The Black Sheep XIII

I picked up my phone to see it was Ada calling. She went on to tell me she had just received a similar sms from an unfamiliar number, signed by Zoro.
A masked helper?
But why does Zoro not just come out and say what he knows, I thought to myself. Well, some times interests are delicately interwoven in such a way things that should be just straightforward end up being a jukebox of confusion.
This Zoro comes across to me like someone who knows something but stands to benefit something too. Or scared of something. Maybe the masked sender was the key to unraveling these mysteries that lay at the alter of my curiosity.

After I dropped the call, I turned to Detective James and asked if he really thinks Mercy is the culprit.
"No" he replied.
Continuing, he said
"She's either a good pretender or she knows absolutely nothing about it"
And he went on to add that Mercy is really feeble minded. She was thoroughly shaken at questioning. In my years of interrogating suspect, I have come to recognize true innocence.
We talked a bit more and I left. But as I turned to leave, he called me. I turned around to face him. He looked at me for a second and said
"The Commissioner is personally interested in this case. Ada's father is his bossom friend. And it was he who suggested to my Oga that you can help. That said, you should understand your limits around here."
"I understand my limits sir. If I in any way undermine or disrespect your authority, please call me to order."
I left.

I wondered a bit at what he meant. Was he just setting boundaries straight or did he feel threatened in any way?
The video we just went through had shown something he had overlooked. No face was captured. Nothing else but fingers. And one thing gave the hint.
The person who covered the camera had come from behind, underneath. When one enters through the door, there's a grey area to the left of the door, two footsteps away from the camera.
One, only someone who was very conversant with the cameras could know this. Or was given the detailed information by someone who knows on how to move discreetly along this grey area without being captured.
And on the left little finger of this person was a ring. A silver ring, not big. But a big shiny. And I could think of only one person I think I knew who wore odd looking jewelry on odd fingers.

This was bringing the detective over the next morning.


Thoughts of Ada filled my head. Such kind heart, intelligent and beautiful. Our conversations were enlightening and thought provoking. One could feel the power behind Ada's brain when she articulated her points in an argument. She was one never to make conclusions based on invalid premises. And when we debated thought provoking issues, there was always something to learn. Her comments on social media left me filled with pride.
She matched my areas of interest with the balance of someone who knows. When we talked philosophy, culture, history and other topics of mutual interests, she was always admirable.
Now laying helplessly on a sick bed having narrowly escaped death!
Memories flooded my mind. Our jokes, fun, hanging out, and most mind blowing love making. Oh! My Ada. Ada'm.
The beautiful angel she is! The gifts she bought for me were just a s beautiful and classy as she was. Even on a hospital bed, she still looked just as beautiful.

As I thought about all these, anger became to overwhelm me. Why would anyone try to hurt the one I love.
They say love is the singular most important fact that makes a man want to avenge.
But my rational mind engaged. Are you thoroughly sure she hadn't done anything to warrant it? Can you absolutely vouch for her? Hmmm...
Food for thought.

Yes, food for thought for anyone who didn't trust his lover. I trust Ada. I bet my coin on her. She's not Mercy's crude type. Rather, a sharp contrast. The incidence of the girl hawker that was involved in a hit and run and her strong convictions are enough deeds to want to make me rooster-sure she couldn't have done anything to warrant such evil thing as being poisoned befall her.

The MD. Mr Williams. Mercy. Efe. Mr Sanya. Tope... Wait a minute, Efe is close to almost everyone regardless imperfections. But there's an odd kind of office relationship between him and Mr Sanya.
Tope is the girl Ada had seem me with one day at the restaurant. We got employed about same time and went through training together.

Sometime ago, as I had been told, there a case of two lovebirds, one in Accounts and the other in Admin, I think. I tried hard to recollect the story as I had heard it. Questions came to mind.

