"Mummy get me some chocolate while coming back" the children yelled at Mariah as she zoomed of in her car. Mariah is a cool headed woman in her mid thirties. She had two kids with her husband. Mary and Lucy and they all lived in the western part of Nigeria. Mariah was on her way to the popular Food market in town.
Her immediate younger sister Joy Was getting married and as a caterer she had decided to take care of the food for the wedding. What is family if we can't help each other when the need arises. Besides Joy, her sister who was a detective in the Nigerian Police Force has been the one looking into the case of the recent cash theft in her husband's office.
Joy was a hefty woman in her late twenties. As a kid she had loved to play only games which natives had taught were meant only for boys. Infact at one point their father had grounded her for climbing trees with other boys in the area. But that didn't deter Joy from doing what she loved to do. After high school, Joy had trained with some local boxers and had gotten quite good at boxing. Their dad later stopped bothering her again and supported her in any career she chose.
Infact one day when Joy returned home and announced her intentions to join the police force her dad personally bought her a form. And joy in a few years has worked her way to the rank she is now.
Source
It was a typical Nigerian market scene of neatly dressed crazy people. From the Chattering market women to the herbal doctors with their loudspeakers persuading people to buy their one drug cures all products. To the Thief perched at the corner carefully picking their next victim. And the oversized clothed preacher shouting at no one in particular. Everyone was basically dealing with their demons. It felt like the whole residents came to market that day. Mariah found it difficult manoeuvring the very familiar market. Few hours later she was done and was on her way home.
On getting to her apartment which was a 3 bedroom bungalow jointly built by herself and her husband. It was a building befitting of a family of four. She parked her car at her regular spot in the compound and proceeded inside.
Inside the house was Joy with Mary, her eldest daughter playing the game of ludo. At the same time fanning herself and Lucy, the last child of the house who she had on her laps.
"Oh my, why is everywhere hot?" she asked. Dropping the grocery bag on the ground as she entered.
"Sister, nno (welcome)" Joy greeted. Ignoring her question.
"Ah ah, Joy you never told me you were coming" Mariah proceeded to open the windows to let air into the hot house.
"Yes, o. I didn't expect it either. But I finished work early today" Joy replied.
As she adjusted the sleeping child on her lap. "Nne (my dear) come, carry your sister to the room she's fast asleep now, and open the windows" she called to Mary who immediately took her kid sister from her and headed to the room.
"Between hell and Africa I wonder which is hotter" Mariah cuts in as she slumped tiredly into a seat nearby.
"What happened to your generator, I heard it broke down. And NEPA hasn't restored light in weeks" referring to the company in charge of electricity in the state.
"My dear, just this morning I needed it to prepare these kids for school but it couldn't start. But I called the engineer on our way back. He should be here any moment from now."
"The old engineer I Know?. Because you told me he's a cheat."
"Not that one. This new guy works for my husband at his office whenever their generator breaks down. He's good. He was at the office the day of the cash theft incident"
"Nsogbu adighi (no, problem)," Joy said, adjusting in the seat.
"So, how about the case at my husband's office. Any news or suspects yet ." Picking up her grocery bag and headed to the kitchen with Joy coming behind.
"Yes, from the video on the CCTV the thief had his back to the camera, it seems like he knew exactly where the camera was positioned. But I noticed he had a tattoo of a dove on his right arm just above the elbow which revealed as he bent over the drawer."
"Eh, So?"
"Tomorrow I'm going back to check on the staff. To see if anyone has a tattoo that probably matches"
"Okay, nice idea"
Just then Mary walked in.
"Mummy the engineer is here." she announced.
Mariah left what she was doing and they all went to lead the engineer to the back of the house where the generator was stationed.
After examining the generator and bargaining his price the engineer got to work as the two ladies moved back to the kitchen, leaving only Mary with him in case he needed something. Few steps back into the kitchen.
"Uncle, you have a tattoo on your hand?." Mary playfully asked as the man pulled off his shirt to get to work.
The two women froze on their tracks, looked at each other but kept mute. They turned to confirm.
"Yes" the engineer replied in-between works. Now without a shirt and already dismantling the generator.
And truly he had a tattoo of a dove just above his elbow as Joy had seen on the suspect from the CCTV and at the same hand.
He was the thief.