Must Read: Paradox Of Abel - Season 1 - Episode 48

7 years ago

Must Read: Paradox Of Abel - Season 1 - Episode 48

“I’m having a strange feeling, Famous.”
“What kind of feeling is that, sir? Are you in love too?”
“What is Love? I’m having a feeling of déjà vu. I’ve begun having it since I spoke with the family members.”
“Déjà vu?”
“Yes, I think I’ve seen one of the family members somewhere before.”
“Who?”
“I’m not sure. I can’t even remember where.”
“I’ll remind you, you saw everybody on the way to the cemetery, maybe that is what is giving you the feeling of recognition; seeing the family members out of the compound for the first time.”
“Your lights are on, Daniel, but nobody is at home. You think I don’t remember that? You’re getting slack, Famous, instead of getting better, you’re getting a bloody sight worse. Do you know that? I’ve been racking my head to remember that person I’ve seen but I’ve not been able to. It’s breaking me apart. If I can’t recall the person before the end of this investigation, I will better quit the detective business and take to truck-driving or house painting.”
“Can you kindly forget about that and let’s concentrate on the cards? I strongly believe that we’d crack the case as soon as we knew what the cards contain.”
“How many cards did you find with the body?”
“Five—4 of ball, 2 of cross, 1 of star, 5 of carpet and 3 of triangle.” He showed Lot the picture he took of the cards. “Do you know what they mean?”

Lot stared at the picture on the phone for a few seconds and returned the mobile phone to its owner. “Did you notice that the cards give the numbers 1 to 5?”
Daniel stared at the picture and saw it, “Truly, I did not notice. 1 of star, 2 of cross, 3 of triangle, 4 of ball and 5 of carpet. Wow! We’re getting somewhere. What do they mean?”
“Before we understand the numbers, we have to first understand the symbols.”
“Do you know what the symbols mean?”
“Of course, I do—I’m not as dumb as you.”
“Okay, what is the significance of Ball?”
“It means pit, dungeon, ditch or hell—whichever way you may see it.”
“What about the number 4 on it? Why did the person choose that particular number for the symbol? There are other numbers for the symbol. Why that particular number?”
Lot was silent a moment, his face cast downward. When he looked up, his face was grave. He looked so woebegone that Famous was afraid he might start weeping, and he didn’t know how he’d handle it if the detective suddenly burst into tears.

“This is very bad, Famous, very bad.”
“What are you talking about?”
“We have to act fast. People’s lives are in danger.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“Two people have already been killed the criminal still have two more people to kill. We must allow that, Famous.”
“Are you saying the number 4 means the demise of four people?”
Lot nodded, “Two of them have been killed, unfortunately. One was killed before my arrival and another after my arrival. That’s bad, something like that shouldn’t happen under my watch.”
“What makes you think the number signifies the death of four people?”
“There is something else the symbol means; it means Death.”
“Goodness!” ejaculated Daniel, “We’re dealing with a psycho.”
“This particular psycho is clever, Famous. He’s too clever, but his cleverness may be his weakness.”
Daniel consulted the picture again and asked, “What about Cross? What does it signify?”
“Religion.”
“Religion?”
“Yes, cross signifies Religion. I’m sure it’s the one with the number 2.”
“It is. What does it mean?”
“It simply means that there are two religions; the Islamic and the Christian.”
“I’m still not getting it. What does religion have to do with the case we are investigating?”
“It may have everything to do with it. The religions come from the source.”
“The source?”
“Yes, the source. Jamal Malik was a Muslim and his wife a Christian. The early cross has been the most common symbol of the four elements—Earth, Air, Fire and Water. In Islam, they are known as Squares, Clouds, Lightning and Waves. Everything might have sprouted from the difference in religion, or a clash in beliefs.”
“The criminal is one sick person,” commented Daniel, “What about the Star? I think I know what that one signifies.”
“What?”
“The Star signifies one of the planetary bodies.”
Lot glared at him and said, “You should be cleaning latrines. The Star signifies fame.”
“Oh, I forgot. The Star means popularity. It is how we refer to celebrities; those ones who are always surrounded by a gaggle of fans, all thrusting pens and scraps of paper at them, clamouring for their autographs and taking pictures with them. The famous ones in turn sign dozens of autographs and later making s£nsat!onal departures by jumping in their waiting limousines.”
‘Now who is a celebrity among the family members?”
“None, I believe. You’re the only celebrity in this compound,” he stopped and stared at the picture, “The murderer could be referring to you, the number is carries is 1.”
“A detective is never a celebrity in Nigeria. Celebrities are always actors and actresses, musicians or footballers. Aren’t you a footballer?”
Daniel laughed, “Oh no, you’re getting it wrong. The murderer can never be referring to me. I’m not a celebrity in the least; only few people know that I play football. A celebrity is someone who has fans, I don’t have any fan yet.”

