.

.

"Sorry ummi" Nadia muttered when Hajiya maryam grunted in pain. Nadia was applying methylated spirit on the wound Hajia Maryam gained from Alhaji Ahmad's assault.

"It'll hurt a little" Nadia said before dabbing the soaked cotton wool on the scratch close to her eyes. Hajia Maryam pressed her lips together to suppress the sensational pain she felt burning through her.

"It's all done now" Nadia uttered, she placed all the materials she used back into the first aid box before taking it back to the shelf.

"Sorry ma" Idris said from where he was seated opposite them, he was quiet throughout when Nadia was cleaning Hajia Maryam's wound because he felt angry. He imagined her being his mother, he sought refuge against shaytan to calm the burning rage that was growing in his heart. He believed only an animal would lay his hands on his woman,

"Nagode (thank you)" she smiled even though she was writhing in pain. Idris hated the fact that he had to question her at this moment, but he wanted to unravel the mystery behind the murder of his family, so he had no choice.

"Ma" Idris began, "I'm Nadia's elder brother, and I've been working towards bringing those behind my family's untimely death to justice, that's Suleiman Modibbo's family" he stood up from his seat pacing slowly in front of Hajia Maryam and Nadia, "all the evidences found pointed to only one person, and that's your son Abdallah" he muttered facing her directly like a trained prosecutor,

"my son is innocent, I promise you, my son didn't do anything, he's innocent" she cried loudly.

"Okay, I want to help your son, but you have to cooperate and answer any question I ask truthfully" Idris declared squatting in front of her. Nadia was quiet because she also wanted to know the truth.

"I'll answer, I'll answer" she replied dabbing the tears on her face with the red flowery head tie lying loosely on her head,

"okay good" Idris muttered breaking his knuckles, "your son mentioned that he didn't want to prove his innocence because you'll be hurt" he scrunched his brows before he continued "what's your relation with the case?".

The room became tensed with silence, Hajia Maryam moved her lips, but no audible words were coming out, "we are being blackmailed" she quavered, "it all started on that day, the day the incident happened, I've forgotten the exact date" Hajia Maryam stared blankly at the floor as she talked, "I was locked and tied up in a room by my husband like what happened today, I couldn't shout because my mouth was also tied up. I thought I'd die, my life started flashing before me, I felt consciousness sipping out of me. My eyes were almost closing when the locked door flew open, Abdallah came into the room with some scratches on his face, he untied me quickly. He supported my weight with his arms as he dragged me out of the room. We wanted to escape from his father that night. We hid under the table when we heard him making a call close to where we were, his words were 'the bomb has killed that bastard Suleiman modibbo'.

We didn't know how he spotted our hiding spot, it all happened in a flash, before we knew it, he was smirking at us evilly" tears trickled out of her eyes as she spoke, Nadia rubbed her back slowly to console her, "he dragged us out, I can remember how violently he slapped Abdallah on the face. He threatened that if any one of us confessed about what they heard, he'll kill the other. That's why we were quiet about it. He also threatened to kill us if we tried to escape again".

Everywhere was gloomy after Hajia Maryam's confession, Idris also felt a pang in his chest, he realized how wicked some souls are, "we have to arrest him" Nadia said agitated, she hugged hajia Maryam tightly, "how will we do that, will the police cooperate" Nadia asked again, she was apprehensive.

"No worries about that" Idris said standing up, he removed a laminated card from his back pocket pointing it to them, "I'm a senior detective, I already took permission to question some criminals, and it has been approved" Idris declared, "I'm going to arrest him now, I'll ask Harris to guard this house",

"okay be safe" worry was written on Nadia's face she didn't want any harm to come to her brother, she prayed internally for Allah's protection,

"okay bye" he muttered striding out of the house.

