Tarasha - Season 3 - Episode 157

4 years ago

Tarasha - Season 3 - Episode 157

‘Please do have your seats,’ the manager of the EasyShoppers online store company offered them seats before sitting on his own chair. ‘So I heard you guys are from Desert Reporters,’ the man said with a smile, adjusting himself on the seat.

‘Yes, you heard so but we are not really from Desert Reporters,’ Fabian replied him.
‘Huh?’ the man’s smile quickly changed to a frown.

‘Yes and we only work as per time journalists,’ Fabian continued.
‘But what do you want then?’ the man asked, looking around as if to raise alarm.
‘Relax sir, we’re not here for something evil.’ Fabian said with a light smile. He took a brief pause and took out two identity cards from the b----t pocket of his shirt, he returned one and showed the other to the man. ‘We’re from the State Security Service and we’ve come to find out something important from you and also seek your cooperation.’

‘But how do I know you’re saying the truth? How do I know that you’re truly from the State Security Service?’ the man asked in a doubtful tone. His eyes peering into Fabian’s as Fabian returned the identity card into his pocket.

‘I just showed you my ID card.’
‘Yes but they also saw your ID card before referring you to me. I was told your ID card confirms you guys as journalists,’ the man retorted.

‘Yes, the ID card I showed them confirms me as a journalist but didn’t state that I work with Desert Reporters.’ he said, bringing out the ID cards again. ‘It states my position as a journalist but still under the State Security Service, your workers did not understand it.’

The man kept a straight face at them, still doubting Fabian’s words.
‘Here, take a look at this.’ Fabian said and handed him the SSS identity card. ‘Turn behind and you would find my registered number there, you can search it up online to confirm.’

The man fixed his gaze on Fabian ‘s face for a while, contemplating whether to do as Fabian suggested or just ignore and deceive them.

‘Try it,’ Fabian encouraged with a shrug. He rested his back against the backrest of the seat and kept his gaze on the man’s face.
The manager finally turned to his computer system and opened the browser, he typed in the agent’s registration number into the http://w--------------- msearch engine box. He looked up after two minutes and returned Fabian ‘s card. ‘It shows that the number is truly registered under the Abuja headquarters but didn’t confirm the names of the card holder.’

‘My name is Fabian as the ID card states,’ Fabian said, you can confirm by calling the phone number you see on that screen.
The man took a glance at the computer screen and then picked up his phone on the table, he typed in the number on the screen and dialled it. Fabian ‘s phone began to ring. He raised it up in the air to show the man.
‘Okay, so is she from the SSS too?’ he asked, looking at Esther as he dropped the phone back to the table.
‘Yes, we came together.’ Fabian was the one who answered.
‘Okay, so what can I do for you?’
‘We want some information about a client you guys tried to deliver something to this morning.’ Fabian began, he collected a sheet of paper from Esther and handed it to the man. ‘That’s the address.’ Fabian waited for the man to read it. ‘We want all you know about the client. The name, how frequent she orders for your products and her contact details if you’ve got it.’
‘Well,’ the man let out a breath as he put the sheet of paper back on the table. ‘I can only give you the person’s name and tell you how frequent she orders but her contact details is a No No,’ the man stated, shaking his head side to side to emphasize his point.
‘Why can’t we get her contact?’
‘You shouldn’t be asking me that; I believe you guys are on an investigation and you should know I truly want to help you but as a company, we’re supposed to protect our customers. I have to get a paper written from the authorities to give you anyone’s contact.’

‘Alright, I understand but there’s one more thing I need you to do for us.’
‘What’s that?’ the man raised his brow.
‘Your delivery truck returned today without supplying this house we’re investigating. I think the owners were not around or unavailable at that time but I believe they’ll call back when they’re around for your guys to come back.’ Fabian said and paused to see if the man was following.
‘Huh… So what happens with that?’
‘We want to take charge of the delivery once they call back,’ Fabian replied.
‘What do you mean?’
‘We want to deliver your goods to them for you,’ Fabian replied.
‘Huh?’ the man’s eyebrows gathered together as he tried to reason out what Fabian said to him. ‘No, that won’t work.’ the man said shaking his head.
‘Sir, be rest assured that nothing bad will happen. We’re not going to hurt them.
‘No,’ the man repeated in a strong tone, still shaking his head.

‘But sir…’
‘I said No, Officer Fabian.’ the man snapped, with his eyes widened at Fabian .
‘Okay sir,’ Fabian forced a smile. ‘I understand perfectly well and I commend you for doing your job well. Maybe we’ll come back for that later after meeting with the necessary authorities to permit it.’
‘Maybe…’ the man said, stressing the word longer that he should.

