Uche stroked his beard as he sat before the officer. The man didn’t look nice at all. His old, dark face was still screwed up as if he was going to smash Uche’s head if he refused to speak up. He also didn’t seem like he cared. He didn’t know why he was brought in for interrogation again. He tried to wreck the wedding but didn’t end up wrecking it. He was thrown out and now? He had been arrested again?
“Where is he?” he heard the husky-voiced officer ask him.
“Who?” He shrugged.
“Who else?” His eyes bulged as he hit the table.
“I don’t understand the question you are asking,” he replied.
“Where is her husband?” he exclaimed.
“Husband?” He stuttered. “I don’t know anything about what you are saying.”
The man inhaled deeply. “I am losing my patience. Where is he?”
“Sir, I don’t understand what you are asking me. Who are we talking about here? I was in my house when they came for me and just took me away. I don’t know why I am here yet. I don’t have answers to questions I don’t understand.”
“You think we are here to joke, right? You think so, is that not it?”
He smiled. “Sir, I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Did you go to a wedding ceremony today?”
He nodded. “Yes, I did. I went there to say nothing but the truth.” He shrugged.
The officer snickered. “The truth? About what?”
“I own the pregnancy she is carrying, not the guy she got married to,” he replied unapologetically.
“What do you mean by that? Who told you she is pregnant?”
He chuckled. “I know she is pregnant, officer. At least you guys have started the investigation. Please do investigate it well. She is pregnant and the baby is mine!”
“So that is why you nabbed the husband, is that not it?”
“I don’t know anything about that. I just went there to express my mind and I was bounced out. Any issue relating to the husband or whatever, I know nothing about it at all.”
“You can’t tell me that. You can’t be lying here that you have nothing to do with this issue when it is so obvious.”
“I repeat, I don’t know anything about this case. I never even knew that the husband is missing. How did it happen? Like, I can’t provide an answer to all these.”
He glared at him for a moment before he stood up and walked out of the room. Uche’s instinct told him he had gone out to make a call about the latest development.
The living room was already a shadow of itself when Fola and Feire stepped inside. Everyone was just confused, not knowing whether they were meant to leave or stay, console her or ask questions. As they stepped in, Mosun was about to stand up to pull Feire aside so she could whisper some things to her when she noticed they were holding hands. She was taken aback as she stood still and watched the drama unfold.
“Here we are. Do it again.” Feire said with a smile on her face.
“I don’t even know where to start from again. You have scattered my head.”
She shook her head with the smile still on her face. “I am sorry for the other time. Please do repeat those sweet words again.”
Fola’s smile widened as he began his epistle again. Everyone was on their feet with smiles on their faces. It seemed as though they had all forgotten that something dramatic happened moments earlier. The love in the atmosphere was enough to block out the remembrance. Everyone simply anticipated her response to the whole epistle Fola was reeling out.
Feire stood still for a moment, staring into Fola’s eyes while he knelt on one knee and held the ring close to her. She giggled, her face beaming, as she suddenly gave him a yes and he slid the ring into her finger. The dead excitement came back to life immediately.
Mosun and Stella just stood there and watched the drama unfold, not believing what the two went outside to discuss that changed everything.
Mosun kept making signs and signals, asking Feire what happened, but she was still wrapped up in Fola’s arms and unable to send any gesture back to her friend.
The night would be full of discussions. She already knew.
“Kike!”
Kike heard her father blare her name repeatedly as she rushed down the stairs. She felt it must have been good news he was calling her for because he kept screaming her name. She had gone into the room to relax before she suddenly heard his voice.
“Has he been found? Has Uche confessed?” She hurried towards her father, puzzles written all over her face.
“Who is Uche?”
She noticed her father was stern. The question didn’t come lightly the way it normally would on a good day. Then why would he be asking her who Uche was when she had already explained everything before?
She didn’t want to think wildly that he might have already spilled out that she was carrying his baby. She shook the thought off and decided to act brave.
“I don’t understand.”
“Is Desmond the father of the baby inside you or Uche?”
She continued staring at her father.
“Are you not the one I am talking to?”
“I don’t know why you are believing his word over mine. How would I have said Desmond is the father of the baby when Uche is? Then wouldn’t Desmond have known? The guy is just a gold digger who wants to ruin me completely and you are not even believing me!” she shouted.
“Calm down, dear. Everything is for the betterment of what is going on here. I don’t mean to disbelieve you, but I am just checking if you have not allowed him have something to hold on to.”
“He is not the father of the baby, Daddy. He is just trying to get into my life, trying to meddle with everything and make me lose my joy.”
“Okay. I am sorry. It was the officer who called and informed me that he was claiming he owns the pregnancy.” He calmed down and gave a deep breath.
“But how did he know about the pregnancy? We didn’t tell anyone, neither did you.” Her mother finally broke her silence.
Kike didn’t know what to reply instantly. She turned towards her mother slowly and threw her hands into her hair.
“When he visited me in the office last week… or when exactly did he even come?” She stopped abruptly and tried to remember. “He came to my office. I just can’t remember the exact day. He said the only thing that could make me suddenly rush into marriage and keep it quiet was pregnancy and that he owns the child.”
