Chapter 4: Aunty Morayo's Visit

The old detective still no gree.

E knock table with finger, e eyes sharp like eagle:

Every knock na warning, like when mama dey beat yam for pounded yam. I dey watch am, dey wonder if he go faint.

"E get reason. Where reason dey, result go show. Ngozi, if you talk true, maybe your punishment go soft small."

The way e talk, e dey beg me, but na as elder dey beg stubborn goat. I dey see tiredness for e face. Still, I no move.

"Punishment go soft?"

I look him serious face, hiss like say e dey talk rubbish:

"Oga police, una dey do IQ test? I kill over hundred people, you dey talk soft punishment? You dey craze?"

I use street language, add pepper for insult. I dey push am to see if e go vex break character.

"No hope for you!"

The old detective vex, waka comot, face be like person wey wan vomit.

E nearly fall for door, e balance, then waka fast. For my mind, I count three people wey don run. Who go last?

Another one don run because of anger.

I cross my leg, dey wait. I know say dem no fit break me.

Tch. E no even sweet.

For my mind, this one no reach anything. I dey expect more.

When the interrogation room open again, three hours don waka.

I nearly sleep for chair, na hunger dey keep me awake. The sound of key for door loud. I adjust my posture, ready for next round.

This time, police bring one old face join.

As she enter, old perfume mix with dust, the smell remind me of school assembly hall. My mind quick remember childhood.

Na my class teacher, Aunty Morayo.

Na she wey teach me how to write English letter, wey dey buy chin-chin for me if I pass spelling. Her wrapper dey always clean, her voice dey calm like evening rain. Even now, her hair still dey neat, just small gray for front.

I think say she go look me like the rest, but as she see me, she just burst cry.

Her cry no be small—e loud, e pain me. Her face squeeze, her hand dey shake. Na the type of cry wey only teacher fit cry for pikin wey she love.

"Ngozi, why you do this kind thing?"

She rush come hug me, dey sob so tey she no fit talk well:

Na her tears wet my shirt, her body cold, she dey hold me like lost pikin. Her sob dey drag, people for corridor fit hear. For her mind, maybe na still her Ngozi dey there, not this stranger.

"E get reason, abi? Good pikin, if anything dey worry you, tell teacher, abeg. Teacher no believe say you fit do this kind thing."

Her voice dey soft, dey break inside. For my mind, I dey remember as she go share pencil for class, dey say, "Who do their assignment?" She believe say even devil fit change if you talk soft.

As I dey hear her broken voice, I look up see one big man for door, my mouth twist with small laugh:

I dey mock the drama, dey see if police go try another method. I dey wait if dem go bring pastor or juju priest next.

"So, now wey all my people don die, una bring teacher? Since beating no work, una wan try beg-beg?"

My words sharp, I dey use am chase her away. For my mind, I dey ask myself if anything dey move me at all again.

The man eyes deep, e bring chair sit down:

E wear suit, big glasses, pen for pocket. The smell of strong cologne mix with station dust.

"My name na Mr. Ibrahim, Deputy Director for Criminal Investigation. This case don cause wahala everywhere—too bad. From now, na me go handle your matter."

His voice deep, slow. You go know say na oga. For his face, I see worry, but e dey hide am. Na person wey don see bad thing for work before.

So na the big oga police come.

Everybody for corridor dey whisper. I notice as small police dey peep, dey tap each other.

I just turn face, flex my wrist wey the handcuff don injure:

My wrist red, the iron dey pain me. But I use am distract myself, no show weakness.

"Teacher, abeg stand up."

Aunty Morayo stiff small, then stand, eyes red. Mr. Ibrahim tap table with pen, the sound hard like judge hammer:

The knock echo for small room, scatter my thought small. For court, na so judge dey do before e sentence person.

"Ngozi, your result dey top, your school record clean. Everybody for school dey praise you."

