The detective skimmed through the paper before him, taking mental notes.
"Get a car, we are going back to the scene of the abduction. We need to ask if anyone in the area saw something suspicious." The detective said to Fred who was still standing before him, waiting for further instructions.
Fred nodded and left the office.
The detective stood up, pulled open the drawer, and took out his gun and badge, before tucking them away behind him.
The car was already waiting for him outside by the time he was out. he got in and Fred drove off.
"What do you intend to do once we get there?" Fred asked, trying to raise a conversation. "You know it was already dark and way past bedtime during the time of the abduction," Fred asked.
The detective sighed, dressing backward in his seat. He searched his brain for a plan. He had gone through the report and the statement from the victim's friends.
"There is a boutique in the area, and if I remember correctly that boutique was robbed a couple of months ago, and we helped the owner install a CCTV, so I just have to check if it caught the girl on camera that night." The detective stated.
Fred nodded in agreement and turned to face the road.
"There is no Murder without a reason." The detective muttered to himself.
Silence hovered in the car as no one said a word to each other. They were too busy with their thought.
They got to the scene. Fred pulled over, beside the road and they stepped down.
The detective looked around, at the poles hoping to see a CCTV camera but there was none. How funny of him to think that they would be any in a country like 9ja.
He sighed and turned in the direction of the boutique. "Let's go over there!" he pointed and trailed over.
They got close and the CCTV camera came into full view. Unknowingly he jumped up and scream yes.
"There is a camera!" he stated loudly, his voice filled with excitement like a child offered ice cream.
He walked into the boutique. It was empty except for the sale girl seated in the reception area.
"Good afternoon, sir. Watin you wan buy?" the girl said in the regular pidgin language.
"Afternoon," he replied, throwing a glance around and then back to the girl; "Nigerian police." He said, showing her his badge.
"Oh!" the girl gasped, looking shocked and nervous.
"What of the dark boy that used to work here?" The detective asked, trying to sound informal.
"He quit working after he got an admission." She replied, nervously. Her voice crackled.
"Okay, the camera outside. I'd like to see its footage from the day before yesterday."
"Okay, come with me."
She led them to what seemed like the control room. she took her time trying to find the footage amongst others.
Her hands shook as she used the mouse. The presence of the officers was tensing her up.
When would people realize that the police are their friends, the detective thought? but didn't try to ease her tension. He had other things to worry about than the girl's nervousness.
"This is it!" she announced and moved away for them to see it.
Fred probed closer and forwarded the video to when it was displaying what happened at night.
They watched quietly. Not much was happening. The road was void of people.
"Fast-forward to 1 am!" The detective instructed and Fred did just that.
Right there in the video, Bianca could be seen running and fell right there in front of the boutique that night. She had fallen as a result of her high heels.
The figure came over her, it was dark and his face wasn't visible. She covered her face and weakened her before throwing her into the booth.
He got into the car and ignited his engine. His headlight came on and just as he was driving away, Fred paused the video when the plate number of the car was visible.
"Good." The detective said and patted Fred on the shoulder.
"Can I get a copy of this video?" the detective inquired from the girl.
The girl nodded and he handed her a flash drive and she sent it to him.
"Thank you!" The detective said before he left with Fred.
"We now have a lead. We just have to run it on all the registered cars in the states and find a match.
"Yes sir. We need to also tell Mr. Daniel about this." Fred suggested as they got into the car.
******
Mrs. Daniel was admitted for a checkup, her husband was still with her in the ward when Kenneth stepped out to place a call to his wife.
He called and called and called but no reply.
This was unlike her. He dropped texts but they were all left unseen.
He was about to return to the ward when he got a text.
He clicked on it and the image file opened.
There was his wife. Naked, legs spread open.
His jaw dropped; "Jesus Christ!" he screamed.
Another text came in.
"Let's play a game, Kenneth. TRUTH OR DARE!"