Read The Faintest Dawn (Story) Episode 24

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 24

Idowu: It’s Felix’s phone.

Inspector: Oh, the guy Victoria murdered.

Victoria: In self defense.

Inspector: Oh, yeah, you said that.

So, who’s gonna pick up the phone?

James, Idowu and Tina stared at Victoria.

Inspector: Okay, so, I’m guessing, it’s you Victoria. Interesting, you use the phone of the guy you killed in self defense.

Victoria tightened her jaw because, she was void of what to say. It was truly weird. Using the phone of the man she murderered.

Before, the phone got to Victoria, it had already ended.

Ola almost punched The fence surrounding Tina’s house, when his call was ignored. His resolved to violently bang the gate if he called her again and there was no response.

The phone rang again. For an unknown reason, Victoria was scared to pick up. She was beginning to regret her hasty decision of calling the cops. Things were getting messy in a way, she didn’t like.

Inspector: Pick it up.

She took a deep, bit her lips and amswered the phone….

Victoria: Hello.

Ola: Why didn’t you pick up before? I’m outside the gate. I want to know, if it’s okay to knock now.

Victoria: It’s, it’s okay.

Ola: There’s a previa parked out here. Are Tina’s parents back?

Victoria: No, they are not. Probably, someone around packed that car. Just knock, I’m coming out to get you.

Ola: Where’s Tina?

Victoria: In her room.

Ola: Though, I still don’t know why you’re tipping off your daughter’s murderer.

If I find out, you’re up to something. I’d kill you too. Your daughter was a kid, that’s why, I was easy on her. I promise to kill you more brutally, if you do anything stupid.

Victoria rolled her eyes in disgust. The guy who murdered her daughter still had the guts to threaten her.

Victoria: I’m coming to get you now. Don’t knock, to avoid Tina from knowing, you’re in the premises.

After they ended the call, Ola was sure that Victoria was up to something.

He knew, she wouldn’t just give him such candid details if she wasn’t up to something. If there was one thing, he was certain of was that, there were just four adults in the house. He was aware that Idowu had been overthrown, Tina had no standby guys, all their friends were dead, James and Tina were not even goons before so, there was nothing to be afraid of. If it was a trap, he’d make sure to kill Tina and Victoria even if, he wouldn’t survive.

In less than ten minutes, after the call, Victoria opened the gate.

The look on Ola’s face was mean as usual. Victoria imagined stabbing a knife through his chest, the minute she saw him. Ola walked past her right away. He said nothing to her.

Victoria: Rude fool.

Victoria muttered.

Ola heard “rude” but, he didn’t hear the “fool”. He wasn’t in the mood to ask her anything as he knew, she’d say, “nothing”

The gateman saw two figures pass. He recognized Victoria but, he wasn’t really familiar with the other guy. He wondered if the guy was crazy. Going into a house filled with armed men. The gateman had seen the officers go into the house, obviously they had come to arrest somebody. He didn’t want to be involved. He stayed indoors and tried not to make any noise.

He thought of calling Tina’s parents to inform them of their daughter’s misbehavior and the cops in the house, he just didn’t have the guts to. How would he tell her parents over the phone that cops were in their house because of their daughter’s mishap? They would blame him. They left Tina in his care. The truth is, he knew what kind of person Tina was, if he crossed some boundaries, she might have just killed him.

The only way, much blame would not be accorded to him, was if he talked to them facing them directly. He couldn’t wait for the return of Tina’s parents.

Ola: After you…..

Ola swerved his hands towards the door.

Victoria scoffed.

She opened the door, she observed he wasn’t coming in. She stood at the door watching him as he leaned on Tina’s car.

Ola had a change of plan. He decided not to come in just in case there was any ridiculous surprise.

Victoria: Are you coming in?

Ola nodded his head in disapprobation.

Victoria: Why not?

Ola: I changed my mind.

Victoria was discombobulated. If she tried to force him in, he’d be suspicious.

Everyone heard their conversation loud and clear. Tina was not surprised at Ola’s behaviour. He may have been blinded by revenge for coming to her house but, he wasn’t going to stupidly come in.

The inspector who had been staring at Victoria all the while give her signals to consent to Ola’s decision.

Victoria tried to look at both Ola and the inspector. She didn’t want Ola to get the slightest whimph of what was going on.

Victoria: Okay…..so, are you gonna go back.

Ola: Hell no!

Victoria: Then?

Ola: Isn’t it obvious?

Victoria: What?

Ola: I want Tina to come out.

Victoria: That’s all?

Ola: Yes.

Come on, Victoria, I’m not foolish. I know, Tina’s aware of my arrival. Let’s stop fooling each other. Tell her to come out.

Victoria: Okay…

Ola: And one more thing… If I find out, Tina is responsible, I might consider not killing you and your husband. I’d just have to kill Idowu and Tina, even if I lose my life in the process..