“Have you been sleeping with him?”
She glared at her mother. “These questions sound awkward, Mum.”
“Answer my questions so we don’t fight for you, lose and even end up in jail because of this case.”
“No.” She shook her head.
“Are you sure?”
She nodded again and turned around to leave their presence so she could avoid more questions.
“How did you know she is pregnant?” the officer asked Uche as he settled back into his seat.
Uche laughed. “I am the father. How won’t I know I got someone pregnant?”
“No. It is the mother who knows the father of her child.” He shrugged.
Uche laughed again. “Maybe that was then. How can someone get pregnant about one or two weeks after our breakup and suddenly want to get married to another fellow?”
“What if she was seeing Desmond while she was with you?”
He disagreed immediately. “No. I know she wasn’t. She is not that kind of person.”
“So can you truthfully tell us what you know about Desmond’s whereabouts? I have softened my pedal now and Kike’s father is ready to cooperate with you.”
He frowned. “I mean everything I have been saying. I never even knew he had been kidnapped, not to talk of where he is. I really don’t know anything about this case.”
The officer stared at him for a moment before walking out again.
Uche relaxed his back and faced the ceiling, thinking.
He truly seemed not to know anything about the case.
Maybe.
Or maybe not.
Feire hugged Mosun tightly. “Thank you for everything.”
She looked happier than when she first saw the surprise they planned for her. It was late already and everyone was about to leave.
“You have to attend to your visitors and see them off. We still have all night to talk.”
“Tomorrow is Sunday!”
“So if we skip tomorrow’s service, we are going to die, right?”
Feire grinned. “Idiot.”
“You can talk now because they have put a ring on it. Just attend to your visitors. I am here for you.”
Mosun sat by the arm of one of the sofas while Feire stepped into the middle of everyone to appreciate them before following them outside.
She already knew Fola and Stella wouldn’t leave immediately. They would still stay for a while before going.
They all walked towards the gate, exchanging hugs and chatting till everyone entered their cars and drove off.
Stella held Feire’s hand as they watched all the visitors leave while Fola stood before them.
Soon, they all left and the three of them stepped back into the compound.
“That was dramatic,” Stella whispered to Feire.
“I was scared. I felt it was coming too fast, like I wanted to just die.” She laughed heartily.
“I know it seems too fast, but delaying doesn’t add any value, does it?”
“So what are you two talking about?” Fola tried putting his head between them, but they pushed him away.
“Ladies’ talk.” Stella hissed.
“So it has gotten to this, right?” He stood akimbo while they continued walking to a corner of the compound.
“Yes, it has. You have shone. Let me have my own time too,” Stella replied.
“Why are you the one talking? What is wrong with Feire?”
“She is mannered. She doesn’t cut talks between in-laws because of one guy.”
Fola laughed. “You are not serious.” He walked towards them.
“I don’t know if I should call this jealousy.” Feire mocked.
Fola’s phone buzzed and he stopped walking towards them. He stared at the screen and raised his head to look at Feire and Stella before returning his attention to the phone. He swallowed hard as he turned around and picked the call.
“Hello,” he said into the receiver.
Then he heard footsteps approaching him and quickly removed the phone from his ear. He thought Feire was walking towards him. He hurriedly ended the call, slipped the phone beside his trousers and saw Feire approaching with a smile.
She looked like she wanted to ask him something, but it was already obvious on his face that he was nervous she suddenly came close.
“What is it?”
He caught his breath. “Nothing.” He smiled.
“Sir, I am releasing him. I will tell him to come back tomorrow afternoon,” the officer said to Kike’s father.
“You absolutely can’t do that. What if he runs away? You are not meant to take things easy with that guy! You are not meant to!” he shouted over the phone.
“I really have to free him for the night. My instincts tell me he has an iota of truth in all he is saying. Perhaps he is the father of…”
“Hold it there! How can you just judge things based on instincts? So you feel I am wasting your time, right?”
“No. I just feel there is more to this issue. I feel there is more your daughter has to say also. Even if this guy kidnapped him, I think we should free him for the night while some officers trail him between tonight and tomorrow afternoon to monitor his movement so we can catch him in the act. We don’t have any solid proof yet and he is not meant to be detained.”
“Okay, you feel he might unconsciously lead us to where he hid Desmond, right?”
“Exactly. I would also love to have some words with Kike.”
There was brief silence before he finally agreed to the officer’s proposal.
The officer hung up and ordered for Uche to be released but kept under heavy surveillance between that night and the following afternoon.
Uche stepped out of the interrogation room and met his sister waiting. He stepped forward and hugged her before they both entered the car.
“What’s happening?” Susan asked.
Uche began explaining everything going on to her.
“Please tell me the truth, Uche. Do you know anything about this case?”
He chuckled. “No, I don’t. But I suspect someone who might.”
“Who?” Susan asked immediately.
Uche laughed and clasped his hands together.
“The wedding was strictly by invitation. Has it ever crossed your mind how I got the invitation card I tendered?”
Susan stared at him, wondering.