Alex ran all the way from the cell and screamed out Lisa’s name. Patrick saw him and smiled.
“Nice meeting you in person. I am investigator Patrick. Your wife could not make it back with us. She suffered a panic attack but I don’t think it was a bad one. Jane is tending to her,” Patrick informed him.
“Shit!” Alex gritted out and ran out of the station.
“You can’t go yet! There are documents you must sign and other instructions..” a policeman shouted.
“Let him go,” detective Jude intervened. “I will fix what I can on his behalf. He will be back tomorrow to fix all that he should. I am his PA,” Benny added.
“If he really loves his wife why did he create all this mess,” Patrick thought as he watched Alex flee from the station.
Alex alighted right in front of his house. He paid the taxi driver and rushed in.
Lisa laid asleep on the couch in the living room. Alex knelt beside her and gathered her in his arms.
“Alex, she is asleep,” Jane complained. “Leave that to me,” Alex said in a low tone but Lisa’s eyes flung open. They looked tired and disoriented.
“l am glad you are home,” she said weakly. Alex kissed her on the forehead and held her tighter.
“It worked out. The investigator got some witnesses. I did not know the details yet. I had to rush down,” Alex said and brushed his thumb over her eye brow.
“Good to know,” Lisa responded with a smile.
“It amazes me how you easily forgive me. My misdeeds are enormous but you took me back, trusted me and loved me again and again… I love you dearly,” Alex muttered and captured her lips in his.
Lisa’s eyes welled up with tears. “You were brutal, you killed me again and again,” she muttered and her tears spilled.
Alex swiped the tears from each eye with a quick swipe of his thumb. “l am sorry baby. I won’t ever let go. Not anymore,” he apologized again and again.
Alex felt weird, he wanted to scream out loud to the world that the fragile woman cuddled up in his arms could pull down mountains. He almost lost her. He had indeed lost her but she walked back into his life and bathed him with the love he never deserved. It took a great journey for him to realize she was a priceless jewel.
Lisa cried her heart content and slept off peacefully in the arms of her husband. She was safe and secured.
Alex held her and looked deep into her soul. Regret flooded his mind as all his escapades flashed through his head. “All thanks to Jane for being a good friend. She made me see my filthiness,” Alex thought and smiled at Jane who continued to watch the two love birds.
The two were lost in their world. Jane watched on with fascination. She was happy for Lisa.
******
“We are bringing in the director of Dec and the director of Lense Clinic. Mr Alex might be summoned again if need be. We released him because we did not have any concrete evidence pointing him as the murderer. The witnesses here provided evidences and statements that showed Alex isn’t possibly the murderer but no concrete evidence that he isn’t,” Detective Jude said to Benny and Patrick.”
“Can I come around to witness the interrogation tomorrow?” Patrick asked. “You are welcome,” the detective responded.
*****
“You did it!” Jane shouted and flung herself into Patrick’s embrace as he walked in from the police station.
“Common Jane,” Patrick said with discomfort and pulled Jane out of his embrace immediately.
Jane seemed unaware of his discomfort as she pressed a kiss on Patrick’s cheeks.
“You don’t realize how grateful l am. You saved us from a great mess,” Jane said happily.
“It’s my job. How is Lisa now?” Patrick responded. “Fine. She’s been sleeping all the while.”
“Good day,” Jane detached herself from Patrick and greeted Benny who was just behind patrick. He disregarded her greetings and followed after Patrick.
Jane watched the two as they walked in. She remained within the compound and waited for Benny to make his way out.
“l am happy with the way things turned out. It Seems it will all be in our favor. Thanks for your hard work,” Alex responded after listening to Patrick’s briefing.
“Not so quick. We don’t have concrete that you ain’t the murderer. The witnesses’ testimonies are not enough. I pray the interrogation with Dec and Lense Clinic would turn out in our favor. There is no doubt, both would deny such allegations but we have an upper hand. Texts and emails about their transactions are right on Marie’s phone. The last message where Lense Clinic threatened her is in there too.” Patrick responded.
