Read the Author's note below. Very important, please don't skip.
Third Person POV
"Madam, who are you and how do you know about Chief Maduka's case." Hakeem asked, his voice coming out as harsh. The woman released a breath.
"I am Mrs Pratt, the widow of the witness that was killed five months ago." She dead panned. Jimmy gasped and Hakeem widened his eyes.
That's why her face looked so familiar.
"I knew I had seen your face somewhere. Wow, this is interesting." Jimmy voiced out Hakeem's thought. Mrs Pratt smiled and nodded.
"But we heard you left the state for security purposes, due to your husband's death. Why are you back?" Hakeem asked. She sighed and licked her lips, making to explain.
"After my husband died, I had no other choice but to leave the state because I didn't want the Madukas coming after me to. I was frightened and I had to run away." She said. Hakeem narrowed his eyes at her.
She wasn't speaking the entire truth.
"Is that the only reason you left the state, Mrs Pratt?" Hakeem asked. Jimmy looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She sighed and shook her head.
"No, barrister. That wasn't the only reason I left the state." She revealed and Jimmy sat up paying full attention.
"What else made you leave?" He asked. Mrs Pratt looked at Jimmy.
"My husband was one of the men that burnt down the town in Kaura and he had incriminating evidences against Chief Maduka which he began to use to blackmail the Chief." She revealed again and Hakeem raised his eyebrows in realization, stroking his chin with kin interest to this new story.
"What sort of incriminating evidence did your husband have against the chief?" Hakeem asked. She sighed yet again
"My husband had recorded the conversation between the chief and the assigned men for the job. After the job was done and Chief had paid them off, my husband, being the greedy man that he was wasn't satisfied with the pay and decided to blackmail chief for more money, even tho I strictly warned him against it. At this time I was two months pregnant with our first child." Mrs Pratt already had tears in her eyes, remembering the past memories. Jimmy handed an handkerchief over to her.
"Take your time madam." He said and she nodded in appreciation. After a moment of sobs and sniffs, she pulled herself together and began again.
"He blackmailed the chief, asking for an extra two million naira or he would tell the entire country that he was behind the fire outbreak. I was scared because I knew what ruthless man the chief was. But I was surprised when the chief heeded to my husbands request and gave him the money." She said and Hakeem frowned.
"Chief Maduka gave him the money? Why? Knowing that man, he'd have killed your husband immediately he made that claim." Hakeem said and Jimmy nodded, equally confused.
"Exactly what I thought too, barrister. It even continued for two years, I mean my husband blackmailed chief for one year. I had already giving birth to a set of twins, both girls. It was as if he was waiting for the right moment to strike." Mrs Pratt burst into tears again.
"Calm down madam." Jimmy said.
"I had taken my kids to the creche that day. They were just few months old. Then suddenly at work, I got a call that my babies had been kidnapped. I went mad. I called my husband immediately and we were running from pillar to post. When we got home that day, there was a compact disc waiting for us at the front of the house and we decided to play it." She sniffed again.
"It was a video of our children being mutilated...." She burst into another round of tears. Hakeem closed his eyes in pain as the image played in his head. Jimmy had to pat the woman on her back to stop her from crying.
"Their toes were being cut off one by one and also their fingers. Then their tongue. I watched my babies get murdered." She wailed.
Hakeem and Jimmy couldn't speak. This story was more devastating than they thought. They didn't think Maduka was this ruthless. Killing children was one thing, but sending the video of how they were killed to the parents was just plain psychotic.
"I told my husband to turn over the flash drive where the evidence was and he did. Little did we know that he had a back up, hiding somewhere and he was just waiting for the right time to strike back at Munadike." She cleaned her eyes and sat up.
"When he saw that your firm was reopening the genocide case, he saw it as an opportunity to confess once and for all. I encouraged him to do this and that was when he came to you. You told him to submit the evidence by the weekend. I don't know how Chief knew but that was the week he died." She concluded.
"The Chief got to know because there was a mole in the firm that we didn't find out until yesterday evening." Jimmy revealed and the woman gasped.
"Oh my God." She muttered.
"That is why the case has not been successful all this while. What made you change your mind about coming back?" Hakeem asked.
"After I left with my two children to my mother's place five months ago, I've been disturbed on how to give you this." She reached international her bag and brought out the flash drive, placing it on the table. Hakeem sat up.
"The evidence." Jimmy mouthed and she nodded.
"Yes. I had to find a way to avenge my husbands death, as well as the people in that town he killed." She replied.
"normally, you are supposed to be arrested for being in a possession of a big evidence like this for so long..." Hakeem stood up and looked into her eyes. She fidgeted in fear. But Hakeem's lips broke into a smile.
"But we are going to overlook that because you just gave us the biggest breakthrough in this case." He said picking up the flash drive and she sighed in relief. Jimmy chuckled, clearly excited that things were falling into place.
"Thank you." Mrs Pratt muttered in appreciation. Lola walked in immediately and saw them.
"What's going on?" She looked around and sighed the flash drive in Hakeem's hand. "What that?" She asked. Hakeem's smile turned into a smirk.
"This, is jackpot."
*****
Emeka made his way to Aisha's room and opened the door to see her lying down like there was no care in the word. He had decided to remove the handcuff because according to her father, they were already in the last phase and she wouldn't be going anywhere.
"Seems like you are already calm and you have accepted fate." Emeka smirked, closing the door behind him. Aisha scoffed out a laugh and said nothing. Emeka sat down on the bed side still, facing her.
