THEN IT GOT PERSONAL

Chapter Three

Bisi took in a deep breath and looked closely at the distorted member a second before the bag was zipped closed. It was a clean cut, obviously a very sharp tool was used, most likely a knife. Crime of passion? It sure seemed like it. What could have possibly happened to get anyone this angry and violent? The rage was so uncontrolled that one only had to look at the deceased to feel it. 

The Crime Lab guys were done sweeping the area for evidence but she still looked around. He would show up in her dreams and she had to have some answers for him. The place the body was dumped was a busy one, a public car park was the worse place to look for evidence. There were several shoe prints in the sand and she could see too many discarded objects lying around.

How was the body dumped? The area was closed to a busy road and since time of death was around 1 am, she guessed it was dumped few hours later. Say 1:30 am to 3 am. If so, how? If the perpetrator was male, he could lift the body easily. Although he had to be hefty himself to lift about 170LBS deadweight. If she was female, she would likely drag the body so Bisi walked away from the tape and went around it. The crowd was starting to dispense but their shoe prints had possibly ruined her crime scene. Her only hope was the body itself.

Mez came to her side. "Learn anything?"

She folded her arms "Just that the vic is a male in his mid thirties, dark skinned and of average height, weighed about 150lbs to 170lbs. There was tears caked up near his eyes so whoever did this didn't just stun and kill him. He begged for mercy meaning he felt every pain as he was being cut and tortured." She paused when her voice dripped of empathy and anger. Death will never stop getting to her, one would think she'd be used to it by now. "The coroner should give us more info. Any news from the crime lab guys?"

"He had his ID on him which meant the killer didn't care to make him a John Doe. I've sent his details to Jonah and we should get his address anytime soon."

"I hope to God this is a one time crime, although I have a feeling that it isn't." There was stirring in her spin since she saw the body, she had tried to shake it off but she could sense doom.

"Looks like it is. Let's get breakfast then head to the station."

"I don't feel hungry. Let's find eye witnesses."

"I told the junior officers to work on that already."

"Then we will do it with them. You can stay behind if you don't want to tag along, boss."

Mez smiled at the inconspicuous jab. "Then miss all the fun, no way."

They canvassed the area while speaking with locals. There were several homeless people who refused to talk while some gave them details that didn't add up. The driver that found the body said he had been going to get his car at the park when he stumbled upon the deceased.

"Did you touch him?" Bisi asked for the up-tenth time.

"Touch? God forbid, he was killed by the gods."

"So you didn't touch him, that's good."

"You no dey hear word? I say, I no touch am," he screamed angrily.

He muttered an incantation and Bisi gritted her teeth when she felt goosebumps as his voice got low pitched. The old religion took over the country when things got hopeless in the 2010s, it was hard to miss the drawings of religious symbols such as cowries and beads at corners of doorsteps nowadays. Her mom often spoke about how popular Christianity and Islam had been in the 1900s and early 2000s but Bisi found it hard to believe, she barely lied but it was strange. Humans were fickle no doubt but fickle enough to change gods like underpants? 

Mez who was a worshipper of Sango didn't seem to be bothered, he smiled as he took the driver's contact details before dismissing him.

Bisi squinted as the morning sun shone. "No credible witnesses, don't you just find that to be fucking unbelievable? Lagos doesn't sleep but somehow this area did."

"Someone must have seen something, they just aren't talking." Mez confirmed.

"Yet. We need to make them comfortable, what do you think about free money?"

Mez gave a sly smile before nodding. "Looks like they need it more than I do. Money sure loosens tongues."

"That's what I thought."

Bisi was already perspiring under the sun and when Mez suggested again that they head to the station, she followed him to the car without an argument. They made a quick stop at Spurs to grab breakfast before leaving to the station.