****

Nadia prepared hot tea for hajia Maryam when Idris left, she poured it into a white mug tea cup before handing it to her,

"thank you" hajia Maryam muttered, she took two sips of the tea before dropping it on the stool close to her, "I always blame myself for the way my husband turned out" she said causing Nadia to turn to her, "I had two suitors when it was time for me to marry, Abdallah's father 'Ahmad' and Ismail. Though Ismail wasn't rich, I still liked him more. I rejected Ahmad several times, but he never stopped coming to my Parents, he tried many ways to convince them even though they didn't budge. The wedding day for me and ismail was set, but unfortunately, he died a month to the wedding. Ahmad showed up after then and I accepted him. After we got married, he maltreated me. He said he was taking revenge on me because of how I rejected him initially. He transferred that hatred over to his son 'Abdallah' when I gave birth to him. Maybe if I had chosen him in the first place, he wouldn't have treated me bad"

"no ummi" Nadia held her hands in hers, "it isn't your fault, he made the mistake of allowing his hatred to block his view of seeing the great woman that you're. You're a great mother and wife ummi" Nadia squeezed her hands lightly,

"thank you, you're like the daughter I never had" Hajia maryam muttered drawing her cheek.

****

A table stood in the middle of two chairs, Alhaji Ahmad sat on one of the chairs with his hand cuffed while Idris sat on the other. After arresting him, Idris brought him over to his house because it had a prosecution room. The room was tapped with hidden speakers and also a glass that allows people from outside to see what was happening on the inside. Nadia and hajia Maryam stood by the glass, watching how Alhaji Ahmad was being questioned.

"Senator Ahmad aminu" Idris gazed daringly into his eyes, it was like they were both in a staring competition, none of them wanted to blink first, "or should I say murderer Ahmad Aminu?" the statement took Alhaji Ahmad off guard causing him to blink repeatedly,

"what do you m-mean?" Alhaji Ahmad stammered,

"why did you kill Suleiman Modibbo and his family" Idris said bringing his head forward, "answer!" he shouted hitting his hands on the table to terrify Alhaji Ahmad,

Alhaji ahmad cracked his head unfazed by Idris's action, "ohh you know already" Alhaji Ahmad smirked, "no need to pretend" he said to himself, "I didn't kill him" he muttered, "look at my hands they're clean" Alhaji ahmad laughed loudly.

Idris couldn't control his emotions, he connected his balled fist with Alhaji Ahmad's nose hardly causing it to bleed. Alhaji Ahmad cleaned the blood that dripped out of his nose with his thumb pad. He looked at the blood in his thumb before turning to Idris, "instead of wasting your time with me, I'm very sure the real killer is out there plotting against you, he'll take you all down, and I'll be out of here. I'll make sure to spit on your graves" he spatted,

Idris watched Alhaji Ahmed's reaction as he spoke. He has been a detective for 5 years now, he knew very well when someone was lying or saying the truth. Alhaji Ahmad seems to be saying the truth, did he really not murder his family, "who is the real killer" Idris asked gritting his teeth,

"tsk, tsk, I'm a very loyal person, I can't give the person out, even if you'll kill me" Alhaji Ahmad said, "I'm unlike some people, Maryam I know you're hearing me, is this how to repay your husband?" he muttered loudly,

"shut up!" Idris roared.

Hajia Maryam sobbed loudly when she heard him, she fell to her knees crying, "I'm a bad person" she muttered when Nadia crouched down to her position,

"No ummi you're not, he's only trying to blackmail you emotionally" she tried consoling her, but it wasn't working, she was still crying, "you know what let's leave this place" Nadia said.

She helped Hajia Maryam up as they walked towards the room Idris assigned to them in his house.

Idris dragged Alhaji Ahmad to the prison room in his basements. He needed to find the real killer, Alhaji Ahmad only aided the murder, he needed to find who the real murderer is. The only person who can help him was his uncle Ahaji Umar. Idris smiled as he recalled what happened between them when he revealed himself to him,

"why did you kill my family?" Idris asked with a serious tone,

"what do you m-ean" Alhaji Umar hiccuped as he talked, Idris hardened his face before slowly changing it into a big smile,

"I was only pulling your leg uncle" idris grinned. Idris wanted to reveal himself to his uncle, but since he was undercover, there was no other way to do it apart from picking him up like the way he did.

"Idris I'm so happy you're alive" Alhaji Umar hugged Idris tightly.

FLASHBACK ENDS.

Idris picked up his phone to summon his uncle over, he might have a clue on whom the real person is.

uhhm🤔, Alhaji Ahmad only aided the murder, then who is the real murderer?.

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@zinat Abdulkadir ✍️