CHAPTER THIRTEEN

After Harley walked her friend home. A white with black striped cab came in front of the house. A lean, tall black man exits from it. The man was in a pale blue t-shirt.. He also wore a ragging black face cap. He walked towards her. He asked pat if she was Patricia. She immediately jerked out of the arm chair she was sitting on and reluctantly nodded. She check round to see if anyone was hearing or watching them. Something curled down her stomach. No one knows her by that name here in Ghana except people from Lagos, Nigeria. She does not know if there is some trouble coming her way.

“From where please?” She forced herself to ask in the midst of her worries.

“Please follow me. I was told to bring you to some place.” He responded and went to open the passenger side door of the car as pat followed. Pat obediently got into the car. As the car headed towards the highway she started to ask herself why she followed a total stranger who she has never met before. She wanted to hit her head for being stupid. She also did not inform anybody before leaving the house. What if the man who has not said a word to her all through the journey was sent to kidnap her? What if he is one of those angry fans of Sammy? Or what if he harms the baby in her tummy and herself? She became a bit calmer when they got to the driveway of the penthouse. But she still did not know why he brought her to the house.

In the house were her brother and Sanjana sitting on the couch. She rushed towards them. The knot of anticipation tightening in her stomach as she sat beside her brother.

“What are you both up to? You scared the hell out of me. Why would you send a stranger to come pick me without informing me?” What’s wrong with your cellphones? You did not call me and when I do, it’s unreachable. What’s going on? Did you find anything?”

“Darling Sis., at least welcome us. Dummy, you followed a stranger blindly and you’re here blaming us.” Nana Kwame said pulling her closer.

“I’m sorry. It’s just that, ever since you left, I have been worried sick. The anxiety wouldn’t let me sleep.” She said, tears horribly close.

“There is only one answer to your questions. You will have to meet someone who has answers to your questions.” Sanjana said.

Pat sighed with a breath of relief after Sanjana spoke. She must confess that Sanjana’s silence scared her a lot. A talkative woman like Sanjana would not be that quiet except if something was wrong. In her head she felt Nana Kwame and Sanjana did not find anything from their trip. But who could Sanjana be talking about? Would she have to go back to Nigeria to meet the person? She was due for the birth of her baby in two weeks. She was advised not to be stressed until then. To travel would be a stressful thing. Her heart has started hammering in her heart. She felt it will leap out if care is not taken. She moved to where Sanjana was seated.

“Who do I need to meet? I am scared now. Did something happen in Nigeria?” She asked solemnly. Pat voice has become croak she coughs to clear her throat.

“Akwete…” A masculine voice called her name. The voice sounds very familiar; something registered in her brain. Her heart thuds as her mind started darting back in time. The voice used to make her heart flutter; but now it scares. She would admit she missed the voice but it felt strange hearing it now. Something she has no explanation for. She turns around to see a broad shouldered and the tiny “waisted” man. She gently slowly moved her eyes upwards to reach his face containing his lit eyes and smiley face. She could not believe what she saw. She had to brush her face with her now shaky hand. It felt like she was seeing a ghost. She felt some chills in her head. She felt sick from her stomach back to her head.

“Sammy!” She exclaimed and become hysterical.

“Please, stay calm.” Sammy rushed towards her while Sanjana pats her shoulder.

She does not know how to control the thoughts in her brain. How can someone be happy and sad at the same time? If he’s been alive all these while, then where has he been? Why did he make her suffer? She was labeled a murderer because of him. Did he plot his own death to get rid of her? A lot of thoughts keeps running through her head and mind. It was hard to make her calm down. Nana Kwame made her lay on the couch with her head on his lap. Sanjana brought some iced tea for her while Sammy watched helplessly. The past few weeks of their life have taken a new turn. But if it did not happen, Sammy wouldn’t have found himself.

Pat was wrongly accused but it brought her back to her family. She wouldn’t have come back to her family if that has not happened. Patricia could not explain how her life has gone in the past few weeks. She felt like someone else in her own skin. Now she wants to believe she was having some nightmare like she did every other night. It was hard to fathom the fact that what is happening now is the reality. She had become pale and was running a high temperature. Sanjana brought her some pills to use. It will help heal her fever. She slept off after a while. Sammy took her in his arm to the bedroom. He have her sleep on Sanjana’s bed. He looked at a sleeping Patricia intensely. He must admit that he missed her dearly. Patricia must have gone through a lot in the past weeks. Even in her sleep she looked stressed. The space between her neck and shoulder is so shallow like a well. He cursed himself for making her suffer and not being there for her.

The night Sanjana and Nana Kwame called to ask for the secret entrance to the house from Patricia, they found a man staggering and walking towards them. He was panicking as though something was chasing him. The man was so weak that as soon as he got in front of them, he fell on his feet. Sanjana and Nana Kwame took him to the hospital. They found out he was Sammy after he was well enough to talk about himself. Nana Kwame introduced himself as Patricia’s brother and Sanjana as his friend. They told him about why they came to Nigeria. But it amazes them to find out Sammy did not know that Patricia was sent to jail after his disappearance.

Sammy told them someone had kidnapped him and he managed to escape back to his house where they found him. He did not know the house had been locked by the police. Sanjana started her secret investigation after then. They met Barrister Fasasi who gave them briefing about the case. And he also helped them reopen the case in the court.