THE SERIAL MASK BY MORUFAT AJANI CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

 THE SERIAL MASK BY MORUFAT AJANI

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Then Hanan finally says, “Did you deny the accusation at the station and try to make them believe you? I mean like you are doing to me now?” Akin shakes his head, meaning, no, he didn't.

“Why?” Hanan asks.

Akin tilts his head,and narrows his eyes slightly. “What’s the point? People believe what they want to believe. The louder you scream innocence, the more guilty you look.”

His tone is soft, but there’s still this strange calmness in his voice that unsettles Hanan.

“I’m not going to deny the accusation to the police or anyone again. I have done that enough. If they insist I am the culprit, then they should prove it.” Akin says, sounding even more confident and nonchalant, making Hanan wonder even more.

“But why me? I..I… mean why are you denying it to me?” She asks curiously.

He stares at her deeply now. The question caught him off guard. Then he says,

“Because it's you… I just want you alone to believe otherwise even if the world believes the police. You believing in me is enough for me.” Akin says and Hanan's body shivers and her heart skips a beat.

Me? Only me? Why? Or..Oh, wait…Is this guy trying to seduce me? I mean, does he want to seduce me, get close to me, not for love but for whatever reason best known to him?  If that is his motive at this moment, it is working because why on earth did that statement sound like a love confession to me? I must be mad. And now that I know seducing me might be his plan, then he’s failed.

“Me? Why?” Akin looks at Hanan for a few while like reading her and then he nods, saying,

“Yes. You.” He pauses for a moment and adds,

“See, let's forget about my own conversation. Let's talk about yours. What do you want to discuss with me?”

There’s a long silence. Hanan breathe in and out heavily and starts,

“They’ve asked me to resume at the force again.”

Hearing that, Akin’s face twitches for a second and his posture straightens. “Resume?”

“Yes.”

“You mean… going.. back to your police work?” He sounds so surprised.

“But you already resigned. How..How is that even possible?”

“Yes. My resignation letter wasn't processed then. So I was invited to come back.  It's a long story.” As if Akin has interest in the long story. He doesn't at all.

“So because you are invited, you think it's wise to go back? I don't think so.” Akin says, looking and sounding harsh and worked up causing Hanan to furrows her face.

“Why?” Her tone is sharper now.

Akin leans forward on the table, looking so serious. “See, listen to me. You don’t need to go back there. Whatever you’re looking for at that detective work, I can give it to you here. Money? I’ll triple your salary. Make you the director of this place if that’s what you want. Just… don’t go back there. Please.” He pleads and Hanan’s eyes narrowed, confused for the twentieth time since thay start this conversation.

Triple my salary? Director? Why is he suddenly this desperate? Why is it so important to him that I shouldn't go back? And who the hell does he think he is to dictate my life for me? Because he helps me? No, that's not enough reason to take over my life. Or is this actually his plan? He never wants me to go back? But why?

“Why?” she asks, holding back the urge to question the way he is sounding like her dictator.

“It's dangerous, Hanan. That place and that case is dangerous. It’s not safe at all.  You’ve already survived enough. Don’t put yourself at more risk. If you stay here with me, I will…” Hanan is so angry now, thinking,

Who do you think you are to stop me from going back to my job? This is an opportunity that's so rare in life. An opportunity to find my sister's k!ller. And you think you can convince me not to take it? This is serious.

Hanan stands quietly, she wants to respect him till the end, being her helper.

“I appreciate your concern, sir. But I’ve made up my mind.” Hanan says but as she is about to leave,

Akin nods slowly but angrily, he leans back in his chair and says,

“Then don’t cry wolf when you are being punished. Especially not in my watch. A word is enough for the wise.”

Hearing that, Hanan freezes.

“What did you say? What does that mean?”

Akin blinks. “You heard me. Now leave my office.” He shouts at Hanan at the top of his voice, sounding so angry.

Hanan is now more intensely confused than angry. She doesn't even know what to say.

Why on earth is this guy angry? What concerns him about my life, whether I go back to work or not? Or could it be that he doesn't want me to go back so I won't be the one to catch him? I don't want to believe he's a murderer but why is he acting suspicious? Why is he solidifying the doubt in my mind?

