Chapter 18: Troubled Waters

Around 9pm that sexual day, Florence got a strange call and surprisingly, she left the room to answer it with a low voice. I couldn't get a word from the conversation but I wasn't worried, maybe she didn't want me to get involved in that matter. After about thirty minutes, she resurfaced with a blank expression.

"Is all well sis?" I asked.

"Yea" was all she responded. She went straight to bed and backed me. It was unlike her. Who was on the call with her? What may have gone wrong with my bubbling sister? I was worried now.

"Please talk to me. What's the matter? Is there something I can do to make you feel better? Maybe I can give you head." I said, feeling concerned.

"Nothing Steve. Go to bed. We will talk tomorrow." She said plainly. She actually called me Steve for the first time in days. Something must have gone wrong as I predicted.

"Okay oh. I will allow you." I just laid there, looking at the ceiling as thoughts filled my head. I didn't want to bother Florence but my heart still felt troubled, more troubles than I ever felt.

Just before sleep took me over, my mobile phone vibrated and the lights came on.

I checked to see a message from Agnes, the agent.

"Steve, what have you done? What happened to Sophia and other ladies? I just hope you know that the police will investigate their disappearances. I pray they are all fine. You may be rich or from a wealthy family but you're above the law. You can't hide forever. You vacated your office today because you knew the police would get you there easily. Where ever you are, prepare for your doom if you know anything about the whereabouts of Sophia and people of the Lawson's house."

I didn't understand anything Agnes had sent. It was written in simple English though but I was lost. Sophia and the people of the Lawson's house? Something may have happened beyond my understanding. Wait, why was Florence quiet? Did she receive the news?

How did she handle 'my troubles'? Another thing that baffled me was why she stopped me from going to the office that day. What was going on?

The sleep disappeared and I began dialing numbers. Sophia, Bola, Chidinma and Aminah, all switched off. Evelyn didn't pick hers. What was happening?

It was a cool night but I found myself sweating profusely. It seems I was in a bigger trouble than I thought. I tried to alert Florence but she was fast asleep.

"Why are you calling me? You think you can harm everyone easily? I thought you were a human. What did those innocent ladies do to you Steve? I'm begging you in God's name, please do not hurt them. " another message read from Evelyn. What the hell had occurred behind my back?

I was awake, watching as the day began to unfold to a new dawn of uncertainty while Florence slept peacefully beside me. Trouble, they say, would find you mostly when you least expect and I knew troubled had found me, naked beside my step sister. My phone had received tonnes of messages from both known and unknown numbers, asking me to 'allow the ladies go safely' throughout the night.

"Good morning big sis.. I'm sorry I woke you" I told her as she opened her eyes and stared at me without a word.

"Good morning. I know you had a troubled night. You will be fine" she said plainly again.

I was amazed at how she was calm and acting like the real Florence I knew years back. What happened to the romantic person I had few hours past?

"Just to brief you.... You can't go out of this house, for any reason. Do you understand?" She sounded serious.

I nodded my troubled head to indicate my acceptance.

"Can I ask you something?" I requested.

"What's it?"

"What happened to those ladies?" I asked.

"They were trash that needed to be thrown away. You need to be free from those trash cans. " she said.

"Are they safely unharmed?" I asked again.

"For now yes, but they may not be alive for long." She said.

"What? Why?"

"You told me to help you take care of your troubles and I did. You should be grateful." She said.

That was so uncalled for. I was doomed. If Florence took care of my troubles, how did everyone get to know that my contact was link to their disappearances?

God, we needed answers.

I couldn't eat anything as the messaged increased and my life began draining gradually. Florence acted so distant and continued making her calls strangely. Around 2pm that day, my dad called me with a very angry voice.

"Less than a month and you have burnt all that took me years of sleepless nights to build? Steve, I don't want to believe you have become a kidnapper and a murderer overnight. Whatever you may have done to those innocent ladies, undo them within the next one hour or you will be locked away for life. What were thinking for Christ sake? Don't let me do something tragic......." He blasted me for long and dropped the call before I could utter a word.

No back up, nobody to lean on, clueless as I was, thinking about the hell I was walking in, the TV news caught my lost attention and the headline was a nightmare

"A young CEO abducts young ladies to cover up his sex scandals" the world had my story on their screens and I didnt even have a clue.

Florence just took a quick at the headline and turned her head away. I was confused and worried.

The next TV channel had my photo displayed and the newscaster was explaining how one Steve Nwosu booked a secret meeting with some ladies and the ladies were reported missing. It became clear that someone was using my image to paint a wrong picture for an unknown reason.

I had to do something before the world believed a false story. I went to meet Florence in her room and demanded answers. She gave me another shock as she said I should prepare for more headlines.

"Mr. CEO, I hope you are enjoying the fame ? You are now all over the news. Congratulations!" She teased.

That was when I knew that my sister had other things up her sleeves.

I ran back to my room, got a hoodie and attempted to head out in my car but Sparkle blocked the way out. I horned for the evil faced thug to depart but he stood still and daft. Maybe he had plans with Florence. Ignoring him, the ignition came on and the car began moving towards him without warning he gave way. I drove straight to the State Police Command headquarters and presented myself before the DPO who was shocked to me.

"You have such a high audacity to come here, you know that?" He said.

"It is about my life and reputation sir, I don't understand what is going on". I began narrating my own side of the story to him, skipping the sex parts and he seemed to believe me.

"Are you saying you didn't send that invitation?" He asked.

"Yes sir, I never did. I was worried that they were all pregnant and I only discussed with my step sister....." I told him.

"Well, maybe someone sent the messages." He concluded.

"For your own safety, we will have to keep you in cell because you are a suspect and that woman you once worked for won't stop at anything until she tracks you down. Unlock your phone. We will do some routine checks on your messages mainly deleted once. Trust me, we will get to the roots of this matter." He assured and I found myself in cell in moments, with only my boxers.

We were about twelve men in that room and they all looked hungry and angry. I got a couple of slaps from some one them before they allowed me settle in.

If Florence was truly behind this, I would never be happy with her.