BETROTHAL

CHAPTER 21

Femi and Fola got to Maraba Jos around half past 3 p.m.

They followed the description sent to Fola by the kidnappers as sms. When they got there, Femi parked the car as Fola got out with the briefcase.

They barely spoke a word to each other throughout the journey.

"I will go alone from here. I need to get going before it gets dark", Fola told Femi.

"Don't you think I should go with you. I'm having a bad feeling about letting you go alone. You aren't even experienced enough to hold a gun not to talk of pulling the trigger. I promised mum to protect you and your friend will skin me alive if anything happens to you", Femi replied with a frown.

He was restless throughout the journey and it made him short of words.

Fola smilled at his last sentence and said: "I will be fine."

"I will be waiting for a signal from you then", he resigned to fate.

"Alright. Go stay in the car. They might be seeing us from somewhere", Fola ordered and he obeyed.

He went back to the driver's seat and slumped into it. Then he waved at her with a sad smile.

Fola smilled back and turned to go.

She took the first step and then second. Then she began to run afraid that she would go back out of fear.

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"What?", Rachel exclaimed as her smile vanished.

T-boy roared in laughter seeing Rachel's reaction.

"Are you scared of the lady or scared of the police?"

Rachel looked everywhere but couldn't find anyone. She fumed in anger as she walked towards him. "You must be crazy."

"You were murmmuring to your self like a crazy person. I had to do something to get your attention."

"Do you have to play a crazy prank like this on me?"

"I'm sorry baby", he said moving close to her and still laughing.

She warned: "You are getting on nerves Tunde. Don't try me."

"Sorry bosslady", he said with a mock salute and bursted into laughter again.

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"Bisi, get Olamide for me", Mr Garba instructed.

"Yes sir", she said as she moved away.

Few minutes later, Olamide appeared. "Dad, you called for me."

"Yes I did. Sit."

Olamide sat as instructed and looked at his father scared of what he was about to say.

"I called Rachel earlier today to confirm our suspicious......"

"Dad, it's not a suspicious. She is truly pregnant. She told me herself", he interrupted his father.

"Do you know the gravity of what you have done by impregnating that whore?", his father questioned.

"Dad", Olamide said rising up. "Why will you call her that?"

"She works for me and I know her very well."

"That doesn't mean you should call her a whore."

"Ola, are you stupid or what? What do you want me to tell Fola's father. Her father and I are already making plans for your marriage. You are supposed to be married to her in the next six month", his father remarked.