_Chidinma_

"My friend didn't take drugs, she absolutely abhored them!!." I spat into the face of the stupid police officer behind the counter.

"Miss Chidinma look. The toxicologist did a thorough job on the post-mortem. Samples taken from the liver, kidney and throat of the victim shows that she had taken cocaine before her death. Her brain examination indicates that she was highly intoxicated as at the time of her death."

The police officer,(thunder fire him) explained to me like he was a father explaining the workings of a spoon to his eight months old child.

"Screw your stupid, senseless toxicologist!." I spat at him again.

If you think what I'm saying is just mere words, here it is, in documentation." He added handing me a clipboard. I pushed it back to him vehemently.

"You can shove your useless, bloody, meaningless file up your ass. I suspect lies and deceit. It's God that will punish you people!."

I shouted storming out of the station boiling with pure, hot rage. Why didn't any news about substance abuse surface the first time I was told about the autopsy? Why now almost three weeks after?

It had felt so good to vent. To vent out all the pent up rage. I rarely got angry but when I did, when I did, I don't hold back. It all comes rushing out like a tsunami.

I took a taxi to the mall, still boiling hot. On getting there, I sat on one of the benches of the outside court and watched the water fountain. I needed to calm down. Blood was still rushing through my ears.

I needed to talk to someone about this. The only person that knew about the risk I was putting myself in. I called Rex.

"Hello, Lillian?" He answered picking on the first ring. I had always liked the way he pronounced my English name, in his deep voice, making it sound very special.

"You are not going to stop calling me Lillian abi?" I asked chuckling a little, trying to lighten the mood.

"Nope. Never." He answered. I could feel him smiling. His stupid, lopsided, weak-at-the-knees smile. I felt butterflies in my stomach.

"Can I see you Rex? Could you meet me at the mall?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll be there in fifteen."

"Okay, hurry"

Are you okay? Is anything wrong?"

I smiled at his genuine concern. Smiling because of him was becoming of me.

"Nothing is wrong Olamide. I just need someone to talk to." I answered wittingly..

"Ahh, I see what you did there. Okay beautiful, see you soon."

"You too." I answered laughing a little, and then cutting the call.

Putting my phone in my jacket pocket, I resumed to studying the water fountain when I felt my phone vibrate.

Bringing it out to check the notification, I saw that a video was sent to me by unknown number, via WhatsApp.

That's strange. Could it be Rex reaching out to me through another number? Then why send a video? Of what sef? Or was it someone from work or an old classmate?

I downloaded the video. On the face of it, I saw a security man, with a mic to his face, wearing a uniform I had seen before. Just where? Where did I see it?

Yes!! It was the uniform of the officers at Spring Falls. Sky blue, with their logo encrested on the chest pocket.

I was scared and elated. Had the press found relevant information about Chi's murder? Curiosity got the better of me as I clicked on the video.

I wasn't in anyway prepared for what I heard and saw next:

"So sir, what you are saying is that you saw Miss Chioma on the night of her death? The man behind the camera asked.

My heart skipped a beat.

"Yes oh, yes I see am." The security man answered in full fledged pidgin.

"Where?"

"That place ehn...that place wetin dem dey call am? Ehehen!, the patio place." He replied pronouncing the patio like patiyo.

"And you said you saw her with someone else?"

I held my breath in anticipation. Who? Who did the guard see her with and why wait until now to say it?

"Yes" he said gesticulating wildly. "I see am. I see am with one woman."

Wait. A woman?

"What else did you see sir?" The reporter questioned.

"Hmm..no be small. You know that one? The one that was her friend, the one wey throw the party?"

Wait. What!. Me!?. My heart started beating twice as fast. I broke into a sweat. I felt so hot.

"You mean Chidinma Madu?"

"Yes. Her and im dey talk. Before you know, dey don start to dey yab each other, dey insult demselves. The Chidinma ehn, she dey stable, but the other one dey act like madpesin. Na in dem con dey fight each other, dey throw blow, they drag each other hair."

What!?

"Fighting each other? Why?" The man behind the camera asked.

"Hmm, from wetin I hear, I be like say na because of man. One man like that. In name na Samuel.
So, na in Chidinma just dey beat in friend. You know say the other one high, so na Chidinma dey win. I suspect say she high am. She beat am ehn, dey dash am blow like wrestler. Kai!, The next thing wey I see shock me. She con carry the innocent girl head ehn, Nack am for wall. Blood just dey commot. The thing weak me!."

The man finished shaking his head like it was his own sister that died. I shook all over my vision clouding. My head felt so heavy.

