy!” A male voice called in an audible whisper. Cindy started. Her heart missed a beat. The voice was familiar. His voice.
“Cindy, are we set?” The male voice whispered.
Cindy frowned. The question was strangely familiar. She’d been asked this question…once…when? Cindy felt her face recoil in horror. No wonder the voice was familiar. It was de ja vu. No, not de ja vu. He wasn’t back. This wasn’t happening. She was dreaming it. Again. She used to dream it every night for three months after it happenedy. She thought she was past it.
“Dennis!” She called back.
“I’m here!”
She heard him behind her and whirled around to see him step out of a dark corner and walk towards her.
It was the dream alright, but she felt awake. She could feel her hair whip across her face as a little gust of harmattan wind blew in from the open windows in her bedroom although she was so gone into the dream to do anything about it. Her heart beat longingly for him. She wanted to brush the hair of her lips to open her mouth and warn them about the imminent disaster. She couldn’t, trapped in the nightmare - a helpless watcher. She tried to speak but no sounds came out. A play thing for de ja vu, bound to experience the harrowing event again. Tears welled both her eyes as she watched.
Dennis walked to her and hugged her briefly. He felt as slim and fit as he was. A lawn tennis champion in his university days, he still played the game as a hobby. His reading glasses helped him see clearer at night, she remembered. “I wasn’t sure it was you. But I’m glad you chose to come.” He took her light luggage from her.

Cindy looked around. They were outside the lodge. There was no one else along the street at that time of the night. She was surreptitious.
“Where is your car?” She asked him.
“Just down the road. I couldn’t risk parking so close to the lodge.” Dennis pointed in one direction without looking. Cindy looked and noticed the headlamps of an approaching vehicle in the distance.
Cindy whimpered in her…sleep…trance…hallucination. Once more she tried to open her mouth and warn them but remained the dumb onlooker to the most familiar and traumatic event in her life.
Dennis was speaking. “I’ve made all the arrangements. We’re leaving for Ghana first thing tomorrow. I got your passport in my office drawer at home.”
“Dennis look!” Cindy heard herself say.
Dennis followed Cindy’s pointed fingers. The vehicle was much more closer now. Dennis was startled. He took Cindy’s hand and they began walking towards his car parked a few yards ahead. They didn’t make it halfway when they noticed a second set of headlamps turn the corner ahead of them. They panicked and broke to a run. They had barely made it to the car when the vehicle behind them when the vehicle behind them pulled up. Dennis unlocked the Ford Jeep with its remote key and went around to get to the driver side. She was torn between herself. She should've told him, but she was a coward. She wouldn't be able to bear his face when he realized she'd betrayed him, but all Sting had promised was to negotiate an arrangement, which meant Sing was open to an offer.
“Get in!” He shouted. He opened his door and was about to enter when he noticed that Cindy had stopped. He could see her face thanks to the headlamps of the vehicle that had just pulled up behind her. She was staring at him as if her limbs won’t move any further. Dennis frowned at her. “What is wrong? Why won’t you…?”
Cindy’s voice was subdued. “He just wants to talk.”
“What?” He asked dumbly; it was slow dawning on him… or he just didn’t want to believe what his ears were telling was telling him.
“He said he knows where your mother stays…he said he’ll kill her… and your little sister if I don’t…if I don’t…”
Dennis eyes widened finally. “Jesus! Cindy!” He saw a lone figure alight from truck behind them. He had a handgun in his left hand.
The second vehicle arrived and pulled up beside them. Sting was behind the wheels. “You both going somewhere?” He asked with an easy smile.

Dennis was dumbfounded. He stared at Cindy with disbelief. He suddenly broke into a run, heading past Sting’s truck. A shot rang out and he felt the sting on his left leg which crumbled under him at his next step. He heard Cindy screaming amidst the pain blur in his head.
“What are you doing? You promised you won’t shoot him!” Cindy shouted at Sting. “I don’t have my gun on me…plus he was running away and we haven’t gotten to talk yet, have we? So where was he running off to?”
The warm liquid which was his blood bathed Dennis' feet and he felt it go gummy in between his toes. He gritted his teeth at the pain and reckoned he won’t be alive for long, judging by what Sting just said. He heard the footsteps approaching. He turned face in their direction and saw Sting almost above him, with the others a few paces out.
Sting laughed at the terror in Dennis’ eyes. The guy was clutching his bleeding leg. Tears glistened in his eyes and he shook in fear. “Please,” Dennis begged him.
Spencer and Cindy arrived.
“I warned you. Yet here you are eloping with my girl.” Sting growled.
“Please. I’ll leave town. I swear. I’ll never come back… just…”
Sting nodded at Spencer who aimed at Dennis’ forehead and shot him. Cindy screamed…
… And jolted awake stifling hers. She choked when she heard shuffling feet at her bedroom door. Then the knocks came.
They weren’t knocks as much as they were blows on her bedroom door. One round of heavy pounding on her door was enough to serve the purpose though for she was awake the next instant with one thought in her mind – Sting. He’d come for her finally. Cindy was on her feet, grabbed her robe from her dresser chair to cover herself with and shuffled towards the door. She stopped to clean the corner of her mouth and eyes.
“Who is it?” She asked.
“Kunle! Open up!” A male voice said from the other side of the door.
Cindy blinked in surprise, then remembered… Spencer had been in an accident. She opened the door and saw Kunle standing there. She stood aside for him to enter the room. Kunle walked past into the room looking around.
“This is a surprise,” Cindy said, leaning on the doorway.
Kunle turned to find her watching him suspiciously. “Been a while I came in here.” He sat on her bed.
Cindy looked around her room. “I haven’t changed anything. So it can’t be that different.” She closed the door behind her but remained on her guard.
“I mean the feeling, not the look. Been a while…”
Cindy nodded still not moving from the door. “What are you doing here Kunle?”
“Cindy…” He sounded soft. He stopped himself and grimaced. He got off the bed like he was clamoring out of whatever reminisces suddenly washing over him and hardened his expression. “Get dressed… Sting wants to see you.”
“Where?” Cindy wasn’t surprised.
“Where else? Go on…take a bathe… I’ll wait right here…”

***

The sound of angry footsteps woke Andy from his sleep on the couch in the sitting room. The TV was still on the channel he was watching the previous night before sleeping. His gaze fell to his phone on the side stool beside him. It was blinking. Messages? Missed calls? Threat calls from someone he’d knocked off the street with a car the previous night? He wondered if the car could be traced back to them. So many people knew Banks owned a red Mercedes convertible. No time. The angry footsteps entered the sitting room and he sat up to see Vanessa with a scowl on her face heading for the front door.
Banks was quick at her heels. “Vanessa stop! I’m talking to you!” He followed her into the sitting room. He noticed Andy sit up on the couch with a pillow on the arm. Vanessa stopped and turned to face her brother.
“I told you she either leaves or I do! You chose her!”
“It’s not an either-or situation, Vanessa! I brought her here! This is my house as much as it’s yours, so neither of you is leaving until we talk!”
Vanessa takes a step towards him, so angry. “How could you, Peter? What did you bring her here for?”
Andy knelt on the couch, the same question on the look he gave Banks. Banks took a deep breath and exhaled. His voice was calm and assuring when he replied. “Sister Vee…her name is Lade. She is a person, just like everyone else in this room.
“Fine! Lade! Whatever! You’ve not answered my question.” Vanessa folded her arms, looking at him askance.
“She has agreed to quit the drugs, and I am going to help her.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes, “Yeah right,” she said with a voice dripping with sarcasm. “That’s exactly what we saw her doing in your bathroom – quitting.” She chuckled.
“What was she doing?" Andy asked.
“None of your damn business Andy!” Banks bit in before Vanessa could reply. He turned to his sister. “And why would you enter my room without knocking? How many times have we…”
“You seriously want to take that route Peter?” Vanessa’s eyes widened in angry surprise. A couple steps got her closer to his brother that she couldn’t perceive his morning breath. It wasn’t awful, just morning breath.
“I didn’t see anything but a girl sitting on the bathroom floor leaning on the tub. Weird yeah, but still… she wasn’t smoking or shooting anything.”
Vanessa’s brows knitted even more. “I can’t believe you’d lie to defend her. You forget I’m the one who woke you up to see what I’d already seen.”
“What did you see?” Andy asked again, getting more curious by the moment.
“She had her belt around her arm and an empty syringe in the other hand. Her eyes were…closed…almost like she was resting. She saw me enter but must’ve been too…weak to hide her things. But by the time I returned with this my fool of a brother, she’d hidden the syringe only God knows where.” She turned to Banks who was downcast. “At least you saw her struggling with her belt buckle. And I saw the purse she forgot in the kitchen. I saw all the cash and drugs she has inside it. If the police were to raid this house right now…” Her voice was steadily rising.
Banks sighed and lowered his voice. “Cut her some slack Sister Vee! You won’t understand, but these past few weeks has been tough on her… on the both of us…” He went to sit on the arm of a single cushion. “She is in the middle of a transition.”
Vanessa gave him a frustrated look. “Look at your face – messed up again after last time. Since you ran into her, you get into fights with nasty people I can only imagine. That is her world, Peter! This is ours! And it doesn’t include guests that shoot drugs in our bathrooms… You need to come to terms with that.”
Banks shook his head and got to his feet and turned his back on them. He didn’t notice Lade eavesdropping from a hidden corner out at the hallway. He was lost in his thought.
“I just wonder who wants to solve the drug problem… you or her.” Vanessa contiued.
He turned to face his sister. “The both of us… her resolve to quit may be weak right now… but so what? That’s why it’s called an addiction. Do you know what it means to run away from your love-vendor?”
“Should I?” Vanessa replied. Banks sighed again, giving up on the argument. There was no convincing his sister.
“We could enroll her in a rehabilitation center,” Andy suggested.
Banks shook his head. “Too public! Sting would be looking for her. I won’t take that chance… Moreover, I want to be able to see her… watch her progress. A rehab center would restrict our interaction.”
“But that’s your best bet,” Vanessa said. “Trust me, you don’t know jag about curing an addiction. There are medications for withdrawal symptoms. Also, there is cognitive behavioral therapy to help modify the patient’s expectations and behaviors related to the drug use and to increase skills in coping with life stressors. If you really want to do it, you have to do it right.”
Banks kept silent but gave her a look that pleaded for something. Vanessa resumed frowning. She knew that look. He always wore it when he wanted something from him, but she had no clue. “What?”
“Maybe you can help,” Banks finally said.
Vanessa’s eyes widened in realization. The frown turned to a scowl. “Help her?”
“Truth is, we are hiding from her…boss. I understand there are medications that can help the cravings when things get nasty until things start to get too awful to bear.”
“No bloody way Peter! Have you lost your mind? Those aren’t exactly OTCs you’re asking for. If I get it from the hospital drug store, questions would be asked – questions I'd rather not answer.”
“You’re talking as if I’m asking you to break in and steal the hospital supply. Fine, I’ll buy it off the internet. Only I won’t know if what I’m buying is genuine and the side effects…”
Vanessa was aghast and beside herself in amazement of what she was hearing Banks say. “Damn you! This conversation is over! My head is aching and so I’m returning to my room to get me a bathe and some sleep. By the time I’m out, she better be gone or I’ll call mom and tell her everything!” Vanessa made to storm past Banks but he caught her by the arm stopping her.
“Sister Vee…!”
“What? What about her love-vendor? He’s her dealer, right? What if he traces her here? You’ve got a very public profile at school.”
“She’z rat, Peter!? Lade said from behind them with a voice so drawn out, Banks could barely recognize it.
They turned to see Lade standing at the doorway that lead into the hallway. She is leaning on the door frame to her left. Her face flushed in the parlor lights and while her eyes were glassy, she looked tired and lethargic. “Sister Vee is… raat,” She drawled. “If Sting trazez oz to diz plaze… That wud be… be my worst nightmar. Your moda wud hate me worz than she’ll hate... who I am!” She swayed on her feet like she was drunk but righted her balance. “I’m a danger to you… to all of you.” She looked at the other two.
“No Lade. I can get an army truck to station outside.”
Everyone was surprised.
“For ‘ow long? Eh? Sting will still shoot hiz way in. He haz the rezourzez. I know tha’ much. Please Peter. I told you laz nat but you din’t listen. Is tooo dangerous to stay here.”
Her words were a reasonable slur. She was definitely high. There was no denying what he’d known since the beginning. Banks tried to keep the pity he felt out of his face. His heart ached with pain. He felt like an ancient man who came home from a long day at the farm to find his personal shrine trashed and torn down – like your virgin fiancé got raped while you were away. Surprisingly, disgust is not what he felt. All he could remember was the Lade who he used to worship before life happened to them. He shook his head in confusion. He was torn between the safety of the home he'd known a long time, and the rationale behind her reasonableness. “Where else can we be safer? If Sting can trace us to this place because of my notoriety, then he can also find us at my studio.” He asked closing the distance between them.
Lade shook her shoulders. “I don’t know either. Anywhere but here will be a good start.” Her reply was a barely audible whisper. She noticed Vanessa watching her closely. “I’m sorry,” she said scratching an itch on the crook of her arm. “I don’t know why…I…I... I couldn’t help myself… I needed to…I can’t explain it.” Her voice broke and Vannessa looked away.
Banks pulled her into his arms and she wept on his chest. He rubbed her back. “It’s okay Lade. It’s alright.”
She stopped crying. “I’m zorry Peter. You know am not uzually like dees… weepy idiot, making a full of myzelf in public.” She looked up at him with red eyes and wet cheeks. Banks gave her a tentative smile and wiped the tears with both his thumbs. “It’s alright. You’ll be better soon. I promise you.” He hugged her and whispered in her ears some more.
Vanessa and Andy exchanged uncomfortable glances. Andy shrugged and sat down with his back on them. Vanessa was moved with compassion even though she still couldn’t fathom why he had to choose this one. She hadn’t known the extent of affection her brother felt for Lade right until this moment. She was floored by it. Peter was risking his life willingly to be with someone who wasn’t worth it. Well, ‘probably’ not worth it, because who knows tomorrow, right? Times change; people change with it too. However, she knew her brother wasn’t one to knowingly make reckless decisions. Did he have his own reasons for being with her, or was he allowing passion and sentiment to shroud everything else?
“You can stay at Mike’s place at the Island while you both figure it out.” She said without giving second thought. Banks and Lade released each other and turned to look at her with surprise on their faces. Andy did too.
Vanessa continued. “He’s at Abuja right now and won’t be back for a while; something to do with his job. The place needs a sitter anyway cos I’m too busy between the chores here and work. I’ll give you the master key and the address.”
Lade didn’t know the place, so she looked at Banks to check his reaction. Banks was frowning hard. “Where’s the catch?” He asked his sister.
“No catch. Just don’t bring in thugs to thrash the place.”
Banks looked at Lade who had a hopeful look in hers. He returned his attention to Vanessa. “So, what made you change your mind?”
“You don’t have to double check everything, Peter. When have you ever asked for my help and I refused you. You obviously need it now more than ever… And while I’m at it, I’ll buy the drugs you will need myself.”
Banks’ face broke into a relieved grin. “Mike’s place is perfect,” he said to Lade. He walked to Vanessa to hug her. “Thanks Sister Vee,” he said, “I knew you’d come around.”
“I didn’t. I’m not getting any more involved in this than I already I am, the reason being that you both go way back. The only thing I want to hear is that she’s getting better.” Vanessa extricated herself away from the hug and walked past him towards the hall way. She stopped beside Lade and said, “go remove your purse from my mother’s kitchen table,” without looking at her. She continued her exit from the sitting room and headed for the stairs.
Lade looked at Andy who turned away too late and stare at the TV to hide how awkward he felt. She looked down at the lush carpet till once again, Banks was beside her. He kissed her forehead and lifted her face to his.
“Shee hatz mee,” she mumbled. “They bot hatz mee.”
Banks smiled with all the reassurance he could muster. “They would come around. You’re an awesome person Lade. With time, they won’t help but see past all this bullshit and notice that.”
Lade nodded and put her arms around him. He was so good for her self-esteem. “Ah love you. Av ah tod you that?” she whispered out of Andy's ear shot, but Vanessa who had stopped at the top of the stairs to eavesdrop heard everything. She rolled her eyes and continued up the stairs.
“Not lately, but we won’t be here if you didn’t.”
She nodded, leaning some more into him and put her arms around his back. He was so rock solid and warm. She held him for a full minute loving how he let her like he had no better place to be or thing to do than to be held by his junkie girlfriend... his... She was his girlfriend indeed. Lade blinked at the thought.
“I’ll have to pack a few things. We’re leaving after breakfast. How about that?” Banks said finally.
Lade nodded. “Thank you.” For a whole lot more than she could mention in that moment, her drugged mind thought. They released each other and left the sitting room hand in hand.

