Delayed Diagnosis {Book 1 of the Rex Obasi Trilogy}

Chapter 21

The chief was still talking "...........to very dangerous people. The type of danger you can not understand. For your sake don't refer to it anymore…"

"I don't think you understand what I'm telling you." I interrupted him.

"It doesn't even matter," the Chief hurried on still lowering his voice. "The papers are gone. In the hands they shouldn't have left which is not mine I can assure you."

"Spread all the papers in the bag on the floor. One by one, even that paper too on the money, yes."

He made to do as he was told and I glanced at the old crooner.

"Just respect yourself like that if not I'd give you the ultimate disrespect."

She nodded in agreement but I could see her squint her nose probably catching the scent of of the gas.

The chief was silent as he began to arrange the papers on the floor. "We are wasting time. It’s not even in this country!"

My mind dropped like 20 stories when he said that, but I did not waver, "just arrange it and keep quiet.”

The papers were quite much. More than the ones I had stolen.

"This is one of my personal suitcases, I put other things in here," the Chief explained.

I watched his bald head which reflected the light bulb hanging from the ceiling as I thought of my next move.

All was silent for seconds then the chief looked at Fome who was on the floor to his side. "But I did my part by you..as Larry's daughters I sponsored you and your sister's education and I tried to keep both of you financially stable."

Fome looked at him and her voice was low with emotion, "you have no idea what my earliest years were like. The- the earliest memories that I can remember are of poverty and violence and the suffering, tears and self guilt of my mother which you caused."

I cleared my throat, "please let's focus here, this is not a therapy session."

Fome glanced at me with expressionless eyes and I immediately felt bad.
It was definitely over between us and I started to say something to make her feel better when my phone- I had forgotten about it, vibrated in my pocket.

I checked the ID expecting to see Strange eyes but It was Andy.

"Oba where are you?" he asked immediately.

"What happened?"

"Mona said she was at the hospital but she hasn't come back since and this is almost 12. Have you seen her? Are you at the hospital?"

I had an idea of where she was heading to and the gate was open in invitation!

Ayaiyaiyaiyai!! (Rubbing my head deep in thought) The gods must truly be crazy in my case because everything just seemed to jumble up and add against me.

However the call was a distraction and I cut it immediately.

"Hurry up," I reminded the chief who had been watching me trying to observe the conversation.

I checked the phone and saw that my credit had been extinguished on the strange eye's call. But so far he was a no show.

Now I wished I hadn't done that because now I had the situation under control or hoped I did and I hoped to get the papers and disappear from the house like a ghost.

The gas smell was more distinct now and I could notice Fome's face had gone serious as she sniffed the air also.

But this Mona person, she could just enter the compound and I wouldn't even know. She could hang around the door and choose a suitable time to surprise or 'stun' me...no way! Once was enough...I had to lock it.