Easy Motion Tourist (24 page)

Amaka heard footsteps. She dropped the diary and pushed the bag under the bed.

‘Food is ready,’ Tom said from behind the door.

She adjusted her hair in the mirror on the dressing table and waited until he had left. Then she picked her phone from the floor by the bed and walked out of the room. She tucked it into the strap of her skirt behind her back. It vibrated silently. She knew it was Guy calling back but she couldn’t answer it. She had come so close to being caught.

The Chinese man walked ahead of her down the stairs. Had he seen her getting up from beside the bed? Amadi was standing at the bottom with a man whose back was to her. He smiled at her and the man turned. It was Inspector Ibrahim. Amaka held the oak banister for support.

‘Amaka, come and meet my friend,’ Amadi said.

Ibrahim looked straight into her eyes.

Ade’s car was an old Toyota Corolla. He climbed in and opened the passenger door from inside. The stifling heat of the car combined with the overwhelming, obnoxious scent of air freshener made me cough.

‘Do you have his address?’ he asked.

Till that moment I hadn’t thought of that – I just wanted to get to Amaka. I felt stupid. His hand was at the ignition, ready to go.

‘Chief Amadi is a popular Lagosian,’ Ade said. ‘I think I know where the house is.’

He drove out of the hotel. Stationary cars stretched both ways on the dual carriage road, bumpers almost touching. He inched forward but no one let us through. Traffic lights kept changing colours unnoticed. What was a two-lane road had gained a third lane. Rickety commercial buses, packed with squeezed-in passengers, rode with one set of wheels on the pavement. Their ‘conductors’ hung from open doors, calling out destinations, soliciting for more passengers amongst the people walking the pavement which they made unsafe.

Added to the chaos were scrawny bikers stubbornly trying to navigate their beaten okada through the jam, their passengers perched on the brink of disaster behind them, enduring jerks and jolts as the drivers tried steering through the impossible maze.

Horns of all tones and pitches bleated. I wondered why they bothered to honk. No one could move. It was bedlam.

‘Amaka, meet Ibrahim, my friend.’

Ibrahim squeezed her hand. ‘We know each other very well. We even have a mutual friend,’ he said, looking into her eyes and not letting go of her.

‘It’s a small world.’

‘Yes. And it’s getting smaller all the time.’

She felt numb. Ibrahim had probably found out that she lied about the minister. Had he also found out what she was up to? They say that every big criminal in Nigeria has police protection.

‘Well, since you know each other perhaps you should stay and join us for lunch.’

Her heart pounded. Ibrahim’s grip was getting tighter. How could she have missed this? How could she have failed to check whom Amadi knew in the police? All she had to do was ask around and someone would have told her. Guy warned her not to come and now she had walked into a trap.

‘I have to go and take care of something,’ Ibrahim said. He released her hand. ‘Chief, let us continue our discussion outside.’

‘OK, I’ll see you off. Amaka, please, give me a minute will you?’ They left together.

Tom was standing in a corner, watching her. She remembered the guard that had let her in. Who else was in the house? She
looked around. The paintings stared back at her like extra guards.

Amadi returned. She was standing in the same spot. She searched his face. What had he learned about her?

‘Don’t let us keep Tom waiting,’ he said. He placed his palm on her back and her body shuddered.

Her legs were moving but she did not feel them. She was walking where he led but it felt like floating. The table came towards her. Her chair slid out. She sat but everything kept moving. He was talking but she couldn’t hear him. Tom appeared by her side, placed a napkin on her lap, and vanished. Everywhere she turned, Tom was there, keeping watch over her, making sure she could not escape. She felt dizzy.

‘Amaka.’

Everything slowed down. The beating of her heart faded to the tick-tock of a wall clock behind her.

‘Amaka.’

She focused.

‘Amaka. What’s wrong?’ His face became clear again.

‘Are you all right?’

‘Yes. I’m fine. I think I sat down too quickly.’

‘Are you sure? Should I get you something?’

‘No. Really, please, sit down. I’m OK.’

‘You scared me for a moment there. I could already see the headlines: “Last Seen Alive Entering Chief Amadi’s House.”’

It was a cruel joke. He knew everything about her. He knew what she had come to do.

