IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS- Imade's Chronicles (Part 12)

Tony’s mother walked into the living room to find him pacing. He had been like this since he returned from Charles' place. She sighed....no son would be happy to hear such details of himself from an outsider. Hiding the entire thing from him had been an attempt to preserve his life.

“Tony, I’m sorry I didn’t fill you in on the entire matter. I thought keeping it away from you could save your life”

“Mummy it's not about you...something else bothers me”

“What is it? I can’t bear to see you like this”

Tony walked up to his mum...he held her...she looked so pale and troubled. This whole incident had dug up old wounds. “Mum I swear I’m not angry with you...i just...”

“Just what Tony?”

 

“Mum, I think I might have fallen for someone else”

“What happened between you and Tania?”

“Mum I ended it, besides from all i told you her dad might just be the chief culprit behind daddy's death”

His mother sighed. “Who’s this girl?”

“She’s a lawyer who works for Charles”

“Then tell her.”

“That’s the problem, I can't....she might be with someone else already”

“How so?”

“I just think.....” he hissed and dropped himself precariously on a sofa

“Maybe you should open up sometimes, Tony, no woman is taken until she wears a ring. You never can be so sure”

“What if they gave me a reason to know they were an item?”

“Though you speak in riddles, I won’t ask you to expantiate. Just know this, I was engaged to be married when I met your father...oh God bless his soul!” she wiped her tears. “He worked his way into my heart and for the 25 years we were married, I never regretted being his wife. He had his faults, even went as far as having an extramarital affair, but after he confessed I forgave him and I can tell you that if he hadn’t pushed to stay with me when I showed him my engagement ring, he wouldn't have married me.”

“Hmmm...Mum in essence, you think i should speak with her?”

“Yes, speak with her”

“Okay mum”

“I’ll be in my room, when its time you can ask the driver to go pick Sabrina from school”

“Thank you mum”

Tony picked his phone, he had not called her since he saw her at Charles'.

“Hello imade”

“Hi tony,” she said in a low tone

“Are you good?” tony asked

“Not really,” she broke down crying. Tony heard her sister's voice in the background consoling her....

“errmm, where are you?” he asked

“At my sister's”

“Okay send me the address I’ll be there shortly”

*************

Charles held Ember's hand... though she was in a critical state, the doctor had assured them she could make it through. She squeezed his hand lightly and when he squeezed back,  she struggled to open her eyes, and even murmured his name before she slipped back into unconsciousness. 

“She just opened her eyes” he said to the nurse who had just walked into the room

“Yes... she has been slipping in and out of consciousness….she will be fine” she said smiling back at him

Charles excused himself from the room to make a phone call.

“Hello may I speak with the commissioner of police please?”

“Yes please….who am I onto?” the feminine voice responded

“My name is barrister Charles Okafor esq”

“Oh. Hello sir….” the lady cleared her throat. His name was a household name in the legal world. “Please hold on for his office”

Charles rubbed and scratched his head as he waited for the line to connect.

“Hello barrister Charles,” a rich male voice drifted through the line

“Hello sir, I would like to update you on a certain case”

“Which case exactly”

“The attempted murder of chief Peremo's daughter, her husband tried to kill her...”

“Has it been reported to the local police station?”

“Yes, but I’m not satisfied with their miserly efforts to nail the culprit”

“I believe they are doing their best, my boys would leave no stone unturned in solving a criminal case”

Of course no boss would agree his workers are impudent. He cleared his throat and replied him.... “Noted sir but I need you to please act further on it.”

“Okay where was the case reported?”

“District police station Rumuokpara port Harcourt”

“Oh, I’ll get across to the DPO... any details you'd like to emphasize?”

“Okay, Mr. Philip Edet pushed his wife Mrs. Ember Peremo Edet down the stairs”

“Alright I’ll get in touch with you once i connect with the dpo.”

“Okay sir”

“Mr. Charles, she's awake... you might want to see her.” the nurse announced

Charles rushed back into the room

“Charles….” Ember murmured faintly

“Hey...take it easy, relax...please” Charles held her hand

“I missed you” she said with tear filled eyes

“I missed you too....” Charles swallowed hard.

