“If I had known this would happen I would not have hired the man,” Mr. Shittu was saying when he got closer.

Bayo frowned. A man was dead but the man seemed more concerned about the bad reputation he was getting. “Mr. Shittu,” he called.

He turned to look at Bayo and narrowed his eyes. “Yes.” He was a pot bellied fat man with a stern look on his face. Even dressed in a simple shirt and trouser, the way he carried himself spoke of a man with means.

“I am Detective Bayo. We met earlier." There was no need for introduction since they had been introduced earlier when Bayo first entered the house but he thought it was polite to introduce himself again."How did you know the victim, Mr. David?”

“What kind of question is that?” Mr. Shittu asked harshly.

Bayo took a careful step back. “A simple one.”

“Why are you interrogating me? It was just an accident.”

Bayo raised a brow. “I didn’t say it was not an accident and who says I am interrogating you?”

“I know when I am being interrogated.”

Bayo moved closer interested. “You talk as if you have been interrogated before.”

“I...I...” He glanced at his friend. “David painted the house of one of my friends so when I told my friend I wanted to paint my house, he introduced him to me.” He didn't seem eager to disclose whether or not he had been interrogated before.

Bayo let it go. “Did you have a problem with him?”

Mr. Shittu frowned and then opened his mouth to argue but looked at his friend, who was not bothering to hide that he was listening, and answered, “I didn’t, I barely knew him.”

“What of your wife? Did she have any trouble with him?”

“Look, I don’t know what you are–”

“I am not accusing anyone, Mr. Shittu. It is my duty to ask questions,” Bayo interrupted.

Mr. Shittu’s frown deepened. “She looked shocked when he came and then she angrily went into the house. I didn’t tell her about the painting of the house so she was angry.”

“Why would she be angry?”

“I…I have been spending a lot of money and she didn’t like it.”

Bayo wanted to tell him that his wife had warned David but he didn’t want to be the cause of a fight between a husband and wife. “How about your daughter, Mariam?”

“She didn’t like him but then Mariam doesn’t like many people.”

“People believe that you were capable of harming David.”

“People believe many things about me. They are just jealous.”

Bayo didn’t think Mrs. Shittu was jealous of him but he didn’t say anything. “Where were you when David died?” he asked.

“I was in the parlor reading a newspaper.”

“You didn’t go to your room for anything?”

“I only went to put my dirty clothes for laundry on the bed. What is this all about?” Mr. Shittu asked angrily.

“I have reasons to believe that this might not be an accident and hands are pointing at you.” Bayo had enough of beating around the bush.

“Why would I kill the man? He is nothing to me.”

“Maybe you didn’t want to pay him. He had almost finished painting the house.” He gestured to the last part that was not painted, just above the window David fell from.

“Why would I do that? I have enough money to pay for ten more painters,” he boasted.

Bayo mentally rolled his eyes at Mr. Shittu's arrogance. “Do you have any idea of who would have wanted to kill him?”

“I don’t know? I don’t go around accusing people of murder.”

Bayo ignored the jab. “Thank you for your time.” He looked around. “I will like to speak to your wife.”

Mr. Shittu frowned and narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"To ask her a few other questions."

"I thought I answered all your questions."

Bayo understood now what people meant when they said Mr. Shittu was a jealous man. He fixed the man with a sharp look. "I have a few more," and then he added when Mr. Shittu opened his mouth to argue, "only your wife can answer." 

Mr. Shittu hesitated then pointed at where a pretty woman stood.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

We have met our first suspect Mr. Shittu. What do you think?
Remember to click the little vote button and comment.

I have realised how unfair it is, for my readers, updating the story once a week so I have decided to try to adjust my schedule so I can post two chapters a week.

©Jesutofunmi Fekoya 2017