The Picnic - Episode 17

 

****Flashback****

Caroline walked into Taye's office screaming. "I hate him! I hate him!" "Calm down Caroline" Taye closed the door, "Who is it you hate so much?" She asked, "Bola." She answered but Taye stared in disbelief. 
"Come on Carol, I know you love him"
"Why does he have to make me suffer every damn time?" She asked now sobbing.
 "What did you find out again?" Taye asked, "I already told you, if you want to be at peace with Bola,let him be. Remember when you found out about my twins? You'll just suffer heartaches if you want to trail him"
"Every girl wants him, what am I supposed to do?"
"What happened?"
"He had s*x with that b*tch Muna on this picnic and now I think the mysterious woman is here" She guessed . For a while she has been suspicious that Bola was into another person though she didn't know who she was. She called her 'the mysterious lady'.
"She's roaming this pool house wearing a cap. I just walked past the b*tch and I couldn't do anything to her"
"What would you have done?"
"Put her in her place" she replied. "Where's your gun?" She asked Taye, "There's no way I'll give you Mr

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/the-picnic

. Daniels' gun. It's only for emmergency. I'm not permitted to use it at will"
"I'm not killing anyone"
"Are you sure Caroline? Why else would you need a gun?" Taye snapped and Caroline started  to open drawers in search for the gun. "Don't be stupid Caroline. Why don't you talk to him like any civilized person, or have a classic boyfriend fight" 

****Minutes later****
Just as Bola attempted running off, Caroline walked towards him. "Where is she?" She asked, "Where is who?" Bola asked creasing his brow in thought. "The b*tch that's supposed to meet with you at the pool?" Caroline yelled and another shot was fired. "Is it that you're not hearing the gun shot? Let's just find a hiding spot, then we can argue later on and then have a make up s*x"
"No way" Caroline brought out a gun from her bag pointing it at him. "Put that thing down Caroline you don't even know how to use it"
"There's a first time for everything right?"
"You're not a killer Caroline"
"Like I said, there's a first time for everything godamn thing" 
"Caroline" Bola raised his hands up, "Where is she?"
"You're being delirious, there's no one coming"
"I've played stupid for too long Bola! I've been playing stupid since we started dating, do you remember it was after you won SUG in the University and I was your damn assistant. I've been acting as though I didn't know like things could work out between us but six damn years with you and it's been filled with jealousy and drama" she cried then sniffed.
"Let's just talk about this, we've never spoken about it. Caroline, I chose you. We're getting married"
"Why are you still having s*x with Muna?" She snapped, "I'm not"
"Shut up!!! Someone saw you two in a shack"
"Caroline are you spying on me?"
"I have to cause I don't trust the man I'm getting married to!" She yelled then sighed, "Okay Bola, truth time, do you love me just answer the question sincerely; do you love me?" She asked, "No" Bola answered.
 "I thought I did" he replied as honest as possible. " But I don't," he added and she busted into another round of sobbing now shaking her head unbelievably.
"I've always wanted to let you know but with our parents and their expectations, I just couldn't bring myself down to tell you. Caroline I don't love you. I love someone else"
"Who is she?" 
"Just drop the damn gun down let's talk okay? There's definitely a robbery going on and there might be stray bullets we can't be too careful. Let's find a place to hide." "I don't care if I die right now Bola, now you're definitely going to break up with me for that b*tch"
"Caroline"
"I can't live without you Bola.. I just can't"
"I'm sorry, but the heart want what it wants"
"I know" Caroline looked up to the sky licking off her tears that had just made way down to her lip. 
"I'm sorry Bola" she apologized and he wondered what for? 
"If I Caroline Badmus can't have you, no miserable person can!" She yelled then pulled the trigger.

Andra ran over to the laundry room where Cynthia was hiding. "Wetin I don do, Wetin I don do?" She mumbled to herself. "Wetin happen?" Cynthia came out from under the table, "Thief don enter?" She asked and Andra shook her head. 
"No.... Madam Caroline just kill Bola with gun"
"Jesus!" She screamed covering her mouth.