Soon as I got to the office the next day, and settle in for the day, I looked for a way to get Mr Williams to tell me about that story. Well, he did. Somehow, something had felt similar in that story and the story of my love with Ada.
The guy in Accounts department was head over heals in love with the lady in Admin. So much so that he wanted to take her as a second wife. And she loved him in return. But there were other things. Shady. The lady in Admin had been blinded by the love for her man in Accounts and they both manipulated figures and defrauded the company. He had needed her to pull it off, and when it blew, she fell the scapegoat but didn't escape. She was prosecuted. Tales behind the scenes had it that she took the fall for the guy and so no charges were brought against him whatsoever as he claimed or rather, feigned total ignorant of what was going on. She went down for love. Not bad at all, it happens all the time, the world over.

But the thing there is...

The other guy in Accounts was Mr Sanya!



 Bile built up lump in my throat. Somehow, my instinct stung me so hard, Mr Williams looked at me and asked
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine" but I think I am getting sick.
I stood and excused myself.
I hurried across the office to Efe's desk. As I approached I saw him seated at his computer.
I devised a calm diplomatic means to approach this heculian task I was going at. I was after someone and somehow Zoro could help me find the bandits...

Smiling from chin to chin in what is best described as fake smile, I warmly greeted Efe with a bait, fervently hoping he took the bait
"Good morning Zoro! How are you doing today?" With all the seeming charm I could muster
Efe looked up at me. He looked at me for a moment. I had began to wonder if I was wrong because I couldn't make out the expression on his face. Since I ever knew Efe, I have never seen such blank, expressionless and cold face.
Finally, he replied
"When Zoro is unmasked, he is no longer Zoro. I am Efe."
And with a finality he added
"Good morning Stag"
His reaction shocked me but in the next instant, I understood why while he had subtly admitted to being Zoro, he wouldn't admit it openly
"Good morning Mr James" he said as I turned back to see Detective James coming right behind me, in mufti.
"Good morning sir" I greeted him
We exchanged greetings and he left almost immediately.
I turned back to Efe.
"Little good deeds is what keeps the world going round. A world awaits the mask of Zoro to help find the bandit."
Efe just stared back at me. Agreeing to nothing. Disagreeing with nothing.
I went away.

All the while, Efe was Zoro.


I was back at my desk, surprised at the suddenly unexpected discoveries this morning. I hadn't sat 10 minutes when my phone rang and it was Detective James asking me to come down to the security post at the gate. I left for downstairs immediately. As I approached, I saw him with two security men and I wondered why he would ask me to come down to meet two security guys.
As he was about to say something, a bike rode up to the gate. I recognized the guy on the bike to be one of the security men. He wasn't dressed for duty and he's late. He horned and one of his colleagues went to open the gate for him, he rode in. He stopped where we were to greet us
"Good morning Mr Stag"
"Good morning Isa"
He greeted his boss too.
"You don buy okada?" His boss asked excitedly, with bewildered eyes.
"No so ooo Oga" he replied
And in a bid to show off his new acquisition, he raised he engine of his new machine. But as he turned the handle of the bike while raising it, my eyes caught something at his hand.

A shiny silver ring on his left little finger...


I think I was even slow to notice it because after seeing it, I looked up at Detective James to make an eye contact and direct his gaze there, I saw him smiling. Obviously, he too had seen it.

In committing crimes, people take great precautions to hide traces. But at every crime scene, there is always a clue. Little, insignificant and seemingly inconsequential details give the greatest leads. A shoddy job he did, if you ask me. He should have worn a glove.
If not that around here, there are no infrastructure to deal with issues, the crime scene could easily have been dusted and finger prints taken. Investigation would be far easier and faster with forensics. Finger prints on the camera and even in Ada's office would have gotten us this far much earlier.

Now, we have a lead. Isa the security man.

Whatever it was that Detective James wanted to say before, he ditched. Instead he said excitedly
"Ah! I was waiting for you to arrive. Thank God you are here now. Mr Stag sorry to have disturbed you, you may go back to your work."
I turned and left.

Minutes later, the two other security men had returned to their post while Isa the rider was still with Detective James. The detective had come alone without vehicle. So I guess he must have called for his colleagues because about forty-five minutes later, a van arrived with two policemen in uniform.
Isa was taken away for 'interrogation'.


