Eric turned to Dracula. ‘We had a deal; you said we are now partners.’Dracula said nothing. He dangled the pistol in his hand, tapping it against his short thigh, regarding Eric and the rest of us. Then he laughed and thank God his laughter did not come out in stammers.‘We...we...are partners. The...the...the white man is yours. He…is not…not…not well! Sleeps like…like a b…b…bat!’ He took a step forward and pointed the gun at Eric’s temple. ‘Get...get the ran...ran...som in three...three days. No...ex...ex...excuses.’‘Okay,’ Eric said. He stared at Eric for another moment and then he brought the gun down. He turned to Joseph. ‘Ta..ta..take over,’ he said. He walked to the jeep and sat inside. Joseph raised his gun upward. ‘Listen carefully. We are taking half of the ransom, and you will call us as soon as it’s ready; and that would be in three days’ time.’ He spat. ‘Like the boss said, no excuses.’ He turned to Eric. ‘Go to the same cocoa factory. You will find the white man in
Tolu dropped us at Alpha Beach at 11:40 PM and zoomed back home. He called twenty minutes later.‘Have you gotten home?’ I asked.‘Yes,’ Tolu said. But his voice was wrong.‘What happened?’ I asked. ‘What’s going on?’Tolu sniffed. ‘My uncle called me. He had called the security man earlier.’ More sniffs. ‘He told me to pack my bag...’Eric and Maria had stopped what they were doing and now turned their eyes on me. Eric held the remote control and Maria held a nail file in midair over her left hand. Tolu sniffed again. ‘He said I should leave the house before he returns.’ I opened my mouth, but no word came. There was another sniff at Tolu’s end. ‘He is coming back next week. I have less than a week to move out. Where will I go?’I sighed. ‘Take it easy, Tolu. Everything will work out well.’He sniffed again. ‘Tell Eric what happened. I am going to bed; good night.’‘Tolu, wait—‘He rang off.‘Did his uncle find out?’ Eric asked.‘Yes, he wants Tolu to pack out before he returns. Tolu
It turned out we needed Maria's twenty thousand naira, and it took close to an hour before I could convince her to let it go. I had to swear on my father's grave that I will pay her back with the first ransom we receive. We paid ten thousand naira for a full day's use and made a deposit of another ten. The hiring company took down the details of Maria's international passport since none of us had a driver's license. The 2004 Toyota Corolla we got was in good condition—the AC worked. Maria signed to return it by eight that evening, or we will pay extra charges by the hour. We left Lagos some minutes to four that evening, heading for the factory. I drove while Eric sat beside me, and Maria sat at the back, her eyes glued to the phone. We got to the junction to the cocoa factory by ten minutes to five. I stopped the car and we waited for the sun to go to sleep, and after an hour it did. I started the car and turned into the road leading to the factory. No other car was in sight, and we
'Hey,' Eric cried. 'Stay where you—'They hit the floor with a loud smack. Eric cried out again, more out of surprise than fear, and the flashlight sprawled away from his hand. It rolled and faced the opposite wall. 'Get up from me,' Eric cried. 'Get up or I will shoot you.'Mr. Potter's hands reached Eric's neck and he pressed them downward. Eric punched upward and his legs shoot in different directions, aiming and missing Mr. Potter's middle. 'Get off me,' Eric cried. 'Paul—'I woke up. I grabbed Mr. Potter's chest and shoulders and yanked him backward. He shifted a little and drew me downward; his hands found Eric's neck again and they clamped on it like a neck brace. 'He is chocking me,' Eric muttered. 'Get him off.'I wrapped my hands around Mr. Potter's chest again and jerked him. He pulled Eric with him, with his hands still on the neck. Eric grunted and his eyes grew wider, and they rolled about like white balls rolling about in a black bowl.I pulled again, and I felt Mari
'Quiet!' Eric whispered. 'Keep quiet, Mr. Potter!' Mr. Potter stopped laughing. My heart rammed at my chest so loud I was afraid the guard could hear it from where he stood. 'Eric, where are—?' Maria whispered.'Keep quiet,' Eric whispered back. 'Keep quiet.''Is anyone in here?' the voice called out again, much closer to the door now. We could hear the footsteps now—hesitant, but nearer.The door to the room creaked and closed home. I couldn't see who closed it but my guess was Eric. I tiptoed toward the door and I heard the steps outside the door drawing closer to our door. I saw the beam of light coming from under the door; he was close. Mr. Potter giggled.'Be quiet,' Eric snarled at him. 'Be quiet or I will cut your tongue out.'The steps outside came one at time now, cautious and silent, as if the person sensed our presence. He took two more steps and stopped in front of our door. I felt a grip on my arm at that moment and I jumped, startled. 'It's me,' Eric whispered. 'Be
‘He’s gone,’ I shouted. ‘The guard is gone.’Eric turned to the door, a look of alarm on his face. He pushed Maria away, yanked the flashlight from my hand and dashed out of the door. Half of the room turned dark suddenly, and Maria ran toward me. Eric’s footsteps slapped the floor in the hall in rapid succession and then the sound grew faint until it was gone completely.Darkness covered the room.‘Paul,’ Maria whispered, and I felt her hand circling my arms.‘Don’t be afraid,’ I whispered.Mr. Potter soft laugh swarmed through the darkness to meet us. Maria’s gripped on my hand grew tighter. ‘The purpose has been achieved,’ he crooned from where he sat. ‘The purpose has been achieved.’‘What are you talking about?’ I asked into the darkness. ‘What purpose?’‘To let the old man go,’ he said. ‘Why do you want to keep him? He is old and innocent.’He struggled up and walked toward us. Maria gasped and tightened her grip.‘But you wanted him to go too, didn’t you?’ he said. ‘Both of yo
