THE HEART OF A WOMAN
EPISODE 9
A Coolvalstories Production
Stella’s narration continues
Two days later, I inspected my new house with the girls. It was something that gave me great joy. The house was just my taste, beautiful, spacious and enchanting.
The only ugly side of it was the location. The house was just at the outskirt of the capital city.
I did all the necessary paper work, left Lydia to complete the rest and headed back to Imo state the very next day. I returned to owerri as a changed person.
My heart was black, filled with hate and revenge. I had no care for anything and even avoided Amara the only close friend i had in Owerri. She on her own side was surprised by the noticeable change in me but couldn’t just figure out my problem because i hid my breakup with Kelvin from her, using my new political appointment as an excuse to avoid her.
Yes i got the expected political appointment, just like my dad wanted. I was made a special adviser, an appointment which weighed more power in book than in responsibility. Seriously i never got the opportunity to perform any credible task, but yeah i was well paid monthly, plus the government car i got for the position.
_____
I headed back to Abuja after two weeks to continue with my revenge. I was a woman whose ego was totally destroyed by a guy she loved. There was nothing else in my mind than revenge. Creepy isn’t it? Don’t judge yet till it happens to you.
I quickly moved into my new house with Chika who insisted in staying with me in order to keep an eye on me. Sure the girls were supportive of my revenge plans on Kelvin, but something they saw in me suddenly made them skeptical about my true feelings, thus the hesitation i got from Lydia when i demanded Gutso’s contact from her.
“We all love you Stella, and we want the best for you. We have supported you in everything, but we need assurance that you aren’t planning on killing Kelvin” Lydia seriously said to me, while Chika and her twin sister nodded in agreement. I gasped with shock.
“jeez. I’m speechless. You girls are turning on me or what?” I asked.
“no dear, we just want to be assured that you aren’t going to kill that bastard. C’mon it makes no sense that you want him kidnapped and kept in a forest only for you to go kick his legs. We believe you have something else in mind, and that’s the main reason you insist on beating him yourself. Please tell us, we need the truth” she begged, while i breathed deeply.
Of course they were right. I had something else in mind, but no, i wasn’t going to play into their conscience nor admit anything to them. I was smarter than that.
“I have paid Gutso the hundred and fifty thousand (N150,000) he demanded. Surveillance, vehicle, house and everything is ready, all we just need is the truth” Lydia begged anxiously.
“I just want to see the fear in Kelvin’s eyes, when he sees me holding a gun to his face. I want him to plead for his life. To scream and beg for it, that’s all i want” i said slowly as if i meant every word, and it just was a very satisfactory and convincing answer to them. They believed me without knowing i Lied.
Stella’s story continues
One week later, Kelvin was abducted from his apartment on a good Saturday morning by Gutso and his gang. He was taken to a small camp at the outskirt of Suleja town.
A very hilly dangerous forest, good for my plan.
Just like Lydia assured me, Gutso did a good clean job. I truly was astonished at how swift and capable he was.
“Madam we have arranged the cargo. We are on point waiting for your next order” he informed me at exactly 5am that fateful day.
“Just relax. I’m coming over” i said with excitement, hung up the call and quickly headed to Chika’s room.
“Kelvin is now with Gutso. I have to go finish my plans” i informed her with a smile. She quickly sprang up and held me.
“c’mon, what are you doing?, trying to delay me or what?. You know i have been up all night waiting for Gutso to deliver” i said with an excited voice.
“of course i know, but you have to give me time to dress up. I can’t allow you to go out all alone to that dangerous place by this time of the day. We are going together” she said strongly.
“i’m not scared, i have a gun” i informed her, pulling out a gun from my handbag. She froze with shock.
“Holy Mary!” where did you get that?” she asked, while i smiled.
“Have you forgotten i’m a government official?” i asked. She shrugged.
“i know how to use a gun very well. I learnt a lot in USA” I added convincingly.
“But still you do need me my dear. That area is a very dangerous, plus the bad terrain, remember how difficult it was when we were checking out the place two days ago” she insisted strongly.
_______
6:55AM, In A Forest, Heart Of SULEJA
I slowly drew close to Kelvin who was firmly tied to a tree and gently removed the piece of cloth used to cover his eyes. He stared at me with shock and surprise. He couldn’t believe his eyes.
“Yes Kelvin. It’s me, why are you so surprised huh?” i asked with an unforgiving smile. His lips quivered, his face coloured more deeply. Tears instantly melted his eyes. Unfortunately none of it moved me. My heart was already made up and cold.
“Dear me!, Stella i beg of you. What’s in your mind?, what are you planning to do to me?” he managed to ask with trembling lips.
I stared at his youthful body. He was so handsome, young and charming, but deep inside, he was nothing but a crook. A cunning bastard. A gold digger.
I pointed the 9mm gun i held to his face, cocked it and smiled,
“nobody pulls a fast one at me. My face will be the last thing you will ever see in your miserable life” i threatened with a laugh while he screamed with all his might. My finger went to the trigger, Chika screamed from a distance away.
