Episode 16

The detective and his team of policemen reached the hospital - Abeokuta Emissary Hospital l- at around 11 am in the morning.

At the hospital the detective went straight to the Chief Physician's office and requested that one of their nurses called, Alice Okunsayan should come straight to the Chief's office.

Alice felt distressed, she wondered why the Chief Physician had asked to see her in his office. Had she done anything that was not in line with the hospital's regulations?. Was she going to be fired? She thought about her son, if she was going to be fired, how was she going to care for him.

She got to the office, at the door of the office there were about 3 policemen outside. The sight of the policemen gave her a fright she had never experienced before. She felt her body go numb and her head began to spin. It was as if she was going to faint. She mustered courage and walked into the office.

The office was a work of art, there was a shelf at one end of the room. There was a laptop on the table, the table was about 6 feet in length. The floor was fashioned with ocean blue porcelain tiles, it had the design of two birds on a tree - just at the middle of the room. The office was exquisite and if not for the fact that she was summoned by the Chief Physician in a way that did not seem cheerful, she would have enjoyed her time in there.

The Chief Physician was not alone, there was a man sitting in a chair. He gestured for her to sit. She sat in a chair just adjacent the man, immediately, the policemen entered the office and closed the door. At the sound of the door closing, she felt like she was going to be choked to death, she struggled to catch her breath.

The Chief Physician seeing how nervous she was spoke first and tried to calm her down.

"Nurse, this is Counsellor Michael, he is a detective from the Lagos state police headquarters. He has a few questions he would like to ask you. Feel free to answer and do not be frightened"

The detective nodded in agreement to the Chief, he looked straight at her and then he started with his questions.

"Nurse, i will ask you a few questions and if you cooperate with me you shall have no problems whatsoever but if you try to play games with me then.

Do you know anyone called Cyril Adebola?"

"Cyril is my cousin."

"Do you know his whereabouts'."

"It's been a while since I saw Cyril."

"When was the last time you saw him."

"It is more than 2 weeks now since I saw him."

"What did he tell you when you saw him.

"He didn't say anything, he brought his friend who was sick and left him with me and then he said he would come back for him when he is ready."

"What is the name of this friend of his?"

"His name is Abiola, I don't know his surname."

"Miss Alice we would like to see this friend of his."

The detective had finally followed a substantial lead, he was on his way of solving two cases at the same time. Nothing could be more thrilling.

Alice had taken permission from the hospital, the Chief Physician had wasted no time at all in giving her the permission. He did not want any criminal charge found on Alice to reflect on the hospital.

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Cyril and Nonso had gone to see the Oracle, they always get to the shrine just in time. The assistant led them in and asked them to sit down in the midst of the skull drawing on the floor. The interior of the shrine had not changed, the six pots were still mounted on their respective stoves and the names that had been inscribed on them had not fainted.

Akpara Ekpe's assistant started with his usual praise-chant to welcome in the Oracle. The Oracle appeared out of the shadows as he usually did - after a few praise - chant from his assistant.

He walked towards were the boys stood and gestured for them to pour their harvested items into the pot that matched their names.

Cyril poured his into the pot that had his name inscribed - seven underthings and the red kerchief he had used to wipe their genitalia whenever he was done with the nooky.

Nonso poured the blood of his youngest sister, her nails and the strands of hair he had collected off her corpse.

Akpara Ekpe walked towards the pots and stirred each of them and ladled out a potion of the concoction and gave them to drink.

He congratulated them for their zeal, he told them what they had to do for this last tasks.

"My friends, you have done so well. There is only one last task for each one of you and after that comes the fulfilling of your desires. Go and I shall reveal to you what the last task shall be."

They exited the shrine and headed for the shack, ready for their last tasks.

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Alice had brought the detective and his team to her home, they followed her into the room and there he was - Abiola - sitting invalid in his wheelchair. The detective turned towards Alice and asked her a few questions.

"Nurse, do you know this man before your cousin brought him to your house."

"No sir, I did not." She answered.

"This man has been missing for the past 2 weeks, when your cousin brought him to you did you call the police?"

"No sir I did not, I thought maybe he had no relations that's why Cyril brought him here."

"Alice Okunsayan, you are under arrest for being an accomplice in the kidnapping of Abiola Alesinloye. You are advised to remain silent what ever you say may be used against you in a court of law, you have the right to an attorney and if you can't afford one, the state will provide one for you."

Alice was arrested and taken to the police station pending further investigations before her case is heralded to a court. Abiola was taken back to Lagos were he reunited with his father.

Abiola's father was happy to see his son alive, but the state of his son broke his heart. He asked the police what had happened to him but they said they can only answer that when Cyril is found.

Abiola was not happy about what happened to Alice, she had been kind to him and now she suffers. He was unable to speak, and therefore could not defend her. He wept, and would not eat anything offered to him.

His jewel had been taken from him and it displeased him, he thought about her son. He would have to be taken to a motherless babies home until the investigation was over.

Dear friends even fate is unfair and I dare say sometimes unjust.