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CHAPTER TWO

The case was assigned to Frank Ashaba one of their most reliable and determined officers at the precinct. Frank was a rising star in the homicide department. He was recently married to the lover of his life a certain Sharon; another officer in the police who was also the most hated woman in her department. The only time anyone ever saw her gentle smile was when she was talking to her husband. The rest of the time she was tough and angry wearing a scowl on her pretty face. The initial speculation was that this Sharon was sexually starved. Maybe that explained the anger. But now with Frank around it was now a concluded fact that she was simply an angry woman with an ill temper. Some felt sorry for Frank while others prayed for his spirit. It must be hard being married to the tyrant that was his wife, they speculated.

Frank took his job too seriously for a young man of 36. Because of that he was on the list for promotion, as he wanted to become a detective and take his talents to Kampala where there was more action. The chief assigned the case of Elvis Odong to Frank because he knew the young man would not give up on the case till he had found the culprit responsible for ending Elvis' life.

'You get the bastard, Frank, I get you that promotion you so badly want. You wanted action, consider this practice.' The Chief had said as he gave a three page long file to Frank.

He was to be assisted by a small team of five that had been sent from Kampala Metropolitan Police. The small team like the coroner was in shock when they saw photos of the recent murders in the area. They wondered if the people of Bulenga had offended a vengeful god who had sent out a series of curses on them.

One thing for sure, the murder of Elvis Odong was not in any way connected to that of the six headless women. It was so different that the investigative team agreed to separate it entirely.

A few days after the discovery of his body, the police still had no information regarding the death of Elvis. According to his neighbors he had no wife and resided alone. They all said he often had a female visitor who they had never seen before because she appeared late in the night and left without being seen. The only time they heard of her presence in the estate was when her voice was heard during her late night laughs or during loud moans during sexual pleasure. This was confirmed by the gateman who had no clear description of the woman except that she had shoulder length dreadlocks and a butterfly tattoo on her left arm. She was of a very light complexion, the gateman referred to as 'YELLOW'. The gateman said that there had not been any visitor that he could recall the night before his death.

So according to Officer Frank, she was a on his list of suspects and although she was not known by anyone from the small estate. The police came to a conclusion that she was not from the neighborhood. She was a regular visitor. A visitor that could have some information to help blow the case wide open. A visitor without a name and no face but who seemed to be crucial in their investigations.

Elvis Odong had a few friends from his office in Nakawa at the Daily Tribunal; they too were shocked to hear about his death. They didn't know the 'yellow woman' as she was now being labeled. Those that knew him, were sure that he was an outstanding citizen that could not harm a fly. Everyone that had ever associated with him had been dragged down to the police station to be questioned but it seemed no one knew anything about his life away from the office. Apart from two of his ex girlfriends that had been interrogated mercilessly amidst severe outrage; nobody else knew about his family. His two employees at the café too had no information that the officer didn't already have.

His friends were able to locate his family from his employee file. Information regarding his death was passed on.

His family couldn't believe that Elvis was really dead. His father and two brothers decided to come all the way from Kumi to get his body and take it back to the village for burial. As expected Frank was asked several questions regarding the death of Elvis from the three of the saddest faces he had ever seen in his life.

'What happened to my son?' the father that had become older by each passing minute was supported by his two remaining sons on both arms. The old man's face looked pale as though had applied a thin layer of ash on his body. His hair looked like it had been falling out and it was unkempt.

'Tell us you know at least why he was killed. Who did such an evil act?' one of the brother's asked.

'Did you get the evildoers and what are you going to do to them for their despicable actions?'

Unfortunately the officer didn't have a single response that could satisfy or comfort them. He felt hopeless that the investigation was not going anywhere.

'What am I going to tell his wife and three children? How am I going to tell them that the police does not know what happened to their father? How did all this happen? My wife is not going to make it, he was her favorite.' The old man said as tears rolled down his cheeks leaving visible marks in their awake.

Wife? Children? What was going on? No one had mentioned a wife. Not even the neighbors or the company. According to the company, he was not married and above all his next of kin was a brother. Frank knew that basing on the information he had gathered so far, there was no mention of a wife and children as regards the deceased Elvis Odong.

As Elvis' family sat before Frank expecting to get insight in the death of their beloved, Frank listened and studied the three faces sitting before him. He looked at the file and asked any questions that he thought might help him in finding the killer.

After the brief meeting with the late's family, arrangements were made by the Daily Tribunal to transport the body for burial. Eager to know more about the wife and children, Officer Frank accompanied the small group to Kumi for burial.

From Frank's observation Elvis' wife Sarah was shaken and so were his children and his siblings. They couldn't understand what their brother had been involved in that he had been killed for it. Elvis' friends, employees, ex girlfriends and a team from the Daily Tribunal all attended the burial. Every one seemed heartbroken to see that a man with such a promising future could end in such a gruesome way. The public covered the burial and followed the incident by soaking in any information provided by the media. Drugs. Terrorism. Suicide. Human trafficking. Smuggling. These were all topics that the public used to describe and discuss the possible reason behind Elvis's gruesome death for weeks. The media houses had a field day and they didn't fail to parade their ignorance before the public as they laid their views and speculations.

Meanwhile in Bunga,

Celina prowled the dark corridors of her home. Desperation was eating her up. She didn't want to blame her husband but she didn't trust him either. Her hand still ached from the laser tattoo removal surgery she had done a week back. What bothered her the most was how calm her husband was about the entire predicament. He seemed more loving towards her a side she had not seen in him for a very long time. She got nightmares in which he was the life size of king kong and he was doing to her what had been done to Elvis. In her dream he held a long ancient Ninja sword and was using it to stub her repeatedly damaging all her organs. He went ahead and got one of her organs and ate it as he named the rest for her. He then leaves her to bleed out as he seats and watches on licking his fingers. Her paranoia was getting the best of her. Or was everything true? She knew it was possible. And he would get away with it. Even with all the evidence pointing at him he could still get away with it. He could be the Ugandan version of O.J Simpson. But he had not said a word and she knew how he loved to gloat after he has done something.

Elvis is dead! She still couldn't believe it. She had not attended the funeral thinking that the police could be looking for her and they could suspect her. She sat at the door leading to daughter's bedroom and started crying hopelessly.

What have I done? What am I going to do?