27 - STATEMENT
Two days later.
“I caught them making out in my room,” Lola had tears in her eyes, “I shouted at them and ordered them out of my apartment, but when I strolled into my mom’s room to inform her of what they did, I met herb corpse.”
She was seated on a seat in a quiet room with Detective Stalingrad.
“Do you think they were the ones who killed your mother?” Stalingrad asked.
To Lola this seemed like a dumb question, she wouldn't be seated here at this moment if she didn’t think, filthy Shawn and Kamari had killed her mom.
“They were the ones at home with her,” she said with tears, “they were the ones who were making out in my room when I entered the apartment. They were the ones.”
Stalingrad took a deep breath.
“For now, we should take a break.” He rose from his seat. “I will speak to you when I’m ready.”
“I don’t need you to act when you are ready, detective,” said Lola, “I need you to arrest those heartless beings.”
Stalingrad rubbed his palms. “Look, I can detain them but I can’t go on with an arrest, and you know I already did that the day you called the cops.”
Lola said nothing. She was full of rage and confusion.
“I detained them for just twelve hours which is what the law stipulated,” Stalingrad continued. “The rest would be after investigation, if they are found guilty, the justice will take its toll.”
He walked out of the room.
Lola lowered her head to the table and wept. She could remember that faithful day like it was a minute ago. She had barely chased them out of her room and out of the apartment when she checked her mother’s room and found her dead body.
Someone strangled the old woman to death with a piece of cloth.
“Mom,” she wept the more. “Justice, I must get justice for you.”
***
“Sir?” an agent said as Stalingrad walked into the big hall.
“Angelo,” he made for his desk.
“We got news from the DNA guy,” said the fellow.
Stalingrad stopped. Lola had made clear her desire to get justice for her mother, and Stalingrad was more of such games as justice.
“He dropped the file on your desk, and he said the DNA found on the cloth and the corpse of the victim doesn’t match with that of the suspects.” The agent said. “It was a whole different thing.”
Stalingrad narrowed his brows. How come it was someone else that did the bad job Kamari and Shawn were accused of?
“I would like to see the file, and I’d like to meet with the fellow and hear him out,” Stalingrad said.
“Okay, sir.” Said the agent.
***
“We have a development, more a reason why you should be careful,” Stalingrad announced after he had been served a glass of water in Lola’s apartment.
Lola sat on one of the sofas in the living room. The sofa was the one that faced Stalingrad’s sofa, so, their eyes were in each other’s face.
“Go on and tell me why you still haven’t gotten justice for my mother,” Lola said. She was saddened, her eyes were wet with tears and her hands weren’t stable. They shook like she had Parkinson's disease.
Stalingrad grabbed the cup and took a quick sip. Lola had been a friend, not just a relative to the victim because he thought she had something with Grey, though he was yet to hear from Grey who was said to have traveled a couple of days ago.
“We couldn’t find anything that could be used against your fiancé and…”
“Ex-fiancé,” Lola snapped.
“Yes, ex-fiancé,” said Stalingrad, “and supposedly, your ex-friend, Kamari.”
“What do you still have to confirm before you know I said the truth?” Lola posed. “Those devils killed…”Listen, Lola, you can’t make me stroll off the limits of the law.” Stalingrad was firm with his words. “You are enraged, for one thing, you barged into your own house and found them fucking each other in your room. That’s clearly not a reason for me and the law enforcement officers out there to jail the cheats when we know we can’t hold shit against them.”
“This is ridiculous.”
She was infuriated but her hands were tied and there was nothing she could do
“Of course, the law is always something you can’t predict,” Stalingrad stood to his feet. “It’s a two-edged sword.”
***
Stalingrad didn’t stay long with her. he left thirty minutes after he came. She had the door shut, but she didn’t bolt it or lock it up like she would do in the good old days. A knock braced the door.
“Come in if you are not Kamari or Shawn,” she sounded like she was drunk with wine.
The door was gently pushed open, and the last person she would ever imagine would visit her apartment walked into the living room with a paper bag.
It was Salmon. He was probably there to deliver a package from Shawn and plead on his behalf. Lola sat upright on her sofa. Her eyes went from sad to stern.
“Salmon, what have you come for?” she asked.
Salmon took a deep breath and edged towards her.
“Lola, dear,” he started. “I heard your predicament, so, I decided to come and pay some respect to the demised.”
Lola swallowed hard.
“Did Shawn send you?” she asked.
“Shawn wouldn’t speak of you if not when he’s ready to mock someone’s ass,” said Salmon. He lowered the paper bag on the table. “I’m sorry, but that fellow has moved on with his new Judas, your dear friend, Kamari.”
“That’s no new thing, and no big deal.” She stood up. “Thanks for your concern, Salmon, but I don’t need visitors now.”
Salmon nodded. His right hand traveled to her left shoulder. They seemed as cold as the dead hands of her demised mother the very moment she found her dead on that fateful day.
“To grieve for the dead is human, but to take heart is all you require to be alright,” said Salmon. “You have to find another man, find your peace, and heal from this mess you are in.”