Valiant

Find Her!

This evening was with a clear sky. There were no clouds in sight and the only lights were street lights and the of the roads and the night lights of neighborhoods. The usual noise of the ever busy roads was all one could here but the evening also came with a subtle breeze.

Matthew sat at the balcony in a rocking chair and a glass of orange juice on a side stool next to the chair. He shut his eyes. If he was praying, it was probably a prayer of forgiveness to God for all his bad deeds because even now he wasn't drinking his usual vodka, but juice. Either he turned over a new leaf or he was sick. Yes, he must be sick because men like this never choose orange juice over alcohol, even when they want to think about serious issues. And Sandra was just as surprised. She wondered why he asked for juice. She thought about it all the while she was doing the evening dishes but didn't let it bother her too much. If he was sick, it was even better for her. But it could also be bad for her.

If he died his relatives would definitely come and squander everything, and her plans would be ruined. She had that worried look on her face even as she came to take the glass away when he was done with it.

Almost like he could read her mind, he said "I'm not dying Sandra, why are you looking at me like I want to die tomorrow" he laughed

"No oo.. it's because you asked for juice, I even thought that juice would spoil in the fridge" she forced a smile

"I just felt like, juice"

"Hmm, this feeling.. have you started going to church?" She laughed

"Ah ah.. can't I drink juice again?" he laughed too

As she left, it occurred to her that they had never laughed together like that before, it was either one or both of them were drunk or something else, but never with clear eyes and not plotting. It was nice for a change, but she brushed it off quickly.
*. *. *.
"My patience is wearing thin"

"We're sorry Sir. But..but em, while we wait, can I get you a glass of juice?"

"No Mr Matthew, where is he with the girl?"

"They're on their way sir"

"But I've been waiting for over an hour now"

"Ah, Mr Cornwell, just a few more minutes, they'll be.. oh, oh here they are now"

Matthew enthusiastically pointed at the gate through the open doors of the house giving everyone in the living room a clear view of the compound and the gate.
Cornwell turned his head to see the Camry car driving into the compound. But when it parked, only Stanley alighted. Matthew's countenance fell immediately and it was evident through the expression on his face. As Stanley slowly walked in he mouthed the words to him 'where is she?' but he didn't reply. When he came before Cornwell he put on a good smile and greeted

"Ah.. good morning sir"

Cornwell who was looking down at his phone, allowed a few seconds to go by before answering, "A few minutes more and you would not have greeted me good morning but good afternoon. Why are you so late?"

"Em...I..I..em..I em.. I had to em" Stanley words failed him

"Nevermind, where is Damaris Orlu? I need to ask her a few questions. You see, we have to follow up on these things. I need to know her educational status as well as the relative in charge of her well being and his or her acquired qualifications. I'm surprised she's not here, I thought you were her guardian Mr Matthew"

"I was..eh.. I am Sir, she just wanted to spend the weekend with her relatives in the village"

"Hmm and why would she want that?"

"She said she needed to get away for some time, being in her parents house constantly reminds her of them. Oh Sir.." he took on a compassionate tone, one that would usually draw pity from the other party "she keeps asking me when they would return, the poor girl is crushed"

"I see" Cornwell replied placidly "so where is she now?"

"Uh.. she is still at the village" Stanley answered

"And why?" The patience in his voice was only accompanied by the sternness.

"She uhmm.. she's not feeling to well. All that's going on around her, she's always so depressed, I feel for her but I've come to realize there's not much I can do. She gets this frequent illness because of this. She was so weak this morning, and sometimes she wouldn't eat. I couldn't bring her along, I had to let her rest"

"Hmm" Cornwell heaved a sigh "are you sure?"

"Yes sir"

"So then, I'll come back on Monday when I believe she would have returned" he said that more as a statement of fact. Implying that they'd better have her around by Monday, it was not a request.

Matthew and Stanley swallowed before Matthew answered "eh.. yes Sir, she will be back by then".

"Good, have a good day" Cornwell picked his coat and suitcase and walked out.
He walked briskly and occasionally shook his head and sighed. "This girl is obviously not in safe hands, who knows what her uncles have plotted against her. It's just a terrible cliche that her relatives would not treat her right. And the good hearted ones would not step forward for fear of castigation from their other relatives. Who knows if she's even in that village. No, I must come back on Monday. I know that her parents are suffering a mistrial, it's the least I can do to grant Austin this request to follow up on the well being of his daughter.. this life ehn..." He soliloquized as he stepped out the gates and into his Lexus V8.

******
"What do you mean you don't know where she is Stanley, you went to look for her after out last meeting. You told me so."

"Matthew I'm not a child, I said I have looked everywhere, even right now my boys are still raiding that village, searching, we have left stone unturned, she just vanished"

"JUST VANISHED, are you even listening to yourself? Okay, maybe when Cornwell comes back on Monday we can tell him," and then he changed to a mocking tone "oh sorry officer, the girl was in our custody then she just vanished" he stopped mocking "how does that sound to you?"

"Cut me some slack Matthew, that village is in total chaos. The villagers are looking to even kill some people, elders are calling meetings up and down, the quiet search I wanted to have has turned to one rampage, making me seem like a tyrant in all this because the people would not cooperate. Where has that foolish girl gone now?"

"Is it me you are asking? You better find her oo" Matthew began to Pace

"For all we know, she could have run away from the village and come back to the city, maybe with a thought to stay with one of her parents friends, plead with them like she's a victim of something so they'll let her stay. The girl is very sharp, I know that" Sandra's voice rang from the kitchen where she was walking out from.
The two men turned to her

"So what are you suggesting?"Matthew asked

"That while Stan looks around the village, we look around the city, she doesn't know so many places and the city itself isn't that big so.."

"Okay, okay, good idea, yes" Matthew continued pacing.

"Don't be walking to and fro like the devil oo, remember your appointment with Chief for the contract by 2pm." Sandra folded her arms and leaned against the wall next to her.

"Contract?" Stanley inquired but he was ignored by the two

"Yes, yes, let me go and prepare" Matthew went upstairs

Sandra looked at the already lost Stanley, she huffed with a wicked smile and walked back into the kitchen, leaving Stanley alone on the living room. He just sat there and decided not to let any contract talk affect him, he would go back to it, but he had bigger fish to fry as of now.