The Missing File – Chapter 2 Part 3

All Episodes Of The Missing File

“Uncle Uche said he’ll come to the house first and then we will go together,” Patience answered her mother’s question.

“When did he say he’ll come?” Lydia asked.

“He said he just wanted to take something inside his house, that I should be going, he’ll meet me.”

“Hmm…” Lydia hummed, shaking her knees with her two hands clasped together in between. “I hope he comes. Even though he’s wicked, he’s the only relation of your father that’s around here, your father’s twin who used to helpful is no more.”

“Why don’t we call him to find out where he is now?” Covenant suggested.

“Okay,” Patience said and took out her Nokia C1 phone from her purse.

“Nazaretha, where are you going to?” Their mother shouted as they saw Nazaretha walk out of the room.

“I’m coming Mummy,” Nazaretha replied without stopping to take a look at his mother and sisters, he walked out of the house to meet his friends who were waiting for him.

“He’s not picking o,” Patience said after trying twice.

“He’s not picking?” Lydia said and took out her tecno Tv phone, she dialed the number on it. After three attempts, she had to stop as Uncle did not answer the call. “Why is he not answering now? Or is he on his way here already?”

“Maybe,” Patience said.

“I don’t think he is,” Covenant objected. She got up from her seat and turned to face the others, “Uncle is not going to come,” she said, using her hands to emphasize her point.

“Why do you say so?” Patience asked.

“We all know Uncle Uche very well, he’s not going to step a foot in here, especially because it a matter that involves the police. He doesn’t even help when we have minor issues,” Covenant was saying but attention was diverted from her to Nazaretha who just stepped back inside. All eyes were on him as he walked to the television and dashed out again.

“What did he take?” Their mother asked in an alarmed tone, getting up to her feet.

“It’s only his sim card pack,” Patience said to her and put her back to her seat.

“Chai!” Their mother wailed after two minutes of silence. “How I wish your father’s twin brother was still alive, he would have gotten here by now.”

____

“You say you get the number for the sim abi?” Chinko asked Nazaretha.

“Yes, all the numbers dey this sim,” Nazaretha replied.

“Wetin dey happen? You don see am?” Sunday who was just returning from somewhere he went to asked.

“No, hin never see am,” Charly replied him.

“Wetin we go con do now?” Sunday asked.

“Make we comot for here first,” Chinko said and began to lead the way out of the place.

Just after walking up to one minute on the road; they had not covered much distance because they were walking slow, they came across Mighty Joe who began to hail them.

“Na-za-re-tha! Chinko! Sunne!” He hailed.

The boys replied him in low tones, “Good evening oga Joe,” they greeted in low tones.

“Good evening, is anything the matter?” Mighty Joe asked, noticing their mood.

“Nothing jare,” Chinko replied him and the boys continued to walk away.

“You guys should wait,” Mighty Joe said in a strong tone. “Tell me what’s wrong?” He asked with a note of concern in his voice. He always switched to correct English when there was something serious.

“Mighty, na long story,” Chinko said.

“You guys should tell me na, I could be of help,” he offered.

The guys paused and all looked towards Nazaretha as if to ask if he was comfortable sharing his problem with Mighty Joe.

Nazaretha shrugged as a sign of agreement, he had no choice; he didn’t think his friends would be able to do much or give the right counsel like Mighty Joe could because of his age and experience.

“No be wetin we fit talk for here,” Nazaretha said.

“Okay, make we go my house then,” Mighty Joe suggested, pointing in direction of his house. The boys followed him to the house which was just a few metres off the untarred street. Mighty Joe’s place was in a big one storey building containing several rooms in it for dwelling and shops at the front, his was a two room apartment.

“You guys should seat,” Mighty Joe ushered them to the seats in his living room, then he entered into his bedroom to drop what he was carrying and returned immediately.

The house was well furnished and decorated, it had comfortable sofas far better than the ones in Ogbighe’s house; the walls were also neatly painted and several pictures of still life and some of half naked girls hung on the walls. To the four boys, Mighty Joe was a rich bachelor.

“Boys, I don’t think it’s the right time to offer you guys drinks; or would you want to take something or prefer we go straight to the matter?” Mighty Joe asked after returning.

“Let’s go straight to the matter,” Charly replied, although wishing he could take drinks on his first visit to Mighty Joe’s house.

“Okay, who’s talking?” Mighty Joe asked and sat on a footstool, somewhere he could see the faces of all the boys.

Chinko, Sunday and Charly stared at Nazaretha’s face for him to explain his plight but he seemed lost already. Charly had to rub his hand on his shoulder to bring him back to reality.

“Oya talk,” Charly said to him.

Nazaretha heaved a sigh and rubbed his face with his palm before he started hesitantly. “It’s my father, he was arrested today because of a file that his boss gave to him which cannot be found.”

“What kind of file is it?” Mighty Joe asked.

“I don’t really know but my mother said it contains an open cheque, that’s the reason his boss is so furious,” Nazaretha answered.

“‘Ermm… If they can’t find the cheque again, let the boss report immediately to his bank now.”

“Someone has already cashed five million naira.”

“What? That means the cheque must have gotten into a criminals hand,” Mighty Joe said. “But they can trace who collected the money if they get to the bank for details, his boss should also know the name of the person who took the money. But let’s consider other options, maybe your dad did not bring the file home after all.”

“He’s insisting that he did.”

“And where did he keep it?”

“It was in his bag; I collected the bag from him when he returned from work and kept it in his room myself,” Nazaretha answered.

“This issue is complicated o,” Mighty Joe heaved a sigh. “But do you think anybody at home could have gone to take it from your father’s bag?”

“Nobody could have done it. The surprising thing is that we all went to church when my father came back. I was the last person to leave the house, so I locked the door; I was also the first person to return and open the door.”

“Hmm,” Mighty Joe paused to think for a while. “I’m coming, I need to take my medicine for me to think properly,” he said, getting up from his seat. “I’m sure we’ll find a solution,” he walked into his room again.

He came back a minute later with a tray containing some substances, he dropped the tray on the table. The boys stared at the wraps of indian hemp in the tray, five wraps.

“Anyone of you who wants can take,” Mighty Joe offered as he took his own wrap.

…to be continued