"You didn't sleep last night."

I raised my head to look at Charles who had barged into the room. He looked different, out of his usual button-downs, trousers and dress shoes. He was clothed in a simple looking black and yellow senator with a freshly trimmed beard, it looked less like a bushy farm and more like a freshly mowed field.

"What gave it away?"
He stepped forward and placed his hands on the back of the empty seat across from me.

"Discarded headphones, crumpled sheets of paper, unmade bed, disheveled ponytail, red rimmed eyes, angry set lips, pinkish nose."

I chuckled despite how tired I felt.

"I have less than five days to round this up."

"I understand your agitation perfectly and I'm here to help." He smiled encouragingly.

"How was church?" I leaned back and stretched my hands over my head. His smile broadened.

"Something funny happened today."

"Your pastor's wife was dozing off again?"

"No, I mean I didn't really look at her. This woman sat beside me today, all fine lace and choking perfume with makeup like karashika."

"Charles." I laughed.

"Wait naw. So she kept singing off-key the whole time and she was recording it on her phone."

"Her singing?"

"Yes o. You know calabar women and their big behind, she just kept dancing to every chorus, I swear I almost chop ynash like five times this morning." He put on a horrified look that made me laugh again.

"She was just intimidating me in that seat, causing unnecessary traffic during offertory. This is where it gets interesting." He scooted forward and I couldn't help smiling in anticipation.

"So you know how my church has this big decorations in the central aisle, that was how aunty danced and went and hooked her gele there. She didn't even notice and she just kept moving, leaving the gele and wig!"

"Wig?"

"I'm telling you, her normal hair be like cow chop some part before they pursued it."

I was wheezing now.

"Me now I just unhooked the thing for her and was dancing behind her until we reached our seat. You needed to see her face when she realized people weren't looking at her because of her great dancing skills."

He joined me in laughing now. It took a while for us to settle down into lazy smiles.

"You know, you don't look half as mean and petty as I know you are." I told me.

"Good thing most people don't know me the way you do."

"Lucky me." He laughed at my fake elated expression.

"So. What's the plan?"

"Listen to every tape, go through every note, get on my knees and pray for a miracle."

"I mean as regards your body and your health." He looked at me with amusement.

"What's wrong with my body?"

"Well, it looks like it could use some food."

"Oh? Are you really__"

The sound of my ringing phone cut me off and I picked it up for the first time in hours to see an incoming call from my aunt.

"Hello aunty. Good morning."

"It's afternoon." Charles mouthed but I just rolled my eyes.

"How are you? Kaima." Her steady voice greeted me.

"I'm fine, thank you. How are you and mama?"

"We are fine. In fact, that is why I called." I adjusted in my seat and Charles perked up.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, none at all."

"What do you mean there is no problem?"  I heard my Nana's voice in the background and chuckled at the familiar dramatic tone. My mom really was her mother's daughter.

"It's just your grandmother throwing tantrums." Aunt Beatrice sounded a bit agitated.

"Let me speak to her." Charles had relaxed when he saw the smile on my face but was now edging forward like he knew it was my grandnana I was asking to speak with.

"Chikaima." Her voice was scratchy but active.

"Happy Sunday nana."

"Don't talk to me like you went to church."
I laughed lightly.

"And you did?"

"Of course she did. My princess never misses Sunday service."

I scowled at Charles for intruding but I had been expecting it, I was even grateful for it.

"Is that Charles?" He could hear clearly now that I had the phone on speaker.

"Charles? Come on, we talked about this. Address me properly naw."

"Our union has been broken, Charles."

"Do you two need some privacy?"

"Shut up, Kaima!" My nana yelled. " You don't call or visit for two weeks and you have mind to talk."

Charles was having a good time laughing at me.

"I have been busy, nana. You know about the case."

"I know that your cellphone works. Excuse that."

I sighed. She too could be as unyielding as my mother.

"We promise to spend quality time with you the second we close this case." Charles jumped in.

"Not so fast, young man. Your case is different, it is not going to be that easy for you." She put him down.

"Okay, speak to me. What do you desire as compensation?" Charles had a fond look on.

"You mean bribe?"

"I am an officer of the law, princess."

If he flirted with other women half as actively as he did with my nana, he'd probably be married.

"Does that mean you can't get me the usual?"

"Are you seriously talking about fixing my grandmother up with drugs in my presence?"
He cast me a glance.

"Oh. You are still here?"

"Fine." I threw my hands up in surrender. "I give up."

They both laughed at my expense and it wasn't long before I joined in.

"Will you two come over? Beatrice made abacha."

Charles' face scrunched up in time with mine. All the woman needed was a couple hours of our company in her old age but we weren't disposed to do as little as that.

"We have to work, nana but as Charles promised, we are all yours the second we close this." Her sigh was low and long.

"Okay, take care of yourselves. And Charles?"

"Yes princess?"

"Don't forget my compensation."

"I wouldn't dare." He clutched his chest and I almost groaned.

"Good. Oya where is this girl? Beatrice! Come and end the call."

Charles and I fought back laughter as I ended the call.

"So you deal in snuff now." I teased.

"It's hard to come by but I have my ways." He put on a smug look that broke into a grin.

"I can't believe I just said no to abacha." His look was that of honest disbelief.

"Abacha needs to be eaten heartily and I don't think I can be merry right now."

He gave me a knowing smile.

"Look at you developing respect for food."

"I guess we all have our vices."

"I don't know what you are talking about. Treating food with respect is a virtue and on that note, let's go get some less merry food in you."

He pushed back his seat and got up, readying himself to come pull me up when the music started and I let out a groan. He paused for a while and stared at the door to the room like it held some sort of explanation.

"What is that?"

"That, is Tamara Coker partaking in her new favorite passtime."

"Listening to loud music?" He arched a brow and I scoffed.

"Nope." He followed me as I moved out of the room, not forgetting to lock the door.

    Tamara Coker wasn't as invested in showcasing her talent this time around because part of her attention was directed at her partner. Vera Coker wasn't much of a dancer but she could win any crowd over with the effort she put into copying her sister's moves.

Tamara didn't look pleased with her student but by her continuous laughter, I could tell she was entertained. Vera's flailing limbs could give a ceiling fan a run for its money.

"Is this a daily occurrence?" Charles asked from where we were watching at the top of the stairs.

"This is the second day in a row so you can bet on it."

He returned his amused gaze to the sisters. They were the most similar of the Coker girls in appearance and a bit of character. Both shiny with flawless skin and attitudes to cover up emotions. The only difference was that Vera wasn't fully conscious of her actions and the challenges her recent loss was going to cause her for the rest of her life and while Tamara knew, she was struggling to find a way around it.

"How long does it last?" Charles posed another question.

"Until they get tired, I guess."

Seconds after my reply, Vera fell to the floor and stayed there for too long for it to be a part of her dance routine. Tamara stared at her limp frame for seconds before crouching to shake her shoulders. I couldn't hear her voice but I could read her lips calling the little girl's name.

She got a little aggressive with her shoves and when Vera gave no response still, she got on her knees and gathered her in her arms, slapping her face lightly.

We were already halfway down the staircase when she yelled for help loud enough for everyone in the building to hear.