The suspect

THE NEXT DAY

Location: Calabar

@ Cole's Residence.

Cole was lying in a settee in the sitting room, his head resting on Nora's lap. Both were giggling and laughing as they had their gaze on the flat plasma screen which was displaying a comedy show. Minutes later, the comedy show ended and a Milk advertisement was shown afterwards.

"Oooh! The show ended so soon?" Nora asked rhetorically stomping her foot noisily on the tiled floor.

"No, It's just starting fool" Cole replied sarcastically and sat up immediately the news flash was shown.

The headline caught his attention first then the DG giving a speech . Different microphones were stretched out to him while the camera men were taking pictures of him as he talked.

"Good morning people of River State. We are sorry for the misfortune that befell our once peaceful state. I would normally not comment until proper and full investigation has been carried out but you have nothing to worry about, because whoever that did this would be apprehended and brought to justice very soon and about the bomb blast which occurred three days ago. We are sorry for the loss. The family of the deceased should please accept our condolences. I do realize how hard it is to lose a loved one but be rest assured that we'll do our best on the case and the culprits would be brought to justice. Thank you."

The scene faded off and a newscaster continued with the casting of the remaining part of the news.

"Oh my God! Another murder?"Nora exclaimed looking at the perplexed Cole who quickly stood up and rushed into the room with alacrity. Minutes later, he came out fully dressed in his detective suit holding a neck tie.

"Are you going out?"Asked Nora, surprised seeing him fully dressed for work.

"Yes I am, I have to get going now"Cole replied, knotting the tie.

"But you barely used a day and you're given two weeks off, so you shouldn't be going this soon"

"Sorry Nora. I have to go now and moreover, this is a delicate case that needs my attention. I should be the one giving that speech and not him"

"Oh I get it now, but at least you should rest and be hale and hearty before you go nah!" Nora complained, wearing a forlorn look on her face.

Cole took a step forward on seeing the look on her face. He shook his head dejectedly. "Don't worry, I'll be fine honey"he said, kissed her on her lips and left.

He closed the metal door behind him as soon as he was out and walked to the park. Nora fell back on the settee dejectedly as soon as he was out. She couldn't envisage why his job would impede the time he ought to spend with her, though she loved his job and even helped solved some mysteries but at times, she disdains it when it comes to killing.

An hour later, Cole drove into the CIB building. The guards saluted as he drove past the gate. He ignored them and pulled into the carport . He opened the door and stepped out of his old Peugeot car as he had lost his BMW car to the ashes due to the bomb blast. He hurriedly walked to his office and met Agent Bola halfway. She stopped in her tracks surprised on seeing him.

"Cole, but you shouldn't be here or have you heard?",she asked

"Yes I have and that's the reason why am here" he replied and walked towards the door to his office. He pushed it open and went in while Agent Bola followed suit . He sat down heavily on the swivel chair making it squeak and heaved a sigh, not of relief but of the arduous task that lay before him.

"What do we have? And who got killed?"Cole asked Agent Bola who also settled down on a chair which was at the front of Cole's desk.

"That file...". She said pointing to a blue file on his desk "Is a summary of all we know about the murder".

"Oh this!" he said and took it . "You know reading it is a waste of time. Just give me the main points" Cole demanded with a pleading eyes.

Bola shrugged. "First, the victim is a lady …"

"I know that. I need the name, where she works and the place of the crime scene"

"Let's get to the crime scene first, if you need to know all that" Bola replied and stood up.

"Then get the forensic, Let's get to the crime scene now."He ordered and stood up also, walked out to the park and got into his car, his phone beeped and the lights came on. He checked it; it was a message from Agent Bola which entails the address of the crime scene. He ignited the car engine and drove off.

Minutes later, he arrived at the crime scene and pulled beside the road. The cops already placed a barricade on the road as the road looked empty except for a cop vehicle which was parked at the far end of the road. He walked further to where the body lay; it was covered with a white silk cloth. He bent down low and slowly, he uncovered the body to reveal the body of a lady.

"Here"a voice said behind him and he jumped out as he looked back to see Agent Bola laughing hysterically.

"You scared me"

"But you shouldn't be scared as a detective."Bola replied still sniggering quietly.

"Take this" Bola said with her hands outstretched and a set of hand gloves was embedded within. Cole took it and wore it. He looked back and saw the forensic coming to join them. He bent low again, scrutinizing the cuts on the lady.

"The cut is from a knife"the forensic said and squatted beside Cole. He was also from the CIB crib.

"Judging from the way the cut is on her neck, the murderer slitted her throat at a close range with one slip."The forensic explained further.

"Who is she?"Bola chipped in, who stood watching quietly. The forensic brought out his iPad and showed them a picture. It was one of the girls pictures.

"She is identified as Wilson Deborah. She works in the newly opened General Hospital" the forensic paused and looked at their face.

"She is the daughter of the Senate President"

"Senate President?" Cole gasped.

***

The news of the murder of the Senate Presidents daughter has spread wide all around the country like a raging fire. The Senate President himself was out of the country on a business trip and It's only a matter of time before the news reached him.

Cole stood up from the chair he previously sat on, and took a file on the table which was at his front. A knock sounded on the door just as he was about to open it.

"Come in",he said aloud.

The door knob turned open and Agent Bola walked in with a file in her hands.

"The forensic found something and he wants you to come check it out",she said dropping a file on the table.

"Oh!"Cole exclaimed gleefully . "I hope it should be something useful. Anyway Let's get going",he said and left for the CIB lab. The lab was located at the second floor of the building while the topmost floor of the CIB tower was the DG's Office.

"Welcome detective" the forensic greeted him immediately he sighted him coming out of the elevator.

