•Mairo

"I'll have to record the conversation so that we'll use it on that day. I'm already at her house now so goodbye. If I finish early then we'll go today."

Baba Tanko opens the gates for me and I drive in, parking at my favourite spot, beside the generator. Just because, it'll be easier to reverse back out of the spot.

I turn on the voice recorder and position it above all the clustering in my bag so that it's close enough to capture everything that will be said.

I zipped it up and slung it on my left shoulder before exiting the car.

"Mairo sai yau kika ga daman zuwa gidan nan ko? (So it's today you felt like coming to this house?)" She ran towards me with her hands spread wide, "Any luck finding Aaliyah?"

"No. Actually, I saw her some days ago in this house. She came and took some of her things."

I scoffed. "And you let her go?"

"How will I do that? Am I mad? She came in when I went to see Chief Otunba. I just saw her going out through the back when I came back. I was about to drag her back but she ran away, escaping into one car."

"Hmmmm. Do you know who owns the car?"

"How will I know? It's probably one of her boyfriend's or that Alhaji Tanko. I told you she has boyfriend's."

"I still don't think he's her boyfriend. Maybe a close friend drove her here."

"I couldn't see the driver but I doubt it was a woman that could drive that way." She dragged me by the arm, "Sorry. I kept you outside with my baseless gist. Come inside dear."

As usual, we would always stay in her room to talk. So, I turned to the staircase immediately I was inside while she went into the kitchen.

"There's pure heaven, fanta and also five alive. Which would you like?" She asked as she bent forward to drop the tray of drinks and finger food on her bed side table.

"Five alive is fine." I responded as I munched on a money bag.

"Alright. So..." She sat in the middle of the bed cross-legged like a child. "How is everything?"

"Alhamdulillah. Everything is going well."

"Masha Allah. So what have you been up to lately?" I smiled, asking a neutral question so that I wouldn't sound like I knew her plans and also hoping she'll initiate the topic herself.

"Nothing. Just thinking about where to find Aaliyah and using her to get to Alhaji Tukur."

Check.

"How do you plan on going about that?"

"I called Malam Mahamadou to help me out."

"And what did he say?"

"He'll help me find her and he'll give me updates so that I'll be able to find her. He also adviced getting a P.I."

"That's good news. But wait, I thought he was an illiterate. How does he even know what a P.I is?"

"Ehnn, he said he has a HND certificate. He called though and he said she was still in Abuja and that she was living alone. He doesn't know the exact place but she's still here."

"Abuja is big. How will you find her now?"

"The P.I will do that for me. I've already found one and he has started his work." She smiled mischievously.

"Ok. After finding her what happens next?"

"It'll be to charm Alhaji Tukur. But I see it's taking time so I'll just use another method Malam Mahamadou suggested."

Another check.

"Hmmmm."

"He said I should get a piece of his clothing and give it to him. It'll take time but will be worth it."

"It'll definitely take time. Why not find Aaliyah first?"

"Anything can happen. I don't want to take chances. So I'll pay the security guard or a member of their household like the maid so that I'll get something and send to him." She coughed, "It'll take at most two days before he gets it. I don't have a problem waiting for a few days if I'll get what I want."

"I see."

"Yes. And he'll finally marry her then they'll both be under my control." She laughed loudly.

"When will you be free so that we'll go to see Hajiya Jamila?"

"Today is ok. I'm not doing anything. Call her."

On cue, my phone started ringing. I pulled it out from where it was hidden and checked to see the name on the caller ID.

Unfortunately, it was Halima.

This woman is going to destroy my plans.

Sweat gathered on my forehead and palms as I reluctantly drew my eyes away from the phone, setting it back in the bag.

"Pick it. You don't know if it is important."

I hissed nervously as I avoided her gaze. "It's my fr-sister in-law."

What? Sister in-law? This woman will never match up to where I was in the social hierarchy. Talk less of even getting close to being family.

I met her when I was going to see a friend who was supposed to give me some money. I needed a car ride after my Toyota Venza stopped in the middle of the road due to a flat tire.

Her rickety Volkswagen was what she picked me up with. I wouldn't have left with her but I had no choice and since then we've been friends.

She proved to be loyal and had a greedy heart hungry for money just like I did so we naturally became a perfect bunch.

I answered the call after she refused to take a hint and stop calling.

"What do you want?" I spat.

"Ha'an I just wanted to know if you were done so that I can come and pick you up."

"Oh. I'm not yet done." I turned to my left to Raliya listening to us attentively.

"Ok. But be fast. You know we still have to take..."

I hung up before she could expose us there and then.

"You know, I just remembered that I have somewhere else to be so let's reschedule the meeting with Jamila."

"Alright. That's not a problem."

"I guess I'll have to take my leave now. All the best on finding Aaliyah. Bye."

I picked up my bag and followed behind her as we went downstairs.

We hugged and I walked out to my car. Once I was sure she had gone inside, I opened my phone to check the voice recording if it was saved to my phone.

Fortunately, it was indeed saved.

I drove home immediately and called Halima to come and pick me so that we can head out to see Jamila before the day came to an end.

Soon she arrived and we left to Jamila's house.

The drive to the house was short but getting in was a journey as the security guard wasn't even at his post.

Halima pressed the horn of her way to old Volkswagen blared in a funny way. Like the beat of a song, the engine made coughing sounds that mixed with that of the horn.

He finally opened it after about fifteen minutes.

We quickly got down once she drove in and parked her car then we went into the house.

"Good afternoon ma." Blessing, their maid greets.

"Is your madam inside?"

"Yes ma. Let me inform her that you're here."

She disappears upstairs and we find out way to the living room.

"Aaaah Mairo! Halima! How have you all been?"

"We're fine." Halima answered for us.

"So, what brings you two today?" She asked sounding a bit amused and I was sure it was because I was with Halima.

"I just came to see how you were doing."

"Oh my, thank you." She beamed.

"Hajiya Jamila, I won't lie to you. Somebody wants to push you out of your house."

"What do you mean?"

"That woman you met me with in Niger, she's a traitor. Do you know what she told me?"

"What did she say?"

"Hmm she told me that she has been eyeing your husband and she wants him to marry her niece. She went back to the Malam and asked him to help her charm your husband. As we're talking now, she has already finished with your husband."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"Sadiya kawo min jaka na."

Sadiya hands me my bag and I pull out the phone from my bag.

I press play on my phone and the recording begins relaying the evidence backing my claims.
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~Aisha Safiyanu🥀