***

Sting’s work house was a coarse, old one story building located in the middle of nowhere – nowhere being the extreme end of Ebutte Metta. It was a mansion compared to the neighboring houses even though the closest neighbors were almost a mile away. Sting owned the three hectares of land surrounding his workhouse. He rented a third to farmers and lined with rubber trees and farmer’s quarters, a second third lined with parking space for MACK truck heads and a garage for auto repairs. The workhouse stood in the middle of the rest of the land. The paint on the walls was old and peeling. A few louvers were missing from some of the front windows. A fish pond was at an extreme close to a cluster of plantain trees. A tower had three plastic water tanks on top of it and there was tap on a little platform on the floor. Cars and trucks were littered at the space in front of the house.
Cindy lit herself a cigarette and waited. She was sitting on a chair under a shade tree at the backyard. The yard was usually populated with Sting’s crew hanging around, waiting to run an errand. Today was different. The yard was unswept, littered with leaves from the shade trees. There were other plastic chairs toppled over and damp from the early morning dew. The garbage bin at the front yard had been emptied but the cans hadn’t been returned to their place. She saw Kunle exit the house and walk towards her with a couple bottles of stout.
“Cindarettes…” He called her jokingly. He arrived and handed her a bottle.
“It was just one night Kunle…stop acting like you know me.” Cindy said, rolling her eyes.
Kunle got himself a chair. “What else is there to know?” He took out a hand towel from his back pocket and wiped the chair before sitting down. “Your name is Cindy. You’re thirty something and still a knock-out; also we both work for the same asshole.”
Cindy stiffened one second, but hid her surprise in the next with a little laugh. She bit off the cap of her beer and took a swig off. It had to be a trap. You don’t carry such opinion about Sting around him for long without him sniffing you and snuffing you out. She’d been around long enough to know him. She also found it hard to believe Sting could be losing his touch.
Still, where was everyone? His crew; his family, as he called them the rare occasions he got so high and sentimental. “Where is everyone?” Kunle shrugged. “What do you care? Everyone’s got a life outside here, so they got a right to be elsewhere?”
Cindy rolled her eyes at him.
Kunle chuckled. “There was a party last night…to celebrate...someone got Mandy yesterday… Sting wasn’t back yet. The boys hadn’t heard about Spencer being in the hospital and Lade running off with that boy toy of hers. Sting and I had a few at a bar somewhere and he was definitely drunk when we got back…”
“…you were with him alone?”
Kunle nodded, looking proud of himself. “Any way, he blew up and told everyone to get off his property, including the poultry farmer boys that came to join us. You know how he is when he is really mad at something.”
“Wow… so it’s just you and him… and the guys at the security post of course, but they’re not important. They have to be there…”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
She looked genuinely excited and proud of his achievement. “It’s like the rise of the foot soldier. Spencer’s at the hospital. Sting needs a new wing man, even if it’s till his little brother is back on his feet. You’re available…” Cindy tittered. “It’s a long way from dealing, or supplying and collecting, or pimping or whatever errand you used to run for him. Whatever you’ve been up to, you’ve been very smart about it.” she said nodding knowingly at him.
Kunle stared at her, but because her tone was light and she was smiling good-naturedly at him as she spoke, he preferred to take it as a joke. His laugh was as hollow as it sounded. “For a minute, I thought you were saying I planned it, or drove the car that hit him.”
Cindy narrowed her gaze. “I’ve been here longer than you Kunle. I know you. You don’t back out once you got an inch in…don’t kill someone this time. Be the temporary wingman you are, but then get ready to step back in line when it’s time and Spencer is back.”
His smile was long gone. If looks could kill… “Like you said, it was only one night. You don’t really know me either.”
Cindy shrugged and tossed her cigarette. She took out a packet out of her denim trouser pocket and pulled one out for herself. “Would you like?” She asked him. His eyes were like mirrors. She could see the axle and wheels turn in his mind and wondered if he’d always been too easy to manipulate.
Kunle took the offered cigarette.
“Do you have a clue, as to why Sting wants to see me?”
Kunle shook his head. “No…he’s angry. I bet he wants to know what you know about Nicky. The both of you were kind of close when she was around. She must’ve mentioned”
Exactly what she’d assumed. Cindy leaned back on the chair and lit her cigarette.

***

Mike’s place was a beautiful, five-room bungalow along 23rd Crescent. All the houses on the same boulevard were alike – a modern house in yellow paint in the middle of a sizable compounds. It was already late in the afternoon by the time Lade and Banks settled in. They explored the house, found a few junk food in the refrigerator, turned on the generator and pumped water. Lade was antsy and itchy by then, and went to bed at the guest room up at the penthouse after a quick snack and a long shower.
It was late the next morning when she woke. She was too weak to get out but she did. She remembered she’d gone to bed in her clothes but woke up in just her panties. She shivered when she heard the electric bell ring and got alert. She noticed her house robe hung on a dresser chair which hadn’t been there the previous night. She got off the bed and went to put it on. A pair of flip-flops were on the floor next to the bed. She slipped her feet in and exited the room.
She walked out the house to the front porch and watched Banks take money out of his wallet and give someone outside the gate and collect a pizza box from the person. Banks locked the gate after him and walked back towards the front porch.
“Pizza for breakfast, how romantic!” She murmured when he arrived.
Banks chuckled. He kissed her cheek. “Don’t be sarcastic babe, we are going grocery-hunting today.” He slapped her butt under her robe and got a glare and a punch on his hand. “Hmm… testy and sarcastic. Trust me, pizza and tea would put you in a better mood for the day. Come on.” He continued into the house.
Lade hid her smug smile and followed suit.

