On the ninth day, at exactly quarter past four in the evening, Jordan was checking on the last person. He was exhausted like a horse. He had checked every one of them and administered drugs for them."Like I advised every single person, cleanliness is key. Boil drinking water and leave it in a clean place to cool before taking it. Eat a balanced diet and get the prescriptions that I have written down from the drugs’ desk.” Jordan explained, handing the prescription to the young lady.“Thank you so much, sir. I know that everyone has stood in this seat with the same words, sir. Please know they all came from the deepest parts of our hearts. You have given us all your services for free, and on top of that, you even bought us medicines. You have spent your precious time doing free work for some poor people that you don’t even know. Only the gods can reward you. May you find favor and all that you yearn for in the eyes of the gods. Bless you, sir.” The kind lady stood up, ready to leave,
When everyone saw that, they all ran towards Jordan while he stood, waiting for the police to say what they wanted.“We are looking for one Jordan Rivers!” One police officer said this while holding a piece of folded white paper.All the eyes were looking at him as he spoke. What was more baffling was not how he was saying Jordan’s name but how his eyes were well fixed on Jordan as he asked the rhetorical question. It was like he knew exactly who he was looking for and was still trying to play dumb.“Who are you first?” Jordan spoke. He thought that the officer’s mission there was so urgent that he even forgot to introduce himself first.“Excuse me?” The same officer spoke again with fury, and Jordan did not blink. He added. “Are you blind? Can’t you see we are police officers?” The officer was angry—ungrounded anger.“I can see that. But still, it is protocol and a show of decency as a police officer to introduce yourself, especially when you badge into people’s houses like this.” Jo
Jordan was dragged into the police compound like a real criminal. Or even worse. The revilement and the deadly threats he had received from the police on the way were enough to kill him before he reached the station. He just could not tell why he was not trembling like a threatened person. He thanked whatever was holding his composure tight. But deep inside, he cursed those damn police officers and the damn person who had reported him.Immediately after they reached the station, he was again dragged beastly into the interrogation room. But that was not all. After being thrown into the room like a dog, he crashed on a seat, and on it, a man was perched, his back turned on Jordan. But his crash on the seat made the swivel chair rotate, revealing the man’s brutal face.“Hello, Jordan!” The man’s sickening voice echoed in the room.His voice and demeanor were cold enough to leave anyone trembling like a leave in a hurricane or a little hummingbird under the fierce gaze of a ferocious horn
All the policemen stood alert and saluted their superior, who seemed caught off guard by the picture before him. Behind him were three more people who made Mr. De’Luka’s face form deep furrows as his intestines turned into knots of ice.Ana, Liya, and Mr. Jonathan were shocked to find Mr. De’Luka inside the room.“At ease!” The superior said, still scanning his subordinates one by one with unrequited questions.“What is this man doing in here in the interrogation room?” He added.All the officers looked down with guilt and barren mouths.“I wanted to add something about criminals that slipped out of my mind when I was reporting this social crime.” Mr. De’Luka thought it wise to save the situation. The new guy seemed to be hardcore. Not the type that would bend easily.“Really? Is that why the camera for this room is turned off? Just because you wanted to add something you had forgotten to tell the police?” The officer asked again.He was the same officer who had rescued Jordan a week a
Mr. De’Luka felt defeated. Officer Adamson was so gross to him. He was not like those other police officers he was able to buy with just a few notes. This one seemed like he would blow his head off if he made the mistake of proposing such a deal. He was torn between letting the matter go and accepting defeat, dealing with Jordan his own way, or maintaining his stand. But he was sure if he chose the latter, the investigation would pin him down, and this officer didn’t look like he had the word pardon in his vocabulary. Glaring at Jordan, Mr. De’Luka counted the man so lucky. He had managed to turn his own daughter against him, earning the trust of the entire neighborhood in no time, and now he was finding favor in the eyes of the police, who Mr. De’Luka thought would help him crash the man. ‘Such a lucky son of a witch. But I am far from done. I just need to restrategize my plan without pressure.’ He thought inwardly as he fixed the nothingness on his suit. “I have zero tolerance for
Officer Adamson stared at Jordan for a while. He might have fallen for Jordan’s cover-up lie, but something about Jordan was baffling him. There was some disorienting aura that Jordan excluded, and the officer could not crack what it was.“Yes, officer? You wanted to talk to me?” Jordan spoke first. The way the officer was gawking at him with assorted sentiments was baffling him. He could not exactly tell whether his instincts were right or wrong, but he had a hunch that the officer was wary of him somehow.“Would you like to add something on top of what you just said a while ago? I am not saying you lied. I mean, we have witnessed a lot of these cases where wealthy people force their children to intermarry with icons of the same pedigree. But, aside from that, is there any other reason why Mr. De’Luka would be on your neck like this?” The officer asked calmly and was friendly.Jordan shook his head after a conscientious mental deliberation. His fight with Mr. De’Luka was far from ove
Jordan wandered through the corridors of the station, engrossed in thoughts. The officer’s words were banging on his head and clouding his mind like a dark cloud. He did not understand why the officer said that to him. He already had Mr. De’Luka on his ass. He did not want to have a corpse on his trail either.“Jordan? Did all go well?” He was startled by Ana’s voice.They had been waiting for him in the waiting area near the gate. Jordan had not even realized he had walked that long to reach the gate. He looked around for that old fool, but he was nowhere to be found.“Yes. All is well. Are you okay?” Jordan asked Ana. He thought she must have been regretting going against her father.“I am fine. What did the officer say? Did he buy your lie?” Ana asked. She did not seem worried at all,, contrary to Jordan’s prior thoughts.“Yes. Shall we go now?” Jordan asked. He did not want to worry them with what the officer said. That was between him and the officer.“Sure. The car is waiting ou
“It is for your own good, ex-father! Stop going after us, or I will forget everything you have done for me and reveal everything about this whole saga to the police. I know you are used to buying your way out, but that will be hard now that you have aroused suspicions about you. I still respect you and appreciate what you have done for me, but here is where I draw the limit. Leave us alone, or you will bear the consequences.” Ana warned, and everyone on her side admired her boldness. Even Liya loved the girl’s courage.“I cannot believe this. My own daughter, the girl I picked from the streets and cleaned up, is not only willing to rant me out to the police but also blackmail me. Fantastic!” Mr. De’Luka said between gritted teeth.“I learned from the best teacher, Mr. De’Luka, and you know it. I was not a De’Luka for all these years, all for nothing. You raised me this way, dad. Dad, it is only fair that I put what you and your wife taught me all these years into practice. Even if it