My father's killer episode 2

MY FATHER'S KILLER
CHAPTER TWO
I KNOW WHO KILLED

It's a Saturday morning and I still have a lot to do at the office. I was fully dressed for work and hurried down the stairs. I tapped on my daughter's door so she could join me for breakfast. It had rained a bit last night so I decided to have a cup of tea and a few slices of bread. I had barely had my first bite of the slice I held in my hand when my phone rang. It was Inspector Precious.
"Good morning inspector... Late Doctor Dickson's?.. Fire? How?.. Yes sir. On my way."
Immediately the call ended, I abandoned the meal and hurried out. Before I left, I called out to Juliet to let her know I was stepping out.
***
I had just arrived late Doctor Dickson's apartment. I didn't have to ask about what had happened. The place was still ablaze. I was furious. I turned to the closest officer.
"It's still burning since last night? Where is the child and her uncle?" I asked.
"We haven't been able to put out the fire yet"
"Is that your job? Where are the fire guards? What is wrong with these Nigerians?"
I was loosing my calm.
"I've been trying to reach them, but the call isn't going through. Guess its a network issue" he said dialing the number again.
"Network issue? For an emergency number? Give me that phone" I snatched it from him before he could even blink an eye.

***
The fire guards had finally put out the fire. They also found two bodies, burnt beyond recognition within the building. Mrs Becky took a walk around the premises and stopped in her tracks at the sight of a third body. It appeared to be the lifeless body of a girl, lying face down, dressed in a pink sweater and a pair of boyfriend jean. No shoes. Mrs Becky is even more suprised when she sees the inscription JULIE at the back of the sweater. It was the exact sweater she had bought for Juliet on her 18th birthday.
"If Juliet is at home, what is her sweater doing here" Mrs Becky thought to herself.
She turned to the officer beside her and instructed him to turn the body over and search it for any means of identification while she calls the ambulance. She takes a few steps away from the body then turns her back against it. She brings out her phone to ring the ambulance guys but instead decides to ring Juliet first. A phone rang behind her. It was from the girl's pocket.
The officer immediately retrieved the phone from the girl's pocket. Without turning, Mrs Becky got the phone for examination. Behold Momma was glaring at her from the screen. That was when it struck her. She was holding her daughter's phone. She immediately turned around and met the face of her lifeless daughter Juliet staring at her.

***
The three bodies are rushed into the ambulance. Mrs Becky holds back her tears by biting her lower lips. She has to be strong, it is her job. Juliet's gasp for breath immediately threw all hands on deck. Mrs Becky hid her fear and hope in her squezzed fists over her lips and shut her eyes. She lets the experts do their job. The ambulance leaves quickly heading directly for the hospital. The officers and the news men linger around.

***
Mrs Becky is in her office pacing about, trying to fix this jigsaw puzzle. What was Juliet doing there, when had she left the house, why didn't the fire touch her, is my only child dead, are those bodies that of Inem and her uncle Gabriel? These were the questions going through her mind when her phone rang. It was a call from Mrs Dickson (late dr Dickson's wife)'s doctor. Informing her that Mrs Dickson was to be discharged the next day. She asked the doctor to keep her within sight till she arrived. As soon as the call ended, another came in. This time, it was from Juliet's doctor, asking her to arrive the hospital as soon as possible. The detective was confused over which call to attend to first. She finally decided that family was more important. The last thing she did before stepping out was slipping Juliet's phone into the pocket of her jean
***

"Mrs Becky" Dr Fustina started, handing me a file immediately I walked into her office.
"First, you need to sign this"
"What's this?"
"A police statement. We can't touch her if you don't sign that"
"What! Police report for a fire burn? Why wasn't I told of this earlier?"
"You didn't come with the ambulance and from examinations, the fire didn't touch her"
"And if it didn't?"
I was already loosing calm.
"I'm not signing this. So, the earlier you commence treatment on her, the better for you. If anything happens to my daughter, I'm so sueing this hospital"
"Nothing would happen to her. She is on sedatives"
"Sedate what? Can I see my child?"
Just then, a nurse rushed in, informing the doctor that a patient has no pulse. I don't know how, but I just knew it was my child. I followed them. I was right. All the doctor did was check her nerves and cover her from head to toe. I found myself laughing. My child can't be dead. I pulled the doctor away from her bedside.
The doctor left the ward. I knelt beside my daughter, took her hands and started pleading with her to return to me. Then, I heard someone order me
"Pray!"
I looked around the ward, it wasn't the nurse, she was busy with something. I heard the voice again, this time with more urgency
"Pray! You don't have time"
I don't know much about prayer, but I managed to say "Darling Jesus, please save Juliet"
Something started ticking. The nurse was alarmed. She ran out and soon returned with the doctor. That was when I realised what had happened. Her pulse was back. My child is alive. I stepped away from her bed and watched the doctor and the nurse run around.
TBC