Hanan bites her lips angrily and steps out of Akin’s office.

****

It's midnight of the day Leila plans to kidnap Moyo. It's 3:12am and she's unable to sleep a wink. She's lying in her bed with her eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling like it’s mocking her. Her thoughts are crawling all over the place, fast, tangled, impossible to hold still. She keeps whispering to herself:

It's what I must do. And I must do it right. I mustn't make any mistakes.

She rehearses everything again. The walk. The tone of voice and the lie she’ll tell. She keeps reminding herself the name she used the day she went to make enquiry over and over again so she won't forget. She even printed a fake birth certificate for Moyo in case they asked for proof of her knowing Moyo.

By morning, after Badru leaves for the shop, Leila dresses carefully, not too flashy, not too poor. She wants to look like the kind of woman who blends in. She didn't go overboard like the day she went to make enquiries about the creche. She wears a modest gown, plain brown flats, a pastel pink scarf neatly tied over her head.

But under all that composure, her stomach is a knot of thorns. She's feeling so anxious.

By 3:45pm, she’s already parked down the street from the creche, two buildings away, just out of view of the gate. Her hands are trembling so badly she can barely zip her bag. She grips the steering wheel, mutters  under her breath.

“Leila, get yourself together. You can do it. Go now before that retard woman comes and picks her daughter.”

By 4:00pm, she steps out of the car and walks toward the gate.

She walks to the reception like the last time. “Hi. I came to pick up my sister's daughter. She asked me to do so.”

The young lady behind the desk looks up. “Name, ma?”

“Moyo. Moyo Badru.” Hearing the name, the receptionist furrows her face.

“Moyo Badru?” She asks Leila.

“Yes, that's her name.” Leila says with a gentle smile plaster on her face but deep inside, she's dying of anxiety.

The receptionist glances at the pickup register. Her eyes pause. Then she frowns.

“We don't have any children of that name here. Or do you mean Moyo Kolawole.” Hanan doesn't register Moyo with Badru's.

Hearing that, Leila brows raises and then she smiles immediately.

“Ha, yes. Yes. Yes. I forgot that her mother uses our surname to register her.”

“Please hold on, ma. I need to confirm something.”

Leila’s heart is skipping. She's so shaking and sweating now. But she keeps the same soft smile. Hands resting lightly on the counter.

The lady opens a book, searches for a name on it, then stands up and walks inside telling Leila she's coming. She comes back almost immediately with another creche Aunty, Aunty Yejide.

“Good afternoon ma. I heard you are here to pick Moyo.”

“Yes ma. Her mother is so busy at work that she asked me to pick her up. Her name is Moyo Kolawole.

“Are you sure her surname is Kolawole ma.” Aunt Yejide asks and Leila nods instantly.

“Yes nah. Her mother registered her with our surname Kolawole due to the fact that she has issues with her father.”

Why on earth am I explaining this far? Leila, just be answering her questions simply to avoid making mistakes. And why on earth is she asking me too many questions?

“I will need to call her mother to confirm you are actually from her.” Aunt Yejide says and Leila’s heart pounds suddenly in her chest, causing her pain over there.

Calling who? Ha! How come I didn't even think about that? Ha. Of course, they will have the mother’s number. I am too dumb o. What kind of mess is this? And I can't even use this fake birth certificate because the surname isn't Badru as I predicted. Ha, I am in trouble. Why on earth did I choose this plan?

Leila breathes in and out deeply and tells herself to calm down and says something.

“Ha, you don't need to call Hanan. I told you she's busy at work. And she sent me here because she doesn't want any disturbance.” She says with an obvious nervous laugh. She can't hide her anxiety anymore. Premium fear is going on in her mind.

With what Leila says, Aunt Yejide laughs out loud, confusing Leila.

Why is he laughing? Am I cracking a joke? Do I say something funny? Or is she running mad?

