The weight of the information Tayo had discovered weighed thick in the air as she walked to the study. The evidence she'd gathered over the previous weeks now formed a damning narrative. There were too many discrepancies in the family's claims, and too many secrets kept behind closed doors. The letters, images, and Nneka's diaries presented a chilling picture that Tayo couldn't ignore.
This time, she was not fleeing or hiding. She wanted answers and was determined to get them. If anybody knew the truth, it was Dapo.
Tayo discovered Dapo sitting in the study with his back to the door. The area smells slightly of tobacco, and the low lighting formed long shadows on the bookcases. Dapo was browsing through a folder, but his demeanor revealed his preoccupation.
"Dapo," Tayo remarked, her voice hard but calm.
He glanced up, shocked by her unexpected entrance. His customary stern manner slipped briefly before he regained his composure. "Tayo, it is late. "What are you doing here?"
She moved farther into the room, shutting the door behind her. She carried the journal, a picture, and letters in one hand. She put them on the desk in front of him, her heart racing in her chest.
"We need to talk," she said.
Dapo furrowed his brow as he looked at the objects on the desk. "What is this?"
"It's everything I've found," Tayo said. "The letters from Nneka, the picture in the pantry, and the journal... It's all related. And I believe you know what occurred."
Dapo slumped back in his chair, his face inscrutable. He took up the photos and examined it for a time before putting it down. "You've been busy," he said, his tone chilly.
"I had to be," Tayo said. "Nobody in this home speaks the truth. I tried asking, but all I got was lies and half-answers. So I had to uncover the answers for myself."
Dapo moaned and rubbed his temples. "Tayo, you are digging up things that do not interest you. "This is a family matter."
"That's not good enough," she responded, her voice rising. "You and Adaora keep repeating this, but it is not an excuse. Did a little girl die? And you are all covering it up."
Dapo's jaws constricted. For a short while, something flashed in his eyes, maybe guilt? However, it was gone just as suddenly.
"You're jumping to conclusions," he said. "You don't know what you're talking about."
Tayo moved forward, her hands quivering. "Then explain this," she said, opening the journal to one of the most disturbing passages. She read loudly.
"They threatened that if I told anybody, I'd vanish, just like her. I am afraid. "I do not want to end up like her."
Dapo's expression deepened, and his hands clenched into fists on the desk. "Where did you get that?"
"Does it matter?" Tayo snapped. "This journal belongs to Nneka, right? She wrote of a tragic incident at this residence. She was afraid and is no longer alive. Why, Dapo? "Whatever happened to her?"
Dapo rose immediately, looming above her. "That's enough, Tayo."
"No, it's not!" she cried, unwilling to give up. "You owe me the truth." You owe her the truth. If you didn't do anything, why are you being so defensive?"
Dapo paced the room, anxious and angry. "You don't understand," he grumbled.
"Then make me understand," Tayo insisted. "I'm giving you a chance to tell your side before I take this to someone who will listen."
He paused, turning to face her. She had a brief moment of hope that he would finally confess. Instead, he shook his head.
"There's nothing to tell," he remarked calmly. "You are reading too much into this. Nneka was worried. She fled, and we tried all we could to locate her.
Tayo's stomach sank. The untruth was so apparent that it was almost offensive. "You expect me to believe that?" she questioned, her voice full of doubt.
Dapo didn't respond. Instead, he approached the window and looked out into the darkness.
After a lengthy quiet, Dapo began, his tone weighted with caution. "Tayo, for your own good, let it go. You're interfering with matters that might endanger this family. "Do you want that on your conscience?"
Tayo shook her head, frustrated. "No, Dapo." That is on you and Adaora. You are the ones that hid the truth. I'm simply trying to discover it."
He turned to look at her, his countenance opaque once again. "Sometimes, the truth does more harm than good," he joked. "Think about that before you decide your next move."
Tayo concluded the investigation with more questions than answers. Dapo's denial was anticipated, but it just fueled her determination. She sensed he was concealing something major. His admonition remained in her thoughts, but she refused to be intimidated.
As she returned to her room, she held Nneka's journal closely, her mind racing. If Dapo didn't disclose the truth, she'd discover it for herself. The components were all there; she simply needed to put them together.
Whatever the cost, Tayo was determined to unravel the mysteries that had plagued this family for so long. The truth was out there, and she was not going to stop until she discovered it.