Behind Enemy Lines

Closure

Scene 10

I had called Mum on my way back from the airport to tell her I was coming home although I left out the reason why. I kept thinking all through the trip about how much danger my family and I were in and how I was going to get us out of it. The day to day running of Dad's company was left in the safe hands of Mr Adetiba and I was not about to start changing that without good cause, I had to get to the bottom of Dad's murder and I kept trying to formulate a plan to make that happen. I arrived home to warm smiles and hugs from Mum and Susan who gave me a very large meal to eat.
Mum: Welcome my Child, hope everything is ok, you seem a bit downcast.
Me: I'm fine Mum, just a bit tired and need to rest.
Susan: Welcome home Veena.
Me: Thanks Susan, the food was great. Mum, I need to rest for a while, I have a slight headache.
Mum: I have some pain killers in the medicine cabinet, you should take some and go to bed.
Me: Yes mum. See you in the morning. I went straight to my room and laid down but sleep was not on the agenda at all, I kept running the whole scenario through my head and decided I had to open up Dad's safe, I needed some more information and I also needed something else. The whole house was fast asleep so I made my way to the study and straight to Dad's safe which had not been opened since his murder because Mum never bothered with the combination. I knew the combination by heart as it was my birthday and his mixed and matched, I opened it and went through some files and found some more information on the phoenix Oil deal and realized that Dad's company had won the bid for the rights to the Oil and I began to piece together the reason why he was killed. Under the documents I saw something that was very familiar, Dad's gun case. Very few people knew he had a gun but i remember very vividly the day he bought it and all the times we went to the shooting range, he taught me how to shoot and was impressed and slightly worried at how good I had become. I took the case with me and left for my room where I tucked it underneath my suitcase and went to bed with tears in my eyes.
Morning couldn't come quickly enough and I was showered and dressed as early as I could.
Mum: Vee you need to come down, breakfast is getting cold.
Vee: Yes ma'am. I ate very quickly and told Mum I was travelling for a wedding that morning.
Mum: My daughter you are leaving so soon?
Vee: Yes Mum i have to. I will be back as soon as i can.
Mum: Ok oh. Be safe my child.
Vee: Always Mum. I had been texting Jide all morning and he had gone to a retreat in a place called Obudu Cattle ranch in Cross River State. I had not been there before but i had done some research on where it was and how to get there. I Had also hired a car to take me to a nearby village called Bekwarra where i intended to stay. The trip was long and tedious but the scenery was nice along the way, we finally got to Bekwarra at around 4pm where i got a room at a nice lodge called Justice Idagbo's lodge and the rooms were really nice and comfortable. I spoke to a really polite receptionist whose name was Margaret and got two rooms for the driver and I. I settled in my room and napped for a while and woke up and had a drink or two at the bar and told Margaret I was heading off to bed. At about 9pm I snuck out of the lodge wearing a pair of black slim fit jeans a black Tee and black cap and my trusty black Nike running shoes and walked out to a place called Ugboro Junction where I found a bike to take me to the bottom of the hill leading up   to the ranch. It was a long bumpy ride there but I had to endure it, I had to confront Jide, I had to hear the truth from his own lips. The trip up to the ranch was an 11km hike and thankfully I was fit and in one hell of a mood armed with my mini torch I began my trek running into some palm wine tappers and security along the way until I finally arrived at the summit where it was freezing cold, thankfully I brought my jacket i zipped it up and walked and avoided some policemen stationed close to the gates. I walked around for at least an hour before I finally spotted Jide's Fathers car parked in front of a cabin and then I walked slowly towards it and heard Jide and his Dad inside talking so I decided to wait until he was alone and sat in a half lotus position in the grass close enough to hear every word that was said in the cabin. In a little over an hour I could hear Jide alone in his room listening to some music so I took off my cap and tapped on his window, I could see the shock on his face when he saw me and I forced a smile as he slid the window open.
Jide: What are you doing here?
Me: I thought i would surprise you for once. My Aunt had a meeting somewhere in Makurdi so I tagged along I lied.
Jide: Shocking but really good to see you.
Me: Are you going to let me in?
Jide: Sorry luv, of course I will. Come around back.
Me: I walked round and he was standing at the back door to let me in.
