Read Online Treachery in the Yard by Adimchinma Ibe - Free Book Online Page B

his back, looking suitably unhappy. His crotch probably still hurt,poor guy. I walked up to him and sat down. Femi stood, glaring at our boy for good effect.
    Our boy glared back.
    He was waiting for his lawyer, but Opuwari would guarantee he’d wait until we were done.
    â€œYou won’t be looking so confident in a while,” I told him. “Fifteen years for attempted murder. Another seven for possession of controlled substances. Then there’s the vicious attack on me and my partner.”
    He said nothing.
    â€œTalk to me now. Make a deal; it’ll go easy on you. I want the big guy, not you.”
    I wanted them all, of course, and he knew it. “Go to hell. I’m telling you nothing. My lawyer will be here any minute. You don’t scare me.”
    â€œYour lawyer will be held up. Maybe in traffic. I don’t think he’ll be seeing you for quite some time, Angus.” He spat at me and Femi punched him in the gut. When Femi hit him, I felt a twinge of not guilt exactly, but something . . . But Meathead had killed at least two people with the bomb and probably would’ve killed us if he’d gotten the chance. “I want a name.”
    It took him a while to get his breath. “You get nothing from me.”
    I did not think I would, but I had to try. “Oh? How about some hair?” Femi grabbed a handful and yanked. Our suspect did not make a nice sound.
    The door to the room opened and Sergeant Opuwari put his head in.
    â€œDetective. Captain Davies wants you. In his office. Now.” His face told me Angus’s lawyer was here.
    I nodded. I wouldn’t get anything from Angus anyway. Hewas more scared of his employer than he was of the police. Femi and I left him in the interrogation room and went down the hall.
    When I walked into Captain Davies’s office, Angus’s lawyer was sitting there comfortably, a young man in a black suit, a white shirt, and a thin tie. I pretended to ignore him. “I heard you wanted to see me, captain.”
    â€œDetective, what’s this talk about assassination? Why are you in my district?” The captain was direct enough. Direct enough for me to wonder if the lawyer had already paid him off, especially asking such questions in front of Mr. Nicely Dressed Lawyer. I wouldn’t mind a suit like the one he was wearing, but my police salary was out of its league. He introduced himself, and I learned that he was from Osamu and Associates. Someone from Osamu’s office was representing Angus?
    I continued ignoring the lawyer and spoke to the captain. “It’s the Okpara bombing. Our boy is wanted in connection with it. Witnesses place him at the scene.”
    â€œWe follow procedure around here. We can’t hold him. There’s no charge yet and no warrant. I am releasing him to his lawyer here.”
    â€œHe attacked two police officers. What better charge do you need?” It was easy enough to see where this was going: straight down the money-greased highway. Our boy had powerful friends.
    The captain leaned back, looking carefully at me. “You didn’t have a warrant to enter his house, did you? How you do it at headquarters is not how we run things here. We respect the rule of law. I need to speak with your chief. This is our jurisdiction, not yours. Wait at the front desk.”
    Ridiculous, but Nigerian. “Yes, captain.”
    We left and waited outside. Five minutes later, the lawyercame out, his pockets looking lighter and the captain’s heavier. My cell rang, a bad sign. I looked at it: Chief. He was not a happy police chief. I flipped open the cell and took the call. “What are you doing in Njemanze?” he barked.
    â€œThe Okpara case, sir. We found the suspect identified by witnesses.”
    â€œI know you are not there on vacation. But where do you get off, running out to Njemanze like a goddamn rookie?”
    â€œTime was important.”
    â€œGet back