Shock as Peter Abel Investigates Death of Commissioner’s Wife

10 Jan Shock as Peter Abel Investigates Death of Commissioner’s Wife

Camp was standing in his father’s living room early the next morning. He was anxious to get on the road and drive home. He finished his coffee and moved toward the bedroom where he had already packed. The telephone rang. His father answered. He was an old man, grey haired and slender, who wore white cotton pair of trousers, a loose blue shirt and sandals. He entered the bedroom where his son was just closing his suitcase.

“It’s Grace, your secretary, and she sounds upset.”

Camp registered a queasy feeling in his stomach. He moved quickly to the other room and picked up the receiver. His hands trembled.

“Dr. Camp, the whole world has been looking for you. Your family has been in an auto accident outside Bammak City. Your wife and children… oh my God… doctor, they are all dead.”

Camp felt his blood run cold and his head pound. He let the receiver drop to the floor and sank onto the couch. He buried his head in his hands. His father came over. “What is it, Idi?”

His son looked up, tears flowing down his cheeks. “Theodora and the children. Are dead…” It’s all he could say before breaking down into dry sobs and burying his face in his father’s chest. The old man held his son for a long time.

 

( ( ( ( (

 

News of the deaths of Theodora and her two children spread like wildfire, fuelling confusion in Tinnaka State. At the governor’s office, Huud was beside himself. “The owl cried in the night and a baby dies in the following morning. Who killed it?” he mumbled the popular African proverb.

He promptly called a meeting of the State Security Council, which rose in twenty short minutes with the charge to the commissioner of police to investigate the accident. Huud knew the most important meeting on the subject would be the one at Government House. Soon after the release of an official statement to the media by the press office, he went home, amidst the blaring sirens of his convoy.

He had a surprise waiting for him. For the first time in years his wife received him, meeting him in his private living room on the third floor and taking his jacket and tie from him.

“You look tired, my dear.”

Her behaviour filled him with suspicion, but without proof he could not accuse her of anything. He had to say something, however. As she served him a glass of water where he sat, he said, “Tell me Tiko and you had no part in this.”

Rika moved off, then turned back to him. “How can you say such a terrible thing?”

“You and Tiko wanted Camp dead.”

“But it is his wife and children who died. Do you think I’m so evil that I would kill babies? You know how difficult it has been for us to get a second child, don’t you?”

Huud got up and moved to her. He put his arms around the woman and hugged her. “Forgive me. Of course not. I’m just in shock, that’s all. It’s so incomprehensible.”

“It’s a tragedy, but we have to remain rational. Think, Gorem. This works for us. As terrible as it is.”

Huud looked at her, not comprehending at first. But Rika’s quick look of disdain jolted him, and he remembered then that the official report of the accident said Camp’s family had been in his car. Had Rika and Tiko meant to kill Camp and destroyed his family, instead? Before he could put the question to words, Rika spoke.

“My dear,” she began slowly. “Let’s look where we stand. The tragedy is undeniable. But Doctor Camp was out to bring us all down and put us in jail. Now, at least he will be focused on other things, as horrid as that is to say. In the end, we can’t bring his family back.”

“I can’t think of it like that, Rika,” he said. “I have to do something positive. Not sit back and gloat.”

“Of course. And you should. You should reach out to him, offer your friendship. Don’t you see? That’s what I’m saying. Take this opportunity to build a bridge back to the man. Use your strength, your empathy to bring him into the circle. If he’s our friend, he won’t be out to get us. You can help him through this tragedy by becoming his best friend. He will need friends.”

Huud nodded, seeing the good in this strategy. “I’ll go to him immediately and offer my help and my friendship. And I can do so honestly for I feel for the man.”

 

( ( ( ( (

 

Huud went off to dress before visiting Camp. Rika watched him go, thinking what a fool he was, but also thinking how these deaths had at least given them a way around their troubles. And her husband would actually prove useful. Who would have guessed?

She had spoken to Tiko that morning and they had mapped out this strategy, .and he had told her how to use her husband. He was a genius politically and he had made her part of his power structure. Nothing made Rika more sexually alive than this kind of relationship. She burned to take Tiko into her arms that very moment. She would have to visit him soon.

 

( ( ( ( (

 

Huud arrived at the morgue to find Camp with Police Commissioner Nii Noro. Noro was sitting beside the distraught man, who continually wiped tears from his face with a damp cloth handkerchief.

Huud approached quietly. “Idi. I can’t tell you how sorry I am. Please accept my heartfelt condolences.”

Camp looked up at him and nodded. “Thank you.”

Huud sat on the other side of Camp and put an arm around his shoulders. “Listen to me, Idi. We have had our differences, but I always admired you. Always liked you. And your family was so special, so wonderful.”

