64

Amaka opened up the engine of her Bora and drove in a straight line right in the middle of Ozumba Mbadiwe. Alex had told her to drive fast.

Her phone buzzed. With one hand on the steering wheel she picked up the phone from her lap, looked at the screen, and pressed down on the brake pedal.

She stopped the car at the side of the road. The two new messages were from ‘Naomi-Harem.’ She opened the first. It was a little map with a red pin in the middle of it. The second read: ‘You are right. Florentine is dead. Come quickly.’

A car pulled up behind her. Amaka looked in the mirror. It was a military van. The door opened and two female soldiers in camouflage gear and helmets, holding their rifles with their fingers on the triggers, walked towards her.

‘Madam, any problem?’ an officer asked.

The soldier’s young face was tiny beneath her net-covered green helmet. She could have been in her twenties – or younger. Amaka smiled at her. She did not smile back.

‘There’s no problem,’ Amaka said.

‘Where are you going today?’

The young soldier looked into the empty seats of the car in turn as she spoke.

‘Is it because of the riots?’ Amaka said. ‘I’m going to Fiki Marina.’

The soldier finished her inspection of the inside of the car then their eyes met.

‘Why did you stop here?’ she asked.

Amaka still had her phone in her hand. ‘I had to take a call. You shouldn’t drive and use the phone.’ She smiled.

‘Have you finished?’ the soldier asked.

‘Yes.’

‘OK. Move along,’ she said.

Amaka watched in the mirror as they returned to their car. The van pulled out. Soldiers in battle gear in the back looked at her as they drove past. She watched till the barrels of their rifles no longer pointed at her.

She called Ibrahim. ‘I have the location of The Harem,’ she said.

‘How? Where are you?’

‘Almost there.’ Her phone beeped with another call. ‘I’ll call you back,’ she said and took the incoming call.

It was Eyitayo. ‘Chioma wants to talk to you,’ she said.

‘Tell her you can’t reach me,’ Amaka said.

‘Yes, that’s correct. Yes, she’s here with me,’ Eyitayo said.

Amaka bit her lip. ‘Is she OK?’ she asked.

‘Yemisi is fine. She’s been asking for her godmother. She wants to tell you something. Anyway, I didn’t know you were driving. Don’t let LASTMA catch you using the phone.’

‘Thanks, Eyitayo,’ Amaka said. ‘Please, look after her till I get back. Tell her I’m taking care of everything.’

‘OK, I understand. What is that? You’ll bring suya from Polo Club when you return? Oh, thank you. That would be nice.’

‘Is that your price? You are cheap.’

‘OK, bye. Be safe, hon.’

‘Thanks Eyitayo.’