Bad Market – Episode 7

Timi made certain that I didn’t leave his room without instilling enough fear in me that would ensure that I didn’t say a word of what I discovered when I stumbled into his room. I was literally thrown out of his room afterwards.

::::::::::::::Read Previous episode here::::::::::::

As I stepped into the lobby, his threats played out in my head for the umpteenth time…

“If you say a word of what you saw in my room or what transpired between us to anyone, your sorry ass will be history bro,” Timi threatened while he held me by the jugular.

“This won’t be like the last time Dele, I will take you out for real…don’t try me dude. I believe you’ve met with my crew. You know how deadly they can be or would you like another meeting with them?”

I tried to make out words to answer the question he posed but his strong hands on my jugular won’t let

“Answer me!” he charged at me. I pointed a finger at my neck to signal him to release his strong grip on my throat a little before I can answer his question. He immediately responded. I heaved a sigh of relief before I let out an answer.

“I don’t think so”

“Good! So let this stay between us. Do you understand?”

“Yes boss! Please can you let me go now?” I asked like a teenage girl who had just been defiled by an uncle.

“Of course. I don’t understand why you always like snooping in ‘on me. Guess that’s all you do with the law certificate you bagged at Unilag. Get out of my room you bloody cockerel!” he bellowed as he grabbed me at the back of the head and threw me out of his room like a piece of rubbish.

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It had been more than a week after the incident at Timi’s room. Though I knew deep down that his threats were not mere threats, I still felt something needed to be done to stop him. I could tell what those lease agreement documents were for and I really feared the worse. It was only going to be a matter of time before my old man discovered and when he does, it certainly would disturb my conscience that I was privy to that kind of information yet kept it away from him.

It was so unlike me. Right from my growing up years I was always the one that kept my siblings in check when they misbehaved. They won’t even dare misbehave where I was around because they knew I will always report them to my parents. I was the eye of my parents at school and in the house whenever they were out.

Though mum always covered up for them, dad found a way to punish them for their bad behavior at an entirely different time. I’m sure Ebun and Timi  never really liked me for playing the detective in their lives. And they all grew up with that impression about me; the holier than thou dude who wouldn’t mind his business.

I can’t remember the last time Timi threatened me with bodily harm, I must have been in SSS 1 at that time. That was after a particular incident that happened in secondary school just before Timi was suspended for attempted assault on a teacher

A junior student had complained to her class teacher that Timi had been pressurizing her for an affair, although my brother denied it, words had gotten out to my dad already. And who else would have told my dad if not the family’s parrot. To be candid the only reason I reported that case was because I had interest in Maryqueen too, the girl in question.

Maryqueen was the most sought after female junior student at Ojota Comprehensive High School during my secondary school days. Though she was only in Junior secondary school three, she had a physique that would pass for a University undergraduate or maybe a stripper. At fourteen, Mary Queen was too busty and curvy for her age and rumour had it that she was already on the fast lane as at that time.

I was still in a dilemma as to whether to inform dad about my discovery the previous week, or heed to Timi’s warnings not to disclose my findings to any one if I didn’t want to face the repercussions of my actions when my dad walked frantically into the living room. He was acting strange…you could liken his countenance to that of a whistle blower who had been informed that the whistle he had blown was blown in the wrong place.

“Daddy are you okay? What is the matter?” I asked as he walked restlessly around the living room like a mother hen searching for her lost chicks.

“Everything is the matter? These children won’t kill me,” he finally responded.

“Which children?”

“Your siblings”

“Timi? What has he done this time?” I asked cautiously.

“It’s Ebun o! not Timi”

“Ebun? Is she in trouble?” This time I was alarmed.

“No, trouble is in her. The caretaker just called me. It seems she got a tenant into one of the apartments illegally” my dad spoke hysterically like his life depended on the embattled apartment.

“Dad calm down! Which apartment are you talking about?”

“The hostel at Onike, Yaba.” The property at Onike was dad’s oldest property.

“What did the caretaker say happen?”

“See… I don’t have the details yet. Are you busy?”

“Not exactly sir.”

“Okay, you will be driving us there. You know the place right?”

“Yes Dad.”

“Take the car keys. Let me go get my phone upstairs,” he handed me the car keys as he almost raced through the flight of stairs on his way to his room. I was sure there was a mistake somewhere. Ebun was suppose to be on campus, probably in her room at Akoka. I don’t understand what business she had with dad’s property at Onike.

“Could Timi have a hand in this?” I whispered the question to myself. Now that there was a case of suspected foul play at dad’s property in Onike, it was only a matter of time before the atrocities that was being committed at his uncompleted building around the same vicinity would be brought to the open. “Should I let the cat out of the bag now?” I said aloud to myself or so I thought, until I heard a familiar voice just behind me.

“I am watching you dude, I’ m watching your every move. You don’t want to see my wrath!”

Timi was closer than I thought and he gave me an answer to the question before I could think of one.

 

Bad Market continues next week…