‘And what would they say Chief Amadi did with Amaka?’

He laughed. ‘Oh, what wouldn’t they say? A pretty girl in a rich man’s house with his family away? They will put two and two together and arrive at five.’

‘Would it be because that is what rich men do with pretty girls or because that is what you do with pretty girls?’

‘Girls? I don’t do anything with girls. I am a one woman man, I swear. Only one girl at a time. After another.’

He laughed. He was enjoying this. Should she run? And if so, where to?

‘But I hear you like having two girls at a time. I almost didn’t come to see you because I didn’t have a friend to bring along.’ She placed a palm on her chest and drew her fingers down, dragging her top with it.

He stopped laughing and watched her hand. She dragged her nails over her cleavage.

‘Well? Is it true that you only like two girls at a time, or is one enough for you?’

He looked down at the table and straightened the cutlery in front of him. He looked at the perfectly aligned silverware for a few seconds then clasped his fingers over them, shut his eyes, and slowly shook his head.

‘Amaka, you are something.’

His phone rang.

‘I have to take this. Am I excused?’

‘You are.’

Her plan, that she had not finished putting together, was to lure him back into his bedroom, away from the watchful eyes of his servant. Once that first stage was over, she would think of the next step.

As he went to take his call, he stopped at the door where Tom stood, and placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘Don’t let her go anywhere,’ he said. He turned and smiled at her then walked away, bringing the phone to his ear.

The brothers, Catch-Fire, and Go-Slow, stood around Knockout as he dialled Chief Amadi’s number for a third time.

‘Hello?’

‘You are a dead man. Hello, are you there? Chief, you are dead.’

The thugs lunged at him but Go-Slow shielded his friend and put a finger to his lips.

‘Are you there? You are a wicked man. So you sent people to my house to kill me? I thought you were a gentleman. I did not know that you are a liar and a bastard. Bastard. I have your boy, Catch-Fire. I will release him to the police if you don’t bring me ten million naira now.’

‘Who is this?’

‘Please. I beg you. No need for all these James Bond moves. I am alone. I am still alive. The boys you sent to kill me have failed. You cannot capture air. I am telling you now, last warning, bring me ten million naira or else I will go to the police with Catch-Fire.’

‘I do not know who this is or what you are talking about.’

‘Look, it is me, Knockout. You know who I am. There is no need for all these games you are playing. I am telling you, I have Catch-Fire, and if you don’t stop all this nonsense and talk to me, I will just release him to the police now-now. Hello? Hello?’

‘You are Knockout?’

‘Yes, I am Knockout. This is me.’

‘And you have Catch-Fire?’

‘Yes.’

‘And you believe I should give you ten million naira?’

‘Yes.’

‘I really can’t talk now. I will call you back.’

‘No. If you cut this phone, that is the end. I will take your boy to the police station now-now.’

‘OK. I don’t know who you are or what you are talking about, but supposing you and I do have some outstanding business arrangement, don’t you think ten million is a lot of money? Where do you expect me to get that right now?’

‘I don’t know and I don’t care. You are the one that does money juju. Go and do your magic and bring me the money. Hello? Hello? Chief? Hello?’

He realised the line was dead. He held the phone in front of him, looking at it as if it had done something wrong.

‘What happened?’ Go-Slow said.

‘The phone cut.’

‘The phone cut or your credit finished?’

He checked how much airtime he had left. ‘The phone cut.’

‘Network problems?’ One-Love said.

‘No,’ Go-Slow said, ‘He dropped the phone. You were not in charge.’

‘What do you mean I was not in charge?’ He redialled the number.

‘Kanayo, talk like a human being.’

The phone rang out, then he tried again.

‘Send him a message,’ One-Love said, ‘say that we have invited reporters to meet us at Panti.’

Go-Slow shook his head. ‘No. First, tell us what he said.’

‘He said he would call me back.’

‘If he says he will call, he will call,’ Catch-Fire said.

‘You think he will bring the money?’ Knockout asked.

‘He has more than that,’ Catch-Fire said. ‘I tell you, ten million is nothing to him. He normally pays me cash anytime I deliver someone to him. He always has plenty, plenty money all the time. If he believes you, he will bring the money but he will make sure he kills all of us. We have to kill him.’

