TRIALS (Completed)

Twenty-five

“Lafiya?” Kauthar asked her mother-in-law who wasn’t sure whether to laugh or to be surprised. She finally settled for a nervous chuckle.

“Yi hakuri, I was just looking for the bathroom. I heard noise so I wanted to wait for you to come out.
Kauthar observed her for some seconds. Noise? Who was making noise between the two of them?

“Okay, ga visitor’s room behind you.”

She turned towards the door, then to Kauthar, “Aha.” She smiled and went in.

Kauthar sighed and shook her head. As she went down the stairs, she heard Ismail’s laughter before seeing him. He was perched on the sofa his mother had vacated, keeping Hajiya Binta company. Kauthar smiled at the scene. It had been a while since she saw him laugh. She hung behind Ismail’s seat and said, “Hajiya yi hakuri dan Allah, I just received an urgent call.”

Hajiya Binta smiled and shook her head. “No need, I’m already leaving.” She turned around her seat with a frown. “Ina Hidaya ne?” 

“Tana waje.” Ismail said. Just then, Hidaya ambled into the room, rummaging through her handbag.

“Okay Mummy, lets go. It’s time for my shift.”

After escorting them to the gate, Kauthar and Ismail returned to the living room. Ismail slumped into his former seat while Kauthar stood next to him. ‘Where is Alhaji?”

“Outside with an Intelligence officer.”

“Oh, what did you tell them?”
He shrugged, “Nothing apart from what we know.”

“And the phone numbers?” 

“Showed it to him.”

Kauthar nodded and rubbed her leggings clad thighs. She wondered if she should inform him about Sumayya. Would it help the case? What if the Navy decides to pursue them? She sighed loudly. 

“Any problem?” Ismail asked. 

“Umm, no.” She shook her head. Let’s wait first.

Later, after Ismail’s parents had settled in their room. The Naval Intelligence officer, a slim, dark skinned man named Chico sat across from them. Kauthar glanced at his attire: a simple polo shirt and jeans. She stared at the three long tribal marks at each cheek, his thin face and wide lips, wondering what tribe he was. 

“Good afternoon sir.” He greeted Ismail while Kauthar almost gasped at his child-like voice.
“Ma’am,” he nodded at her. 

“So, I have forwarded the numbers to our tech team and they’re currently trying to track it.”

“Is that possible? because the numbers are not going again.”

Chico smiled, “That’s not a problem, we can still trace their origin from MTN’s database.” 

Ismail nodded. “That’s good.”

“So,” Chico shifted to the end of the seat with a pen in his hand and a notepad on his lap. “Have you gotten any calls so far?”

They shared a look, then shook their heads.

“Who usually picks her from school?”

Kauthar thought of the call with Sumayya. Should she say something? “Em, she mostly comes home with one or two of her friends.”

“What are their names?”

She glanced at Ismail before replying, “Her classmate, Amy. and our neighbor’s daughter, Aaliyah.”