55

Tom looked straight ahead. Amaka slipped a knife off the table. He didn’t see her. She tucked it under her lap and looked at him. Amadi appeared in the doorway. When their eyes met, he broke into a smile.

‘You can excuse us now, Tom.’

Tom bowed and left.

He walked up to Amaka, stopped behind her chair and began massaging her shoulders. She stiffened. He placed his hand on her chest and spread his fingers across the base of her neck. She tucked her hand under her thigh and touched the knife with the tips of her fingers. He pushed his palm into the cup of her bra as he shifted the other into a side pocket of his garment. She lifted her leg to grip the knife. He clasped a cloth onto her face and gripped her head against his body. Her hands flew up and grabbed his. She tried to scream but instead inhaled chloroform vapour and then everything went dark.