THE SERIAL MASK BY MORUFAT AJANI CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

 THE SERIAL MASK BY MORUFAT AJANI

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Meanwhile, the chief detective watches their conversation unfold. He doesn't want to scold detective Precious in the presence of the civilian so he waits till the conversation is over and then calls her to his office. He warns her to stop harassing the suspect and that if she does it again, he will sack her from the case.

“Yes, sir.” Precious says and then the chief ask her to tell her details about how to find Hanan. Precious does as he says, after which he takes his car key immediately and leaves his office.

He drives straight to Akin Therapy Center.

As he pulls up, the chief steps out and dials Hanan’s number, downstairs and Hanan’s phone rings.

Seeing the chief’s name on her phone’s screen, she freezes. Her heart pounds so hard in her chest.

What is going on? Why is the chief calling me?

She thinks to herself before picking the call.

“Hello, I am outside the therapy center where you work, will you please come.” The chief says impatiently and Hanan says, “yes sir” and picks the race immediately.

Getting downstairs, she walks toward him, looking confused but respectful. “Good afternoon, sir,” she says,

“Good afternoon, Hanan. Come with me. I’d like to speak with you privately.” the chief replies and Hanan nods. Not minding leaving the therapy center to the security alone. She get in the car and they drive to the nearest coffee shop.

Hanan is nervous but composed. She doesn’t know what to expect but something tells her this isn’t just a casual visit, there is definitely a tangible reason for doing so.

“I didn't call you once since you resigned because you said you want to quit your job to focus on your marriage. What changed? I mean why are you working at that Therapy Center?”

Hanan hesitates. Her hands are locked together on the table, and she draws in a slow breath.

“It’s a long story, sir,” she says. She looks down shamefully.

“Tell me.” The chief says and Hanan begins.

“My ex-husband divorced me.” Hanan says and the chief furrows his face in disbelief.

“Uhn?” The man says and Hanan nods.

“Why?” He asks,

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“Hmmm. It's a long story sir.” She says again, not wanting to talk about the matter and open her almost healed wound. The chief detective nods, understanding she doesn't want to talk much about it. Hanan continues,

“After the divorce, everything went dark for me. I lost my home and my confidence. It felt like life swallowed me whole. I was trying to survive… barely. Then one day, my boss approached me and gave me this job.”

At the mention of Akin approaching Hanan, the chief says,

“Akin Bello approached you and gave you this job himself without applying for it?”

“Yes.” Hanan says, holding back to ask the hundred questions in her mind about Therapist Akinola Bello.

The chief speaks. “I’m not surprised you ended up getting divorce. Any man who asked his wife to quit her job against her wish is not a good man. And you… You shouldn’t have thrown your career away in the first place because of a man who will probably use your joblessness against you later, who might later call you a hopeless dependent wife. You really made a mistake. A huge one.” As he is talking, Hanan's head is down, feeling bad for herself and hating her decision over and over again.

The chief pauses for a moment then continues.

“Well, I am sure God has a reason for everything. And this divorce, I am sure it's a blessing in disguise. You were one of the best detectives I’ve ever worked with. You still are.”

Sitting up straighter, the chief adds, “resume work.”

The words land heavy on Hanan's heart. She looks up slowly in disbelief and asks. “Sir?  Did you just say that? Did you mean that?” Her heart is gearing up with excitement even though she's still unsure if she actually hears him correctly.

“Yes. I mean it. Resume work. Tomorrow if possible.” he repeats with a nod.”

Hanan's jaw drops slightly and she widens her eyes in shock. “Sir, are you serious? How is that possible sir?”

Hanan asks, almost peeing in her pants out of excitement. She is so excited to the point that she's scared this might actually be a dream. She finds herself praying to God inwardly that it shouldn't be a dream.

“I never processed your resignation letter,”

“Why, sir,” She sounds incredulous.

“Because my mind never lets you go. You're such an intelligent person so I thought leaving this job would be a waste. And also, at that moment, I had a feeling you’d come back. And truthfully, nobody handles the serial k!ller case like you. Since you left, Ola has taken the lead and if I’m being honest, it’s been chaos, mistakes upon mistakes, misjudgments and dead ends.”