Mercy had been quiet these few days at the office. People's body languages told her the was not wanted. And not many people tried to disguise this. The atmosphere was vehemently against her. The general opinion is that whatever her ambitions were, resulting to such low-life, callous and dirty way of eliminating a boss from her position was totally unacceptable. Word had gone round, beyond the office and people in various other offices around had heard. In times like this, people seem united against evil like this. And it gave some sense of belonging to a sane society. Without uttering a word, word was for her resign.
She hadn't been indicted so the MD couldn't immediately sack her.

Ada was now okay. Her system had cleaned out and she wasn't looking sick anymore and was feeding well. Though she was to be resting, she said she wanted to leave the hospital. I reasoned with her. Not everyone like hospitals. For some, the hospital odour is sickening. She said she would rest better at home, so she was discharged the next day.

The following day, Ada dressed up for work. Once she resumed in the morning, the MD gave Mercy a memo. She was suspended for "...complicity..." in the recent incidence in the office for which investigations were still on going and had not been formally de-listed as prime suspect. Being around the office would interfere and possibly tamper with evidences and other processes. She was however, to receive salary pending further overcome and actions.
No doubt, this was a smart way within confines of legality the MD handled the situation.
One thing I am sure of is this, regardless the outcome of the investigations, Mercy will be sacked eventually. One day while I was talking with the MD over my relationship with Ada, he had said no business manager would take a worker who snitches on her boss seriously. Because, given the right advantage for her, she snitch on him and even snitch on the company to a rival company.
He was never to promote her into that seat. That would be rewarding a beast, he argued. And sure enough, he'd have gotten good points to lay her off, if she doesn't get arrested and charged with all kinds of felonies.
A clever boss.

Detective James called to narrate how Isa had been begging in the cell. When they first interrogated him, he denied and was ranting that he be released else he would sue. But when the video was shown to him, while he still wore the ring on his finger, he looked like a bucket of ice-chilled water from the Antartica was poured over him.
He had admitted it being him, but denies being part of any plans. Yet, has no reason for covering the camera.
Not very smart, maybe even dumb.

I received a text from an unknown number. It read:
"The bus-stop at Planet-One, Maryland. 7pm"


I arrived 30minutes ahead of time. I sat far across the road in a small corner, attracting no attention to myself but taken a vantage point to have clear view of that Onigbongbo bus-stop and everyone hanging around or passing by. Nothing raised a flag. I observed it under close watch until it was almost time, then I walked towards it. And was standing there 2 minutes before 7. Why would anyone choose such a place for a meeting. But what made me feel easy was the fact that it was in the open, and well illuminated at night. A minute past 7pm, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned.
Efe.
Without any greeting and without much ado...
"There's a racket. Many graduates finish school in the US and want to come back home to work. They don't want to come and stay idle not even for a month. These people are the ripe ones to be picked dry of some cash. So a non-existent recruiting firm gets paid in dollars to be employed into companies here, majority prefer the consulting firms. This is where the shepard comes in. Ada would never play ball, so an 'in-house' is needed on that seat. The silly girl was only playing someone's scripts. Much like a story you have heard before. Money is what drives. For a brief period the HR HOD was on leave, the lady tasted the power that seat had to play and felt the effect in her account. I do not know how much those spoilt brats pay for the non existent jobs so don't ask me. If you are what and whom I think you are, then you have yourself a name already."
I just stood there listening. And in less than 2 minutes, the turned to leave, then stopped. He took a breath, shook his head and said
"Sorry about what happened to her. Tell her Zoro sends his warm regards"
With that, he left.
I just realized throughout the brief but singular most revealing encounter, I never said a word.
I was too shocked at these revelations to utter any word.


And so, a yeye porrn addict that nobody took serious would be privy to such intel. in the office place, some know everything going on underneath. Info that's far from even the owner of the firm lies in the hands of an ordinary worker. Nobody is useless, be friendly to everyone and never underestimate anyone...

Let alone Zoro.