Chapter 2: The Face Behind the Crime

Na so I reach detention centre for Aba, come meet the suspect: Ifeanyi Nwosu.

Rain dey beat zinc roof, so everywhere dey smell of wet cement and old beans. Soldiers dey for gate, their face strong like people wey chop dry garri. Dem lead me go interview room. As I sidon, Ifeanyi waka in, handcuff for hand, face calm like water for morning time.

Ifeanyi Nwosu slim and tall, e fit dey early thirties, but e face still dey like person wey never finish university. Na only for e eyes you go see say e don see life – deep and calm, mature pass as e face show.

The light inside room dey dull, but I fit see the small scar wey dey run from under e left eye reach cheek. E dey look me direct, no shake. E eyes no blink, just dey burn steady, like person wey fit swallow fire. That kind look wey you go see for person wey don face serious wahala for life.

I ask am straight, why e choose me. E say e no matter.

E shrug, no blink. Like person wey no even care about the world. I just dey watch, dey try understand the riddle wey e be.

E just look me, talk say, "Barrister Musa, if you carry my case, I go tell you everything."

Na so e talk am—steady voice, no fear. E add small smile, but no joy for the smile. I dey wonder wetin e dey hide.

I tell am, "Investigation don finish and dem don already see say na you do am. Wetin remain wey you wan talk?"

I reason say maybe na to confess e want, or e get one twist for story. For my mind, I dey wish make e yarn better thing.

E say, "Plenty dey – enough to change how this case go end."

The way e talk am, confidence just dey e face. Like say e hold card wey nobody know. I fold my hand, look am well.

I quiet small, ask am, "You dey plan with person?"

E shake head. "No be that one, oga. No juju, no person dey wait outside. Na me dey here, na only me."

"No."

"You wan cause drama?"

E smile again, this time e even show teeth. "Drama? For inside this kind wahala? I no get that kind power. Barrister Musa, you dey read too many detective novel o."

I laugh small, but my body still dey on alert.

I ask am direct, "Na you kill am?"

"Yes." E answer sharp sharp.

No shaking, no stammer. E just answer like say dem ask am if e chop rice today. My mind race.

"Eh? Repeat wetin you talk."

"Na me kill am."

For two seconds, I no fit talk. My biro even fall from hand. My hand dey shake small as I dey write for jotter. Person no dey hear this kind confession every day.

I come dey interested. "I hear say since dem catch you, you never gree confess. Now you dey admit like say e no mean anything?"

Ifeanyi Nwosu just dey calm, "I get my reason why I no gree talk for police. But you be my lawyer, so I go talk true, no hide anything."

The way e yarn am, e sure say I no go use am against am. For Naija, sometimes na only your lawyer you fit trust when matter set.

"Eh, but I never even agree to carry your case." I scratch my head. "You be the main person for this murder, plus I hear say your record bad well well. This matter hard for you."

Na true talk I dey talk, because I no wan run lose-lose for court. My reputation small already, I no go let am scatter.

"No worry, I no go let you lose the case," Ifeanyi Nwosu talk, sure of himself. "And I go pay you well."

The way e talk "I go pay you well," my ear stand. I dey wonder if na jazz or na real money.

Last last, I sign the commission agreement.

I carry pen, sign paper, but my spirit still dey look back. Na so lawyer dey find trouble. My heart dey beat fast, but my hand no shake.

To be honest, my mind don already settle before I even see the guy.

For my chest, curiosity dey drag me go. As young lawyer, I still dey chop hot pepper, I no dey fear wahala. Na adventure I dey see for front.

One side, na curiosity dey push me. Another side, I still young, no dey fear say I go fail. My law journey still long – why I go limit myself now? After all, I study criminal law for school.

The excitement dey push me—this kind matter na wetin senior lawyers dey use build name. Who knows, if I handle am well, maybe na my breakthrough.

Plus, as person wey still dey try make name, to see person insist say na you e want, e sweet small.

No lie, e dey ginger person spirit to know say person see you different. For street, na respect dey push person.

My law firm no talk anything against am.

My Oga even pat my back, tell me make I try—"If e choke you, come back, no shame." Na so I collect the file, waka comot.