Manuella

8|Back Home.

The coconut trees we saw on our way out of Keta gave me nostalgic feelings, so much of them. Uncle Sam, dad's younger brother was driving Mabena and I to our super-secured residence in East Legon at least for now. It was crystal clear that some people were after me.

But with my fellow teen detectives, Mabena and I,  this mystery would be solved before school resumed.

Just when I was about to get lost in my world, my mum texted.

Mum: Bby, stay safe ok? Is Uncle Sam driving you?

Me: You know I won't sit unconcerned, I'll try solving this whole thing, but I'll stay safe. We're almost home.

Mum: The passcode for the door is 670253.

Me: Sure thing. See ya!

We arrived sooner than I expected and I was able to open our main gate with our keys even though it was electronically operated too.

Uncle Sam moved through the drive-in and parked his car in our garage. After opening the door with the code and stepping in, memories from the past few days littered my mind. It was surreal!

"Your dad told me you'll be quite safe here considering your security systems but Manu, pray for protection. God's your ultimate source of it", Uncle Sam whispered to me.

"Yes, I'll do that. And thanks for your time".

After he prepped me a bit on the dos and don'ts of staying safe till my parents returned and took a can of malt, he wished us goodbye.

Tears welled up in my eyes as Mabena and I stood outside watching him leave our plush residence.

For once fear took the greater part of me as I entered the room. So there were really people trying to kidnap me. For what reason?

After a bit of thinking, I told Mabena about my friends, Jason, Audrey and Emmanuel who were going to help me decipher the head and tail of this whole fiasco and just as I expected, she pledged her full support.

"I've got your back girl", slipped through her lips to my greatest pleasure.

To me it had been one of the most stressful days I could remember as much as it was emotionally draining.

As we made dinner, Audrey called me.

"Heyy, what's up?".

"I'm back in Accra".

"How's that possible?", I thought.

"It's a really long story but cut short, I narrowly escaped kidnap and I'm back to my extremely secure house for the rest of the vac."

"Oh my God....",Audrey screamed.

"Relax girl. But I have an idea".

"Spill".

"I want to  find out who wants me and why."

"Arhnn eii".

"I want you, Jason and Emma on the team too".

"Arhnn eii Emmanuel".

[Manuella blushes]

"Have you called him?", Audrey questioned amid laughter.

"I will, not now", I said with some beautiful level of confidence.

"Eih, Manu!"

"And please can you inform them for me?"

"Sure".

"I'll create a Telegram  group and add you guys and Mabena, my cousin. She's going to be of so much help. By the way she's staying with me".

"Yes madam".

And we talked for a while about exams, school, girly stuff and I hang up.

 I placed my phone on charge and left to eat when I heard my ringtone again.

"What does Audrey want again?"

I picked up my phone only to see an unknown contact.

"Manuella, Manuella, so you really think you're safe, huh!", the caller said amid laughter.

For seconds I remained transfixed to that spot and my thoughts were getting really fuzzy.

"Manu, is there any problem?", Mabena asked me with a very confused look on her face.

I played the call recording to her and she said, " there's a lot of trouble ahead of us".

I sent the recording to the Telegram group and Audrey and captioned it, "I'm back home and back to more trouble, serious trouble".

Without wax, 

Etornam.