The Hole in The Wall - Season 1 - Episode 17

4 years ago

The Hole in The Wall - Season 1 - Episode 17

°•°•°•°•

It was almost an hour before Tonye and Bami arrived.

They arrived in a hilux truck with a fake construction logo on the side. The vehicle belonged to the agency and the disguise had been used in a previous case and had worked so effectively that we left the disguise naturally.
Bami jumped down from the passenger’s side. He had on a shirt with the cheeky inscription: im your BROTA with the tail tucked into jeans and the jean itself tucked into ankle high boots.

The latter observation had me raising my eyebrows at Bami.

“You plan to dig?”
“Yea” he joined me to open the gate, holding the second part wide so Tonye could drive in. “Digging three graves is a lot of work believe me..we’re not even enough as it is”
“Woa…we’re only digging up Fomés grave.. We have no business disturbing Mona and Mr X”

“Are you sure that is wise?” Bami asked with a frown. “I can swear Mona is dead but 24 hours ago I could also do the same for Fomé, yet here we are….not to mention we have only the words of Betran and the doctor”

He had a point of course. I didn’t believe Dr Rasheed had tricked me but I couldn’t deny he and Betran were loyal and faithful dogs when it came to Mr X and Mr X was a complex, pained and cunning mind.

“Let’s just start with Fomé first” I said and we closed the gates.

Each of the grave had been tiled with trimmed flowers surrounding it, at the center gravels and beautiful stones had been spread no doubt over the soil.

“Just look at….even if someone has unfinished business when he reaches here, his ghost would decide to rest” Bami said as he took in every inch of the place with his eyes roaming all over. I remembered he hadn’t been here before.

Tonye had parked the hilux and she and Andy were arranging the gear they had brought.
I put on the gloves, the face mask and the plastic boot. Andy and Bami were already kitted up and were studying the grave and discussing strategy.

Tonye was opening the cooler which I noticed was filled with ice and a dozen transparent ziplock bags. Seeing them sent a cold thrill down my spine but you know what they say, what must be must be.
“Look at those two, planning as if there’s anything apart from digging to be done” I said nodding at Andy and Bami.

Tonye laughed “I think they’re trying to decide if they should break off the tiles too”
I gasped in exaggerated terror as I headed for the grave, fat shovel in hand. “There’s no need..we should be able to dig in without disturbing the tiles”

°•°•°•
Olivia
When her father in law wanted something, he was very charming and quite charismatic and could even recite poetry to make sure he got it.
He assured her he had spoken with Rex the night before and he wanted her and Emma to stay for at least one week.

“Pa…you know I only prepared for the weekend…I don’t know…” She trailed off deep in thought, why did Rex still want her far from Lagos? After all the shadow was dead or was he..?

Her father in law was still speaking….”at least stay for some days, there’s no need to rush back”

She smiled, he was right and Emma would no doubt be very happy. “Okay papa.we can stay till Wednesday”

“Eeya…I’m also leaving on Wednesday… I can imagine how silent this house would be then” Utebo said from the parlour where she was plaiting her daughter’s hair.

Her mother (Martha) laughed heartily “which is why we have to make all the noise now”
As if on cue, the twins jumped down from their seat, mumbled their thanks to the grown ups and began running immediately “police and thief…let’s play police and thief”

“No! Let’s play catcher!”
“Don’t play anything yet…let your food digest o!” Utebo shouted at the retreating backs of her boys as they wizzed past her heading outside. Olivia smiled as she observed their plates, their tea was still full to the brim, the chunk of bread mostly untouched but they had cleaned out the fried eggs.

Olivia had her mind spinning scenarios and engaging her thoughts and she herself hadn’t done justice to her breakfast…too many thoughts came rushing through her mind and she didn’t have much appetite.

Later, when she was alone in the room she sat on the bed looking into space and imagining the shadow was still out there waiting for the slightest vulnerability on their part to strike a lethal blow. What if he wasn’t really dead, what if it was all a trick? The message which Tonye had secretly forwarded to her had been read and reread so many times that it was printed in her memory and now the words came back with a vengeance…. Your sun has been overhead for so long…but now its time for the sun to set…

Finally she couldn’t take it anymore, she shook her head and dialled Rex’s number.
It rang and rang but there was no reply. She placed the phone in her lap as she stared ahead not really seeing anything. The feeling of dread that came over her was intense and she was suddenly scared for her family and friends.

°•°•°•°•°°
Rex
My phone rang when I was knee deep in soil, sweating profusely and digging with a vengeance. I ignored it and it rang twice
Bami was beside me, shovel in hand and glistened sweat on his brow although he had recently just taken over from Andy.
“Aren’t you gonna answer that?”
“Nah…not now..I couldn’t even if I wanted to…not with this gloves”

But the truth was nothing else was important to me at that moment…I was digging with a fury and my energy was hardly depleted. I kept my emotions reigned in knowing the only way to enlightenment was now at least three more feet below.

Finally the blade stuck something solid…we had gotten to the casket.

I dropped to my knees and furiously scraped the soil away from the casket.
“Its enough Rex….let’s climb out…There’s a Chain pulley in the truck…once we hook it we can pull the coffin out easily.

I looked at him and my eyes must have been an open window to the emotions waging war in my soul because he said ” oh Rex….” He knelt down beside me so we were level and placed his hand on my shoulder. “Whatever happens…you’re not alone, we would solve this together just like before..”

I looked at his sincere eyes which were no longer strange to me “Bami..so many things I kept buried because I didn’t want to remember the unpleasant past..”I looked down at the cream coloured gleaming casket. It had to be very expensive.

I looked at Bami and continued, by his expression I knew he understood me and in fact knew where I was going. “now I realize that was stupid procrastination on my path..Bami…” His hand had dropped from my shoulder as I spoke and now I placed mine on his shoulder. “Bami…there was a time you were badly obsessed with catching Fomé…even she herself once told me she was of great interest to the government..why? What gives?”
Bami took a deep breath and I waited patiently ,suddenly I wasn’t so eager to dig up the body again.

Before Bami could speak, we were interrupted by a voice from above. Tonye was standing at the edge of the hole we had dug, her hands resting on her hips and one leg on the heap of soil, stones and gravel we had dug out.
“Are you people having picnic down there…remember that Andy and I haven’t had breakfast”

Andy appeared beside her and peered down at us. He said with disgust “for God’s sake this isn’t the time or place for any heart to heart convo…Bami we need to bring the hilux as close to the grave as possible…that pulley is something else even the four of us wouldn’t be able to carry it…Rex we need to find out if indeed..” He paused, not knowing how to