Amaka looked at Tom. He turned to look at her. She smiled. He smiled back. She got her phone and called the hotel, keeping her eyes on Tom. The phone rang out so she composed a text message to Aunty Baby.

Amadi walked in. ‘I’m so sorry about that. I promise you, no more calls until we’ve had our meal.’

She pressed the send button and deleted the message she had sent.

He settled back into his chair and inspected his cutlery. He adjusted a knife using the tip of his forefinger, looked at it, and adjusted it again.

‘Where were we?’

‘You were about to tell me what you do with pretty girls.’

‘Well, my dear, I don’t know what you think you know about me, or what gossip you might have heard, but I assure you that I am the gentlest man you will ever meet.’

‘Is that right?’

‘Yes, that’s right.’ His phone vibrated on the table. He ignored it. ‘My dear, you seem to believe you know something about me. Why don’t you tell me what you’ve heard and I’ll tell you whether it’s true or not?’

His phone beeped twice as a message arrived. He read the text.

‘My darling,’ he said without glancing up from the phone,
‘I have to see to this right away. I’m so sorry we keep getting disturbed like this.’

‘I thought you promised no more interruptions,’ she said. Her mouth was dry.

‘I know, I know. Please forgive me. Some things just need to be dealt with immediately.’

As he left, he patted Tom on the shoulder and turned to wink at her.

He went to his study and closed the door behind him before making a call.

‘Hello?’

‘Yes, Chief, my message scared you, abi? I am on my way to Panti now. All the reporters in Lagos will be there to hear how you kill innocent people and use them for juju.’

‘I thought you said you were professional.’

‘I am very professional. That is why the boys that you sent to my house couldn’t kill me.’

‘I did not send any boys to kill you. I don’t even know where you live.’

‘Please don’t lie to me. Catch-Fire has told me all your tactics.’

‘Where is he right now?’

‘Catch-Fire? He is with my boys. I have told them to take him to Panti if you try any nonsense games. You think you are the only one who has sense? We have invited all the radio and television people, dem. They are just waiting to know what we want to expose to them. It is finished for you.’

‘That was not our agreement.’

‘So you now think it was not our agreement? After you sent your boys to kill me?’

‘Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but if Catch-Fire
talks to anyone, even you will not be safe.’

‘Me I will be safe. Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself. You murderer.’

‘Calm down.’

‘Don’t tell me to calm down. Who are you to tell me to calm down? Just bring me my money.’

‘Where are you now?’

‘You think I will tell you where I am so that you can send your boys to kill me? Tell me where you want me to meet you and I will be there. If anything happens to me, my boys will take Catch-Fire to the radio station then they will take him to Panti. Even now-now, reporters are waiting for them there. We have even recorded him. He has confessed everything. I have the video.’

‘I don’t have ten million naira with me. I have dollars. I will give you a hundred thousand dollars, that’s more than you asked for. But you must give me proof that Catch-Fire is dead.’

‘Dollars is good. Just bring it. After I collect the money, I will return to my people and we will kill the boy.’

‘OK. Listen carefully. I did not send anybody to you. All I wanted was for you to take care of Catch-Fire. I don’t know what he has told you or how he has convinced you that I tried to kill you, but I will give you the money only on the condition that you do what we agreed and kill him.’

‘No conditions. And stop trying to mess with my brain. Just bring the money and don’t try any of your tricks.’

‘OK. I will get the money ready and I will call you back to tell you where to meet.’

‘One hundred thousand dollars?’

‘Yes, one hundred thousand dollars. And there is more where that is coming from. Wait for my call.’

Chief Amadi had hoped Catch-Fire would be dead by now, and with him, the problem he posed. But now there was no telling who the idiot had spoken to, or who he was still speaking to. If Catch-Fire as much as mentioned Amadi’s name to the police, or to hungry reporters, all sorts of digging would be done. He had known this day would come and he was ready for it. The Voice had made sure of that. He knew exactly what to do.

He went to his room and closed the door. By his bed he got on his knees and reached for his bag. He opened it and paused. The notebook was no longer in the middle, perfectly aligned with the neatly stacked bundles of cash.