Following the white Range Rover was simple, but the notoriously clogged highways of Lagos were free flowing, which meant that Malik could spot a car following him. Twice, when he turned off major roads, Shehu drove on, stopping a few metres ahead then reversing to take the same turning; each time hoping he’d find the Range Rover parked beside a fence and not behind a closed gate. But Malik navigated deserted residential roads and joined the same main road again, much further along. It occurred to Shehu that he was avoiding rioters or the police; either of which could be bad news.
The white Range Rover slowed down on Aromire Avenue, allowing other cars to overtake.
‘What are you doing?’ Shehu said, looking at the SUV two vehicles ahead. He overtook them and watched the Range Rover in his rear-view mirror. Malik had slowed down so much that a line of cars was beginning to form behind him. Had he seen Shehu following him?
Shehu came up to the Allen roundabout. A column of black smoke rose from Allen Avenue about a hundred metres away. Shehu continued round the roundabout, turning his head to watch the Range Rover. Malik had started moving again. Shehu passed the Obafemi Awolowo Way exit just as Malik took the roundabout and Shehu ended up behind him.
Malik continued onto Allen Avenue and Shehu followed. When a danfo wanted to edge in between the two cars, Shehu dropped back.
The smoke was from smouldering tyres that had been dragged to the side of the road leaving black entrails behind them. Soldiers were waving on the traffic. Malik passed them. Two cars later, Shehu was also waved on. Malik continued up the road, then changed lanes and pulled up in front of a used car dealership. Shehu passed him, continued a while, and pulled up on the side of the road, just after the open gates of another used car lot. He watched through the mirror as Malik got out of his car and walked into the compound. ‘What are you doing now?’ he said.
The soldiers waving on traffic ahead were looking at him. Two of them spoke among themselves then one began to walk towards the Prius. ‘Fuck,’ Shehu said. In the mirror he saw Malik return with a man in a sky-blue tracksuit. Together they inspected the Range Rover.
A soldier tapped on the window.
‘Is anything wrong?’ the officer asked.
Shehu kept his eyes on the mirror. ‘My car is overheating,’ he said and popped the bonnet.
The soldier inspected the inside of the car then stepped back to let Shehu get out.
Shehu held the bonnet up and watched Malik over the top of it. A black Mercedes-Benz ML drove out of the lot. The driver got out and handed Malik the keys. Malik, in turn, passed him the keys to his Range Rover and climbed into the Mercedes.
Shehu turned his head as Malik drove past.
‘Where are you going?’ Shehu muttered to himself, before swiftly closing the bonnet and hurrying back to the Prius while the soldiers looked on.
Shehu turned into 1004 Estate moments after Malik. He searched for the Mercedes as he drove up the road then turned into the main car park and looked between parked cars. He stopped when he spotted it, but it was empty – parked between two cars in front of a block of flats. Shehu looked around. Malik had gone.
‘Where are you?’ Shehu said to himself, looking up at the balconies. ‘And what are you doing here?’