A Killer's Game PT 1
Dusk was already setting over the evening sky. A crowd of teenagers was starting to gather at Sultan's Hotel. The DJ was starting to hit them with waves of good music. Bright's party had started.
The girls walked past the gate with a nauseating feeling in their stomachs. A constant reminder that the night could go either way. According to their plan, Grace would be with Raymond throughout the night then draw him out till they would be alone, allowing their killer to strike. The rest would watch from a distance while all these played out but would be there to catch him when he appeared.
It wasn't hard for them to find Raymond. He was the loudest of all the boys, yelling and jumping in approval at every song the DJ played. He wore baggy shorts and a big vintage shirt, his face cap turned backward, and a bottle of Hennessy in his left hand.
"Okay, so we all know what to do right?" Veronica tried to confirm one last time. They all nodded in reply.
Just then, one of the waitresses walked up to them.
"Good evening, excuse me, are you Veronica?"
Veronica was confused. She had never been there before.
"Pardon me but someone left something for you." She said handing an mp3 player to Veronica. "Wow, he got your description well, even what you are wearing!"
They all became stunned. A man!
"Please did this man leave a name? What does he look like?" Veronica asked.
The waitress seemed like she was lost all of a sudden. She squinted her eyes as she tried to recall something. Anything.
"I-I. I don't remember." She finally said in surrender.
"Okay, this is absurd," Margret murmured as the rest stared in disbelief.
"I have to get back to work." The waitress said then strode off.
The girls stared at Veronica and the mp3 player in her hand. The killer had made his first move and they weren't sure of what to do next. Veronica turned the box player to the other side where a small note was attached to it.
"Play me." The note read.
Veronica shot glances at each of them before she pressed play.
"Good, you made it." The voice that came out of the player was that of a computerized male. They had no chance of knowing who was behind it. The girls gathered closer to Veronica.
"I have to commend you guys on something. I never really picture you girls coming back together but somehow here you are. It doesn't matter anyway. You are all here and it's time for you to play my own game."
'And what if we decide not to?' Veronica thought
"If you decide not to play or decide to walk away at any point or decide not to play by my rules, then you will give me no choice but to add Grace to the list of people that die tonight." The killer said as to answer the question that was harbored in their thoughts.
Grace's knees went weak. The rest of the girls threw looks at her, fear written all over their faces.
"So for Veronica, our master detective, you and Joana are going to help us solve a murder." Both Veronica and Joana's eyes met each other. "Go over to the receptionist and ask for the keys to room 22. Don't worry, all he will ask you for is your name and you are free to go. You will find everything you need there."
"Next, June and Margret. I'm going to allow you to find who you're dealing with. Your only clue is- Go ask the birthday boy. If you all get it right and fast, then you might know how I came to plan all these and what I plan to do tonight."
"What about me?" Grace blinked.
"Grace, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the party. Remember, I am watching. If you tried to help out in any way, I won't take it lightly with you... Now, the clock is ticking. See you, girls, when the party's over."
* * *
"How did he know we were going to be here tonight?" Grace asked, not sure of what to make of anything.
"I don't know," Said Veronica. "But he said we will have to get going if we want to try to figure out what is going on."
Grace's eyes shifted from Veronica to Raymond who was already deep in the dancing. Margret's eyes caught her.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Margret asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Grace nodded.
"I'd like us to slow down and try to understand all of this before we run into this mad game, but I fear we might be wasting too much time."
The way their mystery man had said he would kill Grace too if they didn't comply bothered her. He seemed so certain that he would kill Raymond and they couldn't do anything to stop it even if they tried.
June was terrified for her best friend.
"Please we are wasting time. Let's go and do what he asked us to."
"Hold on Ju," Joana tried to calm her sister down. "Isn't there a way can check up on each other while we are apart?" She asked Veronica.
"Yeah, I'll be calling Margret and Grace's phone every thirty minutes. It will be a conference call."
"Make it fifteen," June spoke lastly. "Let's go."
* * *
"Go over to the receptionist and ask for room 22." The mystery killer had told them.
'What the hell could be waiting for them there?' Joana thought asked she and Veronica walked into the lobby.
Another dead body?