***

Charles Anya had just picked his seven year old son from primary school and was on his way to the laundry when his phone rang. He was driving his two year old Ford Focus and his son, Junior was riding sho-gun in his school uniform. Junior looked up from the bananas he was eating when Charles took his phone for a quick glance at the screen.
“Daddy, traffic rules and regulations for safety – do not make or answer phone calls while driving.”
Charles laughed. “Of course, that’s among the worst of bad driving habits… but son, some callers pay more than others. We can’t afford to lose a chance to buy you a new bicycle… buy your mother a new handbag and sexy dress so she can look beautiful at P.T.A.”
Junior made a face but grinned excitedly. “Bicycle! And Mommy in sexy dress…” Charles held up a hand to interrupt him and answer the call.
“Barrister Juliet…! How are you doing…? Well, just driving around with Junior.” He turned to Junior. “Son, say hello to Auntie Jules,” he said, and held the phone to his ears while he watched the road.
“Aunty Jules good afternoon…! School is fine! Yes aunty! Bye!"
Charles returned the phone to his ear. “So, what’s up…?” Charles asked and listened.
Charles pulled up outside Eni stores an hour later. He located the Jeep Wrangler among other cars belonging to customers parked outside. He drove by, recognized Banks behind the Wrangler’s wheels and turned to find a spot to park his Ford while he wondered why they were meeting at the parking lot of a busy superstore.
Banks alighted from the Jeep and waited by the door. Charles alighted from his vehicle and walked over to meet him.
“Mr. Bankole.” He offered his hand for a handshake.
Banks took it with a chuckle. “I try my best not to go by that. It’s quite a mouthful. I thought I told you to call me Banks or Peter.”
“Peter then… I was on my way home with my boy when I got the call from Jules. I had to drop him off at home with his mom before coming. I’m sorry if I kept you waiting.”
Banks shrugged. “I haven’t been here that long myself. Just five to ten minutes. When Juliet said you’d be here in an hour, I delayed a bit at home before showing up.”
“Oh! Okay then my man…so what’s happening? Why are we meeting here, like this?”
Banks sighed and folded his arms. ”Oh my girlfriend is inside shopping. I don’t know when next I’d be opportune to meet you.”
“Okay, so what’s up?”
Banks unfolded his hands and glanced at the shop’s entrance. “I took her...” He gave Charles an uneasy smile but got a blank stare.
“You took her…who?” It was beginning to sink but Charles didn’t dare misinterpret.
“Lade… the girl I asked you to investigate.”
Charles was stunned speechless at that. He listened while Banks filled him in on everything that had happened since the last time they met – from the street fight with Sting on Theresa’s homecoming to the circumstances that led to Lade’s elopement. Charles simply shook his head after Banks’ narration.
“This is…I don’t know what to say, my man. And you got one his boys hurt – probably in the hospital now – in the process. Trust me, if he finds both of you, you’re history and not all the Bankole money in the world can save you my man?”
“I know that! Why else do you think I called for you?” Banks asked.
Charles frowned. “I don’t understand! How do I come in in all this?”
“I have to take him down.” Banks was emphatic.
Charles’ eyes widened in surprise. He put his right index finger in his right ear and rubbed. “There’s got to be bubbles in my ears… did I hear you say you want to…what – take Sting down?” He chuckled in disbelieve.
“That’s the only way my girl and I will ever have a shot at being together without looking over our shoulders. She’s a mess. You just have to look her in the eye to see that. You know how many other girls were there at the lodge…?”
“They aren’t chained to the place, where they? They’re okay with their relationship with Sting – he supplies them drugs while they satisfy his list of clientele. If any of them is dissatisfied, they could try to leave like your girlfriend chose to do.”
“Sting will find us if he has half the resources I hear he has. My family is not famous but we are not inconspicuous. ”
“You could leave the country. Ghana maybe… South Africa… or leave the continent at once…”
“What about my sister or my mother? What about my friends?” A thought occurred to him then.
Charles opened his hands. “I don’t know how I can help you with that.”
“You’re a private investigator. I want enough dirt on him I can take to the police. He can’t do us any harm if we have enough evidence to get him locked up in prison.” Charles laughed. Banks was puzzled by his mirth. “What! What’s funny?”
“There is enough dirt to bury him alright. I won’t have to look hard to find it.”
“Good!”
“That’s not the problem. See Peter, I can bet all my teeth Sting’s got the police commissioner in his pockets. I know for a fact that half the policemen in this city are dirty anyway. I can also bet you our attorney general is a member of a higher echelon of crooks our friend Sting owes his allegiance to. The fact that the governor himself appointed Damilola Lobo as A.G, goes a long way to further sour your pie. So you see my man, ‘taking Sting down’ as you put it is a mountainous task.”
“But not impossible…right? I don’t believe any one is really untouchable.” Banks mentioned.
Charles sighed and scratched his head. He looked at the young man in front of him so full of enthusiasm and couldn’t believe he was about to consider what he was proposing. Why didn’t he bring him something simpler. This could take a month…or a year. And a lot of powerful people would be exposed – guilty by association. Did he want to be that guy who brought them down? His resume would skyrocket… yet his personal security and that of his family…
Banks noticed Lade exit the store, shuffling her feet and looking deadbeat. She had on a simple green gown that stopped at her knees and hugged her figure. She had a shopping bag in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. She scanned the busy lot for him and smiled when she saw him. She walked towards him and was followed by half a dozen shop attendants in uniform carrying cartons filled with her purchases. They had the attention of all the other customers in the lot.
Charles noticed them approaching. “Wow, when you said she was shopping, I didn’t imagine this…this is stockpiling groceries for an underground holiday, not shopping.” He was smiling. “It’s wise…and she’s beautiful…tired from all the shopping, but definitely a beaut.”
Banks got his wallet out and took out his card. “Don’t expect an introduction today. Hopefully I will, after you’ve considered my proposition and agreed to help us.” He wrote down Cindy’s phone number on the back of the card then gave it to Charles. “That’s the number of one of Sting’s oldest girls. She’s willing to help. Talk to her! Then get back to me if you think you can help us.
Charles grinned and took the card. “It’s good to be cautious.” Even more attendants exit the shop with more cartons and join the train. “Woah! With all this you should be good for what… six months?”
Banks smiled at that. He offered Charles a handshake and when it was taken, he said, “See you later Charles. And don’t breathe a word of this to Juliet.”
Charles nodded and left just as Lade arrived with her train. Lade who had seen Banks hand over his complimentary card frowned curiously when Banks’ friends walked away just as she arrived. She turned her scowl to Banks who was still smiling.
“Who’s he?”
“A recent acquaintance. We’ll talk about it later.” He kissed her. He opened the back doors and boot of the Jeep for the attendants to load up. He slipped out three, one thousand naira bills from his wallet and offered it to one of them.
“Recharge card money, for you and your colleagues,” He said to the hearing of them all. They thanked him and returned to the shop. Banks went to fetch Lade from where she’d stood and watched the Charles’ Ford drive out of the lot.
“I promise I’ll tell you all about it, but we’ve got to get going,” he said. She nodded and allowed him to walk her to the front passenger side. He held the door open for her to get in, walked back around to the driver’s side, got in and drove away.

***

Kunle lay back on the bed and watched her breasts swing as she rode him. They were naked on top of the sheets in his bedroom. Her body was petite, her skin soft and sheen with sweat. Her mouth hung open as her steaming glove box pumped and massaged his erection – up and down…up and down. He grabbed both her breasts and squeezed them – soft, succulent C-cups with a hint of sag and dark, distending nipples that were pebbly on the skin of his palms. Cindy. She moaned as he caressed them.
He felt her constricting on him. Tightening her sheath. Cumming silently. He turned them both over and turned her around so she was on her stomach. He bent her knees so her beautiful ass was in the air. He slipped into her quivering, slippery hole and started thrusting hard, with reckless abandon, building momentum towards his own release. He found her sucking her thumb, her eyes closed in pleasure. She started pushing back at him seeking her own pleasure a second time, and when she found it, he came with her erupting into the condom he wore and groaned her name out loud.
They lay back on the bed to catch their breath. She looked sated and curled into him. He reached down to pull off the condom from his rapidly declining erection and throw it to the floor beside the bed. He kissed her neck and hugged her to him, but his cell phone rang distracting them from the post-coital cuddle and he got off the bed in search of it.
It was Taiwo. He answered the call. “Taiwo!” He paused to listen. “Good! I’m coming over immediately!"
Cindy rolled over to face him. Everything dey okay?” She asked, full of sweet innocence.
Kunle stared at her and shook his head. “We don’t talk about my business, ever.”
Cindy shrugged and rolled over to the other side of the bed. She’d heard enough anyway, and she was pretty worried about the outcome. Next thing she knew, Kunle had scooted closer to her.
“Hey, I didn’t mean it that way. There are certain things I can’t tell you about Cindy." She half turned to look at him. He was wearing his best lover-boy look and she swallowed a smirk. “It’s okay, I understand. I don’t need any hassle with Sting either. But, you need to start doing more than follow orders, Kunle. Spencer does. You’re smart too, and you could use some of that initiative of yours to bring Sting results he needs. He’d value your relevance more that way. To do that, you have to let people you trust in on your plans, let them share their own perspectives. Like that Taiwo guy. I’ve never seen him at the workhouse before, so he probably works directly for you. You share your plans with him and you listen to his opinion. If that is what’s been working for you, then you need more of that. I mean, a year ago you were running the errands at the house…washing this, cleaning that, selling marijuana to make your own ends meet. Now look at you…if not for Spencer you’d be Stings’ right hand man.”
Kunle sat up on the bed. Cindy turned to face him fully, propping herself up with her elbows. His gaze fell to her naked torso. The fool was such a breast man; didn’t he have enough of his mommy’s milk?
“Why do you want in, Cindy? It’s been more a full year since…the last time…why now?”
And why would you think I haven’t prepared for that question if I had ulterior motives? Cindy thought. “Because you’ve been clueless and I’ve been waiting for you to figure out what you want. You don’t expect me to show my hand to a clueless man, do you? Not in this kind of city I live in.”
Kunle folded his arms and just stared at her.