I held the handle of the door and twisted downward. It creaked but stood its ground.'How do we get out?' Maria asked. 'Let's find another way,' Eric said, and he turned and walked back to the hall. We followed him. He stopped in the middle of the hall and pointed the flashlight around the hall, moving from the right side of the hall to the left. The flashlight stopped in the direction of a window close to the end of a row of windows. 'Let's try it,' Eric said and toward it. We reached the window and Eric swiped the cobwebs away from the pane and lifted the hook. He rammed his right palm on the iron frame in the middle of the window. The window creaked and moved backward. Eric pushed it and the window swung opened. Fresh air rushed in, followed by a swarm of black insects. 'Wasps!' Eric screamed. 'Move back!'We ran back many paces from the window. The wasps flew around the window, their shadows multiplying their actual sizes and numbers, and soon the last one flew out of the win
The car hiring service called Eric twice before we got to Lagos and Eric promised to return the car the next day. They threatened to speak to the police, but Eric agreed to pay the extras and begged them to do that if he doesn’t show up by eight the next morning.We got to the house and took Mr. Potter into the room without a snoopy nose catching us doing it.‘What a day!’ I muttered, sitting down. ‘Wonder what happened to the old guard.’Maria sat on the settee. ‘He probably went to the police station instead of going to call the villagers. Maybe that’s why he took so long.’Eric sat beside me and pulled off his shoes. The staled air in the room grew staler.‘Could you please take them outside?’ Maria asked, looking at the shoes. ‘The air in the room is dead as it is.’ I looked at Eric, holding my breath.‘When I am in your house,’ Eric said, his voice low and icy. ‘You can tell me what to do with my shoes. But for now, enjoy the smell or sleep outside.’‘Suit yourself,’ Maria said
“Someone is asking for you,” Mrs. James said, an hour after we came back from the restaurant. We came back for Esther to pack her things so we can go to the hotel. “She has two police officers with her,” Mrs. James added. “That must be Talatu,” I said. “What does she want?” Esther and she got up and walked out of the house. I ran after her, holding her hand. Mr. and Mrs. James came after us. I wondered where Dorathy was, because I knew would have taken over the fight. We found Talatu standing between the two policemen and behind them stood a police Jeep. They came prepared, I thought. They came to arrest me. But for what?” I looked at Talatu and saw that her eyes were bigger than they originally were. She was staring at Esther as if she had seen an alligator’s ghost. “What’s going on Talatu?” I asked. “Why are you here?” Talatu kept staring at Esther as if I had not spoken. I turned to the officers. “Sir, why are you here?” I asked. “She said you assaulted her,” the officer
There was no one in the living room. I heard voices outside, and I looked through the window. I cleaned my eyes, wondering if I was seeing right. Mom and Jasper were standing in front of the house. Esther and her father and mom also stood beside them.“What's mom doing here?” I asked.Then I saw the G-Wagon coming.“I thought I told Isaac to wait for my call before he would come?” I said.The car stopped in the parking space and then Isaac came out of the car and then a man came out from the passenger seat. He was carrying what looked like a bible in his handIsaac opened the back of the car and brought out a black suit. He hung it behind his back and walked toward the house with the man with the Bible following him.“What’s going on?” I asked.“You don’t know?” Dorathy asked.She stood behind me, also peering through the window.“Know what?”She looked at me and smiled. “Come outside and find out,” she said and walked out of the room.I wore my shoes and walked into the toilet. I cam
I walked back into the house and found Esther sitting on a large mattress, waiting for me. I noticed another mattress to my right, and I knew without a doubt that sleeping together wasn’t encouraged.“Where is everybody?” I asked, whispering.“They have gone to bed,” Esther said. “There food; what do you want to eat?”“It’s late. I will eat tomorrow.”“You are not hungry?”“I am; but if I eat now, I would have constipation,” I said. “I will just wait for breakfast.”She tapped the bed she was sitting on. “Come and sit,” she said.“Not come and lie down?”She smiled.“You know mom and dad won’t approve that. But soon everything would be fine.”“Is that right? Everything would be alright?”“Yeah” she said and smiled.I sat down beside her and held her hand. My heart was biting so fast I thought I might faint.“We have to talk,” she said. “That’s why I asked you to stay over. I don’t like the way things are going and I am afraid.”“You are safe now—”“I am not talking about that. I am ta