Victoria: (softly) Oh, you will lose your life, if that’s what you want..

Victoria: Okay, Tina! Ola is here already.

Tina frowned as the inspector signalled her to go outside.

She gave Victoria the most hideous stare ever.

Inspector: Just go outside. We’d be watching in case he tries anything stupid.

Tina: Y’all should just come out. If Ola gets the slightest idea that, I had something to do with Richard’s death, he’d kill me instantly.

inspector: Oh, did you all hear that? Richard, your boyfriend who has been missing, the same boyfriend whose house was filled with dead guys. Now, you admitted that you have a hand in his death. How interesting…..

Tina: Like you didn’t know.

Inspector: I didn’t. We were actually still trying to find Richard. Anyways, thanks you very much for relieving us the stress of trying to find him. By the way, where’s his body?

Tina: I don’t know.

Idowu’s hand was on his eye, like he was trying to remove something when, the truth was that, he was scared. All that ring in his head were Tina’s words.

“I’ll take you down too”.

Inspector: You killed a man and you don’t know where his body is?

Tina: I only said, I have a hand in his death, I didn’t kill him.

Inspector: Then, who did?

Tina: Idwou, that man beside Victoria’s husband.

Inspector: Oh, so, not just a drug dealer but, a murderer.

He giggled.

Inspector: Go and answer that guy. We’d be right behind you.

Tina was already at the door before the end of the inspector’s statement. Victoria left the door when Tina approached.

Richard’s face flashed across Tina’s mind when she saw Ola clad in Richard’s jacket, the jacket she bought for Richard on his last birthday.

Tina: How did he even get it?

She murmured and slowly walked towards him.

She was a little vexed that Ola wore Richard’s jacket but, it didn’t really matter. Richard was dead already.

Ola couldn’t help but smile as he saw Tina. She was as beautiful as ever. He had the intentions of asking her to be his girlfriend but, Richard got to her first. He didn’t believe that, a day would come when he’d have to ask Tina questions about Richard’s death.

She got to the car and took the stance as him.

Tina: Ola.

Ola: Tina.

Tina: Didn’t think, you’d come.

Ola: Me neither. I just had to.

Tina: Why?

Ola: You know.

Tina: Richard?

Ola: Yes, Richard. The truth please.

Tina: The truth about what?

Ola: What happened?

Tina: I don’t know.

Ola: But you do. It all makes sense, now I think about it.

Tina’s expression had already betrayed her.

Tina: What makes sense?

Ola: Okay, let’s see if you can fight your way out of this one.

Tina swallowed hardly.

Tina: go on.

Ola: we(their gang) we’re the only ones that knew of I and Richard’s theft of Idowu’s drugs. That was not the first time. We had always duped him of the drugs and we’d get away with it. Our hideout was covert so, there’s no way, Idowu would have captured Richard without a tip from an insider. Richard and I used to think the reason for your secret calls were because, you had started cheating on him. We didn’t know, you were planning to murder him.

Tina could hear her heartbeat thump rapidly.

One stupid word from her and her life would. Ola wasn’t a stranger to her. Though, his hands were void of any weapon, she was certain that his clothes would contain one.

Tina was about to speak when she saw the door open.

She exhaled.

Ola felt he was dreaming when he saw a police man come outside pointing a gun at him. He shut his eyes and opened it again. This time, they were three, that was when he became sure that, it wasn’t a dream. Ola thought the scenario was a joke. Why would Tina call the cops on him when she also had skeletons in her cupboard.

Ola: What is this?

By the time he asked Tina, she had gone farther away from him. Tina didn’t want to die yet, she’d rather spend time in prison than than let Ola who had rage written all over his face kill her.

Tina reversed to the policemen and hid behind them to shield herself from any attacks Ola might emit.

Ola: Why? Why did you call the cops?

Ola yelled again, this time, angrily.

Tina: I didn’t, I was just as surprised as you are right now, when I saw them this morning.

The two other officers inside, searched the house for any other evidence, they’d find.

They found both bags of drugs in Tina’s room. Drugs Idowu planned on selling to a client that same evening.

They found a gun too, a gun without bullets though. It didn’t matter, the drugs and the gun were enough evidence to call them criminals.

The inspector took James and Idowu to the guest room to carry out Laura’s corpse.

James couldn’t believe it was his daughter’s body he carried out. He asked himself several questions, questions that he couldn’t give reasonable answers to.

“How did I get here?”

“How come my family has been torn apart?”

“Did all this happen because, I tried to give my family a good life?”

“should I have continued to wallow in misery?”

The inspector put his arm across Idowu’s nape, talking to him like they were friends. Idowu was very uncomfortable in that state. He proclaimed the inspector heartless in his thoughts. How could he interrogate him and still have that uncanny smile on his face?

They were walking to the door, when they heard a gunshot and a yell.