“Please Stella don’t!” she screamed, running towards me with a very swift pace. Somehow it looked as if she suddenly figured out i was actually going to pull the trigger.
Finally Kelvin was just a breathe away, a second away from a well thought out death…….
“Please don’t do it. I beg of you” Chika begged again and again, saving Kelvin with her pleas. I breathed deeply and hesitated, my finger still on the trigger.
“C’mon look at him. He is already dead with fright. Give me the gun” she ordered, while Kelvin shook and sobbed like a child.
“Please don’t take my life. I got a family at home. My parents and siblings all depend on me. Please have mercy and spare my life” he begged passionately. I drew back and bit my lips.
“You want me to let you go huh?. You think i don’t know the next place you will be heading to is the police station. I’m not dumb” i said searchingly.
“Nooooo i swear on my parent’s life. If you let me go, i won’t say a thing. I swear” he pleaded. Chika drew close slapped and kicked him roughly.
“Now it’s enough. Let’s go. He has suffered enough” she said with a heavy breathe, reached forward and dragged me out of the scene, leaving Gutso to find a way in setting him free.
_____
We returned to my house at exactly 10am, very tired and hungry. Chika wasted no time in picking on me.
“Seriously you would have shot that guy. You are so mean girl” she attacked me,
“Don’t you know love and hate are siblings? They work side by side” i laughed while my ringing phone instantly interrupted us. It was Gutso calling.
“Madam i still have Mr. Kelvin here oooo. Now listen and listen well. You have three days to fetch ten million Naira for me or I’ll call his friends, colleagues and family, collect the money from them and then reveal the person behind the whole thing” he threatened and hung up coldly, leaving me extremely frightened and devastated.
“Shit!” i screamed nervously,,
“What’s wrong?” Chika asked curiously, rushing to my side.
I needed no telling that i was in a one big pot of soup. I just was confused on how to play with a back stabber like Gutso.
Lydia walked into my apartment by 4pm looking very serious and agitated.
“This is bullshit. Gutso must be out of his mind” she breathed fiercely.
“Seriously this wouldn’t have happened supposing Chika allowed me to finish off Kelvin when i had the chance” i complained with regret.
“Baby girl think very well. I just saved you from a lot of troubles. Imagine what would have happened supposing you killed that imbecile. Gutso would have demanded 50million” Chika defended.
“Seriously i never planned on going through all these troubles just to have a little chit-chat with Kelvin. Now I’m also to pay for his freedom and mine” i murmured with regret.
“Relax dear, we have two days to plan. We aren’t giving Gutso no dime. He is a big fool who is trying to bite the finger that fed him. I have a cousin who is a federal agent. I trust him with my life. I’ll get him track and locate Gutso. He’s a good agent” Lydia said with a reassuring smile while Chika and I gasped speechlessly.
“You mean an Agent as in Secret service? What the hell are you thinking, trying to involve a white collar cop?” i asked with shock.
“Don’t worry yourself, just give me the money you planned giving Gutso as the balance for his job. The money will be enough to make him do the work” she answered with certainty, leaving me shaking my head with worry.
“I hope the whole thing won’t blow out of proportion?” i asked fearfully.
“Relax dear, i already told you he is my cousin. I trust him with my life” she assured me again, shaking her head with concern.
“My dear revenge is always a bitter game. It always ends badly, but I can assure you, that my cousin will hunt Gutso down within a day. All he needs to do is just track the fool’s phone number. Relax okay” she said seriously but i was far from relaxing.
“Do you really believe your cousin will risk his career working for us. He is a federal agent for Christ sake” i asked again.
“We are in Nigeria, where favours are done every now and then. Don’t fear yet let me talk to him first” she replied, while my phone rang that same moment, drawing our attention.
“Hello good evening, am i speaking with Stella?” a familiar female voice asked.
“Yea” i answered curiously.
“it’s me Lilian, Kelvin’s colleague” she introduced herself. I kept quiet.
“Kelvin was taken from his house by unknown gunmen early this morning. I don’t know who else to call, I saw your number in one of his books. The police are already aware. Do you know any of his close family member here in this city?” she asked, leaving me gasping for breath with her words.
It was very obvious. I was in a big shit.
“seriously i can’t say” Lilian answered calmly.
“don’t worry, i’ll see what i can do and get back to you” i promised halfheartedly, ending the call abruptly.
“it’s Lilian” i informed my friends coldly.
“I have to get going dear. I’ll return with my cousin later in the evening. Don’t panic, i got things under control” Lydia promised and hurried out, leaving Chika and i all alone.
I ran to my room and locked myself inside. My heart was filled with pain and regret.
Lydia kept her word by showing up with her cousin at exactly 10:15pm. I was extremely delighted and anxious.
