Yemisi

As I stepped into the police station, a mix of determination and anxiety surged through me. I clutched the folder of evidence tightly in my hands, my heart racing at the prospect of finally bringing Mr. Bello to justice. Ireti walked beside me, her presence a steadying force.

“Excuse me, Officer,” Ireti said, her voice calm, but I could hear the undercurrent of tension. “We need to speak to someone about a serious case. It’s about Mr. Bello.”

The officer at the front desk glanced at us, his expression a blend of skepticism and annoyance. “You’ll need to fill out a report first.”

Frustration bubbled up inside me. “We don’t have time for that! We have evidence that he’s involved in Alessia’s murder. You have to listen to us!”

“Look, I get that you’re upset,” he said, rolling his eyes. “But if this is just some rumor—”

“It’s not a rumor!” I cut him off, desperation clawing at my throat. “I’m alive, aren’t I? I was kidnapped by him! We have letters, threats—proof!”

Before the officer could dismiss us again, a woman in a crisp uniform approached. “What’s going on here?” Her authoritative tone commanded immediate attention.

“I’m Inspector Ogun,” she said, scrutinizing us. “What do you have?”

With renewed urgency, I stepped forward. “Inspector, please. We have evidence against Mr. Bello. He’s not just a teacher; he’s a predator, and he killed Alessia. We have letters and testimonies, but no one will take us seriously!”

Inspector Ogun looked at the evidence, her expression shifting to one of concern. “This is serious. If what you’re saying is true, we need to act fast. But I have to warn you—spreading false information about your death can lead to serious consequences.”

A chill ran down my spine at her words. “I didn’t mean for it to come to this! I just wanted to find the truth! If I hadn’t faked my death, he would’ve killed me!”

The inspector regarded me carefully, then nodded. “All right. We’ll set up a surveillance operation, but you both need to stay out of it. We can’t risk your safety. We’ll try to catch him in the act.”

Hope ignited in my chest. We were finally getting the help we needed. But as we left the station, a nagging feeling lingered. What if we were walking into another trap?

When we arrived at Mr. Bello’s house, adrenaline coursed through my veins. A police car was parked discreetly down the street, and my pulse quickened. This was it—the moment we’d been waiting for. I felt Ireti squeeze my hand, a silent promise that we were in this together.

As we approached the house, a sudden realization hit me. “Wait, I thought Sarah said he was home! Where is he?”

An officer walked up to us, confusion etched on his face. “Ma’am, we’ve been watching the house for over an hour, and there’s been no sign of Mr. Bello.”

Panic surged through me. “What do you mean? Sarah said he was home!”

Ireti’s face paled. “You don’t think she…?”

My mind raced back to our conversations with Sarah, the way she had acted so innocent. “No, she wouldn’t—would she?”

Before we could process our fears, a nearby officer called out. “We’ve checked the perimeter, and there’s no sign of forced entry. It looks like he knew we were coming.”

A wave of nausea washed over me. We had been played. Sarah had led us into a trap, and now Mr. Bello was free.

“Damn it! We were so close!” I exclaimed, frustration boiling over. “How could we have been so stupid?”

Ireti turned to me, her eyes fierce. “We won’t give up. We need to confront Sarah. She has to know where he is!”

Determination surged within me as we rushed back to the car. We had come too far to back down now. I would not let Mr. Bello slip away from us again.

As we turned to leave, I glanced back at Mr. Bello’s house, my gut twisting with the feeling that something was off. “Wait,” I said, stopping Ireti. “What if he’s still inside?”

Ireti nodded, her expression resolute. “We can’t just leave. We need to be sure.”

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2 more chapters to go
Yemisi's Dilemma is slowly coming to an end