Ultio's List

Chapter 14

Detective Okoye checked his wristwatch and sighed. It was almost noon and they haven't seen any sign of Ultio.

"Nothing yet?" He asked Jamaal who was squatting beside him on the varender. Jamaal shook his head tiredly as they both looked at the gate.

Someone knocked on the gate making the officers stand their guard where they were hiding. Okoye gave them sign to stay low as whoever it was knocked again. They had left the gate unlocked so they waited for the stranger to open the gate or leave.

"Knock knock!" The male voice called. Okoye rushed downstairs and gave Mr Nonso a sign.

"Tell him to come in." He whispered and Mr Nonso fearfully nodded. He stepped out of the house and cleared his throat.

"Come in!" He shouted, his voice shook in the end as he took a deep breath in. The gate slowly opened revealing a young man with a paper bag in his hands. The officers were very much alert in their hiding spots as the watched the man.

Okoye hid behind the front door. "And who are you?" Mr Nonso asked as he fearfully took a step back.

"Oh good afternoon sir. I'm a dispatch rider and I was asked to deliver some skin products to Mrs Emmanuel." The young man explained. Okoye swore under his breath and so did the other officers as they all hid back in defeat.

"My wife?" Nonso asked in a more calm tone.

"Yes sir. So I just need you to sign a couple of papers and I'll be on my way sir." The dispatch rider said. He handed Mr Nonso the bag and a delivery paper which he signed. The dispatch rider thanked him and left the compound immediately. Jamaal came downstairs tiredly.

"Why would your wife order something today out of every other days?" Jamaal asked. Okoye took a seat on the sofa as he opened the paper bag. He saw a couple of skin care products and a gift card.

Nonso dialed his wife's number and waited for her to pick up.

"Nene did you order any skin care product?" He asked irritatedly.

"Oh yes!" The woman squealed excitedly, "Has it arrived? Drop it in our room okay?" She said before hanging up.

"I'm sorry about all this." Mr Nonso apologized to the detectives with an embarrassed look on his face. His wife was obsessed with anything related to skin and beauty and it was embarrassing at a time like that.

"It's fine. Jamaal let's get back on duty. Anything can happen. I hope the officers are at the back door too." Okoye said as he returned upstairs. "Ultio might arrive anytime soon."

****

Amber bobbed her head to the music playing though the speaker as she scribbled on her notebook. She removed the earpiece from her ears and grinned.

"Ultio might arrive anytime soon."

She almost laughed at the pitiful attempt of the police. She turned on the laptop and deleted the recordings. In a few seconds, the micro recorder under one of the body scrubs in the paper bag was disabled.

Flashback

Amber dialed her aunt's number very late that night. She hoped it'll finally get through since the woman was very busy.

"My baby! How are you?" Her aunt greeted cheerily like it wasn't past ten in the night.

"Auntie! I'm okay." Amber replied with a grin on her face.

"I really miss you guys but the new product I'm launching is taking my time." Her aunt said sadly.

"I miss you too." Amber said softly. She bit her lip and decided to say why she called. "Uhm auntie?"

"Yes my love."

"Can you give me a couple of skin products?" She asked quickly. She bit her nails nervously as she waited for her aunt's reply.

"Has the one I sent last month finished? I'll ask someone to send the new skin care line for you okay?" Her aunt promised worriedly.

"No no no it's not that." Amber said immediately. "I want to gift it to someone. She really likes your products." She said.

"Oh okay. Just go to the departmental store close to your house and take what you want. Once you are done, give the stuff to the cashier. Send the name of the person and social media handle to me though. We'll inform her of her prize." Her aunt said. Amber thanked her repeatedly and the lady shushed her. "Do you want it to be a surprise for her?"

"It'd be amazing." Amber said. After talking more with her aunt, Amber hung up the phone. She went to her closet and took out a box. It was a box containing a micro recorder Alisha had ordered in the past. Her friend wanted to use it to get evidence against the Dean but she never got to use it. She took it out and read the instructions on the manual.

~~

After picking out a few body lotions and scrubs, Amber checked the time and smiled when she saw it was still early in the morning. She looked around before taking out the recorder from its case and placed it under one of the body scrubs. She turned it around to check the placement. She smiled as the recorder looked barely out of place.

She carried the shopping basket to the cashier who smiled at her.

"You must be Amber." She said and the girl nodded slowly, "Miss Lucia called earlier and informed me of what I should do. The person the gift is for has already sent her address so the dispatch rider will deliver it today."

"That's great. Thanks." Amber said as she dropped the basket on the counter. All she had to do was go home and listen to the recorder.

End of flashback.

~~~

If there was one reason she absolutely loved her aunt, it'd be because the woman never questioned her. Amber knew the thousands of naira the products costed yet her aunt didn't care when it came to her and in a few days, she'd even forget about the encounter.

Even if she didn't gain much from the recorder, at least she knew that ok_student was a whistleblower or an officer and that the police were actually waiting to arrest her.

Amber opened her WhatsApp and joined the online lesson. She dutifully took notes of the ones she missed. She wasn't in a hurry at all. She pitied the officers who were waiting for the invisible Ultio. In the next thirty six hours, her main plan will be set in motion and the police won't see it coming.

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~Korisa