***

Banks found her sitting at the edge of the pool wearing a red long sleeved sweater and black shorts that left most of her smooth legs bare. Her knees were bent to her chest and her arms were wrapped around her bare legs, rocking backward and forward on her ass as she stared at the setting sun in the distance. He brought over in a tray the Mac and egg sauce with bits of sardine fish he’d just prepared and placed it on the floor beside her.
She wasn’t startled. She’d heard him exit the backdoor. She turned to watch him sit next to the tray of food, intertwining his legs in front of him. He wore an apron over his sweater and denim trousers. His beard was a couple days old leaving a dark stubble on his fair complexioned skin she wanted to run her hand over. She loved the way he joined her without intruding on her mood. He ignored her admiring the compound as he settled in comfortably.
“The pool guy did a great job…worth every kobo he asked for,” Banks said.
“Yeah, it smells better. It was awful last night.”
“You came out here last night?” Banks looked at her. She nodded. “Lemme guess…to smoke your cigarettes?”
“It was just one cigarette…and… how did you know?”
“I didn’t…It was just a guess,” Banks said. Lade looked away. “Lade, look at me.” He called. He hooked a finger beneath her jaw and turned her face to his. Her eyes were shifty. She watched her scratch an itch on her feet and turned her head away again. Banks removed the tray of food from in between them and scooted closer till their sides were touching. He felt her stiffen.
“Can I say something before you lock me out?” He asked. She shifted away from him in reply. Banks sighed but continued. “Why are you acting like I’ve ever judged you? It was just a cigarette.”
“It was not just a cigarette. It was…I lied to you…by omission…I lied…I snuck out in the middle of the night to…it wasn’t just a cigarette.”
“Okay…”
Lade looked at him, her anger shining through her teary eyes. Anger at herself…and at him for thinking it was okay. “I used the syringe again too! I cooked the last of the H Cindy gave me and injected myself while you were asleep! I needed it so bad, I couldn’t help myself! So, it is not okay! You’re risking a whole lot for me… for us! The least I can do is try!”
Banks sighed heavily. “And what makes you think I expect you to try? This is an addiction. Your own will is against you in the first place, so you’re only going to fail if you try! There is only one way to fight this thing!”
Lade’s look was full of uncertainty. “Which is?”
“Sister Vee called earlier. She’d ordered the drugs you need and they are going to be delivered in three days.”
“And what am I going to do in the meantime? Do you know how badly I need it right now?” She yelled at him and got to her feet to leave.
Banks jumped to his feet too, looking frustrated. “Don’t you understand? Loving me is not enough, you have to commit! Wanting to be in this relationship is just a first step! You already took it! There is a series of other steps you must take! I love you! See how much I’ve shown it! See how far we’ve come! I’m ready to do even more…anything possible…to keep you! You say you love me too! Prove it! Not to me, not to my sister or my friends! Not to Cindy, not even to Sting! Prove it to yourself! It doesn’t matter whether they are rooting or not rooting for us! I’m rooting for you, but it won’t mean a damn thing if you’re not rooting for us too.”
“I hate you!” Lade yelled, sobbing. “I can’t do this anymore! I’m packing my things and I’m leaving!” She ran into the house.
Banks fell to the floor on his ass when the kitchen door slammed shut. He stared at the food on the tray. Had she even noticed he’d made her dinner? Did it smell awful? He took one of the two forks on the tray and took some into his mouth… chewed slowly… relishing the taste…thinking…she had to be kidding about leaving. He forked some more into his mouth.
She was kidding alright. Or maybe, she changed her mind by the time she got to their bedroom. He found her sitting on the floor at the upper side porch overlooking the next building which seemed empty. Her eyes wore a heavy scowl that marked her discomfort. She had an unlit cigarette in between her fingers and was also holding an empty Ziploc bag that had been turned inside out. She was licking it.
Lade looked up when she heard him approach and hid the Ziploc bag behind her, cringing in embarrassment. He’d taken off his apron, she noticed. She suddenly felt the urge to retch and jumped to her feet to run past him into the room and straight to the nearest bathroom.
She opened the toilet bowl, kneeled in front of it and vomited. She peed herself as she did, urine soaking the crotch of her shorts, seeping down her thighs and pooling beneath her knees. Lade finished vomiting and turned to find Banks watching her with a perfectly made-up straight face, albeit raised eyebrows, standing at the bathroom doorway. She got to her feet and went to slam the door to his face.
When Lade opened the door a few minutes later, she found him standing in the same position carrying a change of clothes in his arms. She snatched the clothes from him and returned into the bathroom, shutting the door a bit gentler. Banks heard her sob and listened for a full minute, confused as to what to do. He was conflicted. Should he let her be, or should he go in there?
He knocked and entered the bathroom when he couldn’t take it anymore. He found her sitting on the edge of the tub still in her soiled clothes. She covered her face with her hands when she heard him enter and turned her back to him. His heart went out to her, like it was wont to do. He went to sit beside her and put his arms around her. She turned and buried her face into his chest, sobbing and apologizing. He shushed and consoled her, wishing he could do more…like erase it all.
“Get up!” He ordered.
She obeyed and was surprised when he unbuttoned her shorts and pushed it down her legs together with her panties till they pooled at her feet. She acquiesced when he nudged her hands up and took off her sweater. He turned her around, unsnapped her bra and took it off. He turned away from her to set the temperature of the water in the shower. He took off his polo and his trouser. He took all their clothing and hung them where the shower water wouldn’t touch them. He turned to her, wearing just his bossers and noticed her checking him out.
She caught herself…or rather, recognized the moment the switch in the direction of her train of thoughts began, from half-hazard to uni-linear. Her mind switched from a maze of confusing emotions to focus on him – his lean, hard body and the way his underwear hung low on his hips. She loved that his muscles weren’t bulging, but they weren’t slender either. He probably wasn’t a regular at the gym, still he looked fit. Her breath had hitched and her body was stiffening in all the right places. She felt herself clench when he turned around and caught her. He closed the space in between them and pulled her into a warm embrace that made her body tingle. Moments…she…no they were having a moment. She felt his hot breath on her forehead and looked up at him. He reached a hand behind her for…something. The next moment she knew what it was, warm water. Just the right temperature. She was about to liken it to that rush of blood to the head she usually felt after a fix, but then he kissed her and it felt more like it. She arched herself into him and felt his rigidity poking at her.
They made love in the shower. It began slow and passionate. It felt like they were joined in more than one place; like all the emotions she felt inside oozed through her sweat pores and he understood every one of them as they rubbed off on him, latching on to each and every one of them with active receptors, interpreting every need to be kissed and touched and kneaded, and caressed, and squeezed. And lifted, and backed to the wall. Faster. Harder. Deeper. Needs she didn’t have to say a word to convey. She couldn’t but cry his name when she came, holding on to him like an anchor as she rode the waves upon waves of pleasure erupting within her.
When he finished, he washed her with soap while she stood quivering in his arms. He toweled her body, wrapped her up and carried her into the room. Her only thoughts were of being put to bed and cuddled by him, but was surprised at his plans. He sat her on the bed.
“Get dressed, we are going out after dinner.”
Dinner. She wasn’t hungry. No, she had no appetite. “Where?”
He kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry. You’ll be safe. I’ll protect you.” He turned around and went back to the bathroom for his own bath.

***

The message came in as he toweled himself. The phone rang in his trouser pockets. He retrieved it from where he’d hung it and took out the phone. He frowned when he saw the CALLER ID – Cindy. He had given her his number for emergencies. He opened the message and felt his blood turn cold as he read it, even though he’d just had a hot bath. He dialed Tunde’s number.
Tunde picked at the first ring.


***

It was after dusk. Pedestrians were almost non-existent, but there were cars driving past every now and then. None of them paid attention to the white dodge parked opposite the one-storey mansion owned by Theresa’s parents. All Taiwo needed was for the street to be clear for a minute. He got his chance soon enough.
He crossed the road straight to the point where scaling the fence had seemed easier when he first cased the place. He checked the street one last time – no one. He leaped for a hand hold on the top of the fence. He pulled himself up, positioning his head to avoid the barb wires. He got himself a foothold. The barb wire barely scratched his right arm. The moon-lit road behind him suddenly got illuminated from the headlights of an oncoming car. He scrambled to the top of the fence. The barb wire caught his jean above his ankle. He paused to free the piece of clothing and jumped into the wide compound landing in a crouching position.
There were no lights anywhere at the house. The fountain in front was dead, still water in its bed. The garage was locked like the rest of the house. Taiwo could remember from his first time in the house that there were metal protectors behind all the doors and windows, except the kitchen window. That was his pre-planned point of entry.
Taiwo found his way around the house to the kitchen door. He got close enough to peer through the window. He’d been right. There was nothing barring the window from within.
He looked around for something to break the windows with. Nothing. No wait. The interlocking stones on the floor… One had to be loose somewhere. He set out to search. He turned the corner of the building and made out the pool with the reflection of a young moon wading over it… and the shed. There were four lounge chairs under a shed. The chairs looked heavy enough and will definitely break the windows. Looking around that corner of the yard, he made out two grilling machines in the dim light, resting by the wall of the building. Grilling stones… he walked to the machines and found stones on the floor around them, hence he didn’t bother opening the machines. He took two of the heaviest ones and headed back around the building to the kitchen window.
Taiwo threw the first one at the window… Smash… What happened next was unexpected. Taiwo heard a click when all the security lights outside turned on simultaneously, and then a deafening noise which, due to nervous surprise, he recognized as an alarm a full twenty seconds later. The noise was so loud, Taiwo was sure it would be heard a mile away. He had only one thought on his mind now… getting out.
He ran all the way back to his point of entry. He thought he could hear sirens approaching in the distance and flight turned to frenzied fright. He clambered clumsily up the fence, cursing his luck. His first attempt at a break-in and it had to be a house with security alarms and police on standby. He got a hand-hold at the top of the fence. He pulled himself up but his shoulder hit the barb-wire. Its razor sharp edge cut into his skin through his shirt. However, that wasn’t why he screamed. A jolt of electricity shot through his body that he quickly released his hold and fell awkwardly back into the compound.
Thump! The back of his head hit the interlocking stones and he passed out.

