Chaos and painkillers

11. Damn, we've just been hoodwinked.

"A white van right?"

The men nodded.

"You said the plate number was covered with a hood?"

"Eey."

"What did you say she was wearing?"

"Hijab-"

"Blue abaya-"

At the different statements, the detective ceased to narrow his eyes at the men a couple of feet away from him on the rug while he stood firm, dropping a hand down in confusion.

The men glanced at each other, knowing that they weren't lying. So, why were their statements different?

The first statement came from a guard with an eye bandage. The other was just a civilian.

Another man from the back cleared his throat. "Um-but-" he raised a finger and waited for a go-ahead. The detective gave him one. "She-her hijab fell off. I and my colleagues walked past her and when we turned again, her hijab had fallen off. Shikenan wani mota ta shigo sukayi harbi suka dauke ta."

"That's all?" The clique of men shared a glance.

"Ei."

"Yes."

While some nodded. "That'll be all then. Please, come over if you remember anything useful." The detective turned to the father with a deep frown. When realization down in, he yanked out of his trance and cleared his throat.

The stressed father gathered his palms and pulled on a fake smile. "Toh, yen uwa. Nagode qaurei. Allah ya bar zumunci."

Chorus of, "Amen." Went flying, some even added, "Allah temaka, ranka shi dade." "Allah bayyanata, yallaboi."

The Sultan said his amen silently to the departing witnesses.

After they left, the room fell into a chilling silence with only Mami's sniffles cutting in. Two young fair men with striking features as that of the Sultan sandwiched the weeping woman; one soothed her shoulder while the other held her hand between his.

The dark old man in his early 70's; Baba Alhaji cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, I believe it's time for Isha's prayer." He declared, "Let us go and report our problems to Allah and come back." It seemed like a good idea because most nodded.

All eyes lifted to the rumbling door being ripped open and a man with features similar to the sultan and his second wife stepped in. He surveyed the room with distressed eyes, the rumor being confirmed at the sight of his weeping mother amid their second to the last born and their last born. In disbelief, he still asked. "Laila has been kidnapped?"

His question went unanswered, instead, his dad threw his own. "Where have you been?"

"I was at Bappa Yakubu's house. But i was the one who got Modibbo and Muslim from the airport, didn't i?" Shehu stepped out of his shoes, gesturing at his siblings while heading to his mum.

They nodded when their dad glanced at them for confirmation.

On the floor, He sat in front of their mum as he searched for the right words. Nothing. He had a blank head, empty of any words. The woman who had calmed down a bit nodded at him. He then turned to the guests, apologizing for barging in and greeting them.