Familiar Foe √

19. Blanks and Dots

     Sundays are more revered than most people think. The station was almost empty with just two constables on duty, one of whom was shamelessly taking a nap at the front desk. Even the hostages at the holding cell appeared to be napping against the wall, I guess it was better than making a fuss, no one was going to attend to them until Monday morning.

Charles was quiet as we waited in the interrogation room, I knew he could sense my nervous energy but there was nothing either of us could do about it.

   Mfon Imeh looked frustrated with the situation but there was a glint of hope in her eyes as she sat across from us, handcuffed. The reality of the case was finally telling on her and not just through the blotches on her skin.

"Detectives. Have you found who killed my sister?"

"I believe we are staring at her." Charles sang.

"How long have you known Theodore Enun?" Her eyes snapped from Charles to me, widened a fraction then settled on the table.

"Theo? Yes. Ehm_ How long has he and Sade been going out_" She had on a contemplative face but something told me she knew more about their relationship than anyone else.

"What's your relationship with him like?" She was conflicted, torn between telling the truth and figuring out what I wanted to hear.

"He's eh, he is a good boy." It was a smart reply, safe but unfortunately for her, I still had questions and I was hungry for answers.

"So, did he give you the key that night or before then?"

The shock that spread across her features was too pronounced to be covered up by the fallacious look of confusion she tried to conjure.

"What?" She asked as an afterthought.

"It was that night, wasn't it? It's why he had to leave his house so late at night."

I was grasping at straws. As I had told my partner, it was a wild theory, one I couldn't entirely see yet but Mfon expressions as I spoke egged me on.

"You_"

The vibration of Charles's phone was surprisingly loud in the small space. He apologized quietly and checked it. There was a look of content surprise on his face as he read the text and looked at Mfon. He leaned towards my ear and whispered words that imbibed me with more vigor to push on.

"Theodore Enun is Anthony Joshua." Of course this didn't label him a suspect but it was reason enough to bring him in for further questioning and boy did we need to chat.

"Bring him in."

Charles left the room, already dialling on his phone. Mfon's eyes were cast low and her shoulders slack, it was the most defeated I had seen her.

"We didn't kill her." It was said barely above a whisper but it was almost enough to draw a sigh of relief out of me. Not yet though.

"How long did you plan it?"

"Three years." It took a while for her to meet my eyes and when she did, she panicked.

"But we didn't do it. Idara was already dead when I got there."

"So that could just mean that Theodore beat you to it." Straws. Nothing made sense, everything was disorganized.

"No. No, he gave me the key and went back home." Her fake accent had finally given way for her original tone with a touch of her mother's tongue.

"I was only there because he had refused to do it."

There was an air of determination around her, like she knew the only way out of this for her was if she divulged information, regardless of how it made her appear.