MISSING - Episode Eight

Kabir sat on a couch with his back hunched. He stared at the TV screen with little interest as the anchor reeled out the news articulately. Kabir had tried to distract himself from thinking about his missing friend, but couldn’t shake off the thought of not seeing her again. He shifted his mind to the argument with Ike, and hoped he would arrive soon. There was something they needed to talk about. He shifted slightly when he heard the turning of the door knob, and stood when Ike stepped in.

‘What’s up bro?’ Ike greeted with forced cheer as he walked into the room towards Kabir.

‘I dey o.’

Ike scratched his head slightly, looking downwards. '

I’m sorry about the other day. I don’t know what got into me.'

‘No wahala’ Kabir said, ‘we were both tense. But seriously, we both know that I am not taking any of this for granted.’

‘Sure man, I know that, and I had no right whatsoever to say what I did.’

‘New evidence has emerged on the disappearance of Eunice Esho…’

Ike and Kabir turned abruptly, their eyes fixed on the TV.

‘The police statement released earlier today revealed that the personal effects of Eunice Esho the missing Corps member were recovered yesterday afternoon. A bag containing her identity card and personal effects were recovered. The Police Chief has said that his team is working round the clock to recover the girl. Moving on to other news…’

Kabir and Ike stared wordlessly at the screen.

‘The police got new evidence since yesterday, and yet did not tell us a thing!’ It was Ike who broke the silence, roaring in anger. He picked up his phone and dialed a number.

‘From day one, I knew that officer was shrewd, but I pushed my reservations aside and trusted the system. Big mistake!’ Ike dropped the phone and paced, ranting on.

‘Mrs. Nosa isn’t picking up. Something fishy is going on…why are they shutting us out?’

‘Ike’, Kabir interrupted, stopping Ike mid-stride.

‘There’s something I want to show you.’

‘What?’ Ike asked.

Kabir reached into his pocket and brought out a folded sheet of paper which he extended to Ike. Ike considered his outstretched hand for a moment, then took the paper from him.

‘What is this?’, Ike asked quietly after unfolding the paper and seeing the contents.

‘Where did you get this?’ he repeated, and looked at Kabir questioningly.

‘Uh, there was strange guy at the bus stop this afternoon when I wanted to take a bus home. He came out of nowhere, blocked me and gave me that paper.’

‘A guy? You don’t know him?

‘No, I don’t, but if I see him again, I may recognize him. It all happened so fast, and he left before

I could ask any questions.’

‘He knows who took Eunice! That’s what this says…but why won’t he go to the Police with this information?’

‘I don’t know Ike, and he didn’t stay long enough for me to ask. But we can call the number on the note, right?’

‘I’m not sure that’s the right thing to do. We should probably report this to the Police…’

‘Report this!’ Kabir snapped. ‘Are you joking? You just said that the Police is being shady, do you then think that they would take us seriously at all. It’s just a note, and we don’t have any other information to validate it.’

Ike rubbed his stubble in deep thought.

‘Ike, this is a chance we have to find Eunice. It may be strange, but it’s a lead and better than nothing. I say we at least call the number and find out what we can.’

‘Yeah,’ Ike said unconvincingly, ‘I guess we can try, but we need to be careful.’

‘Sure thing man!’

Kabir grabbed the note from Ike and dialed the number and turned on the speaker so that Ike could listen.

They heard the first dial tone and the call was picked.

‘Hello…’

*

Eunice hardly slept the previous night after Ehioze dropped the morbid news of her planned death. The same man from before had brought her breakfast in the morning, but still didn’t speak. He’d taken Ehioze out for the day and only returned him late in the afternoon. Since he’d gotten back, Ehioze had been talking non-stop for about fifteen minutes. It was as if the dam holding his speech had broken. Eunice interrupted his tirade intermittently to ask clarifying questions.

‘They think I’m dumb. I’ve been here for over a week, and they take me out in the morning, so I can eat, play and sometimes speak with big daddy. He calls to ask how I’m doing, and when he is done speaking with me, they make me go to play while they continue their conversation. At first, they were careful about making sure I was out of earshot before talking, but lately, they’ve become careless. So, I sneak around and eavesdrop. That was how I heard that they want to kill you tomorrow.’

The sparkle in his eyes dimmed as he uttered the last phrase, and Eunice gasped. She swallowed and fiddled with her fingernails to calm her nerves.

‘They? There are more people?’

‘Yes. They used to be three men, but I haven’t seen the other one since the night you got here. That’s everything I know, but if they take me out this evening, I would play detective again and try to hear more things.’

‘Oh, I see. See this little boy playing detective with my life o.’

She reflected on what he’d said so far and wondered which man spoke to the boy daily, and what link he had in the whole situation. Was Ehioze the reason those men were out the other night? Was the man they attacked going to spill on them? She also wondered if he escaped that night.

‘You said big daddy talks to you? Who’s big daddy?’

‘Big daddy is my daddy’s uncle, but they fight a lot,’ his face fell, ‘I didn’t know he hated me too. On our last call, he laughed at me, but told me not to worry, because he’ll take me home once my dad does the right thing.’

‘Oh my!’

‘I want to go home,’ Ehioze sniffed, and shivered. ‘I don’t like it here.’

Eunice pulled him close to her and rocked him.

‘Don’t worry dear, you’ll go home. We’ll both go home.’

She bit her lips pensively and pulled his face up.

‘But, we need to find a way out of here tonight, if not, I would die tomorrow.’

Ehioze pursed his lips.

‘No! You won’t die,’ he whispered. ‘You are now my damsel in distress and I won’t let you die.’

New excitement filled his eyes, and he grinned broadly, obviously pleased with himself.

‘But, you have to get out of the room first.’ He smirked.

She stared at him wide-eyed. Her impulse was to grab him and shake him vigorously out of his dreamy, imaginative state. Knowing that wouldn’t work, she sighed.

‘Okay kiddo’

Ehioze walked over to his corner of the room still smiling.

‘Well,' Eunice thought, 'it’s time for a plan.’

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