Ember was his friend, he had taken care of her when they were younger. She had fallen for him but he hadn't been interested. He had been in love with Stephanie then. all that happened years ago and right now, he didn’t know what his life was about, all he knew was that he was involved in a love triangle with Imade and tony, yes...he had seen the look on Tony’s face, the "that's mine" look. He startled when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

“Just minute” he whispered to Ember

“Hello....”

“Yes Charles,”

“Oh Mr. Commissioner”

“Yes, the man has been caught. They found him on his way out of port-Harcourt, very close to Ogun state. I believe he was driving to Lagos. Highway patrol recognized his face from the wanted pictures online and made the arrest”

“Oh thank goodness. Where is he now?”

“He’s at the divisional police station in Ogun state, I just asked that he be transferred to the state command here in Lagos”

“Oh thank you sir... meanwhile, I’d like for the lady to be declared dead. His gang mates might want to come finish her off for fear of exposing them”

“Really? There is more to this?

“Of course, he’s the main culprit in the death of my father and his two business partners”

“And how do you know this?”

“I have been on the case for a while now”

“hmmmm….okay, maybe you should come over let’s talk”

“I’m not in town now, I’ll do so once I get back…meanwhile I’ll forward the details of the case to your mail box”

“Okay, I’ll be on the lookout for the information”

“See you soon sir!”

Charles hung up.

He turned to look at Ember but she had dozed off. But not into unconsciousness….she seemed to be peacefully asleep.

He took one last look at her before he left the room.

*********************

Tony honked at the gate. This place was highly secure, he thought; by the time all this was resolved, he would relocate his mum to one of the houses here on Banana Island, not as big as the one he was admiring, but way more befitting compared to where they lived in Lekki. Thank heavens the houses belonged to them and not some unknown uncle like his mother had always said.

“I’m here to see Imade” he said to the security man brandishing a massive weapon outside the gate.

“Your name?” he asked with a deep baritone voice

“I’m doctor Tony, Tony Akande...”

The gate sprung open upon a signal from him. Tony drove in, observing a few other armed men ...wow... these ones looked like they had seen death; no one would be this heavily guarded if their lives hadn't been threatened.

He alighted his car after he parked and walked towards the entrance. A woman in her mid-sixties welcomed him into the house.

“Please have a seat while I inform Miss Imade of your presence” the woman said to him

He sat on one of the soft Italian sofas, observing the living room. The chandelier with its bright star-like lights looked like you could touch them by merely reaching out.

“Hello Tony, you are welcome to our home” a pregnant woman descending the winding staircase with her hand on the gold banister greeted.

This must be her sister, he thought

“I’m Ese...”

“Oh pleased to meet you” he smiled, rising to meet her. "Your home is warm and lovely" he added.

“She would be with you shortly, I’m really glad you came, she hasn't allowed anyone talk her out of her dull mood.”

Stephanie and a sobbing Imade followed down the stairs not long after “hey, hey….” tony rushed to Imade. 

“I loved a murderer, a married man” she cried

“It’s not your fault, you didn’t know”

“But its karma, maybe because I have pushed everyone who cared about me away, God decided to pay me back this way”

“No, it's not your fault, come here,” Tony hugged her like she would cease to exist if he didn’t

“Where’s Charles though?” he asked 

“Out there pursuing Ember's murderer” Ese replied

“Ember is dead?”

“Yea...her husband, same Philip guy pushed her to death” Imade replied sadly

“That’s sad” he squeezed her tightly

Ese watched them, Charles had sent her a text, Ember wasn't dead but everyone had to believe otherwise. Meanwhile, she liked this man. This young, daring Tony who didn't hide his emotions like Charles. She approved of him already.

“You two look good together” Stephanie stated.

“I thought so too” Dave joined in, the voices had brought him out of his home office.

“Hello, I’m Dave Brandon” he introduced himself, offering Tony a handshake

“I know... I mean everyone knows you” Tony chuckled, and took the offer with both hands

“Well take good care of my sister-in-law”

Tony smiled, his heart skipped a beat as Imade leaned closer to him... it turned out way easier than he expected. For now, he would enjoy the moment. The matter of her kissing Charles would come up later or never...for now, he'd just savor the moment with her and her loved ones.

“Philip has been caught!” Ese announced changing the atmosphere in the room

“Wow, where's he now?” Imade asked

“Cooling off in jail”

“Yes!” Stephanie was excited... it was much closer than she thought.....everyone would soon be caught, including Cindy.

To be continued…..