Man In Black

CHAPTER IV-3

THE ATMOSPHERE WAS tense. The incident was still imprinted in the minds of all. That call, the call of the murderer of Mrs. Durojaiye, admitting his crime as though it was the most usual thing in the world.

The scene was the homicide unit, and the story of the week was on everyone else's lips. All the department junior detectives were there, as well as their head and his asistant. Chief Rikau was present also.

Efe looked around. No one looked ready to speak, and the silence was beginning to get on her nerves. She decide to break the ice.

"So this guy calls himself the Eel. Anyone knows why?"

"It's obvious enough. He believes himself to be slippery enough to outwit the police", Cole offered.

"Oh, oh, right", she said, nodding her head.

Thanks to these two young people, the Chief was now back on earth.

"And why did you not go after him, Tobi? The i***t violated my office and drank my juice. Why didn't you?" The detective fixed him a look of disbelief. All this man was concerned about was his drink?

"This guy had everything planned. The locked door provided him plenty of room for escape, also considering your office is on the ground floor. I mean, someone who has the guts to admit commiting murder right here at the department has to have a very good means of escape, right?"

The others nodded. He continued.

"Not that we didn't try, anyway. I had all patrol teams check for suspicious characters, and ask those around if anyone suspicious was seen hanging around the building. No one saw anything. It was as if he just disappeared."

Cole spoke up.

"And I checked security footage of the time the call came in. All outdoor cameras were scrambled two minutes before the call began. Shows you the kind of person we're dealing with here. This call was genuine, not just any practical joker."

"What baffles me most is how he knew what I said in the chief's office", Detective Akano said. A detective spoke up.

"It's either he has an informant here at the dapartment, he has this place bugged, or..."

"Or he was hiding in the Chief's office the whole time. That explains how he was able to start the call immediately the Chief was out of his office", Cole interrupted, suddenly hitting upon the truth.

"Rats!" the detective muttered. "We overlooked that angle completely. But now we have to focus on what's on ground. This guy said he's going to do away with the Minister of Defence on the 23rd. Today is 20th. That gives us just three days."

"Let me even call him now. I'll tell him to double security in preparation for that day." He went out.

"Well, that leaves the rest of us. So, any suggestions?

"We know that this guy is a very good marksman, a sniper, in fact", another junior detective ventured. His name was Kunle. "A moving target is harder to get than a stationary one, so a fully bulletproof car should be able to suffice for any sniper attacks from the outside. We can provide security for him from tomorrow, at least."

"Very good one of there, Kunle. I too think he should be safer when he is on the move. Just in case the guy decides to play smart and attack him before the 23rd, we'll need to know the layout of his house and office. All entry and exit points will be duly manned, and all potential hiding places must be combed out. Cole, please search out his house plan first."

Cole sat up and pulled a laptop toward himself, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Aye aye, sir."