Lurking

supposed to take a twenty-minute drive from her house unless Lagos traffic had o

budge. Well, she was more than prepared for any nuisance of a door. She removed a bobby pin from her hair, used it to pick the lock and ushered herself in. On getting inside she saw that the windows to the side of the house were open and the lights were on. Just like a normal house. Motun closed her eyes and tur

ing. There was a hallway adjacent to the kitchen door, at the end of which was a door which Motun guessed to be the master bedroom. She walked down the hallway and open the door. She was right. A few clothes that looked

ly stuff were all she could find. Clara was right when she said Sunday's outing was a big step for Ste

a scar on her neck. Stella obviously used the same brand for the same reason. The table was another thing she planned to arrange when she got back- but she did not ge

dialing Clara's in numbe

ernoon, det

easantries. "Hi, Dr Adichi

es.

on my

fast as she could

ouse." She said, as soon as Clara

"O

k she was in there anyway? Would som

hank

the fact that Clara i

ce was too much, like her life depended on Stella n

ss, I figured Stella left the house with plans

ed here brow

she never got bac

Wha

e door was locked too. She hasn't been

ll my fault. I shouldn't have forced her t

down,

call on Tuesday night or showed up on Wednesday. I sh

one answe

opped paci

rted her missing when no one ans

r eyes. "I- I- I meant t

the phone but Motun did n

ridge. She went to it, opened it and took out a bottle of water. "Here, have some

g more like herself after down

where Stella

t's a restaurant

u give me

dictated the a

you have any ide

y nice red dress if she wanted e

think she did. I have to go, Clara. Take care o

ks, det

w it also had something to do with the look of relief on her face when she told he

d to be home by 7. She had less than two hours to f

compound. Instead, she went to her neighbor's and knock

e Motun Banks of the Lagos State Poli

d. "Good evening,

nswer a few questions about

o tell you." She beg

at was wrong with everyone? Were they all sworn to secrecy or something? Motun

u could answer my questions and I take my leave quietly, or I could bring you in as a witness." She checked her watch. "Let's see, the

What do y

Police holding cell- or any cell for that matter?

e formed a puppy eye

lant to worried was the least of Motun's

if she remembered something.

ng about it. Why was everyone being

ht she was getting better. Did she have a relapse or som

e? And you

is- sorry, please com

sweating and looking like a homeless actor who ran a

kill herself. One morning, her gate man ran into my compound panicking. On getting into the house, Stella had passed out. I was the one who took her to the hospital. W

g in her. What the hell was Clara thinking, w

u okay, d

o close to Motun's that

y much for your cooperation, Mrs-" s

r rescue. "Blessing Ri

Richards. I'll b

're we

lose to the flower pot at the entrance was a yellow hair pin. Why hadn't she noticed it earlier? Strangely, the pin looked familiar. She tried to figure out where she had seen it but came up with nothing. After a few momen