Forgive the Godfather

10: Linka feeds his crew and captive

Long, Jumbo and Frankie were sitting in the scarcely furnished palor, talking among themselves, while Linda remained locked inside one of the bedrooms.

"Does anyone know how much this dude is being asked to pay for his daughter's release?" Long posed a question.

Frankie shrugged. "I don't give a damn," she said. "All I want is my one million naira. That's what we agreed, wasn't it?"

Jumbo grinned crookishly. "What if they ask too much and this guy cannot pay, what happens? We loose."

Long eyed Frankie. "I think that's where the butcher comes in, not so?"

Jumpo flinched. He gave Long a dirty look. "I don't like that idea at all. Okay, so if the guy doesn't have the money, you think cutting up the woman will produce the money?"

"Look, this is business, isn't it?" Frankie snapped. "They can always negotiate. I bet the man is worth more than three million naira. That will cover us, won't it?"

While they were still talking, they heard the sound of a car stopping outside. Frankie got up quickly and peeped through the curtains. A few moments later, Linka was knocking on the front door.

"Open the door," Frankie said. "It's your man Linka brought us grub."

Jumbo hurried over and turned the key in the lock, threw the door open. Linka, hands full, stepped inside quickly. Jumbo closed and locked the door. Linka dumped the food on the small table and looked around, a thin smile on his face lighted up his Albino complexion. "How's you guys coping? Any problems with the woman?"

"No," Long said. "So far so good."

Frankie picked up a pack of fried rice and chicken. She looked at Linka. "Have you delivered the message to the old man?" she asked.

Linka nodded. "Done already," he said. " Go and ask her what she wants to eat before you guzzle everything."

As Jumbo walked to the bedroom where they'd kept Linda, Long asked, "So when are we expecting to pick up the dough?"

"Day after tomorrow," Linka said.

Jumbo came back into the room. He picked up a pack of fried rice, salad, water and Coke which he carried into the bedroom.

Linda sat up on the bare mattress.

"Here, we brought you something special from the Republic of Chicken," Jumbo said, placed the items on the bed beside her.

He held a plastic spoon in his hand. "Okay, just to prove that it is not poisoned," he said, opened the food pack, scooped a mouthful, chewed and swallowed. "See? Harmless. Eat."

He turned and left the room, locked the door.