The thought alone made her cringe but all she could do was hope. Hope that this Friday won't be like the one before.
"Good evening sir," Veronica said as they got to the counter. She took a glance at the digital clock mounted on the wall behind the counter. The red lights flashed at 8:22 pm.
"Good evening, how can I help you?" The young man in front of them replied. His neatly trimmed beard was the center of attention on his long face. He wore a red bow tie to complement his white polka dot shirt and black suspenders.
The killer wasn't really clear on how to approach the receptionist.
"Uhm, we need the key to room twenty-two please." Veronica blurted out without giving or much thought.
The man raised a brow.
"Can I have your name miss?"
"Veronica, I know the room has been booked down already. Stop all this bullshit and give us the key." She said impatiently.
The receptionist gave a slight shrugged. He reached back for the key then handed it to Veronica.
"Can you tell us what you know about the man who booked this room?... Or let me guess, you don't remember." Veronica muttered.
The man didn't reply, confirming her suspicions. How could they forget so easily?
Joana wondered the same too but didn't see the need for them to dwell on it at the moment.
"Come on." She beckoned on Veronica before marching up the staircase.
Room twenty-two was located on the second floor of the three-story building and Joana and Veronica taking their walk up two stairs at a go became fatigued once they got there. They took a brief pause to catch their breaths then headed for the door.
Joana got there first. She held her breath as swung the door open.
There was nothing out of the ordinary except for a brown envelope on the large bed.
She heaved a sigh of relief. Her worst fears weren't reality, yet.
Veronica did a quick search behind the window curtains, the wardrobe, and the bathroom to ensure no one else was with them while Joana reached for the envelope and tore it open, bringing out a page from a local newspaper, a medical report, and some photos from a crime scene. The room in the pictures looked the same as the one they were in.
"I think someone died here," Joana said.
"Two years ago," Veronica added, her eyes staring at the top of the paper. "Can I see?" She stretched out her hand.
Joana handed her the newspaper. Her eyes quickly read through the issue.
BUSINESSMAN DIES MYSTERIOUSLY IN HOTEL ROOM.
It is with great pain in our hearts that we announce the death of Godfrey Kayode who died in his hotel room on the 25th of November, 2018. Godfrey, a man of 45 years came from Ikeja to Ketu town on a business deal but was found dead in his hotel room by one of the cleaners later the next morning. According to the receptionist, Godfrey was expecting his partners the next day but no one showed. This drove the investigation to a frustrating bit as there were little or no leads for the police to work on. The police's report said he had died between the hours of 11 pm to 12 am but couldn't confirm the cause of the death even from the information they got from the autopsy results. No cause of death meant no lead in finding who the culprit was. However, the question that would hang in our thoughts is HOW DID GODFREY DIE?!
Veronica had read the text out loud while Joana stared deeply into the pictures in her hand. In the pictures Godfrey laid on the bed, a singlet and underwear short the only thing on him, his protruded belly facing the ceiling and his mouth wide open. There was no sign of blood or anything else out of the other. Just a lifeless body on a bed.
"So what do you think?" Joana asked Veronica.
"Classic poisoning," Veronica replied. "But on what?" She frowned.
"Can I see the medical report?"
She took a quince through the paper as soon as Joana gave it to her, her eyes only looking for one thing.
Sugar Level: 170mg/dl
Blood pressure: 160/100mmhg
Just as she suspected, Godfrey had been drinking that night.
Cause of death: Results inconclusive.
She pouted her lips in frustration.
"He was out drinking that night and could have easily been poisoned that night."
'Just like tonight.' Joanna thought. People were out there drinking and since the killer knew about Godfrey, he could strike anytime. A sick realization dawned on her.
"Oh my God! Call the rest!"
Veronica understood quickly what Joana thought. She brought out her phone and dialed Margret and Grace.
"Hello," Margret answered before Grace.
"Put it on loudspeaker!" Joana barked.
Veronica complied immediately.
"Margret, is June there?"
"Yeah, I am here. What's up?"
"Guys listen, whatever you do, don't drink anything!" Veronica warned.
There was a wave of silence from Grace's end.
"Uhm, I think it might be a little late for that." She said finally.