“The alarm company say the house alarm was blaring when they got there,“ Tunde said over the phone. Banks turned to look at Lade who was in the front passenger seat beside him as he drove. She had found a pool game on his Galaxy Tablet and was engrossed with learning the controls. He turned his head back to the road ahead of him.
“Did they get him?” He felt Lade look up at him but acted like it wasn’t an interesting conversation.
“Yes. The police I’d called was there ahead of them… Theresa gave the security guys permission to unlock the gates and they found the intruder passed out on the floor close to the fence.”
“How come?” Banks was surprised. He looked at Lade out of the corner of his eyes. She’d returned her attention to the game.”
“Once the alarms go on, the fence becomes electrified. He must’ve gotten electrocuted on his way out. They found the kitchen window had been smashed. Theresa’s parents told her to press charges on their behalf.”
“Theresa! How is she?” Banks asked, changing the phone from one ear to the other.
“She’s been with me since homecoming. She’s angry. Everyone else worried. I’m driving her to the station to give her statement. I got the family lawyer to persuade her parents not to cut their trips short because of this.”
“Okay, but be careful. I don’t want you or her anymore involved in this than you already are.” Lade gave him another quizzing look. He gave her an assuring smile. “Maybe you should send me the bill…it’s the least I can do…” He listened to Tunde talk to someone else he assumed was Theresa.
“Theresa says no need for that,” Tunde said. “No! I said go Bleep yourself Banks!” Banks heard Theresa’s furious voice shout in the background. Tunde chuckled. “You heard the lady. For all intents and purposes, this is just a breaking and entering case. That’s what her parents’ lawyer said too. What I can’t explain is how we managed to tip the police off before the alarm went off.”
Banks scowled, thinking fast, then, “I wasn’t the one who tipped them off either. Was it Theresa? Ask her…” Lade had turned off the tablet and was watching him now. So much for keeping her out of it.
“Put it on loudspeaker.” She ordered in a whisper. Banks shook his head.
Tunde was silent for a while. “Unless the tip off voice was female, otherwise…I’ve got no clue either.”
“Good, anonymous tip it is then. Now about that other thing I told you about… Obviously, our rendezvous won’t go as planned.”
“Yes, I made alternative arrangement though. I’ll text you the dealer’s number. Theresa’s manager says he’s solid. He handles their company artiste’s bucket list.”
Banks gasped, “Theresa’s manager! Theresa is aware of this?”
“Of course! I’m a branding consultant Banks, and my line of work doesn’t bring me in direct contact with drugs or addicts. Theresa’s colleagues at the label however…”
Banks sighed. “Thanks for the secrecy, and the vote of confidence! Text me the number ASAP!” He ended the call and ignored Lade’s glare. He heard her sigh and watched her from the corner of his eye. She leaned back on her chair. He looked away too late when she looked up at him.
“What’s going on Peter? Where are we going?”
Banks sighed and reached for her hand. “Do you trust me?” He asked her
Lade nodded, still not relaxing her quizzing glare.
“Good. We’ll talk when we get back. I promise.”
“That’s what you said after I saw you with that guy at the supermarket. You think I haven’t noticed we are headed for the mainland?” No response. “Please, why won’t you just tell me?”
“I promise. I’ll tell you everything when we get back. Just trust me.”
Lade realized there was no changing his mind. She was too weak to argue anyway. She mopped her sweaty forehead with the back of her black sleeved jacket. She thumbed her nose. Whatever respite being close to him gave her, was wearing off. She needed that fix else she would be in for a long night. She stole a glance at Banks, wondered what he was up to and closed her eyes when she could no longer think, welcoming the fatigue as it came.
She woke to Banks shaking her. He had alighted and was on her side of the car holding the door open for her.
“We’re here.”
Lade sat up. The world swam in her eyes. She grabbed her seat belt with one hand and closed her eyes till the woozy feeling passed. She opened her eyes to find Banks watching her.
He took her hand. “Hey, are you okay?”
Lying was of no use. She shook her head. “Isn’t it obvious?” She asked him. “I’m queasy inside…” she raised her shaky hands to show him. “…and shaking like a leaf. I knew an outing was a bad idea. Where are we?”
She turned her head slowly to look around and got startled when she saw the SilverBird Galleria on the other side of the street outside the Wrangler’s driver window. She scratched her neck and the crook of her arm while she looked around. There were a few cars parked at the wide compound outside the building. It looked quiet and empty otherwise. She looked at her wristwatch. Quarter past ten. She turned to Banks seething with anger.
“What are we doing at Lekki at this late hour, Peter?”
“…apart from coming to see the last movie of the day at La Galleria?” Banks shrugged.
“Do you know how risky this is for me? If someone recognized me in there…”
Banks offered her his hand again. “Don’t worry. We are not going in there, except, maybe to buy ice-cream and biscuits for the drive back home.”
Lade shook her head, even more confused. Banks urged her on, so she took his hand and alighted. He locked the car with its remote key and escorted her across the road, her hand still in his. The Jeep was left where they’d parked along the road as they walked up to the gate, and past it along the drive way that winded around the building’s broad side on to the parking lot which faced the front entrance. The building was tall and tiled all the way to the top. It had security lamps lighting up the entire place.
A low whistle disrupted the grave quietness of the place. Banks stopped. Lade looked around to find the source blowing cigarette smoke at the backyard corner of the building. It was darker over there. Lade hesitated when Banks started leading her in that direction. She pulled her hand free of his grasp. She was shivering in the harmattan cold. She put her hands into her denim pant pockets to hide their shaking. She looked ill.
Banks smiled and spread his hands. “It’s alright Lade, you’ll be alright. Come on.” He continued towards that corner of the building the whistle had come from.
She was reluctant but her curiosity got the better of her. She followed him. He met up with a guy and shook hands with him. They got talking before she caught up with him. It wasn’t the guy he’d met outside the supermarket. This guy was much younger, not more than twenty-two. He wore a beanie and had a side bag slung over his shoulder. Most importantly, she didn’t recognize him.
He smiled at her, but didn’t act like he knew her from anywhere. “Hi!”
Lade nodded in reply, relieved he probably didn’t know her either. She wasn’t in the mood for socializing. Why were they here anyway?
The dealer unslung his bag, unzipped it and took out a medium-sized brown envelope which he handed to Banks. “Everything is in there.”
Lade’s eyes widened in recognition as Banks took the envelope from him. He caught on but ignored her. He took out his wallet, counted out some bills. “ten grand, right?” The dealer nodded. Banks handed him some bills. The dealer took the money and counted. He stuffed the money in his back pocket, took another look at Lade, and back at Banks.
“What about you? Some coke…I’ve got weed too.” He patted his side bag. Banks shook his head.
“No thanks.”
The dealer nodded in understanding. “Take care of her then. I hope you call again.” He walked past them towards the road.
Lade was still stupefied. “Peter…”
“Let’s walk. If security meets us here, we’ll be searched. It’s quite late to be hanging idly around.”
Lade nodded. They walked beside the broad side of the building back to the drive way.
He handed her the envelope. “Take this. I’ll go buy the ice cream and cookies…” He took out the remote key to the Jeep. “Take care of yourself in the car. You got everything you need.” She shook her head but took the envelope and the key. She stopped. They were almost at the driveway. Banks turned to catch her questioning glance. “What?” He asked. He took out a handkerchief and dabbed her face. “Jeez! Sweating under all this cold…”
She shook her head in confusion. “Why?”
Banks sighed. He tucked a stray lock behind her ear wondering if he should be honest with her. There was no time to think up an excuse. “Honestly?” He asked.
She nodded.
“Well, for one, you need it, like badly. You’re a mess right now, and I know it’s only going to be worse in the morning. You don’t have to slip out in the middle of the night for a smoke or whatever. I care about your needs. I understand them.”
Her eyes got shiny fast. She blinked. She sniffed and thumbed at her nose. “What is the second reason?” She asked.
Banks hesitated. He grabbed her by the shoulder. “When my sister comes through with the drugs, I don’t want you to choose to go into full recovery because you don’t have the choice of taking the real thing to alleviate your needs. When you decide to leave this life behind for the new chapter we agreed we’re going to build together, it won’t be for lack of opportunity to relapse, but because you really want to quit. And hey, another way to look at it is, I’m doing this for my ego as well as for you. If I won’t lose you to Sting, it would be worse if I lost you to the drugs.”
Lade smiled, nodding. “I understand.” She didn’t. Could this be love? Banks kissed her forehead and released her. “Let’s go,” he said. Lade put the envelope in her jacket and they parted ways.

Interesting,keep it coming.

tobex23:
Me:

Logs on to www.nairaland.com


Clicks on 'followed topics'

"Thank God, Johnspurgeon014 must have dropped new update"

Clicks on topic: "Of All The Girls In Lagos (story By John Spurgeon)"

"No Update!!!

You deserve an apology from me, and since this is our medium... I'm sorry. Thanks for following. I'll update chapter ten when this workhouse settles. Tonight very probably. Hope y'all have a nice weekend ahead.

vonn:
Awesome story you've got here...but, in the course of reading, I noticed you typed some sentences in the present tense whereas you're writing in the past. Do well to take the correction.

It's in past tense actually, but since I was writing a script even as I was writing this, I found it hard to switch between past and present, considering that scripts are written in present tense.

But thanks for noting. I'd give it to a proofreader before I self-publishing anything.

DandyPearl:
Yeah v been thinking on the same note. We can only pray all his well*Sighs*

All is well. Just a little surge in responsibility details. Will be back at my comfort zone before long.

DandyPearl:
Yeah v been thinking on the same note. We can only pray all his well*Sighs*

My everywhere you go Bestie! Hope you good?

Where was i wen God was sharing talent like this.. Bro spurgeon u good die

heemah:
My everywhere you go Bestie! Hope you good?

yeah. Never been this better! Thanks love

heemah:
My everywhere you go Bestie! Hope you good?

yeah. Never been this better! Thanks love

CHAPTER TEN

“Kunle, how you take disappear last night you no tell me?”
Kunle looked up from his phone to see Sting exiting the hospital reception. Sting had an ugly frown on his face and his voice was gruffer than usual. He wore a big white shirt, green combat shorts and a white pair of canvas that covered his ankles. ST. THOMAS’ HOSPITAL was designed in block letters on a huge signpost hung on the wall behind him.
Kunle was leaning on Sting’s white TUNDRA truck parked outside the building. “One of my boys caught a case… needed someone to post him bail.” Sting raised his eyebrow in surprise. Kunle shook his head at the look. “Breaking and entering stuff…none of our biz.”
Sting threw him a set of keys and walked around the truck to the shogun door. Kunle unlocked the car and got in. Sting climbed in beside him and looked at the back seats to check on the duffel bag on the floor behind the driver’s seat.
“How’s Spencer doing?”
“Asked about you…” Sting lit a cigarette. The ensuing silence was thick.
Kunle interrupted his quiet brooding. “What are the docs saying?”
Sting sighed and blew out the smoke. “He’s in bad shape. They are moving him to a teaching hospital at Surulere. Seems he’ll be on his back longer than I thought…” He took a longer drag. The dude was lucky to be able to sit up, the doctor had said. Eight weeks at least…
“Anything yet on Nicky?” Sting asked. Sting’s free hand balled into a hard fist when Kunle shook his head. He realized and released them. Hectic months ahead only… and the ones up for a promotion had either broken out, or broken a hip. He tossed the finished butt out. “It has been four days now! Are you sure I shouldn’t get someone else on this?
“It won’t be long now. Believe me.”
Sting sat up like he’d been stung on the back. “Your word doesn’t mean shit to me yet! But I’ve got a lot going on now to do it myself. So, here’s your shot Kunle. Make me believe you! ” He leaned back on his chair with a sigh. “You know where Governor’s park is?”
“Sure! Who are we meeting?” Kunle started the car and joined the traffic outside.
“Mr. Lobos’ contact guy!” Sting lit another cigarette.

***

“There you are!”
Lade looked over her shoulder to see Banks enter the bedroom. She was standing in front of the dressing mirror. She returned her attention to the syringe in her hand. She pulled the cap back with her thumb to draw the brown liquid into the vacuum. “He’s gone?” she asked.
“Yes.” He put his arms around her and pulled her into him. Her body temperature was high. Still he nuzzled her cheek. “You’ll be fine,” he said looking at the face of her image on the mirror.
“I know...I know.” She placed the syringe and the spoon next to the Ziploc bag containing the remaining H (a significant quantity) on the plate which was on the dresser table. She spun around to face him “It’s just…Cindy going to the police to…to inform on him?” She raised a hand to cup his cheek, her anxiety no longer hidden away. “That is suicide, Peter! He’s got connections you won’t even believe he did.”
Banks sighed. He released her and went to sit on the bed. “What’s the alternative? Would you rather you did it? Someone has to, because as long as Sting is alive…or worse, free…” He shook his head. ”Don’t forget the attempted break-in at Theresa’s.”
Her worst fear – putting the others in danger…She glanced at the syringe, hating that her boyfriend and Charlie were right. Even if they left the state, it’d only be a matter of time before his family and friends were traced. If only he’d step out, so she could hide behind the high for a bit and forget. Her fingers touched the syringe before she realized it. She looked at him.
He got to his feet, like her mind was a rival gang’s graffiti signature on the wall and he’d just read the signs. He headed to the open doorway
“Is anyone up here?” They heard a familiar voice call from somewhere outside the room.
Banks and Lade were surprised. It was…Vanessa – with the methadone, Banks hoped.
“You left the gate open?” Lade asked him in a fierce whisper, her gaze falling to the syringe of heroin. “No?” Banks gave her the ‘wait here’ sign and exited the room.
Vanessa had climbed the final flight of steps from the main house up to the upper verandah. She was wearing a shirt over her scrubs and tennis shoes. She smiled when she saw Banks enter the balcony from the master bedroom, shutting the door behind him. “There you are!”
“Sister Vee! How did you get in?” Banks asked still bewildered.
“Relax! I have spare keys to the place.” Vanessa pulled him in for a hug. “I miss my little brother. How are you? Where’s Lade?”
“I’m fine! She’s fine…She’s inside, dressing up…just had a bathe.” He scratched his head.
“Okay…”
“Let’s go down to the sitting room. Are you coming straight from the hospital? That must’ve been a long drive. There is VitaMilk in the fridge – your favorite.”
Vanessa threw him a suspicious look as they descended the flight of stairs into the main house. He was acting nervous. She and Banks continued making small talk until they got into the kitchen. He fetched them both a cold bottle of milk. Vanessa sat on the vacant kitchen table. Banks bit the cork off both bottles and handed one to her. They both took a swig – Banks a longer one.
“You seem to need the drink more than I!” Vanessa pointed. Banks laughed. He sat at a stool and faced her. His breathing was more even. “I see you guys stocked up the house. Good.”
“We don’t go out at all. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
Vanessa raised an eyebrow mid-swig. “It no longer is?”
“No, it is. It’s a big city alright, but what’s the use tempting the devil.”
“I understand…outdoor guy suddenly finds himself cooped up behind doors as a matter of necessity. It gets boring when you run out of ideas to amuse yourself.” She took a swig.
Banks chuckled. “How does one amuse himself indoors? Indoors is for working or resting…”
“Or hiding…”
“Not for much longer I hope.” Banks said. “Have you heard from mom? She doesn’t call me these days.”
Vanessa shrugged. “She doesn’t call me much either. The last time was…” she paused to think. “…the day you left the house with Lade. She said she and Susan were extending their trip, and that I should take care of the house. Something along those lines.”
Banks nodded.
“Speaking of which…” Vanessa turned to her hand bag.
“Did you bring the drugs?” Banks asked.
Vanessa paused for a second, and turned to give him a white envelope. “No… there was a little mix up with the shipping.”
Banks couldn’t hide the disappointment in his face. “Oh!” he managed.
Vanessa looked concerned. “Is she that bad? Should I… no!” She sighed. “I may have to write a prescription after all.”
“How soon can it be done?” Banks asked.
Vanessa hesitated.
“I wonder what you are afraid of! Write the damn prescription, I’ll pick the drugs up myself.”
“Picking it up is not the problem. Most pharmacists usually call to confirm prescriptions for those kinds of drugs. But, it’s alright. I’ll fill you a prescription tomorrow at work. Come in at lunch break. I’m sure you’ll be able to buy it at St. Paul’s General Hospital.”
Banks nodded. “Tomorrow then… So, what’s in the letter?” He took a swig of his cold milk.
“Andy brought it to the house this morning. It was given to him by Jennifer who told him it was from your faculty dean…something to do with an awards presentation and dinner night,” she said.
Banks took the letter frowning. “Neither of them called me,” he wondered aloud. It was his name on the back of the envelope alright. He heard the sound of shuffling feet approaching and looked up at Lade as she entered the kitchen. She was wearing a blue, sleeveless, ankle-length gown and yellow flip-flops.
“Sister Vanessa! It was your voic***