“This is a very delicate matter, but unlike in most kidnap cases we are dealing with a familiar person, which truly can yield very positive results. All we need do is convince him to give up his location which i know he will easily do because he doesn’t consider you a threat. He knows you will never involve the police due to your involvement in the whole scheme” Lydia’s cousin {the dss operative} wasted no time in addressing us. His words showed how intelligent and good he was. My hopes rose with great speed.
“we don’t have much time to start tracking him. The only way is to get him reveal his location. My friends and I will then storm the place and rescue Kelvin” he added seriously.
“how do we get Gutso to reveal his location?” i asked curiously.
“type out his number and hand me your phone” he answered intelligently. I quickly did as he asked and watched him curiously.
“he dialled the number and switched the phone to speak out mode” Gutso answered seconds later. His gruff voice very harsh and rough.
“don’t tell me the money is ready madam?” he asked,
“good evening Mr man. My name is Francis, madam Stella’s brother. I’m here on her behalf and from now onwards we deal together” the agent said swiftly, sending Gutso speechless for some seconds.
“i’m dealing with Madam Stella and nobody else” he barked.
“why do you care who you deal with as long as your money gets to you. This is something for men and we are doing this together, unless you want to back out which i really don’t care about, after all you are doing this for money and i can promise you the guy you are holding has no friends nor family who can raise half a million Naira for you. So if you really want to get any money from us you have to deal on my terms” the agent said ruthlessly.
“What are your terms?” Gutso asked,
“First i need to see that your captive is hale and hearty. I don’t need pictures nor to hear his voice. I just want to see him with my own eyes and secondly, ten million is too much, we will negotiate a better price when i come to see your captive” he answered effortlessly.
“You must be crazy. You are playing with me” Gutso barked and hung up, sending fear across my heart.
“Don’t fear. The man has nothing, he is going to play ball. Relax the night is still young” the agent assured me with a calm nod.
Fifteen minutes later my phone rang. It was Gutso calling back. I heaved a sigh of relief.
“I hope this isn’t going to be a set up? because it will end up badly. I have forty strong men, battle ready and vicious. I hope you aren’t trying to play games?” he asked the agent.
“Of course not. You are aware we are equally deep in this shit to involve the police or play games. All i want is a peaceful understanding and settlement between us. I don’t want my sister to go to jail” the agent answered convincingly.
“Fine, I’ll send the location. Don’t play games with me” Gutso threatened and hung up, while our guy smiled at me.
“You see the fool got nothing up his sleeve. Making a kidnapper lose control of a negotiation is a very cheap way of scoring an easy win. He’s good as busted, all we need do is now plan how to strike and cover the shit up because it’s going to get bloody” the agent said softly….
Stella’s story continues
A text message landed in my phone a minute later, bearing the direction to Gutso’s location. The agent licked his lips, transferred the text to his phone and called Gutso with mine.
“we will be there by 9am tomorrow. Good night” he informed him, hung up and smiled to me.
“i have to go catch some sleep. I’ll be here with my friends as early as 8am” he said and rose to leave.
“thanks a lot for bringing out your time to help me. I promise you won’t regret it” i said happily, drew close and hugged him. Lydia coughed and eyed me.
“he’s good, and handsome hmmm” Chika who was quiet all along said as soon as the agent left with Lydia.
I had a very restless night, thinking of many things. I thought of Kelvin and for the first time felt sorry for him. I equally couldn’t imagine what Lilian was planning.
Lydia showed up at my house with the agent and five heavily armed men by 8:15am the next morning. I was impressed by what i saw.
“so what’s your plan?” i asked the agent curiously.
“we will go in together, survey the place, have a little talk with the kidnapper, before sending in my guys after we are safely out of the building” he said quietly. I nodded with interest.
“we will go with your car while my friends will keep a safe distance behind us. You have nothing to worry, we have the training and capability to do this without being detected” he summarized reassuringly.
“how about Kelvin. What do you have to say about him?” i asked slowly.
“in every rescue attempt, there is always a fifty fifty chance of rescuing or losing the victim. It’s all about gamble, but i thought our priority is silencing Gutso and his gang, thus stopping them from blackmailing and exposing you?” he asked,
“yea it is, but Kelvin shouldn’t be harmed” i murmured.
“of course, we are going in to save Kelvin. I’m sure nothing will happen to him” he assured me.
We left my house at exactly 8:30am, leaving Chika and Lydia behind. The agent drove my SUV while i sat beside him in the passenger’s corner. The second vehicle kept a safe distance behind us. I was a bit nervous but brave. My 9mm gun well concealed in my handbag. I was very ready to face anything.
It wasn’t hard locating the isolated compound where Gutso and his gang kept Kelvin. A very quiet hilly community many miles away from Suleja town.
“you have to play cool” the agent advised when we got to the compound. I nodded and breathed deeply, together we alighted and walked into the empty house.
I couldn’t help but imagine how many invisible rifles were pointing at us that very moment.
Gutso soon appeared alone to welcome us.
“don’t be deceived, we are surrounded” the agent whispered to me, even though we saw nobody else apart from Gutso in the compound.