I took Esther to her house at about quarter pass midnight. Esther had spoken to all the members of the family after I called and told them we were on the way. They were ecstatic and they kept asking if Esther was really with us.The road was rough, but I was driving a G-Wagon. I sped like I was coming out of hell, and since the traffic was light at that time of the right, I tested the car to see what made it thick.“I have to leave,” I said. “I have my driver in the car. I will drop him and head home.”Mr. James extended his hand and held my shoulder. “I can’t tell you how much we are grateful to you. I can’t thank you enough. Thank you for bringing our daughter back.”Mrs. James held my other hand. “We are grateful,” she and squeezed my hand. “You can come to our house anytime you want.”“Does that mean he can marry Esther?” Dorothy asked.“We will see what happened,” Mr. James said. “It’s no longer in my hands though.” He looked at Esther. “She has the final decision. We would just
“Let me go back,” Isaac said. “I will find the key and return immediately.”“No; I have to come with you. You can’t go there alone. What if they wake up and you find three of them? what are you going to do?”He brough out the gun. “I have this; I will make sure none of them lives to tell what happened to them if they attack me.”“All the same,” I said. “I will still go with you. We have to do this together.” I turned to Esther. “Please, wait in the car. We will come back soon.”“I want to come with you,” Esther said. “I don’t want them to come and meet me alone. I want to come with you.”“You are safer here,” I said. “Lock yourself in the car and then you will be safe. We will come back now. I promise you we will be back soon.”She looked at me doubtfully.“I promise,” I said again. “Just wait in the car. No one would be able to get to you.”“Okay,” she said, and she walked back to the car. She looked lean and tired. She sat in the car and closed the door.“Let’s go,” I said to Isaac
I heard the footsteps at the door and knew that they were backs.Time to face the music, I thought. Maybe I should offer him more money. But I knew within my heart that Dangin will just collect the money and still kill me. I decided against the idea. But the thought of dying and leaving my money behind was one thought that I didn’t like at all.The footstep stops, as if waiting for the other man to come along.“What are you waiting for?” Dangin asked, his voice loud and angry.I heard the steps coming in our direction.“What are you guys waiting for?” Dangin asked. “Let’s finish what we are doing and get out of this place.”The door creaked opened, slowly.“Hurry up,” Dangin said and pointed the torchlight on my face.One of the men came into the room and tiptoed toward Dangin who was backing the door and facing me.I took in a deep breath and then I saw Dangin eyes widened. He reached for the pistol by his side, but Isaac was already upon him.I heard a punch, a hard punch, and I hea
They dragged me with my hands and legs bound into a dark room, and they quickly closed the door behind us. Then they searched me and removed the packet of dollars I had kept in my pocket as soon as I had come into the dark corridor. “I found the money, boss,” one of the men who dragged into the room said. I heard footsteps coming toward us. “It is complete?” Dangin asked. “I don’t know,” the person said. “It better be,” Dangin said. “Or I will kill him.” “Relax,” I said. “It’s complete. Everything you asked for its in there.” “Relax?” Dangin asked. “Who are you to tell a police officer to relax? Who do you think you are?” “See,” I said. “You have gotten your money. Just let me and Esther go. I don’t want any trouble. You asked for money and I have given it to you; what else do you want?” Dangin laughed. “So, you thought I was going to let you go after giving me the money? Was that what you were thinking? I am sorry, that’s not possible. Remember you cut off one of my toes, and
We waited for two more hours and by that time evening had come. No other call came and I was beginning to wonder if I had heard the instruction right. Isaac dropped from the car and bought some sausages and bottles of Coke for us and that was the food we eat for that day.At about six in the evening, another call came.“Take the route to Government College,” Dangin said. “Go to the gate and wait for further instructions. Remember, no police or she dies.”“I don’t know where the college is,” I said.“There is a man coming toward your car with a white shirt. Come down from the car and ask him.”I looked to the front but there was no one with a white shirt coming. I turned around, looking at my back.A man with a white shirt was coming toward the car. I came down from the car and waited for him.Isaac opened to the door,“Just stay inside,” I said. “There are watching us. I don’t know where they are, but they are watching.”Isaac closed the door and I waited for the man to reach the car.
This was my chance to make things go my way. I was sure Esther’s parents were disappointed with the way Kennedy reacted to the rescuing effort I was putting in place to bring back Esther. He could he love her and not go to rescue her; I know that’s what would be on their minds.So, if I am able to rescue her without any incident, and without them knowing she was kidnapped because of me, then I will be the hero and they may give me their blessings to marry their daughter.The thing about life, I thought, is that people are ready to forgive your evil if you turn out to be do more than they expected. And I will do more than expected. I will not only rescue their daughter; I will marry her.I got the dollars that evening and then I came back to the house with Isaac by my side. I looked around but Kennedy was not there.I asked Dorothy where he was and she told me that he was going back to the UK.“Coward,” she added. “And he said he loved my sister.”I chuckled. “He never thought he would