Forgive the Godfather

27: Luke finds Linda

Luke left the Labo residence and drove fast, weaving his way around the morning traffic, with screeching tires and all.

He wished that the driver of the blue van had seen him now, or the taxi cab driver who had driven him to where the patrol cop had seen Linda's car. He headed for the bungalow where he was certain that the kidnappers were holding Linda.

Luke crossed the traffic lights, turned right at the next intersection on to the Okojo Ella Close and stopped his car. He parked the car well off the road and waited at the junction. While waiting and watching out for the blue van, he made two important calls.

First, he called his office. "Rita are you back to the office?"

"Yes, I just got back," Rita sounded excited.

"Did you meet our man?"

"I did. Funny enough the man practically chased me away. He said that he wasn't a printer. Then he got busy on the phone. I managed to take his picture."

"The man let you take his picture?" Luke was incredulous.

Rita chuckled. "I took the picture without his knowledge. Should I send it your phone?"

"Yes please," Luke said, "and thanks. That was great piece of detective work. See you later."

Next, Luke called Kris. "Everything is now set," he informed the SSS Director. "After negotiation, they agreed on one hundred million. The drop is an uncompleted overhead bridge at Central Business District. That's where I'd found their daughter's car yesterday. I need you to send two of your boys out there, but keep well out of sight. If they suspect they are being watched, they may call off the deal. So I want your boys to remain completely invisible until they've picked the cash, then wham. Swoop in and grab them with the cash.

"I need you to also send two of your boys to Area 10, shop no 2024, Main Plaza. They will find a man with the complexion of an Albino, goes by the name of Linka Strina. He is their chief controller. I suspect that they have a powerful godfather who is the mastermind of this whole kidnapping business. They may bring the money to this guy. If they don't your men can ask this Albino to take them to his master. I am sending you Linka's picture now."

"What about the girl?" Kris asked.

"I am taking care of that angle," Luke said. "If I find any remnant roaches, I'll give you a call, and your boys can come over and pick them up."

"Don't you think you will need help?" Kris asked. "Those guys could be dangerous."

"And so am I," Look said. "You don't have to worry about me or the girl. I promised the old man that I was bringing his daughter back home, and that's what I'm going to do."

"Luke, be careful. Don't try to be a hero," Kris warned.

Luke chuckled. "I'm not trying to be a hero, Kris. I am. Better send those boys out now and stop wasting time. The van will be on its way any moment from now."

"I already sent out two men as we were talking," Kris said.

At that moment Luke saw the blue van approaching the intersection where he'd parked his car about ten minutes ago.

"Here they come," Luke said. "They just passed me. They are heading for the drop. I have to be on my way."

Luke hung up, started his car and waited for the blue van to pass. He noticed that there were three occupants in the front of the van.

The man whom Luke recalled as the driver who'd overtaken him and beaten the red at the traffic lights only the before last. He recognized the light complexion girl with the bronze braids.

Luke did not recognize the man that was sandwiched in the middle of the front seat.

Linda was no where in sight. Could they have locked her in the back seat?

As the blue van made the left turn and waited at the traffic lights, Luke drove his car to the end of the tarred road, turned onto the dirt road and to the bungalow.

He stopped directly in front of the gate and waited.

How many of their crew did they leave behind to look after Linda? Or did they take her along with them? If they had taken her along with them in the van, Luke thought viciously, he would have no choice but to after the van. First he had to be sure that there was no one left in the house.

Getting out of his car, Luke eased the gun in its holster. He pushed the gate gently to see if it was locked, it wasn't.

He slipped the gun out of its holster. Gun in hand, he cautiously walked up to the front door and tapped his knuckle on the door panel.