Crocodile Hotel: Kanta Road

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9:25AM: CROCODILE HOTEL, KANTA ROAD, KADUNA STATE.

The car pulled in through the crowd and parked outside the crime scene, Anas literally jumped out before it was parked properly.

Ja'far had sent the car out with his test gear and camera to pick him up from the airport. He declined going home to change or freshen up and opted to head straight towards the job at hand.

He ducked underneath the crime scene tape, striving hard not to get caught up with the press. He flashed his credentials at the officer in charge and was allowed into the hotel.

He noticed Owen, Frank and Murad standing together probably discussing the scene. Owen saw him first and he motioned to the other guys to look behind them.

'Hi brother!' Frank said shaking his hand earnestly and pulling him into a hug.

'You're a sight for sore eyes, man,' said Murad when his turn came, 'how did everything go?'

'We got the guy, they're going to court next week,' Anas replied.

'Splendid!' Frank exclaimed again, 'sorry to have to pull you back into this ugliness.'

'I knew what I was signing up for when I chose to be a CSI so don't worry,' Anas replied, 'what's up, Owen?'

'What's up man!' Owen replied.

'What do we have?' Anas asked as he snapped his gloves on and adjusted the lens on his camera.

'Four dead bodies with third degree burns. We weren't sure it was the numbers case until we found a boy mumbling the four numbers and trying hard to get back into the room,' Owen replied.

'He wasn't in the room with them?' Anas enquired.

'He must have been at some point,' Owen replied, 'we think the murderer carried him out to save him from the blaze.'

'Very possible,' Anas replied while adjusting the strap on his camera, 'do we have confirmation that this is indeed Otoza Mubarak and his family?'

'We are going to speak to the hotel manager now,' Murad answered, 'we have also requested for the guest list and the security camera footage.'

'Okay, you do that. Owen and I will process the scene,' Anas said.

'Let's get to it,' Frank said as the men dispersed in different directions.

He and Murad were ushered into the manager's office and they waited as she continually talked on her phone.

She seemed to be trying to assure someone of the security of the hotel and that the murder was an isolated event.

She ended the call by promising the person that the issue would be resolved soon and offering them a free stay in the hotel when they come by.

She sighed and shook her head, what a nightmare! A fire, the police and a possible homicide was just too much for one hotel.

'I am Edith Gwarzo, how may I help you?' she asked quickly gaining back her composure.

'Detective Franklin Julian, this is my partner Detective Murad Adam, we'd like to have access to your security footage for the past week and the guest list,' Frank said not even pausing once for a breathe.

'I can give you the access codes to our camera footage, you'll be able to get onto the life feed,' said Edith, 'the cameras monitor the lobby, the hotel ground and the exterior. There are no cameras in the rooms, we like our guests to have their privacy.'

'And the guest list?' Murad asked.

'I can send that to your e-mail or if you'd prefer it, I'll print out a virtual copy,' Edith sighed in exhaustion, 'anything else?'

'Were there any suspicious activities going on recently? Any creepy guests you may have had?' Frank pressed on.

'Not really, everything was fine,' replied Edith, 'all the guests were happy but now I have scared patrons, regulars and shareholders threatening to pull out because of this....'

'Calm down Madam,' Frank said holding the woman's gaze, 'it will all be fine.'

'Yeah, who was in that suite?' Murad asked eager to know for sure that it's the Mubaraks.

'The fire was in suite 1068, that's one of our penthouses. We had only ten families in the penthouse area and they are all accounted for except one. A Sydney car dealer and his family, what was his name...?' Edith muttered as she scrolled through the computer screen.

'Otoza Mubarak?' Frank offered.

'Yes, that's him,' she replied, 'he gives very generous tips to the staff, I am sure he is alright perhaps he and his family are around the hotel premises. Surely you don't think they were trapped in the fire?' she asked horrified.

'That's what we are trying to ascertain,' Murad replied, 'please Ma'am, your guests cannot check out of the hotel until we have spoken to them all, we realise it is an inconvenience but this is all according to protocol.'

'If there's a conference room we can conduct that interrogation we'll be very grateful,' Frank said.

'I'll ask the concierge to set you up,' Edith said in exhaustion.

'Great, thank you,' both men said as they exited the office.

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