The words sink into Hanan's mind and her eyes glisten with tears of disbelief, and her lips tremble with a smile of happiness.

“Thank you, sir,” she says breathlessly, standing up and saluting instinctively.

“Thank you so much. I swear, I won’t disappoint you again.”

“I’m counting on that,” the chief replies with a slight grin and Hanan nods.

She sits back down and suddenly, she puts her head on the table and starts sobbing. It's unlike Hanan not to act unprofessional at a time like this but she can't just help it. She's just so emotional and grateful to God.

After recently, that she applied for the police job and got rejected, she had lost hope in the job forever. Not knowing that Allah has another plan in the corner for her. A better plan than the one she desires. She's just so happy.

The chief hands her a handkerchief and she uses it to clean her tears after thanking the chief detective.

After a while, Hanan stops crying, clears her throat and leans forward. “Sir… please. I need to ask you some questions. How did Therapist Akinola Bello become the serial k!ller suspect? I’ve been working with him for less than a week but… I still can’t wrap my head around it. What exactly happened?”

The chief sighs.

Let me ask you this first. You said earlier that he approached you and gave you the job?”

“Yes, sir,” she replies.

“He told me he was grateful for a case I helped him solve a long time ago. A told me about the case but i couldn't remember him. But at that time, I was so desperate to get a job, so I accepted it without much questions.”

“I believe you are aware he was invited for questioning today.” Hanan nods.

“Okay, good. I don't think he approached you because of good heart. He definitely has a motive. I think he probably sought you out on purpose?”

Hanan blinks. “What do you mean, sir?”

“I’m saying… this isn’t the first time he’s been on our radar. During your time away, something happened and Akin became our prime suspect in the serial k!ller case. We had solid circumstantial evidence back then, similar victim profiles. It was strong enough to build a case and we did.”

Hanan who is staring in disbelief at him since he's talking finally says. “But… Why wasn't he prosecuted? Why isn't he in jail right now?”

“He was about to. But everything changed when he hired a top-tier lawyer. A few pieces of evidence got discredited due to supposed procedural errors. The judge dismissed the case entirely. So we were forced to let him go.”

“And now?” she asks.

“We found a dead body in the river,” the chief says darkly. “The victim received a message and a phone call from Akin just one hour before his death. We recovered his phone and the timestamp was there. But Akin’s phone shows nothing. It’s been wiped clean. And also, from his office CCTV we found out he had a blood stain on his clothes but his lawyer insisted it was a red paint.

Hanan’s face begins to lose its colour.

“That’s not even the worst part,” the chief continues.

“The fact that he purposely offered you a job is suspicious. The moment I heard that, I knew this wasn't a chance. It’s either he’s watching you… or he’s using you for something.”

Hanan swallows hard, reasoning the chief words and finding them to be the truth. Her mind flashes back to the day he gave her the house, and then the blood stain in his shirt at that same day the victim died and almost the same hour.

Her breath becomes shaky. She's so speechless.

The chief detective stares at her. “Hanan. Since you are resuming the police job, you should quit this job. But not suddenly so that he won't be trigger to act fast. And not only that, you need to be extremely careful. I am sure he has a motive towards you. We’re still watching him, but we don’t have enough evidence yet to arrest him. So If he is who we think he is, you might be sitting in the same building with a man who’s k!lled over a dozen people.”

Hanan nods slowly.

The chief detective tells Hanan to resume work in a week. He wants to arrange some things before she resumes.

***

From the police station, Akin doesn't go straight to his office, he follows his Lawyer to his office to plan and script their next move. So at around 5pm, he returns to the office.

Hannan hasn't gone home yet. She headed back to the office after meeting the Chief detective. She's dying to ask Akin questions about the police invite and what the chief detective said. She just couldn't believe Akin is a serial k!ller. And also, he has something to discuss with him.