“There you are!”
Lade looked over her shoulder to see Banks enter the bedroom. She was standing in front of the dressing mirror. She returned her attention to the syringe in her hand. She pulled the cap back with her thumb to draw the brown liquid into the vacuum. “He’s gone?” she asked.
“Yes.” He put his arms around her and pulled her into him. Her body temperature was high. Still he nuzzled her cheek. “You’ll be fine,” he said looking at the face of her image on the mirror.
“I know...I know.” She placed the syringe and the spoon next to the Ziploc bag containing the remaining H (a significant quantity) on the plate which was on the dresser table. She spun around to face him “It’s just…Cindy going to the police to…to inform on him?” She raised a hand to cup his cheek, her anxiety no longer hidden away. “That is suicide, Peter! He’s got connections you won’t even believe he did.”
Banks sighed. He released her and went to sit on the bed. “What’s the alternative? Would you rather you did it? Someone has to, because as long as Sting is alive…or worse, free…” He shook his head. ”Don’t forget the attempted break-in at Theresa’s.”
Her worst fear – putting the others in danger…She glanced at the syringe, hating that her boyfriend and Charlie were right. Even if they left the state, it’d only be a matter of time before his family and friends were traced. If only he’d step out, so she could hide behind the high for a bit and forget. Her fingers touched the syringe before she realized it. She looked at him.
He got to his feet, like her mind was a rival gang’s graffiti signature on the wall and he’d just read the signs. He headed to the open doorway
“Is anyone up here?” They heard a familiar voice call from somewhere outside the room.
Banks and Lade were surprised. It was…Vanessa – with the methadone, Banks hoped.
“You left the gate open?” Lade asked him in a fierce whisper, her gaze falling to the syringe of heroin. “No?” Banks gave her the ‘wait here’ sign and exited the room.
Vanessa had climbed the final flight of steps from the main house up to the upper verandah. She was wearing a shirt over her scrubs and tennis shoes. She smiled when she saw Banks enter the balcony from the master bedroom, shutting the door behind him. “There you are!”
“Sister Vee! How did you get in?” Banks asked still bewildered.
“Relax! I have spare keys to the place.” Vanessa pulled him in for a hug. “I miss my little brother. How are you? Where’s Lade?”
“I’m fine! She’s fine…She’s inside, dressing up…just had a bathe.” He scratched his head.
“Okay…”
“Let’s go down to the sitting room. Are you coming straight from the hospital? That must’ve been a long drive. There is VitaMilk in the fridge – your favorite.”
Vanessa threw him a suspicious look as they descended the flight of stairs into the main house. He was acting nervous. She and Banks continued making small talk until they got into the kitchen. He fetched them both a cold bottle of milk. Vanessa sat on the vacant kitchen table. Banks bit the cork off both bottles and handed one to her. They both took a swig – Banks a longer one.
“You seem to need the drink more than I!” Vanessa pointed. Banks laughed. He sat at a stool and faced her. His breathing was more even. “I see you guys stocked up the house. Good.”
“We don’t go out at all. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
Vanessa raised an eyebrow mid-swig. “It no longer is?”
“No, it is. It’s a big city alright, but what’s the use tempting the devil.”
“I understand…outdoor guy suddenly finds himself cooped up behind doors as a matter of necessity. It gets boring when you run out of ideas to amuse yourself.” She took a swig.
Banks chuckled. “How does one amuse himself indoors? Indoors is for working or resting…”
“Or hiding…”
“Not for much longer I hope.” Banks said. “Have you heard from mom? She doesn’t call me these days.”
Vanessa shrugged. “She doesn’t call me much either. The last time was…” she paused to think. “…the day you left the house with Lade. She said she and Susan were extending their trip, and that I should take care of the house. Something along those lines.”
Banks nodded.
“Speaking of which…” Vanessa turned to her hand bag.
“Did you bring the drugs?” Banks asked.
Vanessa paused for a second, and turned to give him a white envelope. “No… there was a little mix up with the shipping.”
Banks couldn’t hide the disappointment in his face. “Oh!” he managed.
Vanessa looked concerned. “Is she that bad? Should I… no!” She sighed. “I may have to write a prescription after all.”
“How soon can it be done?” Banks asked.
Vanessa hesitated.
“I wonder what you are afraid of! Write the damn prescription, I’ll pick the drugs up myself.”
“Picking it up is not the problem. Most pharmacists usually call to confirm prescriptions for those kinds of drugs. But, it’s alright. I’ll fill you a prescription tomorrow at work. Come in at lunch break. I’m sure you’ll be able to buy it at St. Paul’s General Hospital.”
Banks nodded. “Tomorrow then… So, what’s in the letter?” He took a swig of his cold milk.
“Andy brought it to the house this morning. It was given to him by Jennifer who told him it was from your faculty dean…something to do with an awards presentation and dinner night,” she said.
Banks took the letter frowning. “Neither of them called me,” he wondered aloud. It was his name on the back of the envelope alright. He heard the sound of shuffling feet approaching and looked up at Lade as she entered the kitchen. She was wearing a blue, sleeveless, ankle-length gown and yellow flip-flops.
“Sister Vanessa! It was you I heard! Welcome!” Lade’s smile was shaky at its best.

***

“Convicting him based on one person’s testimony alone is going to be tricky,” Officer Obinna said plucking at his moustache, “even if this source is his wife or girlfriend, still, we need hard, damnable evidence if Sting is to face life imprisonment.”
Officer Obinna and Charles were standing next to each other beside their cars parked outside a shopping mall - a meeting set up by Juliet. Officer Obinna still remembered Barrister Juliet with the complimentary card embossed in gold, who bailed out that ashewo he’d picked in frustration for leaving empty-handed after a raid at one of Sting’s property. The place had been as clean as a flute stick.
Charles had refused to meet him at the Drug law Office. Officer Obinna had arrived curious at the private investigator’s help offer in apprehending the state’s most wanted drug trafficker. He’d heard a bit about Charles to know he wasn’t a bullshitter. His dossier might lean, but he never settled for cheating-husband watch; always high profile cases, and he was yet to fail to score, he heard.
Charles threw his cigarette to the floor and stomped it with his boots. “Okay, maybe she is neither his wife or his girlfriend.”
That got Obinna frowning. “What good is she then?” He asked.
“Sting doesn’t strike me as one who’ll mix business and family. I doubt he even has a family. My source claims she used to be privy to his plans to some extent. She definitely knows more about his biz than you or I do and can help find that hard evidence you need.”
Obinna was incredulous. “Who is she?”
Charles shrugged. “She wants anonymity for now. I’d act as liason, all I ask is that you bring me to your boss.”
Obinna grunted. “So let me guess… she found Christ and wants an out.”
“I’ve got no answer to that.”
“And all she wants is full immunity and federal protection.”
“It’s not too much to ask, for what she is giving, is it?”
“I’ll have to hear her testimony first before I recommend it to Mr, Simon.”
Charles frowned. “You still don’t to get it or what? Sting won’t go down alone. There are people far above your pay grade who’d want anything but that. To take him down, we may have to take them all down as well. Everyone’s life who’s involved in this is at risk – my informant most of all. Your team are the only ones who’ve bothered raiding Sting’s properties for the past half-decade, and you’ve only done so twice…off the books if I should hazard a guess. Are you ready to get serious, or do I call my employer with the bad news?” Charles queried.
Obinna’s pause wasn’t out of hesitation. Breaks in his investigation into Sting’s operations had been few and far in between, but since Mr. Simon’s transfer to HQ, the issue was was gaining weight steadily. Obinna wanted to take down Sting if it was the only thing he achieved with his badge, and the fact that his new boss was someone he could trust, who hadn’t hesitated to lean his weight in the matter... however, Sting’s network was solid and impenetrable so far. Charles proposal nonetheless this sounded like a potential break. He wasn’t about to miss the bus and wonder after if it led to the destination it promised.
Obinna held out his hand for a hand shake. “Who said being the guy who took down Lagos State’s numero uno would be a free ride to fame, right?” Charles took his hand.

***

The Awards Night was over. Eight PM at SEVENTEEN-FIFTY-NINE became as happy an hour as it rarely got, especially since the just graduated students of Paul Harris’ Art College decided to convert the place to their after-party venue. SEVENTEEN-FIFTY-NINE was one of the few bars in Ajao that could brag of a swimming pool section, but that was on lock down tonight. It had a huge space no doubt. The building was an old one storey painted blue, with an open bar out front, a drinking parlor with a dance floor in the middle at the ground floor, and a VIP bar at the upper porch and another section for indoor games. The swimming pool bar was at the back yard, but the lights over there had been shut down.
The after-party was in full swing when the Best Graduating Student arrived with his girlfriend. They all knew him. With exception for those who were close to him, they all thought he was single and would be arriving with Jennifer at most, or alone, as usual. Lade’s presence hadn’t been expected. Dressed in a jumpsuit she’d ordered earlier that afternoon, her looks and style had made an impression. Some were awed, others were envious. Even Sister Vanessa thought she looked dashing. Not that she cared. Inasmuch as she was having fun in the arms of the guy who was first in the league of first class graduates, she was worried by the crowd. They were on the mainland, and all it took was one person to recognize her. Just like at Theresa’s party. Nonetheless, it was also important Banks attended the after-party with the rest of them.
“One hour tops, sweetie.” Banks had whispered when Charity and the rest of her smiling LOC invited them personally. “We can do one more hour.” He could say no, but it just wouldn’t do his social rep any good. Lade had nodded in understanding, full of counterfeit smiles.
The crowd at the plaza was twice the size of attendees at the dinner party thanks to the promised open bar, Lade noted. It made her self-conscious. She felt Banks squeeze her hand, which he held in his as they made their way through the throng full of compliments at the ground floor, and continued up to the VIP section.

