WHATEVER, POLICE OFFICER

Eleven.

ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA.

Ahmad heard the sound before he felt the gentle touch of a woman on his bed. His first instinct was to hold the person down and knock her out cold but then, she is a woman and there is no way he can do that to a woman no matter what she's done to him. Hence he didn't move, stayed motionless on his side, partially flummoxed and disturbed but also highly vigilant.

After a few shuffles from behind him, he heard her leave the room and started screaming bloody murder just before she left his quarters in the Babagana mansion. He stood up from the bed and tiptoed to the living room, his move still graceful and catlike. The elegance cat uses to attract attention and mental focus, he possessed it even then.

He saw a lady standing in the middle of his leaving room, her back turned to him as she called out for help in nothing but a flimsy lingerie. Her hands are both ladened. The left one with two high heels that looks awfully familiar and the other clutch a piece of clothing he cannot name from afar. He cannot even see her face dammit, why was she shouting for help? There is no way this person didn't come in herself, she did. It is a ploy.

And most importantly, how the heck did she get into his quarters when he is sure he's locked it up when he entered? His brows are pulled together in perplexity at the scene before him, like a movie unfolding right before his eyes.

He decided to put the puzzle in place and thought. . . A woman in lingerie holding high heels and piece of clothing like her life depended on it, shouting at the top of her voice for help.

What does that imply now? He blinked through the haze of sleepy eyes, regarding everything with the mind of a detective and police officer. He's been known for sharp understanding and coming to righteous conclusions all the time and he sure as hell is not mistaking anything in front of him and he knew who is behind this serpentine move.

The woman might not be the person he suspected, she is not the one but this is something Fatima Musa Babagana will play. This looks like her trick and not to forget the familiar high heels in her hands.

He didn't let his eyes wander anywhere unnecessary, just took out the main twists and skim over the situation. A sinister smile curled the edges of his lips just slightly, because he knew something was coming but not just when she comes back home from the station. He's really pushed her to the wall, eh? Then it is no trouble irritating Fatima Babagana after all. Her emotions are on her sleeves.

Before he could react and seize the woman's voice with his, an alarm rang throughout the house and that is when he knew that his words won't have any value and everyone is already outside wanting to see what is happening in ACP Al-Hafiz's quarters. Damn it, Fatima knew just how to get the whole attention if he thought she was playing a child's game. She's plotted it well.

No one will believe that nothing had happened in the room, it is unlikely. A woman and man in the same room, she is wearing only a lingerie and God knows what she has done to herself to make this believable. Women are such distasteful contemptuous cynical creatures meant for sins!

He stepped forward when he saw her moving to the door as someone tried opening it from outside. His voice penetrated through the quietness behind him in an echo. "Who are you?"

She looks startled, as if she didn't expect him to wake up with all the commotions taking place. If only she knew he's seen everything she did in the room by keeping a pair of earring, lipstick on the pillow and so forth. He didn't clear anything, he'd be damned if she dematerialized from the quarters without him finding out who she is so he followed her quietly.

She didn't turn around despite her effort to turn and look at him, she stood rooted until the door jolted open and she bolted out like she was on fire. The brightness that suddenly took over the dark living room -from outside- was blinding but he didn't blink, not about to miss anything outside so he stepped out too and noticed that all the staffs, guards and the members of the family are there.