Noro cleared his throat. “I was just telling Doctor Camp that we have investigated the crash and it appears to be a tragic accident. His wife must have gotten too close to the edge of the road, the wheels caught and the car flew into the ravine. The Volkswagen doesn’t weigh much. Once it is diverted, it becomes a chain reaction.”

“You’re sure it was an accident? I know Theodora received a threatening phone message recently.” Huud was trying, in his own mind, to make certain Tiko and Rika were not behind this. If they were, he would see that they paid. No matter what he had said to Rika, he didn’t trust her.

“We are aware of the phone call,” Noro began, “It was investigated and dismissed as a hoax. And we checked the accident scene carefully. There was no sign of any foul play.”

Huud nodded, still not convinced. It was such a big coincidence. He turned back to Camp. “Idi, I know there are other things hanging over your head right now. I will see to it they are put to rest. You let me handle these ugly rumours.”

Camp looked at him. Huud saw gratitude, then uncertainty in his eyes. He knew Camp was wondering if the gesture was genuine. Finally, the doctor muttered, “Thank you.”

And in reality, Huud was determined to quash the rumours. They had started with him, and they would end with him. Rika and Tiko would argue about it, but Huud didn’t care. Let them try to intimidate him. He was through being a coward. He had once upon a time, before Rika, been a great man doing great things.

Something had changed now within Huud. He had been led to the brink by the deaths of Camp’s family, certain his wife and the head of his party were involved at some level. He would go no farther. If he were to continue on the course they had set, there would be no hope for him. He would have lost all his humanity. He would not see Camp destroyed completely.

Huud made a pledge to himself that he would rid himself of Tiko, and especially of Rika, and have the wonderful Comfort by his side. To accomplish this, he would befriend Camp. Rika and Tiko would assume it was a ploy, a way of diffusing Camp, but it would be genuine. And if he could prove that Rika and Tiko were somehow involved in the deaths of Camp’s family, then Huud would bring them down, even if that meant committing political suicide.

But Huud also knew that Camp had no way of knowing this. All he could know was that the man who had been his sworn enemy yesterday was with him today, a sympathetic arm around him.

 

( ( ( ( (

 

When Abel heard on the morning news of the death of the wife and children of his friend, he sprang to his feet and threw down the remote control device.

“No!” he shouted, and fell back into the settee. He held his head in his hands and thought about the most effective way to hit back. Moments later, he called his boss and promised to file the story of the killings.

“They are calling it an accident,” Chief Benson said.

“You and I both know it’s a lie. They were trying to kill Camp and got the family by mistake. I won’t let them get away with burying this as just an accident. I’m on my way to Bammak City. This is my next story.”

“Good luck, Peter. Make sure Billings goes with you.”

Abel hung up, called Billings and told him to be ready to leave in half an hour.

 

( ( ( ( (

 

Abel and Billings spoke with Police Commissioner Noro, who assured them it was an accident, even when Abel said he had reason to believe otherwise. But Noro was unmoved. He wasn’t about to stir up something just so Abel could sell newspapers.

Abel took a step toward the commissioner, furious. “This has nothing to do with selling newspapers. This is about you doing your job. Or are you in the palm of political hands, say Timo Tiko’s?”

Abel thought Noro was going to accuse him of obstructing or something, but the commissioner held his temper. “I suggest you watch yourself, Mr. Abel. This isn’t Lagos where your publisher has that police commissioner in his corner. Here, I’m my own man.”

“That’s all I ask, commissioner. Fair and impartial.” Abel decided he was being foolish and had let his temper get the best of him. “I apologize if I spoke out of turn. I have no reason to think your investigation wasn’t thorough and honest. It’s just that there have been threats made against Doctor Camp…”

“I understand. But it was his family that died.”

“I believe the killers thought Camp was in that car. He was supposed to be returning to Bammak City yesterday evening. He changed his plans precisely because he was under a threat.”

Commissioner Noro looked at Billings, who stood to the side, silent, but watching the proceedings with interest. “Who is this?”

“This is my associate, Billings Nigara.”

“I see.” Noro studied Billings as if he were trying to remember something. Abel wondered if Billings had a criminal record. “By associate I assume you mean your bodyguard.”

“Yes.”

“If you find proof that this wasn’t an accident, Mr. Abel, you will bring it to me. I don’t want to read evidence that belongs in court in your newspaper first.”

“Of course.”

Noro nodded then turned and walked away. Billings moved to Abel’s side. “So, we look for evidence, give it to him?”

“Not in a million years, Billings. That man is being paid by Tiko. I wasn’t sure before, but now I am.”

Abel couldn’t explain to Billings how he knew this, but he did. Maybe it was the question, the gesture of cooperation. And maybe it was the way he reacted to the name Timo Tiko. Abel’s experience told him Noro was a not to be trusted.