"Why didn't you report this to the police earlier sir?"

"Police ko? I dey fear oo. You know say na Nigeria we dey, dis place no be America. What if dey con talk say na me kill am? I no want problem o. I be papa. Anyway, I tell this my friend but in no believe me. No be so Cletus?."

The useless man asked someone out of the frame of the camera.

"Ehehen, you see?. But conscience con  dey judge me, na in I say I go report am to news people. That beautiful girl just waka like that. Her friend!. Best friend!. Tufia!. Aru e me!. Kai!."

"I know sir. It's a pity. Thank you sir for sharing this information with the public. I'm sure the police will address this matter properly."

"Ehehen. Make una catch am o. Make sure she go prison. Onye n'ala! Ekwensu! Devil pikin!.

I stopped the video. I had had enough. I was so confused, so lost, so angry!.

Me. A whole me.

Chidinma Lillian Madu.

A whole me killed my best friend? And the press believed?

What was that madman saying!? What was he saying!?

I was screaming in my head, my head was pounding, black spots were clouding my vision, I was hyperventilating.

Me.

Me.

Me.

Who was doing this to me?

Who was framing me?

"Lillian? Lillian! Why are you crying? And shaking like that? God! What's wrong?"

I was crying? I hadn't even realized. Rex sat by me engulfing me in his strong, safe arms. I buried myself in his chest, basking in the the calm and warmth that radiated from him.

My breathing became slower and my head felt lighter. He had been whispering soothing words into my ear, like he did when I first got the news about the blasted, faked, post- mortem result.

I pressed myself deeper into his embrace. I heard his heart racing.

"What happened?" He asked his voice husky with concern.

I couldn't speak. I just pulled myself away from him and handed him the phone. The way he watched the video, it was obvious it wasn't him who sent it.

Then who did? Who?

Pure shock, horror and rage painted his face.

"This is fake news!! Wrong evidence!! I was with you that night!. I danced with you in my arms that night. It wasn't you. This is so wrong!" He said.

Was he trying to assure himself or me? I couldn't tell.

Dropping the phone on the bench in the small space in between us, he wiped the tears from my face with his hand and cupped my face for a minute. I pressed my face into his hand, feeling it's roughness and the warmth radiating from it.

His hand left my face and the cool breeze fanned across the place it had once been. He took my hands in his that completely dwarfed mine, tracing small circles on them with his thumb, leaving a trail of fire in it's wake, sending a feeling through me, a feeling I couldn't explain but loved. I feeling I wanted to feel everyday.

"Let's get you home" he said causing me to look into his eyes. His beautiful brown eyes that captured my soul. I detected something in them, something I couldn't read, but so badly wanted to.

I nodded weakly, I was emotionally tired. I just wanted to sleep. Sleep and get lost in the world of dreams that now made more sense to me.

We took his motorbike home, I almost fell asleep as the gentle breeze caressed my face, holding on to Rex.

I gave him the keys to my place when we got there, and watched him with a lazy interest as he opened the door.

What was he doing to me?

"Lillian?" My ears perked up as I heard the alarm in his voice. And an unwarranted sense of dread. "Come here."

I shuffled to him. My feet were heavy all of a sudden. I didn't want to go there, to see what he saw that made him call me with such urgency and alarm.

But my legs betrayed me. I gasped at what I saw. My apartment had been raided.
It looked like a category nine hurricane had swept through it, shelves toppled, vases broken, chairs torn apart. The framed picture of I and my family lay on the floor, the protective glass shattered into a thousand pieces.

I was lost. Dead. Devoid of emotion.

Why? Who was doing this to me? Why?

"Lillian?" Rex called as I walked into my home. " Lillian, don't touch anything."

I ignored him walking up to the picture. I made to pick it up when I heard a lot of tires squealing.

The police had come for me. In a flash , Rex was by my side squeezing my hand.

I looked up in to his eyes. Eyes that we're filled with concern and that something else for me.

"It's okay." I whispered my voice deadly calm. Letting go of his hand, I walked out of my home to receive my arrest.

"You're under arrest Miss Chidinma Madu." An officer said to me as he handcuffed my hands behind me.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law."

"You have the right to an attorney. If you can't afford one, one would be provided for you."

I tuned out, listening to the sound of injustice.

~~~~~~

This chapter is the climax of this book.

What!?? Chidinma was arrested???🙆

Hmm...who is that guard and what is he saying ehn?🤔

On another note, do you guys think it could be her?😱

Did you think Dinma accepted her arrest too willing?

Please comment your thoughts about this chapter.🧐

Please vote and comment. Love you guys!!😍😍💓💓