Yemisi
Bonn, Germany
It was a good day to investigate. The air intake was different from the moderately good air I had been breathing for the past few weeks. There was nothing like the beauty in togetherness.
Spending the night with Christopher was the closure I needed after worrying painfully for too long. I hadn't for once taken my time to smell the roses because I was in a garden full of thorns so nothing looked good.
But this morning, even the black coffee I'd woken up to by my bedside table was pleasant to my tongue and so was the breakfast. Even down to green peas that I loved to avoid in my meals. He was absent which sort of took away the essence of the beautiful morning but I knew there was a difference from the other mornings I had woken up to.
He had to leave early, his note had said but it made me wish I could help especially if it perhaps had something to do with Irene even if he didn't say though.
I had things to do today particularly since my plan to investigate with Myron yesterday got disrupted by Chris's presence. So I didn't waste any time in calling her once I prepared myself to get to work.
"Whew! It was the ditching for me!" she complained immediately I got to hear her from the other end.
"I swear I was going to wait for you but he came around unannounced. I'm sorry, " I explained. She knew Christopher well so I didn't need to say his name.
"Anyway, I have news. So I just found out that the limping rapist, Geoffrey works at a certain police station here in Bonn. I was casually taking a walk across the streets before I came home to be met with your absence and during the walk, I saw some police officers by a parking lot, talking about how one of their members has been absent for days. They mentioned his name so I knew he was the one. It happened so causally that I couldn't believe the information would come on a golden platter but it did and I'm very glad we don't have to stress."
"Where is the police station?"
"It's here in—" she paused after properly understanding what I wanted to know by that question. "It's not even far from the hotel you stay in. I'm sure you must have seen the police station in question before."
The same one Christopher got arrested in. The same place where the rapist works. Hm. Interesting. Looks like they are going to see me again with my trouble.
I couldn't contain my joy. My very, sinister joy.
"Of course I have. Let's go to the station on Monday."
"Do we need a plan? You know these officers can get real mad if some random—"
"We are not random people. At least I ain't. Authority and a dazzle of blackmail does the work. Lawyers are what we are not just informants and what-not, " I boasted as though I wasn't somewhat scared deep down especially with the way I'd frustrated them the previous time.
"Very well then. We'll go on Monday."
"Yup. Anyway, I have to make another call now, " I said once I remembered who I was supposed to speak with. "Bye."
I had to call Barrister Peret because I'd promised Karen in a provoked manner that I was going to set things right. Remembering it again even made me angrier than I was that day. Quickly, I dialed his number. On and on it rang but with no response from the other end.
I bit my lip angrily, wondering where the hell he was since he's supposed to keep his phone close and why he dared not to pick my call. Where is he for God's sake? He promised to assist Karen and me and right now, he's ghosting on us like he forgot his promise. I tried one last time and now, his line was switched off.
Was he avoiding—
No. Can't be. I'll try again tonight or tomorrow. I can't stay angry over his unavailability because I have to be in a good mood to speak with my daughter. I haven't called her since I left Nigeria which is just one bad habit I have. That Christopher doesn't.
I'm sure he must have spoken with her.
"My love! How are you doing?! It's been a long while. I'm sorry I haven't called you in forever!" I said as enthusiastically as I could.
"Yes...Indeed it has. I'm...good."
"What's with the hesitation? You don't sound good as you claim to be, " my smile faded away when her voice came in plain. Plain below normalcy.
"I'm good."
"Are you hiding anything from me?" because I will find out for sure and you know it! I wanted to add but figured it would be too hard a thing to say.
"No, I'm not."
"Al...right girl. How's Zion doing?"
"He's doing great."
"You don't have any issues with him anymore I suppose?" I pressed on a little.
"No, I don't."
Darn. Another straight reply.
"Okay if you say so."
"Umm...Mum, can we talk later?"
"I called you though so I'm not in a hurry."
"Well, I am in a hurry."
"Hm. Okay then. I hope to talk to you soon."
I was already bothered that Barrister Peret wasn't answering his calls but my daughter lying to me in this manner ruined my mood completely and it made me want to think about so many reasons as to why she sounded like that. What could be so wrong with her?