Leila thinks and then suddenly Aunt Yejide holds Leila's hand tightly and says,

“Aunty Klara. Please call the police. She's a kidnapper.” Hearing that, Leila's eyes widen in shock and she start dragging her hand with Aunt Yejide, saying,

“What do you mean I am a kidnapper? I am not. I am only here to help her mother pick her. I am Hanan Kolawole’s sister. My name is Halirah Kolawole.”

“Really?” Aunt Yejide asks and Leila nods continuously saying, “Yes now.”.

“First of all, you came here days ago to enquire about our crèche saying you want to enroll your daughter. Aunt Klara recognizes you. That day, you mentioned your name to be Caroline Evans. But today, you are…what did you call your name now… ehn…Halirah Kolawole.” Hanan cuts in.

“Ha. No. That wasn't me. I am not the one…”

“Keep shut.” Aunt Yejide yells at her and then continues,

“And also, Moyo’s surname isn't Kolawole. Aunt Klara changes the name to confirm if you're really her Aunt or if you are really sent by the parents. That's how our staff here are trained. So tell me how come you didn't know your niece’s surname.”

The receptionist is already calling the police.

Leila's body becomes calm, she blinks rapidly like a salted worm. When she sees that the issue is getting serious, she starts begging,

“Please don't call the police. I am not going to hurt her. I just want to…” Before she can finish what she's saying, Aunt Yejide throws a dirty slap at her. And then returns the face with another one. Leila falls to the ground and scatters. She rushes into her knees, and continues begging.

“Please, don't turn me in. Please mention any amount. I will pay you. Please don't call the police…” She's crying and sweating.

As they are talking, someone comes in and asks Aunt Yejide what's going on. As Aunt Yejide turns to explain to him, Leila realizes her attention is shifts from her and she bolts immediately, running out like her life depends on it. And yes, her life does depend on it. Her shoes are gone. She's running like a mad dog.

“Hey! Hey!” Auntie Yejide yells, chasing after her.

Leila races out the gate. The security guard tries to block her, but she swings low and slides past him. She dashes into the street, horn blaring. A keke nearly hits her.

People are shouting behind her, but she doesn’t turn. She sprints across the road, then ducks into an alley, panting, sweating, scarf slipping from her head. She dives into the backyard of a paint shop and crouches behind a stack of wooden crates, trying not to make a sound.

Her chest is rising and falling violently. She clutches her bag to her chest.

After ten minutes, when it seems no one’s around and she's calm, she slips into the back streets, weaves through stalls, and blends into the crowd until she vanishes.

She doesn’t go home. She sits at one primary school very far from the creche, thinking about how and when to go back and carry Badru's car. Though she parks it far from the creche, like three buildings away, she still doesn't want to gamble and goes back there thinking what if the police are parading around, looking for her.

Twenty minutes have passed and her entire body is still shaking. Her head feels like it’s underwater. Her throat is dry, her legs are sore from running, and her mind is screaming at her.

She later thinks of a way to get the car. She enters a boutique, buys clothes and wears them. And also she buys nose masks to disguise very well. She goes and picks the car about two or three hours later.

***

At the creche, after running after her and losing her, Aunt Yejide almost cried. She can't believe she lost someone who wanted to kidnap their student just like that. And the worst is the reception CCTV is no longer working so they didn't capture the moment. There isn't any evidence to back up their claims even if they want to follow the case.

“Who will understand it wasn't intentional. Who will believe we didn't intentionally let her go. This will definitely tarnish the image of this creche and might even get us sacked. Don't answer whoever asks what that woman did if anyone asks why they were chasing her earlier. Let's keep the issue to ourselves. Thank God, she wasn't successful. We will be more careful though.” Aunt Yejide says to Aunt Klara, tells her to seal her mouth and tells no one about the issue.

***

Leila just keeps thanking her creature that she was able to escape. She couldn't believe she actually could escape.

Then the next day, Leila is walking around the estate in the evening, hoping to clear her head. Her legs feel heavy, and she’s dragging them along the quiet road.

She's thinking about the issue that happened yesterday and how she failed woefully at the kidnap and even almost getting herself in trouble. The thought of how dumb she was for using a whole three days to plan the kidnap but didn't think about the call confirmation and all. She’s feeling so sick and sad about it to the point that it's making her head bang.

