Wild West of the Heart
FORTY-FOUR

The echoes from the television filled the entire room. It had no right being that loud, but with Akin and Mary in dim silence, it had no choice.

They stole irreverent glances at each other, neither of them feeling the need to utter a word. The tv was on politics, it was why Mary was uninterested. You might call it apathy but women's ideas of politics weren't entertained then. In some districts, most of them weren't even allowed to vote. And the word politics was often referred to as the men's game. As much as it was a social issue, Mary didn't replace it offending at all.

Because she actually didn't care. Care about the next state elections or campaigns and all that. It was all futile at the end of the day, there was nothing like a free and fair election in Nigeria. Godfatherism is always bound to take it's toll at the end. Besides, she had her health to worry about. So maybe it was a little apathy. But still—

It meant nothing to the millions of people like her.

It was then they heard a knock on the door an were forced to actually make eye contact. It was well close to noon, meaning neither of them expected guests or anything. Not like they knew that much people that came around besides Bisi and the devil himself, Collins.

"Who's that?" Mary asked, finally breaking the silence between them. He shrugged, getting up from the couch and turning down the volume. Be it noon or dusk, it was just common reflex to act all defensive, especially when you're not expecting anybody and there's a knock on your door.

Akin walked towards the door, peeking through the hole. And Mary just remained restive in the chair. She'd heard alot of mishaps that happened in the neighborhood of late and that certainly troubled her. But at least, Akin was there. She'd like to think he would do everything in his power to ensure she didn't get hurt. He said it himself.

But that was two decades ago, in front a priest and below the altar. Alot had changed since then.

"It's the police" Came a shriveling sort of panicky whisper from Akin. It was then Mary stood up as well. They'd known better than to trust the whole police is your friend slogan. Because that was BS. "What?"

Mary stood, assuming the worst the next second. She looked around her house for some reason, questioning whether or not it was guest friendly.

Then she turned to Akin. "Open it" She urged, tossing away her pillow. He did though, and before him, like he'd seen, was a six feet tall man, with beards that mapped the edges of his face.

The smell of sweat was his cologne, but not in a way that was rather disgusting. But in a way that showed he might have been on patrol since the morning began. "Good afternoon" Akin greeted. The man wiped across his face, taking a step back.

Sweat dripped down his hands like lemon juice, it was a rather hot day. And Mary could testify to that even from within.

"Good morning" The man replied, his badge catching Akin's attention. "I'm Officer Dare" He said, taking a brisk look inside at Mary who ws forced to flash a smile.

"Well-" Akin rubbed his palms against his shorts. He couldn't tell why he was anxious, not that he'd done anything wrong of late.

Emphasis on of late.

"Are we in some sort of trouble?" He chuckled, a crack in his voice. "No, not at all" Dare smiled back. "Actually, i'm here to see Olamide" He paused. "He lives here?" Akin was a bit hesitant, arching his brows. His eyes narrowed at the trunk in his driveway. "Yes. He's my son" He defended.

"Ie Im mi ni eyikeyi wahala?"Mary stepped up, saying what roughly translated to a question-

if Mide was in some sort of trouble.

Dare shook his head, quite enthusiastically.

"Again not at all" He said, just as someone walked up to the door, with some book in his arms. He nodded to Akin and then turned to Dare. "What's going on?"

"Really?"

"My son isn't home. He's at school" He said of Ola, as if he wasn't anyone out of his son. "Yes, i figured. But maybe you could help us as well" Akin stepped aside for Dare and his partner to walk in. Mary excused herself to get them some water at the very least.

"Well, first i'll love to tell you how brave your son for stepping forward in the fight for justice" Dare said, loosening the button around his neck.

He had a questioning expression whilst Dare took a seat. "For Pius. For Jazzlyn Pius" Akin took his seat then, intrigued by this news.

"Well what can i say?" He played along, as Mary came forward with a tray of bottle water and Malts Guinness. His partner's face lit up in excitement at the sight of a chilled ice malt drink.

"Early last month, he came forward with a statement on what he'd seen that night. And with the help of another person, the force has decided to take on the case" Dare replied.

"I thought we agreed she killed herself" Akin stroked his beards as Mary lingered by the corridor. "Agreed?" Dare echoed. "Well, due to some new found evidence. We have reason to believe it was a murder. And your son's account of the incidence certainly helped frame a picture"

He smirked, as Akin nodded. "My son?" It was his turn to echo. "Taking the case now means we need several other witnesses of that night" Dare turned to Mary. "And Alfred here" He turned to the man he'd walked in with. "He's here to do what we call a facial composite"

"Basically it's trying to put together a suspect's facial structure from the description of a witne—“

"I know what a facial composite is" Akin interrupted as Alfred sat forward, taking a sip out of his drink. "But i'm sorry i wont be able to help you. I'm afraid i didn't see anything that night" "And i doubt my son did either"

Dare gulped on his bottle water before placing it to the table. "Actually he did" Akin now pushed, more defensively. "He did not. And i myself have reason to believe he might have been coerced to give such false statement" He continued. "Coerced?"

"He was walked through the instructions and he's well aware that false statements is found punishable by law" Dare said while he just scoffed. "I don't think he does. It was probably that best friend of his and the single parent" He said, roughness at the back of his throat.

Dare then proceeded to button up his shirt, knowing full well he referred to Mira. There was something off about his replies and he began to question how bad of an idea this was.

"I'll have a word with my son" He stood. "In the meantime, i'm sorry i can't help you. And i don't believe anyone can in this neighborhood" He said and Dare himself stood, slightly taller than Akin.

"How about yo-" He made a bold attempt pointing to Mary by the corridor but Akin wedged against him, now dangerously close up.

"She has nothing to say as well" His voice was low and laced in a threat. Dare's hand brushed against the cock of his gun and Akin's eyes caught it.

He then backed away after a brief moment of confrontation and Mary let out a sigh. Dare forced a smile, to shield the unease that he felt, crawling beneath his skin. Unease that sprung from the thoughts of narcissism.

He turned to Alfred, who was forced to abandon his half filled malt drink. "Come on. Let's get out of here" And then to Mary. "Thanks for this" He made it abundantly clear it was Mary alone that deserved his gratitude. And by the time, he turned around to the door, it was already opened.

Akin nudged his head, pointedly to the roads. And his eyes pierced into Dare's soul as he walked out and towards his truck.

"That was weird" Alfred said, a little too loudly as tossed his paper to the backseat. Dare took one last look at the house before he started his engine.

And soon they were revving out of the driveway, tyres slashing across the pavement on which Jazz had died on, unknowing to them.

To be continued...