Lot smiled, “Thank you, Famous.”
Daniel stared, “For what?”
“For telling me whom the murderer was referring. It’s not either of us.”
“Who is?”
“Gabriel.”
“Gabriel? Gabriel Malik? I didn’t know he was a celebrity.”
“Being a celebrity is not only restricted to the aforementioned people; there are other celebrities. Chinua Achebe is a celebrity, isn’t he?”
“Likewise Soyinka, Dangote and Baba Fash.”
“Gabriel Malik is a writer writing under the pseudonym Ariel. I’ve visited his blog and read his books. Although not yet published, Ariel is quite popular online. He has lots of followers and he’s regarded a celebrity. The murderer is talking about Ariel.”
“Why him? Out of all the children of Jamal.”
“Because he may actually be the madman we’re hunting.”
Daniel shook his head, “Gabriel doesn’t look mad to me.”
“Your idea of a madman is someone drooling at the mouth and wearing rags? You’re wrong, this madman we’re hunting looking as sane as you and I. I told you the criminal is too clever, that his cleverness may be his weakness. He might have given himself off with these clues, believing I might not be able not break them.”
“So, what are you going to do now? Arrest the writer?”
“Goodness no!” said Lot, “My words are only conjectures for now. He may be innocent in these murders. What is the next card?”
“That’s 5 of Carpet.”
“It’s called Square.”
“What does it signify?”
“Square signifies equality.”
‘Equality indeed.”
“It means everything in life is equal in the sight of creation—” Lot stopped himself and said, “Famous, take your mind back to the morning of Jamal’s murder. When you took me to the sitting room to introduce me to the family members, there was something on the table. Do you know what it was?”
“I think it was a book, but I’m not sure. You can’t blame me, it’s been over a week.”
“You’re right, it was a book. Do you remember what book it was?”
“No, I don’t. I can’t remember.”
“It was Animal Farm!”
Daniel frowned, “Animal Farm?”
“Haven’t you read the book before?”
“Of course, I have.”
“What is its catchphrase?”
“All animals are equal.”
“There goes the equality I was explaining. I took the liberty to open that book. Page 15 was folded.”
“Page 15?”
“That was the page in that particular edition where the Commandments were given. ‘All animals are equal’ is the seventh commandment ‘But some animals are more equal than others’—this phrase is used by one of the pigs described in the book.”
“Then the person who owns that book may be the murderer we’re looking for.”

“It’s a possibility but not a certainty. The murderer could be the reader and not the owner.”
“So, we have to know who owns the book and who was reading it that day.”
“The last symbol is Triangle, right?”
Daniel nodded, ‘It is.”
“Triangle symbolises secret.” Explained Lot.
“What is secretive about triangles?”
“The shape is used by most secret organisations because it implies trinity. It is generally believed that the triangle carries spiritual imageries. I know of one particular secret society called The Three Angels, the words “Angels’ is only scrambled from ‘Angles’; the triangle is the only shape with three angles. The green shape in the middle of the one thousand naira note is a triangle, there’s a secret behind its appearance on the money. Look at the pyramids of Egypt—there a secret backing up their existence. But that is not our concern now. What is the number on it? 3?”
Daniel nodded again, “You’re right, sir.”
“The 3 only signifies the number of angles in the triangle.”
“It could also mean, perhaps, the number of secrets connected with this case.”
Lot smiled, “The pap in your head is finally getting thicker, we should pop champagne. You’re absolutely right. The murderer is letting us know that there are three secrets we ought to find out.”
“How many have we been able to discover?”
“In my opinion, none. Maybe one, if you’re considering what Hannah told us about Abel and Ruth. Let’s question another family member now. If we’re lucky, we may find out another secret the family is hiding.”
“Who should I call in?”
“The next person on the list is the foul-mouthed Ruth Brown.”
When Daniel left, Lot lit a cigarette, and with the first healing puffs of smoke, he settled himself benignly against the chair. He knew Ruth would be a tough suspect to interrogate.