"Yeah, thank you"Cole said and asked. "So what do you have for me"

"Yeah, I got something"the forensic began and walked to a big flat computer which was embedded on the wall. He punched in a command on the monitor and a set of finger prints appeared on it; six in a row.

"From all the research I have done so far, I found a distinctive fingerprint on the neck region of the lady.. "

"Fingerprints?"Cole asked, his face lit up with a glint of hope.

"Yes, I ran a test on it and it didn't match with any of our suspects but am currently running a background check to clarify if it would match with any. The results would be out in two hours time", the forensic explained.

"Did you check the CCTV footages?"Cole asked expecting a valid answer.

"Yeah I did",the forensic replied in affirmation.

"Did you find anything?"Cole asked anticipating the answer to be yes also.

"No"

The look on Cole's face changed. He shook his head and walked towards the system putting his hands on his waist .

"I found nothing spectacular. It was like every other day walking out from the hospital to her boyfriends house."the forensic said removing the pair of glasses from his eyes and sat down beside Cole facing another system.

"Is that what you found?"Cole asked without taking a glance at him as he had his gaze strictly fixed on the monitor checking the footages.

"What else would I have found?"the forensic asked rhetorically.

Cole immediately glanced at him with a furious look and returned his gaze back to the screen, he clicked on a footage and fast forwarded it to 23:00. The footage showed a lady who walked out from a hospital and the footage ended immediately.

Cole was surprised and he replayed it again but yet, it ended.

"The remaining part of this footage has been deleted"Cole said casting a glance at the forensic who immediately stood up with a puzzled look.

"Deleted?"he asked doubtfully. "How is that?"

"Yes or didn't you notice that?"

"I didn't take note of that"he replied Cole checking the footage himself and realization hit him.

"Who could have done this?"he said aloud to himself, loud enough for Cole to hear.

"Who else could have done it?"Cole asked rhetorically raising his brows.

"Were you compromised?"Cole asked already figuring him out as the culprit.

"No, I wasn't. Am not.. I didn't do it"the forensic stuttered trembling ferociously.

"How can I believe you?.. huh?"Cole said angrily slamming his hand hard on the table at his front.

"If you didn't do it, then who did?"Cole couldn't take it anymore as he stood up angrily, already feeling pissed. He walked out of the office and stopped abruptly at the door, glanced back at him, shook his head and said.

"Even if you didn't do it, no one could have possibly hacked into our systems because you and I know we have the highest maximum security breach",he paused and looked at the young man, his head bent low in remorse as if he was being chastised by his father.

"You know, you are now a suspect"Cole finished and left the room with vast agitation.

***

Mr Akinola was fully clad in a designer agbada; a Yoruba attire which is usually worn by the local chiefs. He stood before a standing mirror in his room, checking himself out . He looked radiant and stunning in the outfit even though, he was an obese man with a pot belly that seems to house a set of triplets. He had a bald head which was concealed by a green cap to match with the attire. He was obviously going out to one of his Friends birthday party which he had to look exquisitely handsome and he did his very best at it.

He straightened his cloth and made to leave forgetting his two phones. One of the phones rang out loud and it reverberated in his head, he quickly went for it and checked the caller. The name he saw on it made him froze for a moment that he couldn't think straight anymore and his once smiling face changed to a panicking one.

He picked the phone up.

"Sorry, it wasn't you. It's a mistake" he heard a female voice say and his heart leapt up for joy, grinning.

The phone rang out loud for the third time and realization hit him. That was only his imagination and not the reality. The reality was here, here for him. He wished he could swap his reality for his imagination but thats not possible. The phone was still ringing in his hand and the caller I.d kept on displaying State Governor. On a normal day, he wouldn't have panicked but he knew what he had to deal with. With what seem like eternity, he eventually dragged the green icon on his iPad. The call came through his private number just as it always does if something crucial is to be discussed.

"Hello, hello, hello …"a husky voice said repeatedly.

"Are you there?"the voice came on again..

He kept mute, as he couldn't talk. He needed to cool his nerves first before he could talk and he eventually did.

"Hello sir",he said trying to be calm which did a little to hide his nervousness.

"Why didn't you pick the call when I first called? Why were you not talking when you eventually picked up? And what is all these am hearing?"the state governor bawled over the phone asking dozen of questions at a time.

"I'm sorry sir!"Mr Akinola replied with a concealed tremor in his voice..

"Is that all you could say?".

"Yes sir"

"What are you spitting out of your mouth?... huh? Do you realize that the Senate President has called me?"

"Senate president?"Mr Akinola asked stupidly, his trembling voice now obvious.

"Don't act as if you do not know. You do know that his daughter was murdered in my own state, right under your nose!"he yelled …

"I'm sorry sir…"

"No, you're not sorry, because if you really are, you wouldn't have allowed that to happen. Now see what you caused to yourself, to me, to the state and to Nigeria as a whole…."

"You do realize I made you the Director General of the flawless, criminal investigation bureau and I can fire you anytime, any day if you prove yourself to be incompetent. The state police CID wants to interfere and I would give them the chance they seek, they will work with you on this case to find the son of a b***h"the state governor finished saying and paused while silence was given the crown of the moment.

With what seemed like eternity, the State Governor eventually talked easing the intense silence.

"Do not talk to me in a trembling voice next time I call you again. Am I clear?"

"Crystal clear sir!"

"Keep me updated"the state governor said and hung up the call.

Mr Akinola let out a deep sigh as his nerves were now cool. He had to cancel his trip to the party, since his mood was badly messed up. He doesn't like the idea of the police CID working with him. He had to do something, not just something but something reasonable.