So at the reception, Hanan sits alone at her desk, the office unusually quiet. Her eyes are on the door, and the moment it opens, she sits up sharply.

Akin steps in, looking as calm as always. He looks nothing like someone who's been accused of serial k!lling. There’s no tension in his body, no sign of stress. He’s even pressing his phone casually, like he’s returning from a coffee date.

Hanan’s mind is in disarray. She can’t stop herself from thinking. Even though Akin looks like he's actually guilty of the accusation, Hanan still doesn't want to believe it. She subconsciously shakes her head,

No. No. He can’t be the one. Not this kind man.  Not the man who gave me a job when everyone shut their doors. Not only that, he even housed me when I was about to end up in the street. He wipes my tears when I was at my lowest. I really don't want to believe it. Serial k!llers are always psychopaths and can't be good to people. Well, except with ulterior motives. Or could it be that he has an ulterior motive towards me? As the chief detective said, could Akin actually approached me for a reason. Could it be true?

Akin looks up from his phone and catches Hanan staring at him. He walks toward her slowly.

“Why are you looking at me like I’m a ghost? Did you see a ghost?” He jokes, a wide, charming smile on his face.

Hanan blinks, hard. She forces out a tight smile, barely hiding the war going on in her head.

He’s smiling? How can someone under suspicion for serial murder be this relaxed? How is he smiling? How is he making jokes? Could it be because he's actually guilty of the accusation, and knowing he will always go scot-free. Oh God, why is he not even beating the allegation at all?

“No sir… I was just… surprised to see you,” she says, almost whispering.

Akin’s eyes widen theatrically. “Surprised? Why? You thought I’d be jailed? That I wouldn’t come back?” He chuckles.

“Nah. It doesn’t work that way. I will always come back.”

Hanan’s heart beats faster. What does that even mean? ‘I will always come back’? Is he mocking the Nigeria policing system or is that just confidence?

She nods and says, “Yes sir. I’m glad you’re back.”

“Thank you,” Akin says casually, walking toward his office. Then he stops halfway, like something just occurs to him, and turns back slightly.

“But wait, why are you still here? It’s past 6. You haven’t gone to pick Moyo?”

“I… I called the caregiver. I told her I’d be late today. And I haven’t left because… I was waiting for you.”

“For me?” Akin asks, raising an eyebrow.

Hanan nods. “Yes sir.”

Akin shrugs a little, almost amused. “Alright then. I’ll be in my office.”

He walks in and shuts the door behind him gently.

Hanan stays seated a moment longer, then finally gathers herself and stands. She walks to Akin’s office and knocks.

“Come in,” Akin calls.

She steps in, gently closes the door behind her.

“I wanted to see you,” she says.

“Funny,” Akin says, dropping his phone on the desk and standing up slowly. “I was just about to call you too. I need to speak with you.”

He smiles slightly.

“Should I go first? Or will you go first?” He asks, hands in his pocket.

“You sir. Please go first.” Hanan says, trying to steady her voice.

Akin nods slowly.

He sits down. Hanan sits too, looking tense.

Akin adjusts in his seat, clears his throat and looks at Hanan directly in the eyes.

“I’m sure you saw the police earlier. And as a detective, even if you’re not practicing now…I’m sure you already know why they came. They can't just invite me for nothing.”

Hanan nods slowly, locking eyes with him. “Yes sir.”

Akin exhales deeply and leans back in his chair. “They accused me of being a serial k!ller.” Hearing that, Hanan’s heart skips.

He said it himself. Just like that?

He continues, “They’ve arrested me before, dragged me through court. Now they’re trying to do it again.”

Akin stares at Hanan for a moment, like he’s trying to read her thoughts. Then he leans forward a bit. “Look, Hanan… I’m not the k!ller. You have probably asked the people that came or your own colleague, and I don't know what they might have told you but I’m telling you this truth which is , ‘I am not the culprit.”

Hanan doesn’t reply immediately. Her mind is racing aggressively.

Why is he telling me this? Why is he telling me like he needs me to believe him? What's going on?