The Undercover episode 3

Episode 3

THE UNDERCOVER

Although we exchanged contacts that night of the incident, I didn’t call the woman until the investigation was over and the deâd man was buried. I bought an already registered Sim card with which I called. She picked on my first attempt.. And without any form of introduction, I went straight to the point.

“I hope the money is ready?”. I asked.

“Yes, sir”. She replied, without asking unnecessary questions.

“I will come for it soon”. I said.

“Okay sir”. She replied, calmly.

“What a smart woman!”. I muttered to myself as I replaced my Sim.

Again, I didn’t visit her until after about a week. I had no difficulty passing the gate since I made the security man believe I was a garbage collector.

The woman was in the living room with her kids. She didn’t recognize me immediately until after I slightly pulled up the hood, she began to nod in recollection. Then she turned to a lady who was busy cleaning the dining table.

“Amaka, take the girls to their room”.

The girl quickly abandoned the rag on the table and led the kids away as her mistress had instructed.

“Please, sit”. She said after they had disappeared into the room.

Before embarking on that journey, I had made up my mind not to say a word to her. And she was smart enough to understand when I shook my head.

Without taking my time, she stood up immediately and went inside. She returned some minutes later with a leather bag. I opened the supposed garbage basket for her to drop it in. After she did, I carefully covered the basket and left.

As soon as I got home, I threw the bag under the mattress and lied down. Contrary to the saying that money brings happiness, this story belongs to Joy Ifunanya I lost my happiness and peace of mind at that very moment. I can’t tell if it was guilt or fatigue.

For three days, the money remained untouched under my bed. The thought alone made me sick. But on the morning of the fourth day, I found myself lifting the mattress. I emptied the bag on top of my bed, and began to swim in money. I smiled as I thought of how my life has changed miraculously overnight. When I arrived at the office that morning, I bought lunch for everyone on duty.

“What’s the occasion?”. They were asking.

“I won a bet”. Was my response.

“Bet keh?. How?. A police officer playing bet?”

Those were some of the comments I got, but that was amusing to me because Police are humans too.

By doing so, I anticipated they wouldn’t examine the origin of the funds. But I was wrong. After moving out of the old fashioned bungalow where I have lived for a couple of years, to a more pleasant environment, began smelling nice, and acquiring my first car, eyebrows were raised.

“How did you manage to buy a car?”. The clerk was the first to ask.

“Did I not tell you I played a bet?”. I retorted.

He shrugged, and shook his head.

Again, when the news of my first building reached the office, I received an instant query from the head office. Lolz…It’s funny how everyone suddenly became curious about the source of my wealth but no one cared about my previous poverty.

After I had answered my query, I learnt to tread with caution.

Along the line, I decided to make my personal inquiry about the deceased person and what I discovered made me feel cheated by the wife.

I know that ten million naira sounds huge to most people here, but the man in question is worth billions only that he was trying to keep it low, like many government workers.

So one night, I drove down to her apartment. I called her out so we could have a meeting inside my car.

“Why did you call me out here?”. She asked, authoritatively.

“We have unfinished business”. I said.

“That is not true. We had a deal and I ensured to keep to my word”. She said.

“But you cheated me”. I said.

“How? You see oga, if you think you can extort me because of…”

While she was still arguing, I opened my phone gallery, and put it up to her face as it replayed the scene of the accident that evening.

She covered her mouth with her hands.

“You recorded me?”. She cried, almost in whispers.

I nodded.

“So now you know, are you going to cooperate or you prefer I go ahead and do whatever pleases me with the evidence?”. I asked, replacing the phone.

It took her like three minutes to decide.

“What do you want this time?”. She finally broke the silence.

“Seventy percent of everything”. I replied.

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