"Cat's got your tongue? You are usually chatty. Are you that sad that you don't want to talk anymore because you can do absolutely nothing to change this situation." Emeka spoke again and this time Aisha laughed out. She laughed so loud and hearty that Emeka got confused as to what was funny about the situation.
"What is funny?" He had to ask, frowning. Aisha sat up and looked at him
"You know, for someone who thinks so highly of himself, you are the dumbest person I've ever met." She deadpanned with a nonchalant shrug. Emeka's frown deepened.
"Excuse me?"
"You are excused, because I honestly need my space before you completely ruin my life by the weekend." She sassed and caught the surprised look on Emeka's face making her laugh. "You are surprised at the way I'm talking. Med oo. You haven't seen anything yet." She smirked. Emeka's face contoured into anger but Aisha didn't even flinch.
"Watch your tone, Aisha." Emeka growled out.
"And what will you do? Beat me up? Please find something else to do, beating me is getting real old. Don't you get tired sef?! Na you o. Las las, you won't kill me because you need me." She chuckled.
"I'll kill your..." Emeka started but Aisha cut me off.
"My family? Oya na, go ahead and kill them. You will just be making mouth unnecessarily. Emeka, you are all barks and no bite. Period." She said, looking at him squarely. Emeka narrowed his eyes as he looked at her like she was a different person, surprised at where she got all the boldness from. The Aisha he knew was always scares and intimidated easily. Who is this?
"You have something up your sleeves, Aisha but just so you know, there is no escape for you at all. You and I are getting married this weekend and whether you like it or not, you are activating that gold for us." He glared and she laughed again. Suddenly her face contoured into a death glare and Emeka shifted back at the intensity. Aisha stood up from the bed and despite the height difference, she was determined to let her message sink. She looked him in the eye.
"Emeka, you underestimate me. You have no fücking idea what I am capable of and I wish you did. You see the Aisha of before is dead, that scared little girl is dead. This one you are seeing is going to be the downfall of your entire family. I promise." She said through gritted teeth. Emeka shifted back at the realization of her words.
"What did you do, you bitch." He shifted back again.
"Absolutely nothing. You did everything all on your own, asshole." She had a smug look on her face. Emeka gasped, giving her one last look, he ran out of the house, punching digits into the phone.
"Father, they are unto us, big time." He said to the receiver.
****
Hakeem and Jimmy were putting all the evidences together. Some of the files were in the evidence room in the basement. The flash drive and all the videos from the life feed had been burnt into discs and they were all in a box, all in Hakeem's house. The only thing left was to gather all the remaining case files from past cases and this case would the wrapped up.
The police had been alerted already before then and they were in on everything. They just had to wait for the right moment. The right time.
"Are we good to go?" Jimmy asked.
"Yes, we just need to wait for the right moment. They wouldn't see us coming." Hakeem smirked.
"What about Mrs Pratt? Do you think she's safe. She agreed to witness against the Madukas. They must know that now." Jimmy said.
"They won't know where she is. After all, they won't think of Ginika's apartment." Hakeem replied.
Suddenly, Mandela badged into the office, sweating profusely.
"Barristers, fire...fire...fire" He stuttered.
"What is it Mandela?! What is fire?" Jimmy asked.
"The evidence room is on fire, all the case files are on fire including that of the Madukas!" He shouted in a rush.
"What?!" They chorused simultaneously and ran after Mandela who had taken off.
Truly, by the time they got there, the evidence room was on fire. It was like it was set on fire on purpose because the rest of the building wasn't touched. The evidence room was certainly targeted. Most of the case files were already retrieved but that of the Madukas were already burnt to ashes.
"We were so close! Fück!" Jimmy hit the wall in hanger. Hakeem didn't look bothered at all. He just stared at the room that was pitch black.
"He knew this would happen." Hakeem muttered but Jimmy heard and he looked up.
"Who knew this would happen? Why don't you seem bothered the tiniest bit." Jimmy asked. Hakeem turned and brought out his phone, making his way back to the office with Jimmy tailing him.
"I need to make phone call." He simply stated.
"Make a phone call? To who?" Jimmy asked.
"Someone that already figured this would happen and had me make a photo copy of each of Maduka's case file and send to him." Hakeem punched in the number of the last person he wanted to call.
"And who is that?" Jimmy asked. Hakeem sighed.
"Danladi Danjuma Gobir. My father."
A/N
I'm back with a late night update. You people that are not awake will see it tomorrow.
Now you know the full witness story. They have gotten the mama of all evidences and very soon the Maduka's would be apprehended and jailed... Or better still, KILLED (I already have a list of at least 50 people that wants to kill him apart from the law.)
What do you think about Hakeem's father coming into the story. Don't worry, he is a good man... I think 🌚🌚.
Please I want us to help me watch out for any form of plagiarism. I just saw the highest form of plagiarism on Wattpad. It's not my book but a very common Nigerian book, I won't mention the name. Plagiarism is very bad guys.
I'm not trying to judge anyone o. It's okay to get ideas for a good book, in fact it's normal. I do it. But "copying and pasting" is plain bullshit. Please if you see anyone attempting to plagiarize any of my books please call my attention to it. I'd really appreciate it.
I hope you really enjoyed this chapter. Don't forget to comment, vote and share. I don't know when I'd be updating next because I'm low on data and I don't know when I'd be subbing(I'm broke 🙄🙄). But just in case you wanna bless my life, you can just message me in the dm..😜😜😜
I love y'all.