***

Godwin Umotong and his two friends weren’t celebrants or in any way related to the celebration. This was their usual after-work hang out. The trio were lower level management at a nearby detergent factory. They rarely failed to to hook up after their nine-to-fives. During the weekends, they hung out at Godwin’s place and really partied. Godwin used cocaine privately.
They’d just about finished with their couple-drinks-before-calling-it-a-night when the bar girl announced open bar and they decided to have fun while they were at it. Godwing was looking forward to getting drunk and probably picking a willing girl for the night. A few couples were at the little dance space at the VIP section, rocking each other to the music emanating from the speakers. Others were scattered in pickets, drinking and laughing while they discussed. The bar workers were having one of their busiest nights, it seemed.
Godwin’s attention was drawn from his work buddy’s analysis of the premier league soccer matches scheduled for the next day to a couple who’d just entered hand in hand. He felt his pulse flutter for a coule seconds. Was that not…? Godwin frowned in an attempt to remember the lovely young woman in the arms of the rakishly dressed guy. He couldn’t quite place her very familiar face, and strangely felt at a loss as a result. Was she not…? No, he couldn’t be sure…not from this distance. To hell with it anyway, he said in his mind. Whoever she was, she was with someone else tonight.

Tunde was bent over the pool table aiming the cue ball at the black ball. There were at least four other balls of a kind on the table which belonged to Bayo who stood opposite him with a resigned look on his face. Idara was standing beside him with a pout. Andy, Chika, and Theresa were close by watching the game.
The closest pocket was straight ahead, and he took the shot cleanly sending the black ball into the pocket he’d aimed for. He straightened with a sigh.
“Three wins in a row…this isn’t fun anymore.” Tunde straightened to his full height. He reached for his paper cup and gulped the last of his drink and turned to the rest of the group. That was when he noticed Banks and Lade approaching from behind them. Bayo and Idara noticed too.
“Mahn! This Banks must have iron balls,” Tunde started.
“Or he is as cautious as a sheep.” Bayo said and bleated. Idara chuckled. The rest of them turned and noticed them approaching.
Chika hissed. “No he is a sheep. Bringing her to the dinner was foolish enough, but here?
Theresa shared her sentiments. “They must have a death wish or something.”
No one made any more comments for they were within earshot. “Finally, my three musketeers and their ladies.” He and Lade smiled like it was a private joke. He shook the hands of his three friends and hugged their ladies. Idara had a hearty congratulatory kiss for him. Chika was unresponsive while Theresa was stiff.
“Seventeen-fifty-nine is a great hang out…you and your girlfriend better not shut it down for us,” Theresa said bitingly. Banks chuckled and apologized again for the disruption of her homecoming party.
Meanwhile, Bayo and Idara moved in to make Lade feel welcome. Banks was surprised when Lade asked after Jennifer while Andy asked after Vanessa. Vanessa left before the dinner party ended to resume her shift at the hospital. Jennifer hadn’t felt too good after the dinner. She’d driven home to rest.
A bar girl arrived with two bottles of Andrea Brut which they’d ordered before Banks and Lade showed up, and unscrewed the cork before leaving to get more drinking cups for the new arrivals.
“Give it to Bayo to share,” Tunde said, “he just lost three in a row. That’s sorry sport…so boring”
Banks laughed, counting the number of Bayo’s balls still remaining on the table even though the game was over. Idara handed the bottle over to her boyfriend, who took it with a shrug. Everyone but Lade and Banks held out there cups for him to serve them.
“Baby, too bad Andy is too chicken to put in a challenge.” Theresa quipped putting her arm around Tunde.
“No, I robbed him of his balls last week at Banks studio. He knows better than to allow me humiliate him in public.” He replied laughing.
Theresa turned to Banks. “What about you Mr. Best Graduating Student? How would you like to lose in front of your…friend?” She nodded at Lade without looking at her. Lade scowled.
“Yes, you’re a tougher opponent.” Tunde added.
“Not today!” Banks replied. “We didn’t plan to stay long; else I’d have loved a chance to prick that balloon growing in your head.”
“Good excuse.” Chika said. Andy smiled at that.
Lade had had enough of their smugness. She walked up to Tunde with a confidence that surprised everyone. “I’ll play you, Tunde,” She said. They were all quiet for a few seconds. Tunde’s face was the most surprised. He hadn’t expected any response from her. Especially not this. The bar girl returned with two tumblers.
“What?” Lade gave them doe-eyed looks. “You don’t think a girl can handle herself on a pool table?”
Idara was the first to recover. “I think I’ll love to see Tunde’s ego resized.”
“Ha! No freaking way!” Theresa returned unconvincingly.
Banks took the cups from the server and turned to Bayo who filled them. He handed Lade a cup with an I-hope-you-know-what-you’re-doing look. The server left them to their game. Tunde meanwhile was wary of the challenge. As if sensing his hesitation, his friends turned to him askance. Tunde pilled on his confident smile.
“I never asked for this,” he said, “I’m not sure I’ll enjoy beating a lady.” He turned to Lade, looking as sure of himself as possible, he said, “I’ll beat you. I don’t get chivalrous when I compete, man or woman regardless.”
Lade laughed like she would at a joke. She turned to Banks who stood beside her. “You better bet on me too,” she said, “Your friend is about to get the shock of his life.”
Banks smiled. He never remembered her being so sure of anything as this. “Go ahead, baby! I got my debit card,” he said aloud that everyone at the table heard him.
Lade took Bayo’s cue stick where he’d left it on the pool table. She began picking the cue balls out of the pockets and stacking them in the middle of the pool. Tunde moved in to help her.
“What makes you so sure you’d win?” Andy asked from he was perched on his stool. “You’ve not even seen Tunde play before?”
Tunde smiled as some of his confidence returned. He looked up at her to catch her watching him with an amused smile on her face.
Lade didn’t bother replying Andy’s question. “I bet you ten grand I’ll beat you in this first game.”
There was something akin to intimidation on her tone and everyone in their group caught it this time. They were all astonished and even more curious than ever. They looked at Tunde to check his reaction. Banks laughed at the look on his face.
Tunde was taken aback first by her how sure she was, and by the fact that a bet was involved. He’d be labeled ‘chicken’ if he mentioned he didn’t play for money. He knew she was playing a mind game on him, and was succeeding. He couldn’t afford to lose in front of his friends. He stiffened his upper lip and frowned.
“Make that fifteen… and I get the first shot for taking your challenge.”
Lade grinned. “Whatever you say…” She turned to Banks and winked. He shrugged in return. “He’s had it coming for long now.” Banks replied amused at what was happening. It also occurred to him that he might be the one losing fifteen large to Tunde. The guy had impeccable aim with a cue stick… and he couldn’t remember ever seeing Lade play.
By the time they were done arranging the balls, their group of spectators increased and everyone was talking about the bet all at once. There were eight yellow balls, eight green balls, one black ball and a white cue ball. Tunde’s first shot at the stack got the balls moving in every direction on the table. Two green balls made into adjacent pockets. Tunde grinned at the good start.
“Sweet!” Theresa exclaimed favoring Lade with a superior look like the game was already won. Lade didn’t look unpeturbed.
Tunde shot in a third green ball and a fourth. Chika joined in with Theresa egging him on. The rest of the guys turned to Lade who still wore her smile and waited patiently, sipping her wine. Tunde faltered at a fifth shot, pocketing a yellow ball instead.
“Urgghh!” Chika snorted in disappointment.
The smile left Lade’s face when Tunde stepped aside, pleased with his performance. Lade was oblivious of the attention. She studied the position of all the balls for a full minute, with a slight frown on her face. She began with the yellow ball closest to the cue and bent to take aim. She shot it in with accurate precision. She pocketed another even more easily. She sent a fourth in, a rebound almost pocketing the black ball. A fifth went in. The next was an obvious piece of cake to Tunde’s chagrin. She pocketed it. The seventh was the toughest but she took it like a pro, bouncing her cue ball on one of the table walls to send the cue’s rebound at it, pocketing it neatly.
Bayo laughed at that one.
“Oh my God! I should record this on my phone!” Idara said digging for her iphone from her purse. Even Banks was astonished.
Lade’s eight shot was an easy one. She looked up at Tunde and smiled. “You never stood chance a sweetheart. Maybe I should give you one, huh?” Tunde didn’t reply. Lade turned to Chika and Theresa. Theresa looked sullen and disappointed while Chika couldn’t contain her envy. Lade sniggered. She bent and took a wild shot, missing her eight shot purposefully.
She was doing it to humiliate him further, Tunde knew. He had four more shots on the board and there was no guarantee he’d get them all in one go. If she won him after giving him a chance to catch up… Pride made him drop his cue stick on the table.
“I forfeit,” he said. “You win, Lade. You’re an amazing player.” His face was flush with embarrassment.
The rest of their spectators were agog with excitement. Tunde looked tamed. Idara watched with amusement as Lade collected a congratulatory hug from everyone but the girls. She was beginning to decide that she liked the girl after all.
“Damn! That was cold, baby.” Banks said handing Lade her wine cup when she returned to his side. She drained her cup and joined the group as they adjourned to find themselves a vacant table. Andy and Bayo still talked about the game making loud jokes on the outcome.
“So Tunde, when do you plan to pay up?” Lade asked when they were all settled around the table, ignoring the stabbing looks Theresa sent her. She was really in her element tonight, they all noticed.
“He’ll do mobile transfer to my account tomorrow.” Banks interrupted any reply Tunde had. “Right?” All eyes turned to Tunde.
“Yes.” His tone was meek. Andy and Bayo latched on to that. Tunde waited for the next round of laughter to die down. “You must really have great players where you came from.”
The statement got her sober. That wasn’t something she thought she’d like to share. She looked at Banks who shrugged. “Well,” she began reluctantly. “Let’s just say, old habits die hard. My father once owned a gaming house. My brother was a die-hard gambler, so he thought me a lot of board and table games. They are both late now…” She paused, getting sentimental. There was no need mentioning the rest of it. She looked up at their faces. Some of them shifted uneasily. Chika and Theresa were stone-faced.
“Well, I’ve never seen a pool game end so quickly, except in the competitions.” Idara said.
“Me neither…we should have a toast to the pool king’s infamous demise.” Andy injected. They laughed.
“The bottles are empty,” Tunde mentioned.
Bayo checked and found it true. “Then, we’ll make do with the ones left in our cups,” he said.
Banks raised his glass. “Mine is empty. Lade’s too.”
“No more wine for me. I’ll go get us a beer.” Lade said getting to her feet, all inhibition gone for the moment.
“Heinekeen for me, don’t forget.” Banks said.
“I know.” Lade replied.
Idara got to his feet. “I’ll like me a beer too, Lade. I’m coming with you.”
Theresa and Chika gave her surprised glance, looking like she’d just gassed through her anus. She ignored them, took Lade’s hand and led her towards the VIP bar.
“You were really merciless in that game against Tunde. The guys will be talking about it for a long while yet.” Idara said, grinning at Lade.
“I’m glad I gave you all a new topic.” Lade was abrupt, wondering why anyone of them was suddenly being friendly.