****Now****
In the prison visiting room
Mama Rukerwe spent several minutes gazing at her obstinate daughter who had refused eating the yam porridge before her. "You no go eat before I carry slap land you for face" she threatened and Rukky widened her eyes in horror. "I no chop! You want by force me to chop?"
"You need strength"
"Food is the last thing on my mind right now" Rukky cried out. "I'm not far away from a life sentence for what I didn't do"
"Them go find way out"
"Like them take find for Papa shea? I'm just tired of the bad luck. Why do I have to be so unlucky everytime?"
"No dey ask nonsense question Rukerwe, you're not unlucky. Life has just been unfair to us"
"What difference does it make? Who's going to take care of Omo ehn? Who go do everything wey I don dream to do" Rukky continued crying. "Na Cynthia set you up Rukky, from her, the truth go come out, no too they fear.  I trust say God wey i don pray to go commit you for this wahala. And if Cynthia no open mouth tell me who send her make she put that gun inside your room, i swear to Almighty God wey dey heaven, I go break person head today" Mama Rukerwe threatened.

Victor and Cynthia jumped out of a tricycle then she looked at Victor once more. "Are you sure I won't be imprisoned for life?" "If you give your statement; your own confession of the crime you committed, you won't be arrested"
"You say crime as though i killed him. I didn't" "But you're an accomplice"
"And no one coersed me into doing this thing o" she thought out loud almost turning back. 
"If you leave Cynthia I'll report you personally and I'm sure Detective would not  give you five star treatment"
"Don't you like me?"
"I do"
"Then why would you want me arrested?" She asked. "Cause  you did something wrong; reporting it to the police is the only right thing to do and I learnt from the best. Detective Duro arrested his own girlfriend cause it was the right thing to do and I can't let someone suffer for a crime she didn't commit"
"But I didn't kill Bolaji"
"You're only going to give your statement. All you know so we can arrest whoever did this"

Cynthia heaved a sigh, there was a recorder before her. She was scared. "I don't want to go to prison. I don't want to" "Why do you have 250,000 naira in your account?" Duro interrupted her, "Cause she sent it to me"
"Who did?"
"You know already, it's Caroline Badmus"
"Why did she send it to you?" "Cause..." Cynthia paused. "I helped her keep the package in Rukky's room." 
"How could you be so wicked as to set up your cousin"
"I never knew there was a gun in it"
"You could have known it was a set up"
Cynthia cried, "The money was.....I'm sorry but I was enticed by the money"
"Why would she want to set Rukky up?" Duro asked, "I don't know."
"How long have you been working for Caroline?"
"After Bola's death, we the maids, we cleaned up the whole thing, Madam Taye had us rehearse lines in order words lie then we got paid. I knew something was wrong. The first policeman that investigated the case didn't do shit. He just asked us questions and we said the same thing"
"What was the truth, since you were told to lie, what happened at the Picnic?" Duro asked, "I don't want wahala please" she paused athe Duro slammed his hands on the desk angrily and she jerked up in fear. 
"Please don't touch me, I'll talk, I'll talk." She paused.
"What happened is that, erm, you know that day when" she paused crying, "My friend Andra, the one who came with me the first day you interrogated us. I was hiding when the shooting was going on. She... She came in and told me she saw Caroline, Bola's girlfriend shoot him"
"So according to her, Caroline killed Bola?" Duro couldn't believe it. Of all the his suspect, Caroline was the last person he would have pin-pointed to have committed such crime.
"No be me see am, she saw it. She should be the one here."
"Where is she?"
"From my WhatsApp message. She should either be on her way to Dubai or she's still in Lagos"
"Can we get her home address?"
"Yes, I'll even give you her mother's address too in case you don't find her home"
"What does Taye Macaulay has to do with this. She wasn't around when the crime happened right?"
"That was what we were asked to report. Sir she was o, somebody that i heard came back before the incident occurred. Everything we did was cover up."
"Why didn't you report?"
"Who would have believed me?" She asked then scoffed.
Sirr if not that you came back to pursue this case, nothing would have been revealed. Which mouth I for use talk?"