Jide: Dad is going to go crazy if he knows you are here so we are going to have to be quiet.
Me: My thoughts exactly. We went into his room and he turned up the volume on the speakers ever so slightly. I sat on the dresser just opposite him on the bed. I made up some lie about coming with the driver and him being parked outside to take me back first thing in the morning.
Jide: It's so good to see you.
Me: Same here baby. He leaned forward and kissed me and I had to force myself to kiss him back. I don't have a lot of time and I needed some questions answered. I asked him straight to his face Jide why did your family have my father killed?
Jide: What?
Me: Do not pretend that you do not know what I am talking about. I saw the pictures in your Fathers safe and I know about the phoenix deal. Jide where you there that night?
Jide: I can explain my love.
Me: Don't you dare call me that. He started coming toward me, and i realised how unsafe I was and pulled out Dad's Walther P99 which was tucked into my jeans and pointed it at him and he instinctively put his hands up telling me to calm down. I replied sternly, this is no time to be calm Jide as I need answers and I need them now. Get your Father in here now I yelled.
Jide: Dad get in here.
Me: I could hear his Father answer from a distance saying what's the problem before storming into the room, I calmly trained the gun on him and ushered him to his son's side. I asked again, Why did you have my Dad killed?
Mr Akinwunmi: What are you talking about Veena and what are you doing here?
Jide: She knows everything Dad.
Mr Akinwunmi: How did this happen?
Jide: She found your safe back at the house.
Mr Akinwunmi: I told you it was a bad idea bringing her over.
Me: I screamed shut up! Both of you. Why did you have to kill him i said with tears rolling down my cheeks, why?
Mr Akinwunmi: We needed that oil deal to save our company, we were on the verge of losing everything.
Me: Was it all worth my Father's life? Did you for one second think about his family? Did you? My hands were shaking and I felt my heart beating faster and faster.
Jide: It all started with the oil deal Vee but I fell in love with you. I'm sorry.
Me: Oh please Jide, I just want to know a few things, were you there that night? And did we meet by accident?
Jide: Yes I was, I drove the car. If I was in there I would never have let them kill him and we actually met by accident although I was asked to keep an eye on you.
Me: I had heard all I needed to hear, the gun was still pointed at Mr Akinwunmi.
Mr Akinwunmi: We can make things right, we will give you anything you want.
Me: How about my father's life back, can you give me that? I looked Jide straight in his eyes and said, I want you to feel what I felt that night and that's when I fired the first shot that went straight through Mr Akinwunmi's head and brain matter splashed everywhere, Jide screamed in fear.
Jide: What have you done?
Me: I am putting things right, Jide tried to run in my direction but I moved quickly and fired twice hitting him in his chest and neck, he groaned in pain struggling to say I love you, I replied firmly " I love you too" and then shot him in the head. I hoped no one had heard the shots so i peeked outside and it was still eerily quiet and i made my way to the back door, took out one of the keys from the bunch and placed the keys on the counter in the kitchenette and looked the door behind me. The cabin was isolated so the gunshot sounds must not have been heard so I ran as fast as I could until i was far enough away from the cabin and paused and wept. I had to get back to Bekwarra before dawn so I made my way past the snoring police officers meant to be keeping guard and headed down the hill where it was an easier trek down and when I reached the base of the hill where after what seemed like an eternity i found a bike willing to take me back to the hotel although he charged me a fortune explaining that he would have to spend the night there in Bekwarra and make his way back the following morning. The ride back was a little easier as this guy seemed to know the terrain much better, I arrived back at Justice Idagbo's Lodge just before morning and snuck back into my room where I stayed under the shower and cried some more. My driver woke me up on time and we drove the really long distance back to school arriving at about 4am, I had him drop me off in town then got another car to take me back to school. I know I will always be a good Christian but whoever brings wrath upon me and my family would feel my vengeance I kept saying to myself while I walked back to my flat to grab a drink and then I noticed St. Agnes Parish in the distance and for some reason my legs kept carrying me in that direction and before long I found myself inside the Church where it was holy hour and confession time and there was no queue. I wanted to leave but couldn't, I knelt down before Fr. and heard myself say words that I had not said in a very long while "Forgive me Father for I have Sinned".