‘Alright, for now. We’ll just make do with the name and any other information you can provide us.’ Fabian said, forcing a smile on his lips again.

‘Okay then, I call for someone who will search out the address and tell us the name of the client who receives order at that place.’ he said, picking up his office phone. He placed a stern gaze on their faces as he punched in the digits.

He made the call and asked for someone to come to his office. A man knocked on the door a minute later and was allowed in, he proceeded straight to the table and stopped beside Esther’s seat. He bowed slightly in courtesy to his boss and also acknowledged the presence of the visitors.

‘Come closer, ‘ the manager beckoned on the man and the man obeyed immediately. ‘Look here, I want you to search out this address, fish out every detail you can get and send them to me as soon as possible.’ the manager said and handed the sheet on which the address was written to the man. ‘How long will it take you?’ he asked, looking at the man as he read what was on the paper.

Fabian passed something tiny to Esther while the men were discussing. It took Esther only a glance at it to know what Fabian wanted her to use it for.

‘It’ll take us only five minutes,’ the man replied to the EasyShoppers manager.
‘Okay,’ the manager turned looked at his guests’ faces. ‘Is five minutes okay?’
‘Oh yes! It is,’ Fabian replied.
‘Good, go and get it done.’ the manager dismissed the man.

‘Oh shi*t! What’s this?’ Esther jumped up from her seat suddenly and held the man who was to get them what they requested for. She quickly released him and pointed to the ground.

‘It’s a rat,’ Fabian joined in, looking at the floor as if he had seen something while the manager and his co-worker searched around the floor for what the guests had seen but saw nothing.

‘A rat in my office?’ the manager glanced at Fabian ‘s face and then placed his gaze on Esther’s face.

‘It looked more like an electronic mouse, do you guys have those monitors here?’ Fabian asked the man.

‘Electronic mouse?’ the manager took a look at his co-worker’s face. The co-worker bowed again and turned to leave. ‘We don’t have such here?’ he said to Fabian .
Esther returned to her seat, looking down around the chair.

‘Maybe it’s been used by your security staffs,’ Fabian smiled. ‘Most of them make use of that technology now.’

‘Well, I’ll find out from them.’ the man replied and shrugged. He pulled his laptop closer and rested back against the backrest of his seat.

‘Are you okay?’ Fabian said in whispers to Esther but made sure it was loud enough for the man to hear.

‘Yes, I am.’ she replied back in low tones.
Fabian let out a smile and turned to the front, he also rested his back just like the manager did. He took out his phone from his pocket, unlocked it and opened his tracker app.

‘ I’m so sorry, I just realized that you guys just need to take a drink. So what can I offer you while the guy prepares the information,’ the manager spoke, not out of sincerity but just to make the place not too silent.

‘Oh! Thank you sir but we’re very okay, we had a meal some minutes before coming down here.’ Fabian replied, taking some seconds to look away from his phone to the man.

‘What about you? Would you like something to drink?’ he turned to Esther.
‘Thank you, I’m okay sir.’ Esther refused politely.

The manager got the email containing the answer to his request after six minutes in total. ‘The information you need is here,’ he announced to his guest.

‘Wow!’ Fabian sat up. He passed his phone secretly to Esther.

‘Here, it’s coming out.’ the manager said and rose to his feet. There was a printer at the left side of his office, he walked to the place and took the output produced. ‘Here we go, ‘ he gave the A4 sized paper to Fabian before he sank into his seat.
Fabian scanned through the paper briefly and looked up at the man’s face with a smile. ‘Thank you so much,’ he said and looked at the contents of the paper again.
Client: Alexander Kimberly E
Mode of Service: Receives supply for household goods once in a month.

Mode of Payment: Before delivery
Last time supplied : Today
Delivered: No

Reason for failure of delivery: Client’s absence at venue of delivery
He stopped after reading the third line and folded the paper neatly. ‘Thank you once again sir,’ Fabian said as he rose up to his feet. ‘We will now take our leave.’
‘You’re welcome,’ the manager rose with them and shook their hands before seeing them off to the door.
_
‘Fabian, ‘ Esther called after they got out of the office into the secretary’s office. She had her eyes fixed to the phone he had passed to her secretly in the office.
‘Yes,’ he answered, rearranging his shirt and tucking in the flown out part.
‘The direction is left,’ she whispered to him and took the phone closer to him to show him something on the screen.
‘I’ll handle it, you wait for me at the car.’ he whispered back and collected the phone from her. They began to proceed out of the secretary’s office together. ‘Have a nice day ma’am,’ Fabian said to the secretary before walking out.
…