Fate

Episode 15

SLY

It was three weeks after Claire’s guards were la!d off that he found himself following her around again, combining it with his private investigation. He had kept a close watch on Mr. Olive, Bathoand Festus since the three came out top on his list of suspects but, so far nothing substantial came out from them.
He’d decided to ditch his cars having virtually used all of them in following Claire. He was sure that if a pro like him was hired and had been on the girl that it would have been easy to make him out as a stalker.

Again, it was four months gone after that particular incident, since then everything had seemed clear and settled. The SCD had conducted a shallow investigation coming out with nothing and after two months la!d the case to rest.

As he sat at the Mallam’s shop pretending to be smoking with a stick of cigarette burning away in between his fingers something caught his eyes; a black Lexus L330. His mind went to work immediately. He remembered seeing that particular vehicle two days ago parked outside the mall where Claire had gone to make some personal purchases. Again, he remembered the car driving recklessly pass Claire’s residence the evening of the previous day. Was it coincidence? He doesn’t believe in that, he couldn’t make out the face of the occupant since the glasses were partially tinted. He waited mapping out plans on his head as all his senses became alert.

It wasn’t long before Claire pulled out and drove by in her Rang Rover Envogue. After exactly two minutes, the Lexus turned and followed her; that was the only confirmation he needed to know that another person had been contracted.

“Damn!!” He cursed under his breath, regretting why he wasn’t with his car. Paying off the mallam, he ran as fast as he could to the main road off the street and hailed a cab. The two cars; that of Claire and the Lexus were out of sight but he knew that Claire was probably headed to her office.

The cab had dropped him a distance away from where he could trek down to the block housing Late William’s office complex. Just like he’d expected, parked a short distance away was the Lexus.

He walked pass the Lexus and went a short distance before turning around. From the windscreen which wasn’t tinted, he saw a guy talking on the phone. He stood at a spot away from the car looking around like someone lost without a direction. He saw a lady walking by and approached her asking for a non-existing address. The lady pointed around to some shops telling him to ask them that she was new around there. He thanked her and went straight to the shop close to where the car was parked.

He’d asked the shop owner for the same fake address and also got directed to another person. All this he did just to get the attention of the stalker to let down his guards. Walking to the car obvious that the occupant was looking at him, he knocked on the glass and waited. After a while, the glass went down.
“Sorry can I help you?” the occupant asked.
“Good morning sir, please do you know no.18 Parkway Avenue?” he asked dead serious and with a look of a lost person as he motionlessly pulled out his gun tucked on his waist.
“Parkway Avenue? Sorry, I have not heard of a place like that. Why not ask people around.” he said.

“Ok, thank you very much but if you don’t mind I want you to quietly put your hands up where I can see them.” He said pointing the gun straight to his head.

The sudden look of shock and surprise which covered the guys face amused him but he kept a straight face. The guy gently raised his hands while Sly used one hand to open the door from inside. Settled on the back seat directly behind the guy, he ordered him to drive off. The shocked guy obeyed without hesitance.