She's then thinking of another way to seek her revenge but she just can't think of any ways to get at Hanan and Badru except by kidnapping Moyo. She feels Moyo is the only thing that connects those two. And she wants to use one stone to k!ll two beds.

There's no way I can get that girl now. I have already fucked the opportunity up. The security at the creche will tighten around her and I will for sure get caught if I try anything funny again. But what can I do, especially to Hanan? She was the one who cursed me and turned Badru's eyes away from me, making him want to marry her again. It's jazz, I am hundred percent sure about that. Because if it's not, how can someone just hate someone like that in just a day of moving together. It is definitely not ordinary.

As all this is going on in her mind, suddenly, an idea strikes her mind.

Can't I jazz her too? I can also visit a herbalist and tell them to make her life miserable, or even k!ll her if they can. Anything at all. She should just stay away from my marriage. I am sure everything will go back to normal between me and Badru if she's gone. Should I try this plan? If it works then good for me.

She considered the thought and decided to execute but the problem now is where she can find a herbalist who can do such a thing for her. She can't think of any because she has never had an encounter with any of them. Then suddenly, she remembers one herbalist around her mother's house. She feels so happy and energetic as she recollects the man and she decides to visit him.

I won't ask for too much. Just for him to make Hanan become paralyzed or go crazy and run to the market. But if she dies in the process, I won't mind. She does it first. She jazzed me first so no one should blame me for retaliating.

Who knows, maybe she's even the reason I lost my womb. Maybe she intensified the jazz for Badru to beat me mercilessly and lose my baby and also my womb.

At the thought of her lost womb, tears well up in her eyes and she looks so sad immediately.

So I won't give birth in this life. So I will just come to this life and pass through it like a snake that passes through a rock without impact. Ha, I won't agree. I will seek revenge. I won't access this injustice. I will avenge my lost child and the one that I would have still born with my womb afterwards.

Tears stream down her cheeks and she cleans it with the handkerchief in her hand. She's walking aimlessly.

Then a car slows down beside her and stops. The window rolls down. A soft, steady voice says, “Excuse me… sorry if this sounds forward, but are you okay?”

Leila blinks fast. Her throat tightens. For a second, it feels like someone just reached into her chest and touched the part of her that’s been breaking in silence. Her eyes sting. She almost bursts into tears again. The voice soothes her mind and then when she looks at the guy’s face, her heart starts beating rapidly for him.

He asks if I’m okay. Why? Does he like me? Leila feels drawn to the guy immediately. She shakes her head quickly, trying to bring herself back to her senses.

How can I just conclude that a total stranger likes me? Maybe he’s only concerned. And even that little concern is something. I guess this is what they call affection at first sight.

The man steps out of the car, Leila melts.

He’s clean, calm, and well-dressed. No flash, no arrogance in his face. Just soft eyes, a confident presence, and a gentle smile that isn’t trying too hard.

“My name is Akinola Bello. I’m a therapist. I live around here. I’ve seen you a few times. You always look… sad.”

Leila lets out a half-laugh, half-sigh. She doesn’t know what to say. She’s caught off guard, but it feels nice to see someone who actually cares for her for a while now.

They stand by the roadside talking for a few minutes. Nothing deep. Just small talk. Easy words. And then they exchange numbers.

But when Leila gets home, she can’t stop thinking about Akin.

They start talking on the phone. Chatting, a phone call. Then long conversations that stretch into the night. And within just a week, they are so deep in it and have started dating.

Leila believes it’s love. She wants to believe it. She thinks Therapist Akinola Bello genuinely cares for her, maybe even loves her. Even though she doesn't know if her own affection for him is love too, he's taking away his sorrow, loneliness and even the will to revenge. She doesn't even have a chance to think about Hanan or Moyo or even pay attention to Badru abuse anymore. She's just so happy with the full attention that Therapist Akinola Bello is giving her.

But does Therapist Akinola Bello actually love her? What's his motive for approaching Leila too?