Chapter 3: Clues Under Moonlight

Police work tire, days pass, nothing show.

Every day we dey return home late, my wife dey ask, "Seyi, hope say dem never threaten you for work o?" I just dey wave am off, but the case dey heavy for my chest.

Okafor family get good name among their people.

All their neighbours dey praise them. One woman even cry when we interview her. For street, dem dey respected well.

“Uncle Ifedike na better person. Last year, when my papa dey hospital and money no dey, na him pay for us.”

Even boys wey dey play ball for junction talk say Dr. Ifedike dey dash them ball for Christmas. No bad report at all.

“Last year, my mama almost fall for scam, but Aunty Morayo catch am. If no be her, we for lose over hundred thousand.”

Even the church people say the woman na backbone of their women group. Every family dey talk good about them.

Their son, Somto, na correct pikin—no girlfriend wahala, no bully matter.

Principal talk say Somto dey lead debate team. Teachers dey miss am, classmates dey mourn well. The whole school do candle night for am.

All the over 100 staff for St. Raphael Hospital clear.

We check all their file, bank statement, staff background, nothing. No person get beef with Okafor family for work.

After we gather info, Tunde just look up, sigh:

Tunde sit down, rub head, say, "Omo, this one pass us."

“Nothing at all. This one worse pass locked-room murder.”

If you see Tunde face, you go know say the case really pain am. He drop biro, dey look ceiling.

“Their money matter clean, no big beef with anybody. Medical wahala don clear. We dey look wrong place? Maybe no be revenge—maybe the killer just dey mad, kill anyhow, cut body and steal just to confuse us?”

I frown. That one fit dey possible, but if na so, wahala go dey catch the killer.

For Naija, mad person dey kill like this? E rare. I still dey doubt. My mind dey turn.

We check crime scene and CCTV over and over, still no trace of killer.

CID even call people from Abuja, bring new camera, still nothing. Na so our team begin dey sleep for station.

Until, one month later, person show face.

Just as we dey plan to give up, hope show small. Na so life be for police work—one tip, everything fit change.

One babe, wear sunglasses and mask, waka enter station.

The way she take enter, even policewoman for desk dey look am twice. Everybody dey watch, dey whisper.

Halima pause for door, scan everybody face, then step inside with deep breath. “Una still dey give reward for clue about the killer? If I talk now, I go still get the money?”

Her voice shake, but she try form bold. She cross leg, look left and right.

I quick answer, “Yes, e still dey. You go get am.”

Na money dey ginger info for Naija. As she hear, her face soft small. Some people just need small push to talk.

Her name na Halima Musa, twenty-four, dey do sales for food company. On September 13, company do promo, sales good, so she work overtime, comot by 2am. She wan reach house quick, so she pass shortcut wey she no dey use.

As she talk, I dey watch her hand—dem dey shake small. Person wey no get wahala no dey talk murder matter anyhow.

One drunk man see her, wan do bad thing. E follow her enter one dark, no light alley, rush grab her, wan force am.

Na so e dey for town—when night reach, wahala dey. The kind fear wey go hold you when drunk man dey pursue you, only woman go understand.

Halima weak, hungry, no power to fight. She just dey shout for help. But the place dry, no car, no person.

The way she narrate am, you go know say na by grace she survive. Her voice crack, eyes red like person wey dey remember nightmare. “Oga, I swear, if no be God, I for no dey here.”

As she dey lose hope, one man wey dey carry suitcase waka come from darkness. He pick stone, knack the drunkard for head.

She pause, her hand dey tremble. I give her handkerchief join water. She just dey look me, eyes wide.

Halima dey shake as she dey talk. I give her water. She pause, then continue: “After he knack the drunk, the man just waka go. I thank am, but he no answer. That time, I smell blood strong, but fear no let me reason am.”

The way she talk am, even me catch small chills. Blood smell for night no be ordinary thing. My mind dey race.

I check her file. The place she talk na just one street from Palm Grove Estate. After the murder, third day, police check CCTV and ask her if she see anything, she say nothing.

I dey reason am: fear fit make person forget wetin she see. That night, she no wan talk, na today hunger and wahala make her open mouth.

Halima say, “I no wan involve myself for murder case, and the man save me. But now I really need money—my grandma sick. I swear, everything I talk na true.”

Her face show say she no get joy. Person wey dey find help for sick mama fit talk wetin she no talk before.

The suitcase she describe na the one police see for refuse dump, wey get the victims’ body parts. The person she see na the killer.

Na there my mind clear. The dots begin connect. I dey feel small pride say we get break for the case.

That night na from 13th to 14th. Streetlight spoil, but moon dey shine. For that short moment, Halima see the killer’s general look and one scar for him eye corner.

Police artist sit down with Halima, dey draw as she dey talk. "E get small scar for left eye. E tall, slim, no dey talk." The artist add the detail. She dey nod as she see the sketch.

Police artist draw picture from Halima description. As police use big data compare, dem quick see the suspect.

We thank Halima, promise to call her if anything show. Our oga dey happy, even dash am transport money. Everybody begin dey ginger for office.