Jaja and Normani: Death On The 101st

Who Among Us?

On reaching the Challenge park, the shuttle bus drove by without stopping for the expectant passengers. Several looks of astonishment followed the bus as it left the park in its wake.

"You are assuming this man might have been killed by an intravenous means," said the doctor.

"Was killed," corrected Normani. "I'm sure of it."

"If we even take this to be true—which, of course, we are not certain of yet—what kind of... poison did this assassin use?"

"Assassin—or assassins. We don't know if this is a one-man mission," Jaja added.

"That is true. And I suppose, doctor, that you'd be the expert on poisons. I think we ought to be asking you that question," said the soilder. The doctor appeared to be in deep thought as he turned his gaze up at the bus ceiling for a few seconds.

"Well," he started, "this could very well be a common poison, and it could be very rare. In fact, some perform faster than others. Chances are we won't even be able to tell for sure unless an autopsy is done to confirm the presence of the chemical compound and its composition."

"But there is still room to guess?" Elizabeth said with a shrug. Normani looked at Evanda who sat, head bowed and solemn, with her arms around her. The red-eyed woman hasn't been able to speak a word to anyone since the man's death had been confirmed.

"Miss Evanda, may I ask you a question?" Normani asked. The mentioned woman looked up slowly at her. She studied Normani for a moment, deciding on whether to answer the request or just make an excuse.

"What might that be?" Evanda answered.

"This man—" she nodded briskly at the body laid in the middle of the bus. "Who was he to you?"

Everyone turned to face the questioned woman. Evanda shuddered a bit as she became the centre of attention all of a sudden. She shifted her gaze shortly from one person to another, her eyes lingering slightly on the doctor and Elizabeth.

"He was..." she puckered, "he was my brother-in-law." All in exception of Normani wore surprised expressions. "He and I were going to visit my husband at the hospital."

"Your husband—his brother— is at a hospital?" Jaja asked.

"He had an accident recently. We both were going to check up on him." Evanda sniffed.

Normani did from her seat and paced across the aisle from her seat to the front of the bus them back. She stopped at the spot the man fell.

"Exactly where did you board the bus?" Normani asked. Evanda's expression took on an annoyed one.

"And what are you—a police?" she countered.

"No. I'm a member of the Boy's Scout, though. I was not trained to look away in situations like these. I'll try my best to solve this case to the best of my capability," Normani finished with a proud puff of her chest.

Kayode scoffed. "Boy's Scout is for boys," he said dismissively. "You're just a wimpy girl."

"And yet, she's a member. That's to let you know the kind of potential she's got," Jaja replied with an equally dismissive snort.

"Whether I am or I'm not a member of the Boy's Scout is the least of our concerns. Please help me here. Tell me where you boarded the bus."

"It was at Dugbe, okay," she snapped then muttered, "...as if any of this would bring him back." Normani disregarded her and instead walked to where her brother sat.

"We boarded the bus around four-thirty. Considering the distance between Dugbe and Oke-bola, that'll give them an advance of about thirty minutes give or take," she whispered to him. The gears in their heads were clicking collectively.