“So you went to her house, twice, and there was no one?”
“Yes!” Reece replied confidently.
Officer Bvepfe remained silent for a while as he went over his notepad. Then he stood up and started pacing aimlessly around the room. “Kid, you do know there’s a reward for finding this girl? If you know where she is just tell me. I’ll let you walk out clean. Stop this prank and we will share the money. Win-win situation, my good young brother.”
Reece forced a chuckle out. “You think I had anything to do with Nina’s disappearance? Yes, we weren’t in good books during the time before her disappearance.” He paused a little. “Please, officer, you have to believe me, I don’t know where she is. And I would do anything to find her. I didn’t treat her well. I love her, I love her so much.”
“Oh sod off with that sad love story, kid,” Bvepfe cut Reece short before he could go on any further. “This is easy money!”
“Honestly, officer, I don’t know where she is, but if you can do anything to find her, please do.”
Bvepfe didn’t shift his gaze from Reece for a while, as if he was trying to figure out his honesty from the state of his countenance. “Well, young man, I think you can leave now. But if you hear anything, do not hesitate to come and contact me.”
Reece just nodded. Then he went to the front desk to collect a few of his belongings. He took a taxi ride back to campus. He made a few calls, one to Tendai and another Nina, but they still were not reachable. He just shook his head as he tucked his phone back into his pocket.
“Safe here, murungu?” the driver broke the silence.
“Yeah, yeah, just that we have examinations upcoming so it’s tight right now.”
“I see, haa, all the best, my guy, hope it goes well.” The driver didn’t probe any further as he completed his ride back. As he disembarked from the car he immediately saw Tendai, who handed him a kaylite packed with a burger and large portion of fries.
“Come on, man, why didn’t you just hand me the food when we’re in the room?”
“Is this the thanks I’m getting?” Tendai laughed as he tried to wrestle back the food from Reece.
“Any word on Nina, bro?” Reece was more serious now.
“None, other than the whole campus thinking you’ve kidnapped her. It’s been the chatter ever since you were taken by the police.”
“I don’t blame them though, even the police thought the same, but I think they don’t have enough on me that warrant an arrest. That public spat I had with her here didn’t help me though, dude.”
“Laura doesn’t think you did it, bro,” Tendai chimed in.
Reece stopped a little bit. “And so what! Who cares about what she thinks? I thought we agreed we’re not talking about that chick ever again!”
“Calm down, Reece, I was just saying. And also that other freshman kid. Tawanda also said she saw her jumping into a black car.”
“Which Tawanda? That rural kid who is always high on weed? Come on man, be serious.” Reece dismissed Tendai once again.
“You’re annoying, my friend. But Tendai, I have to find Nina, man, I wouldn’t want anything to happen to her. Not right now, I have to find her.”
Tendai tapped on Reece’s shoulder. “We will find her, bro.”
***
Her eyes were sunken. She tried screaming but couldn’t muster the strength to do so. “God please, God please,” she whispered. She had run out of words, but she believed God would come through her. She had grown up seeing her father praying for people and getting healed. People used to come by him with all sorts of problems. She had often seen her father lay his hands on them and they were healed soon after. As the church grew, he started operating from his office at the chapel. She was also a key cog in his father’s ministry, being one of the lead singers in the praise and worship.
“Oh Nina! Nina, my darling!”
This voice was irritating her to the core.
“Have you seen the news?” He came in laughing hysterically. He still had the hoodie on, but it wasn’t completely covering his face. The chin area was bare, and she saw his well-trimmed goatee.
“Your father has increased the reward money from 2500 to 5000. Barry is a funny man. He actually believes with all the money he defrauds all his idiotic followers of his through offering, through tithe, through seeding! And all he has to offer is 5000? No! No! No! Barry has to pay, your father has to pay, baby girl!”
