Delayed Diagnosis {Book 1 of the Rex Obasi Trilogy}

Chapter 7

I rode up the escalator with the copies of voltage trends in my arm and was about to enter Mrs. Benita's office, when my phone rang.

I paused at the entrance, my blood going still...that was Fome's number which had been switched off for over 3 weeks now calling me. I stopped cold and watched the backs of Ada and her mother through the window. Ada's head was positioned that she could see me with just a tilt of the neck and I ducked out of view quickly as I picked the call.

"Hello" for all my worrying and stressing my voice was surprisingly calm

"Rex…you need to leave that boutique, quickly"

I looked left and right, the hallway was empty "Fome where are you, what is going on?"

My heart was racing now as I hurried down the corridor, looking into every corner as I passed by expecting to see her hiding in a corner, making the call.

"Rex listen to me now, your life is at risk, there are people who want to kill you in this boutique"

“Where are you?" I almost shouted into the receiver as my voice filled with furious panic.

"I’m close by. I'm sure your phone is tapped so I have to be fast"

By this time I had gone down the escalator. Everywhere now seemed more crowded than it had been few minutes ago. I hurried to the restrooms sign to my left.

"What is happening, who wants to kill me?"

"Watch out for anyone who looks unsuspicious...Rex, I'm sorry I messed up and got you into this…" her voice shook "I can't live with myself if you die.."

"Fome calm down and talk to me" I hurried into the nearest toilet and leaned against the door then I bent down to check under the doors of the 4 toilet stands. I saw a pair of stockinged feet at the last toilet and stood up in horror. I checked the sign and saw the little dude that they always draw on toilet stands was wearing a dress! I was in the female toilet. I lowered my voice to a whisper "Fome tell me where you are so we can work this out together"

"Rex you need to watch your back. There is money on your head and your car has been traced all along and a killer has been on your tail since"

She was making sense and at the same time not making any "where are you? I need to know-"

"The agent has probably tapped my line by now. I have to go"

"Strange eyes? Is he behind this?"

"Rex, he works for the government and the Government never has a single interest. In this case I'm an interest. I won't call him your enemy, but you shouldn't think of him as your friend...stay safe”

The line went dead.

I stared at the mirror then splashed water on my face. I felt numb as I bent down to retrieve the magazines I had been holding and for a second I stared at it blindly, wondering what I was doing with them.

The last stall opened and I looked up hurriedly as an elderly lady came out. She seemed oblivious to my presence as she wobbled her way to the wash hand basin. She had on small dark shades which looked medicated and gave the impression that she was blind. She was humming a classic; clothe of many colours and I eased slowly to the exit door. As I made to move however, her hand crept into her big purse which was lying on the wash hand basin. I didn't think anything of it at first but I thought back to the warning Fome' had sounded and the realization that someone in that building wanted me dead or to kill me to be precise was enough to move my feet faster towards the door.

Suddenly the old coat of colours crooner was speaking quite clearly and holding a gun "you better stop" she said in Yoruba (e' duro’)

I froze, my mouth hung open in surprise and fear. The feeling of deja vu was almost crippling but this time an annoying part of my brain was screaming “you're going to be murdered by an old woman..in a female toilet..what a pitiful way to go..”

Somehow, before the milli-fraction it would take to pull the trigger, the door burst open and two young females entered inside, holding clothes they obviously wanted to try on.

"And I was like if you don't mind, I have been-" the first one broke off when she saw me.

I had glanced just the slightest way sideways when the voice and door had sounded but the gun was out of sight when I glanced back and the killer was facing the mirror once again, washing her hands and humming "my coat of many colours that my mother made for me"

The second girl gasped, surprise to see me in the females toilet and seemed as though she was going to let rip a scream any moment.

I raised my hands and smiled in embarrassment "I'm really sorry" I pointed at the old crooner "my grandmother, she's blind and she really had to use the toilet. There was no one to turn to and she's just washing up"

The ladies entered (to my relief) obviously touched "it’s alright we'd watch her for you"

"Thanks a lot. You're a God send. I took her shopping to cheer her up. Yesterday was 12 years since her husband passed away"

The ladies made sympathetic noises as I hurried out the door. I half ran, half walked out of the toilet section and was heading for the exit with speed.

"Rex! Rex"

I looked up to see Ada and her mother coming down the escalator on the other end with concern on both faces.

I dropped the magazine on an empty chair as I passed it "something has come up at headquarters. I have to be going. Here are the previous copies, we'd be in touch"

"But Ada told me what happened. Wait are you okay?" Mrs. Amunike called out.

But I was gone. I hurried through the car lot wondering my next step. So my car had been traced all along and a very old woman with a mean looking gun was after me. I felt my phone vibrating and saw strange eyes name on the caller ID.

I picked up as I raced through the parking lot, looking for a taxi or any vehicle to get me away from danger.

"Rex where exactly are you?"

"You bastard, what are you not telling me"

"Rex you are in danger right now...we'd talk later but now where are you?"

"Why don't you trace it like you did to Fome and kept me in the dark”

As I talked I felt something in my pocket. I brought it out. It was the key to Ada's Mercedes. I pressed the button, as if I were being controlled and as the lights blinked I interrupted whatever excuse strange eyes was coming up with.

"Look I have stared down the barrel of a gun twice in 24 hours all because I was under directions from you. Now I'm going solo"

I ended the call.