“I think this will really be in big favor of the company. We would get our insurance paid and both companies would face the law for illegal acquisition of data. It’s surely a blessing in disguise.” Benny added and rose to his feet. “I need to be back at the office,” he said and bowed as he took his leave.
Benny walked out but he wasn’t alone. Alex and Patrick were with him. Jane hissed but did not give up. She crept out of the gate and walked a short distance ahead.
Benny finally pulled out of the compound and settled to drive off. He saw a seemingly crazy woman standing ahead. He hit the horn but she stood rooted in a spot.
“Did she have a death wish or what?! Some crazy lunatics!” He shouted and came to a screeching stop just a few distance away from the woman. Benny rushed out angrily. His anger spiked immediately he recognized Jane.
“Are you crazy?! You’re out of your mind?! You wanna die?!” Benny dragged her roughly and flung her towards the car bonnet.
“Why this shit?!” He demanded.
“We’ve got to talk,” Jane responded.
“We? Do you mean me?”
“Of course, who else is here?”
“About what!? You wanna tell me how sweet your boyfriend was or what? I am fucking done with whatever we had!”
“What!? Fine! I am not even sure we had anything going either. Cut me some slacks kid!” Jane fired and walked away. She was clearly infuriated.
Benny banged the bonnet and got into the car. He drove away angrily.
Jane marched in angrily. She was indeed angry at Benny. She contemplated calling Jeff but shrugged it off. She wasn’t ready to talk about their night together.
******
Jeff sat with bottles. He had resorted to drinking. It was hard to realize that Jane could cut him off. She had refused all his calls and she wasn’t in her house.
She meant a lot to him now and for the first time he had given his all without taking advantage nor feeling superior.
He had apologized when he noticed her dissatisfaction but what did she do? He was just a garbage to her and she had thrown him back to the slum where he belongs.
He had to drink his fantasies to oblivion. “It’s all over now,” his friends pulled his legs.
****
The premises of Lense Clinic and Dec were raided in the early hours of the next day. The director of Lense Clinic and the president of Dec were arrested and brought to the station.
The director of Lense Clinic was outrightly accused of which he denied. He also denied all transactions they had with Marie.
“There are texts and emails in Marie’s phone that say otherwise,” Detective Jude said and brought Marie’s phone to the director’s nose.
******
Lisa returned in after her husband and Patrick had left for the station. Jane had volunteered to help prepare the kids for school alongside Margaret.
It felt like a dream yesterday when Alex apologized. She was long overdue for such a heartfelt apology. She remembered the apology and smiled at intervals.
She checked through her phone and sprang up suddenly.
Her sweet smile was gone. “Jane!” She called out. “There is a matter I need to fix urgently at my store, I need to go now.”
“You ain’t even dressed. You look like a ghost” Jane complained. “I will be back soon,” Lisa responded and walked out.
Jane watched Lisa leave. She wondered what was so pressing that made her run down to her store without caring about her looks. She even neglected her car. Jane felt like following after her.
Just then, Sammy called from within. “Miss Jane! Cheeseburger please!”
“Yeah dear, I’m on it,” Jane responded and returned to the kid.
Lisa walked cautiously to a lone ATM on the roadside. The maximum amount that could be withdrawn daily was a million dollars. Her heart bled as she made the cash withdrawal. Her account was almost red.
She stuffed the notes neatly in a polythene bag and crossed to the other side of the road. She made her way down the road and soon entered the untarred road as described in the mail.
She clutched tightly to the polythene bag and walked cautiously. The path was deserted and she met just a few people on the way.
She got to Beggars Quarters; an area largely dominated by beggars and homeless people. She walked downwards as it was stated in the mail.
Suddenly some beggars started closing in on her. They were not less than 20. They were dirty and smelled obnoxiously. Lisa was scared, she was surrounded and could not move back or forth.
Suddenly, someone tugged at the polythene bag and it was gone.