“Breaking news, the assistant Bishop and former general overseer of the assembly of Christian people ministries, Bishop Abel Egwurube and his wife were attacked last night by an unknown gun man. His wife Ene Egwurube was killed but Bishop survived but not without a devastating stab wound on his thigh. It is believed that it is in his struggle with the gun man that he suffered the stab wound; the police have opened an investigation to culpit of the murder. Ene Egwurube was a wonderful and exemplary woman of the church, may her eternal soul rest in peace.”
The news was on and it was all about Abel’s version of the ordeal he supposedly suffered at the lake. Rebecca was not happy about the news and neither was Inspector Dele “I understand sir, but I am beginning to think it may be the same person who killed Bishop Chukwu that attacked them” she was on the phone with Inspector Dele
“I was also coming up with the same theory but let’s leave both case open and see if the clue from one will link to another” He instructed. Abel’s ordeal came at the time when the Port Harcourt police department was on the verge of closing Bishop Chukwu’s murder case because all the leads and suspects were exhausted and it all led nowhere
Rebecca was indeed happy about the new development, not Ene’s death but the news that Bishop Chukwu’s murder case was going to be left open; it wasn’t a case she could let go off unsolved. To her it was a break or make case and whether it was going to make or break her; she didn’t know just yet.
She truly believed that the person who murdered Ene and injured Abel was the one who killed Bishop Chukwu; her theory was that Ene and Abel knew something about Bishop Chukwu’s murder and that was why there were attacked. The lake that they went to was a safe place because it was close to a military barrack and was very secure; so one had to be desperate enough to go and murder someone in that place.
“Good afternoon Bishop” Rebecca entered Abel’s hospital room with her partner Inpector Onu; she had done everything in her power to replace Onu as her partner but the powers that be did not allow her. “Good afternoon” Abel replied, he was partially awake. To Rebecca he seemed well enough to have been discharged from the hospital but the doctors know best was what she concluded.
He held his injured thigh gently as he tried to sit down; Onu helped him pretending as if he had never met the man in his life. “We are here to ask you a few questions about the man who attacked you. Hope it won’t be too much for you” “At all” Abel jumped in trying to appear the most co-operative.
“Did you see the man’s face?” Onu asked
“Yes I did but I didn’t see him too clearly because it was very dark; you know how that lake get dark at night and it all happened so fast that I didn’t pay too much attention on his face. I was more concerned about saving our lives” he held back fake tears
“I understand, situations like that can be very intense. Anyway, can you tell me what you can remember about his physical appearance?” Rebecca never gave up on a question until she got an answer.
Abel gave her a random description; he might as well be describing every man in Port Harcourt but she didn’t mind, she still took down notes while Onu proceeded to ask him about the time of the incident.
“It was around 7:30 – 8:00 p.m.” he replied touching his injured thigh again; to him, it was a way of making them aware of the life threatening event he went through
“Now walk me through how it all happened, tell me how the man shot your wife and stabbed you” she continued behaving as if Onu was not entitled to ask Abel any questions.
Abel proceeded to tell her the story he had concocted; he told her that as he and Ene enjoyed the lake side, he heard a gunshot out of nowhere and when he looked over his wife was on the ground with an injured arm. Without thinking he threw himself on the gun man and they fought each other struggling to get the gun. But the man stabbed him and before he could re-gain himself the man shot his wife and ran away because he started screaming and calling for help.
“I see, must have been on hell of a scream” Rebecca reacted “I screamed with everything in me” Abel replied.
“Well, thank you very much Bishop for your co-operation” they shook hands and the interview was over. As Rebecca and Onu walked out of the hospital room; Onu and Abel nodded slightly at each other and that gave Abel confidence that everything was going to go the way he wanted because his dear cousin Onu who had protected him all along was on this case again to protect him. “Lucky bastard” he said to himself.
“Hello honey” Rebecca was very chirpy when she entered her room “you seem so happy, guess you had a great day” Ben was curious. He kissed her and went back to the document he was flipping through.
“I am indeed very happy. I am happy because I have finally found Bishop Chukwu’s killer” she announced
“Really? May I know who? Ben dropped the document and sat up
“I will tell you but please don’t tell anyone; I have not built a case against him yet” “Okay no problem. So who is it?”
Rebecca took a moment and smiled “Abel Egwurube is the killer”.