They had wanted to see Camp, but his aides told Abel that he was resting, under sedation. His father and uncles, and Chief Minta were with him at his home. Abel liked Chief Minta. He had spoken so well during the meeting at his palace, but Abel felt he could see Camp later or the next day.

“What do we do now, boss?” Billings asked.

“Now, we go see where this non-accident happened.”

 

( ( ( ( (

 

Abel stood by the side of the road, staring down into the wrecked car. He was surprised that it was still there.

As Abel moved around the site, he looked at the ground, covered with the footprints of rescue workers, paramedics and police. Abel walked up the road a few meters, still studying the ground. Billings followed.

“Where we going?”

Abel looked at him. “The ground around the car’s too disturbed. But if there was another car that caused the accident, they would have stopped after Camp’s car crashed.”

“How you know that?”

“They had to be sure everyone was dead.”

Billings laughed. “You a good cop, boss.” His smile faded when Abel didn’t respond.

Abel wandered along the road a way, kneeling down every now and then. Finally, he stopped short when he spotted a boot print in the dirt. It had the same distinctive crack through the heel as the print next to the car that had made the first attempt on his life.

“You find something, boss?”

Abel nodded. He took out a small digital camera and snapped a shot of the print. “This is the same boot that was there that first night, Billings. Whoever did this also tried to kill me.”

Abel’s next stop was the city morgue, the autopsies. Abel managed to get in to see the medical examiner, claiming to be associated with the Camps. He got Camp’s father to vouch for him when the examiner insisted on calling to make certain. “What do you want, Mr. Abel?”

“When you examined the bodies, was everything consistent with a car crash?”

The examiner hesitated before answering. “Yes.”

“You don’t sound complete sure.”

“It’s just… Mrs. Camp’s neck was broken in a way that is not fully consistent with the crash. It should have been concussive, her spinal column crushed. Instead it was snapped.”

“Did you tell the police commissioner?”

“Yes. He asked if it was concussive. Could her neck have snapped? I had to say it was possible. Then he asked if there were any other anomalies. I had to say no.”

“May I see the report?”

“Sorry. The commissioner took it. No public access.”

“Odd for a garden variety car crash, isn’t it?”

The Medical Examiner smiled. “He said it was a celebrity case, and he didn’t want the papers splashing gory details all over. He wanted to spare Doctor Camp as much pain as possible.”

Abel was now convinced that Camp’s family had been murdered. The question was, how to tell Camp?

He called Chief Benson and recommended they publish the story he was about to dispatch on the front page. He was going to bring up the footprint he’d found and quote the medical examiner about the snapped neck.

Billings asked later if that was okay since he didn’t ask the man for permission to quote him.

“He didn’t say we were off the record,” Camp said. “When you talk to a reporter, you’re on the record unless you agree otherwise ahead of time. Every public official should know that.”

“But the man get in trouble, no?”

“Yes, probably. But this is our job, Billings. We have an obligation.”

Billings smiled broadly. “Our job. Yes. This is our job.” The man was obviously proud of being part of a team.

Abel told Billings they were going to spend the night in Bammak City. When the paper hit the streets the next day, there would be an outcry. And he hoped to see Camp and get him moving. He wanted the man to fight back. Abel was afraid Camp would fold his tent and give up, even resign. Part of Abel’s motivation for publishing the facts before he really had everything in place was to create the kind of firestorm nobody could ignore. As they went to bed in their hotel room that night, Abel thought about Camp and wondered how he was holding up. Part of him felt guilty creating more pain for the man, but in the end, it was more important to bring down the villains than to allow Camp peace and serenity.

 

( ( ( ( (

 

Outside Camp’s bedroom, a distraught Comfort Deree spoke with his father. As one of Camp’s people, she was very concerned for her boss. She also thought back to her night with Camp’s archenemy, Gorem Huud. She had fallen in love with Huud that night, but now she began to feel guilty. She wondered about the accident. She had spoken to Huud, and the man seemed genuinely devastated, but he had said something that disturbed her and which she could not dismiss from her mind.

“God help us, Comfort. I had no idea…”

What could that mean? Comfort shuddered at the words and prayed they were simply the anguished musings of a grieving man. Huud swore to her he admired Camp and never wished him or his family any ill. But in this desperate plea, Comfort thought she saw behind the curtain that Huud kept so carefully drawn between himself and the world.

So when Camp’s father told her Governor Huud was on the line, Comfort asked him to tell Huud she was tending to Camp and could not talk.

 

( ( ( ( (

 

For his part, Camp lay, sedated on his bed. He was aware, somewhere in his mind, that he was at home in his room, the one he had shared with his wife. The bed where his children had been conceived. And in his sedated condition, he dreamed that he and Theodora and their kids were swimming near a white sandy beach where the water was aquamarine and brightly coloured tropical fish swam between their toes and fingers. A warm breeze brushed their skin as they played in the water. In Camp’s mind, he had left that world and would never return.