I hear pride for his voice, like say him dey regret. For police, good student na rare case for crime.

"Even your mind test show say you no get wahala—no sign say you dey mad. You say you no get reason to do am? I no believe."

The way him eye dey sharp, e be like person wey dey search for gold for river sand. E no gree make I dodge.

E eyes sharp like blade.

E dey cut through my pretense, dey search for true me. My heart beat small fast, but I no show am.

But as I fit clear whole village without fear, why I go fear this one?

For my mind, I don see bigger evil pass him. Police or not, na ordinary human being.

"No be evidence police dey use? If you feel say I dey lie, show me proof. I don talk finish. I just dey help society."

I dey throw challenge, like say na argument for beer parlour. I wan make them tire for my matter.

"Ngozi, you dey okay for school. Why—"

"Abeg, enough!"

I cut Aunty Morayo sharp sharp.

My voice sharp, my face cold. I no wan hear her pity, no wan remember old days. I dey push her go away, protect myself.

"No need beg for here. Abeg, waka."

I no even look her face again. I dey chase her away with my eyes.

She shake for my bloodshot eye, bite lip, then finally waka comot as Mr. Ibrahim nod.

Her step slow, her back bend small. You go know say heartbreak dey her body. Na so old women dey walk when wahala full their heart.

As she dey go, my mind calm small.

The noise for my brain reduce. For small second, I remember as she dey plait my hair after school. The feeling pass quick.

When I look up, Mr. Ibrahim dey watch me steady, like say e wan read my mind:

E just dey observe, no talk, no blink. The silence dey heavy, na only clock dey tick.

"Good student, nothing bad for record, suddenly kill plenty people."

E talk as e pull some paper from file—na my sketches during interrogation.

The sketches na rough drawing—compound, family tree, chemical bottle. E dey try find clue for my madness.

"I no go lie, your mind strong, you sabi dodge police pass your age."

I no fit hide small smile. For my mind, na compliment.

"But your body small-small reaction no dey lie."

E dey look my finger wey dey tap table, my left leg wey dey shake. Na so old police sabi catch lie.

"Ngozi, you dey lie."

E talk sure, e eyes dey confident—like say e dey see through me.

E no dey shake, e voice sure. My own mind dey wonder if e fit break me.

But I just laugh for mind.

Inside me, na laugh dey roll. E no go reach.

"Oga police, with your type for office, una sure say una never run out of staff?"

I dey mock, dey tease am, make e vex. I dey enjoy the show.

Mr. Ibrahim no answer my insult. E just continue:

E carry face go file, act like say I no talk anything. For my mind, I dey rate am—maybe e strong pass others.

"I lie?"

E push me small, dey wait my reaction. My heart cold, my eye dey sharp.

"Okay, you try."

The new police wey dey write note shock say I agree so easy.

The boy nearly drop biro, e mouth open. Even Mr. Ibrahim look surprise small.

I look clock, then face Mr. Ibrahim:

The small wall clock tick, time don dey pass. For my mind, I dey enjoy how dem dey scatter.

"Na you be boss here. If you gree one thing, I go talk true."

I throw my bait, see if dem go bite. I dey in control for now.

"Murderer like you dey make demand? You dey craze! Deputy Director Ibrahim, abeg no answer her. Who know wetin she dey plan."

The young police voice dey high, e dey shake. E fear say I fit run if dem listen to me.

Mr. Ibrahim just raise eyebrow, ignore the angry one.

E balance for chair, rub chin. Na person wey like to take risk.

After small think, e talk:

E no rush, e voice calm. For my mind, I dey respect small.

"Talk. If na to reduce punishment, forget am. No possible."

E dey warn me—no try trick. I nod, show say I hear.

I smile.

If to say I fear death, I for no do all this.

My smile wide, my teeth show. For my mind, na game wey I dey play.

"I no want soft punishment. I just wan go outside."

My voice low, but sure. I dey test their power.