Two months had passed since Sameer's death yet no one had a clue of who his murderer was. The CID was very busy as policemen were moving about both in plain clothes and in uniform. 'Suspects' were also being interrogated by Detective Apata's team.
In one of the interrogation rooms, Apata was with one of Sameer's closest friends and oldest business partner, Chief Kolawole.
The atmosphere was so tense that the short, sturdy, pot bellied man was practically squirming in his seat at Apata's stern gaze. He felt like disappearing but it was pretty clear that there was no escape out of the room.
"So Chief, why did you kill your friend?"
"I -i didn't kill him, I can't kill him. Or anyone. Or anything. I can't even hurt a fly. I'm even -"
"Shut up", Apata spat out.
"Yes sir"
"I don't care who you are. For now, I'm in charge. Understood?"
"Yes sir"
"Because Mr Sameer refused to give you the lion's share of the profits made from your last joint project that's why you decided to kill him right?"
"No sir. I mean yes."
"So you admit to killing him". He took out his pen as if to write something.
"No sir. Yes, he took seventy percent of our last profit and gave me the rest which I was quite displeased with, but that's not enough reason for me to kill him. I mean we've been doing business together for long so we're pretty close."
"But you admitted to it earlier "
"No sir, I was only answering your first question."
"Ehn ehn, so you're trying to confuse me right?"
"No sir, I want to convince you."
"That?"
"I'm innocent of the crime "
"Do I look like a joker to you?"
"Not at all sir"
"Well you did a terrible job trying to prove your innocence to me save for the lie detector here which proves everything you said to be true. We're sorry for any inconveniences we may have caused you during the course of the interrogation. We find you innocent and suggest you take your leave and retrieve your personal belongings from the officers at the counter."
"Thank you sir". The man sprung to his feet and dashed out of the room, his body rolling from side to side as he moved, for fear of being called back.
Moments later, Chuks walked into the interrogation room to meet with Apata.
"Man how far now", he said on meeting him.
"I dey o, everything just dey one kind jare", Apata replied in pidgin English.
"Same here o, all the people I interrogated today were just saying nonsense. No correct information jor". He sighed deeply.
"Even that Chief Kolawole, I thought he was lying, but the machine confirmed it."
"But guy, you no try for that man o. I saw him on my way here and he looked like he was going to pee in his pants."
They both laughed and headed out for lunch together, with Chuks trying to persuade Apata to pay for his lunch.
* * *
Detective Apata met with the Managing Director of Golden Enterprises to request the release of some of the staff for questioning as regards the death of their former CEO. He agreed on the condition that his staff shouldn't be rough handled at all, just questioning. Apata gave him his word and assured him.
Throughout the week, he and his partners interrogated the staff and still don't get any valid information. Seemed like Sameer didn't have much close relationships with his workers.
The case was getting more complicated than it seemed at the beginning. Or perhaps they just needed to look at it from the inside rather than outside. You never can know what you'll find.
The following week, things got heated up a lot as Mr Sameer's immediate family was brought in for questioning and they began with Olori ebi. Apata handles them himself with Chuks by his side.
"Good day Mr Olori ebi," Apata began.
"My name is Mr Kazeem Akintunde and not Olori ebi," the man chided.
"I know, but I choose to call you whatever I want, and besides everyone calls you that."
"I didn't kill Sameer"
"I never said you did."
"So why am I here?" the man asked raising a brow furiously. He sure seemed hard but Apata knew it wouldn't take too long for him to snap.
He smiled a knowing smile and continued.
"Mr Sameer Akintunde, second child and breadwinner of the Akintunde family. His late father loved him so much and sent him to business school abroad where he excelled and used his amazing skills to establish a company and grow it from grassroot level to where it is today. He has an older brother who lives off him. He offered him a position in one of his smaller companies nonetheless but he's an ungrateful fellow. Does that sound familiar?" Apata chuckled.
"I'm not ungrateful, Sameer's just the one who's too proud. Instead of him to put me in the big company he put me in a small one and I'm even working under somebody."
Olori ebi seemed to be expressing his suppressed emotions and Apata was nothing but happy that his tactic was working.
"So that was why you killed him."
"I didn't -"
"Or was it because of that last time you wanted to change your car and he refused to give you money?"
"How do you know that?"
"Oh, did I forget to introduce myself to you? I'm a cop." Apata's sarcasm was really riling him up but he couldn't do anything.
"Yes I asked him for some money which he didn't give me but that's not enough reason for me to kill him. No matter what he still remains my brother."
"Hmm nice speech. Would you mind explaining why you went to a car lot a week after his death?"
Olori ebi had no response this time. Apata had clearly won this round of word play.
"Perhaps after killing him you planned on using the money he probably 'willed' you to buy that car right?"
"I swear, I didn't kill Sameer." He put his forefinger on the ground and touched the tip of his tongue and raised that same finger to the sky, a popular action which connotes the act of swearing.
"So who killed him?"
"I don't know. Sameer was a business man so he interacted with a lot of people."
"Hmm, Mr Kazeem Akintunde, I'm asking you for the last time, why did you kill your brother?"
"I didn't kill my brother. Sir." The last part was rather stressed.
Apata was silent for a while. He was doing some deep thinking while maintaining eye contact with Olori ebi. He began to tap his fingers on the desk.
"You can leave now, thanks for your cooperation. We'll get back to you in case anything comes up." Apata finally said while breaking his gaze on him.
"Thank you ", Olori ebi muttered while giving a full bow.
Apata gave a deep sigh as his eyes wandered about the table looking for a necessary distraction.
* * * * *
A/N
Thanks for reading guys ❤️. Don't forget to vote and comment 🙂
Oya oh ..all of you gather here 😂😂 I need your opinion on somethings.
Firstly how would you like it if I uploaded pictures of my characters here and maybe put a picture on each chapter?
Also some people or rather someone was saying the name Apata is not fine 🤧💔 Me I like the name oh I don't know about you👀 but would you like it if I called him James 🤔🤔(remember that's his first name)
It's already common knowledge that I upload a chapter every weekend so u people will have to bear with me oh 🥺😅. My questions are not rhetorical I so you ppl should answer fast fast lemme know what to do for you.
I'll love to hear from you so you can just stop by to say hi😊
That's all oh byeeeee ❤️❤️
Before I go who else is feeling Apata's vibes jorrr😂😂 everybody is just shaking for him lol 😆