Godwin and his friends had settled to play poker at one of the game tables near the VIP bar. He picked up the new hand he was dealt and held it up with the other cards. He frowned in dissatisfaction. The new addition made his game even worse. He and his friends were on their fourth round of beer and were getting pretty loud.
“I fold!” Godwin dropped his cards on the table with a bang, muttering curses at the server who paid him no attention. His two friends called and the game continued without him. He took his beer and let his eyes wander about. That was when he noticed Idara and Lade walking past them towards the bar. Now was as good a time as any to make contact, he thought.
“Hey! Where are you going?” One of his friends asked him when he made to get off his chair.
Godwin nodded at the two girls. “Maybe, I’m not meant to be so unlucky tonight,” he said grinning.
His other friend blew a low whistle when he saw them. “They look alright. Do you know them?”
Godwin shrugged. “The one in the jump suit is an escort…the other must be a bird of the same feather.” He got to his feet and grunted when his friends wished him luck before returning to their game. Godwin went after the two ladies who were now at the bar. Idara was trying to get the bartender’s attention. Lade was scanning the rest of the place out of habit.
Lade saw Godwin approaching the bar with his sights on her and wrote it off – just another guy coming over to hit on her, a usual scene in a bar. The guy smiled as he approached like only a familiar person would and her heart faltered a bit. This guy had hit on her before. This guy knew who she was.
Lade tried to look away but his gaze held hers. She could hear Idara talking to the bar girl, her back turned to them but within earshot. This was exactly what she was afraid of. Worse even, she didn’t remember ever meeting him.
“You’re Nicky, right?” Godwin had a disarming smile on his handsome face when he arrived.
“No! Why?” Lade asked, frowning in heavy dislike.
Godwin chuckled to put her at ease. “Take it easy baby! I understand! You’re with someone tonight, probably with a different name. Nicky might not even be your real name.” By now he’d gotten Idara’s attention too who had collected their beers and had turned to hand Lade the Heinekeen and Big Stout she’d asked for. Godwin continued, favoring Idara with his charming smile. “After all, that’s what escorts do,” Godwin continued.
Idara’s eyes were wide saucers.
“Hi baby,” Godwin shifted his attention to Idara. “I would love to make your acquaintance too. You’re very lovely. What is your name?” Idara found herself at a loss, and turned to Lade.
Lade felt the anger creep up from somewhere in her lower back. It rose to her neck, found her tongue and loosened it. “Hey you!” That got his attention back, at least away from Idara. “I don’t know who you are, or what you think you’re doing, but…”
Godwin was surprised by her harshness. Did he come at her wrong? “Do we need to pretending, Nicky? It’s not like he’s watching. You could just… give me a way to contact you…we could fix a date for us. Ever since I saw you with Sting at TRUTH night club, I’ve been dreaming of the perfect cruise.” Godwin was puzzled at her friend’s discomfiture.
Lade thought she’d die of embarrassment. She could feel rather than see Idara’s shocked face, but she could tell Idara had taken a couple steps away from her. Still, grief wouldn’t help her now. She had to steel herself against it. She couldn’t afford to break down now... not in front of them. She just had to fetch Banks and tell him it was time to leave. This man, whoever he was, knew Sting; that was enough to scare her off.
“Sorry, but you’ve got me mistaken for another person.” She made to get past him but Godwin was quick to block her with his huge body frame.
“I wasn’t sure earlier, but I’m good with faces, and I know it’s you Nicky.”
“Get out of my way!” Lade screamed furiously. There was a speaker just beside her and the music was loud enough to drown her shout.
“Or… what?” Godwin hadn’t expected things to take this turn, but he’d had one drink too many to be cautious. He was sure she was…who she was, and he’d find out the reason for her reluctance.
Lade turned to leave in a different direction, but Godwin shifted in that direction to block her again.
“Aren’t you supposed to just name your price, baby? Do we have to make a scene?” His words had a bit of a slur to it. They had a small audience now. The ones closest to the bar were watching them now.
Lade spat on his face, blinding him for a quick moment. She tried to walk past him simultaneously, but he was quicker. He caught him by the arm and pulled her back.
Then, he slapped her.
It was happening again, Idara thought snapping out of her stupor like a deer startled by headlights on a highway. She left the bottles on the counter and ran for the pool boards towards the pool boards.
Meanwhile, Lade was seeing stars. She stumbled backwards from the force of his hand. She waited till her vision cleared, steaming in rage and shame. She looked around and saw the bottles on the counter. Without any thoughts for consequences, Lade grabbed for the big stout bottle by its neck and smashed its bottom on the counter, spilling most of the drink it contained. Half of her brain heard the bar girl shout to stop her, but it didn’t register. She turned to face Godwin.
Godwin’s eyes narrowed warily, but he was still smiling. She could only be bluffing. “Ooooh! You really are feisty, huh?” He laughed drunkenly. However, no one else was laughing.
“If you don’t get out of my way…I swear I’ll stick you!” She said quietly. She was really angry now. Lade made to walk past again.
It was for pride this time, not prudence. As before, Godwin stepped to block her path, his scowl matching her. He made to grab her and disarm her, but Lade was expecting his moves this time. She sidestepped easily and stabbed him deep in his right thigh.
Godwin’s wail was blood curdling. Surely, everyone in the game lounge had heard him. Lade stood over him when he fell to the floor clutching his bleeding leg. Blood was pooling on the floor under him. The quantity startled Lade. She looked up and found everyone watching her with shock. She let the broken bottle fall to the floor and backed away from him.
Godwin’s friends had been watching all along. They too, like most other people in the room had been amused by Godwin’s drunken attempt to proposition the girl. That was, till Godwin slapped the girl and she stuck him with a bottle. The joke had gotten old and sour fast. Their game and beers were forgotten and were already on their way over. Another girl had seen the blood and fainted. Others who were closest were backing away fast.
Lade saw Godwin’s friends coming. Her heart was beating faster than it ever did. Godwin’s friends didn’t look like they were coming over to ask questions. Lade saw Banks approaching from the corner of eye. Her attention shifted from her approaching assailants for a quick moment.
“Peter!” She cried.
A loud gasp swept across the room. It was Peter Bankole’s stunning babe who’d just stabbed someone at their graduation after-party. They saw Banks running towards the bar, having been alerted by Idara. The bar girl’s shouts for help were being drowned out by the music. The Dj was downstairs,
Whatever. Lade had more immediate concerns. The first punch from one of Godwin’s friends knocked the breath out of her and she fell to the floor in a heap. She curled up in a fetal position, expecting a kick next, but it never struck. She looked up to see Banks grab one of Godwin’s friends by the scruff of the neck and pull him away from her.
Banks swung him around and push him in the direction of Andy’s arrival. Andy’s fists were already clenched and his target was too disoriented to see the punch coming. Andy’s second punch knocked him down unconscious. Meanwhile, Godwin’s second friend swung at Banks who dodged his fist and sidestepped him to rush to Lade’s side, leaving him to Andy to deal with. He helped Lade up to her feet. There was a trickle of blood on her left nostril which he wiped with his thumb.
“Is she alright?” Andy asked.
Lade nodded, but was obviously still shaken. “Can we go home now?” She asked Banks.
Banks nodded. He took her hand and led her towards the staircase, looking downcast and unable to look any of the onlookers in the eye. The gossiping had already started.

***
Kunle’s cell phone vibrated on the bedside table. He was lying with Cindy in his arms under the sheets of his bed. They were both sweaty and were basking the after-glow of a just concluded love-making session.
“Leave it,” Cindy pleaded, hugging him tighter.
Kunle chuckled. “No way… What if it’s Sting?”
“It’s almost midnight.” Cindy complained but released him still. Kunle reached for his phone and scowled at the I.D. He picked the call.
“This is not a good time.” He said, sitting up, listening. “You did? Where?” He listened again. “Do you know where the college is located?” He listened again. “Good work, Taiwo. I’ll see you in the morning.” He ended the call and turned to grin at Cindy.
“What?” Kunle only smiled like that only when he had made a breakthrough of any sort to a really puzzling problem. And she knew what nut he’d just cracked. Somehow, they’d figured where Banks went to school.

***

Banks pulled up to the front porch of Mike’s house. Lade alighted before he even turned off the engine.
“Lade wait!”
Lade paid him a deaf ear and hurried into the house. Banks turned off the car and went to lock the gates. There was no sign of her elsewhere in the house even though he knew she’d be at the penthouse. He found one of her heeled shoes at the foot of the stairs. He picked the second one at the top of the stairs landing. He entered the room and frowned when he didn’t find her. He relaxed a bit when he heard sobbing in the bathroom, still his heart fell. She was shooting herself up again, he assumed. Not for the first time, he wondered if buying her the drugs hadn’t been a mistake.
He pushed the bathroom door open. Lade was sitting on the floor with her back leaning on the tub. She smiled at him with teary eyes.
“I didn’t…I couldn’t do it.” She pointed at the syringe at one end of the bathroom floor. It had been broken into two parts. “See, my love… no more…I can’t continue…I won’t…” She broke down sobbing.
Banks’ eyes misted…happiness that she didn’t...sadness at her misery. He blinked his tears back and entered the bathroom.
“Here you are!” His voice was solemn.
Lade got to her feet. “I’m sorry for tonight,” she said.
“No,” Banks interrupted. “I should have listened to you. We should’ve left when my sister did.” He went to pull her into a hug. “I’m the one to blame,” he said.
“Still, the embarrassment…in front of all your mates at school… I’m so sorry.” She replied.
He felt a tear wet his throat where she laid her head. He lifted her face up to look into her anxious eyes. Kiss me. Love me, they seemed to be saying. He kissed her then, and she closed her eyes, breathing a sigh of relief. She wrapped her arms around his neck tighter and pressed herself even closer to him. The kiss lasted no longer than a minute, but that was long enough to reassure her of his love. The shame and embarrassments really didn’t matter to him. He was hers, just as he’d promised. “Oh, Peter!” She whispered wondering what she’d done to deserve him. She burrowed her face into the warmth of his neck, inhaling the faint cologne and his perspiration. She tightened her hold around him for lack of anything better to do…or say…a suitable statement for all that she felt for him in that moment.
He indulged her, rocking them both back and front on his heels. She’d been tough with those strangers at the bar, but in his arms she felt soft…so vulnerable. He wanted to say something too. A reassurance. Or a re-declaration of love. But no, not tonight; not while he was battling with his self-recriminations. Those were his friends and colleagues who’d witnessed the debacle. The news would spread into even the remotest circle he was affiliated with. His girl – in a bar fight of all things? What had his life turned into? His mother will surely hear of this and would be sorely disappointed with him when she returned. Lade’s chances of being accepted by his family had dwindled even further tonight, and when his mother forbids his marriage to her, what would he do then?
Still, he held on to her, like that was all he could do for the moment. He held her for a long time, and after making love to her that night, he held her till the morning came.
“Marry me,” he said when he felt her wake up.
He felt her stiffen in his arms. “Today… I want you to be my wife, Lade.” He kissed the nape of her bare shoulder.
She turned in his arms to face him, searching his eyes. “You didn’t sleep a wink, did you?”
Banks shrugged. She was quiet for a long time. “I’ll marry you Peter Bankole. That’s all I want…to be your wife.” Banks smiled at that, but she wasn’t finished. “Just, not today,” she continued. “I won’t make a good wife today. Today is the day I quit…the drugs…everything…I must divorce them, if I must marry you.”
Banks nodded. “It’s a start,” he said, “It’s what I want too.” He leaned in to kiss her, and the morning began.