Taye walked into the interrogating room shortly looking at Vivian. "What's this slut doing here?' she asked Duro and Vivian laughed. "See pot calling kettle black. I'm not the one who messed around with two brothers" she snapped and Duro glared at her. 
"Sorry I had to use that" she answered and Taye sat down then stifled a scoff. "How come she knows?" She asked and Vivian laughed.
"Your dirty laundry are out in public Taye."
"What do you mean?" She asked, "Like you been around the day Bola was shot dead"
"That's ridiculous, I wasn't around, you can ask the maids"
"Oh really?" Vivian asked almost laughing. She was obviously enjoying herself. "We have a testimony from a maid"
"Someone's is trying to get back at me"
"Stop lying Taye.... Were you around yes or no?"
Taye shut her eyes in regret, she feared the death of Bola would be pinned on her. "I was"
"So you lied about going to meet your kids"
"I didn't. I went there that day cause my son, your nephew was caught in the bathroom with a girl. He's just twelve and i had to deal with the matter the best way I could. The best way your dad taught me. I paid the headmistress off"
"Why did you lie?"
"Because it was necessary, I wanted to shut people's mouth up. I didn't want anyone poking their mouth into my business. Brigitte was, and I paid her off. I've been doing a lot so the organization can move"
"Why are you covering up for Bolaji's murderer?" Duro asked shaking his head in disappointment. "If I tell on her, she would kill my children. I'm not ready to lose my children"
"Who killed Bolaji?"
"I can't"
"Who killed my brother!" Duro yelled, "Caroline!" Taye answered. "She has been using her influence to cover this up. She has eyes and ears everywhere, she's working with the media, with the police."

Vivian tapped Victor on his back then handed a can malt to him and he rejected it. "What I need right now is a very strong drink that can knock me out" he replied and Vivian laughed. "To think i had a nice time last night with her"
"I'm sorry. You turned her in yourself"
"Technically she did and basically I advised her to do so"
"You guys claim you love someone and when it comes to staking them, you do it because it's right." Vivian said laughing. "It's not funny"
"Actually it is"
"I did it to help the girl in prison, Rukerwe."

Dare opened the door to the cell where Rukky was, seated on the floor and leaning on the rough wall.

Read " Palm lines 2 " by the same author ( Essien Eno )

. "Another questioning again?" She complained, "I've already told Duro all I know, each answers feel as though I'm repeating the same thing" 
"It's not question time Rukky" Dare called out like anyone familiar with her would. "You've been released" "Are you serious?" She asked and Dare nodded. 
"The murderer has been found, there's no point keeping you" Dare continued and Rukky gazed at him in shock. She was still seated on the floor. She stood up gently then  walked towards Dare, "Who killed Bola?" She asked and Dare shrugged. 
"I don't think it's my position to tell you that"

Rukky walked to the Police station lobby where she saw her mom and Omo. They quickly hugged her. Rukky cried still in shock at how quickly the culprit was found.
 "Mom it's a miracle" she muttered, "It has to be a miracle. Who killed Bola?" She asked, "The other policeman doesn't want to tell me" 
Omo and Rukky grew quiet. "What? Why are you guys.... Who killed Bolaji? Mom" she called out, then she turned towards her sister. "You won't believe it, I also found it hard to believe" Omo answered, she didn't know how to break the news that the so called best friend she trusted with her own life, perpetuated the whole thing.
 "Cut the suspense and tell me already"
"It's Caroline, your friend Caroline. She paid Cynthia to put that gun in your and she also killed Bola."