Episode 11
Husband Material
When I sensed that Alicia has been kidnapped, the first picture that appeared in my mind was Dennis’.
I ended the call with Alicia’s dad and dialed her number. But just like he said earlier, her line was switched off.
I handed everything I was doing over to my assistant, and left the salon.
I drove down to the house, and was informed by Eric that she left few hours after I did that morning. I quickly drove back to her school.
The students were already trooping out through the open gate after a stressful day in school.
I was directed to her department, but the class was empty when I got there.
As I was walking helplessly out of the department, I recognized one girl Alicia has brought to the house a week before, standing at a corner with one boy. I walked up to them, and greeted.
“Hi, I’m Alicia’s aunt. Have you seen her today?”. I asked.
She shook her head.
“She didn’t come to school, and I have been trying her line all day”. She replied, innocently.
As I was driving out from the school gate, I got a call from a strange caller, I pulled over to take it.
“Hello, is this Miss Regina Obi?”. An unfamiliar hoarse voice asked.
“Yes”. I replied, silently.
“Good. There is someone you need to hear from”. It continued, then a second later, I heard Alicia’s tiny voice.
“Aunty!”. She cried.
“Alicia, where are you?”. I asked, but then, the call ended again.
I tried the line severally after that, without any success.
I was breathing fast then. I called Divine immediately(I don’t have Dennis’ any longer).
“Sister, good evening”. She greeted.
“Where is Dennis?”. I asked.
“Stanley”. She corrected.
“Whatever!. Where is he?!”.I was screaming on top my voice.
“He is not in town right now. But why are you asking after him?”. She replied.
“Alicia is missing”. I announced.
“What!, Jesus Christ!. Since when?. She paused.
… but wait oo. What has that gotten to do with my husband?”. She added.
“I need to know if he is into kidnapping as well”. I said.
“Sister, what is this again? I’m no longer finding it funny oo, Why are you doing this to me and my husband?”. She cried.
“Tell your husband to….”. She hung up on me.
Before I could call back, another strange number entered.
“Where is my daughter?”. I screamed even before I could hear from the other end.
“She is fine, and she will continue to be, only if you cooperate with us.”. Same voice warned me.
“What do you want!?”. I asked.
“Make sure you don’t get the police involved in this”. It warned, and the call ended immediately.
I knew it was of no use, but I went ahead to dial the number again, without success.
Confused, I kicked the ignition, and drove out, with no destination in mind. After about fifteen minutes of driving, I found myself at Diana’s shop.
She was attending to a customer outside when I arrived, so I went in, and sat down.
While waiting, I placed a call through to Oliver.
He was so worried.
“Have they said anything about money?”. He asked, concerned.
“Not yet”. I replied.
“Just calm down, I’m with you. No harm will befall her”. He assured.
“What is wrong with you, Gina, you look restless”.. Diana had said when she came in.
I narrated everything to her.
“You need to calm down. But why did she give them her father’s number first?”. She asked.
Just then, a another number called me.
“Please, tell me what you want me to do”. I pleaded.
“By now, you should know”. Same voice said.
“Money?, yes I know. How much?.” I asked.
“100 million naira”. It announced, and hung up.
The phone fell off my hand immediately. Diana picked it up.
They called again after about four hours. By then it was dark, and I and the rest of my friends were mourning at my place.
“Please, I don’t have such amount of money”. I confessed.
“You think this is a joke, right?”. The same voice asked, angrily.
“I know it’s not a joke, but I don’t have such amount of money on me”. I cried.
The caller gave a loud sigh, and ended the call.
“100 million naira? these people are not nice at all oo”. Rita exclaimed.
“That is wickedness of the highest order”. Charity said.
“Why do I have this feeling that Alicia’s dad has a hand in this?”. Diana asked.
“My uncle?, how?, and why will you think of a thing like that?”. I asked.
“Like why was he the one to inform you?, Alicia couldn’t have given the kidnapers her father’s number instead of yours”. She continued.
“There is sense in this your argument, Diana. Alicia is closer to Gina than she is to her father, so why would she give out his number first?”. Charity said.
“You guys should just stop. Why will a father plot the kidnap his own child?. It doesn’t make any sense, please”. I said.
“It’s okay”. Benita said.
“I know who is behind this”. I announced, after a short period of silence.
“You do?”. They chorused.
I nodded.
“Dennis”. I said, and the girls nodded in the affirmative.
“Why did I not think of this!?. Diana screamed, hitting her head with her palm.
… that guy is the prime suspect”. She added.
“You’re very right, Regina.You need to get him arrested immediately”. Benita suggested.
“Arrested or investigated?, he is still a suspect”. Rita said.
“He is no suspect, he is the real culprit”. Benita said.
“There’s no evidence, remember?”. Rita reminded her.
Just then, my phone started vibrating. It turned out to be Rita.
“Hello, Regina. Why are you making Divine to cry?, what have she and her husband done to you?”. She was yelling at me.
“Stella, does it not bother you that Alicia is missing?”. I asked.
“Ofcourse I’m worried, but why would you accuse an innocent man…”. She was saying before Diana snatched the phone from my hand, and ended the call.
“This your sister is so annoying”. She sighed.
“Very disrespectful. I use to wonder how Regina is able to be tolerating her excesses. I for don show her shege”. Benita said.
“I know what to tell her, but Gina might get hurt too”. Diana said, throwing the phone back to me.
When I told Oliver about the ransom, he almost had a heart attack.
After I negotiated with the kidnapers for like four different times that night, we finally settled at 10 million.
“Make the money available within 72hours if you still wish to set your eyes on this beautiful daughter of yours ever again”. The voice said, and that was followed by the sound of gunshot. Alicia’s scream was enveloped in sound of the gunshot.
My friends and I screamed very loudly, thinking she has been shot, but then we had her voice again, crying.
“Aunt, please save me!.”. She cried.
I heaved a sigh of relief, so did my friends.
“Please, don’t hurt her, you will get the money”. I was pleading with tears in my eyes, before the call ended.
The girls left very late that night, after which I spoke with Oliver again. He promised to contribute 30 percent of the ransom…He was such a kind gentle man, what could I had done without him?.
I kept a vigil for the first time in many years, that night, praying and crying unto God
The next morning, I ran around to gather the ransom. It wasn’t easy at all, putting together from all my investment. The criminals called severally to remind me of the consequence of not meeting up to their demands.
Alicia’s dad too…he was so worried.
In the evening, I was in the living room, giving my friends feedback on everything, when Eric entered.
“Madam, I wan go”. He said.
“Go where?”. I asked, confused.
“My village”. He said.
“Why?”. I asked.
“I no work again”. He announced.
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Typing 12…
