The D.P.O asked Layo and Sade as he found their stories hard to believe.
"Yes", they chorused
"We have proof", they played the audio recording for him to listen to.
"So you are trying to tell me the voices in the recording are yours and your husband's?"
"How am I even sure you're not just trying to frame your husband?"
"Sade, see why I didn't want to come o the police?"
"Oga D.P.O, all these questions need to be answered, I agree but that's your job, and if you don't do it, we will let the people help you do it. I may not have told you before but I'm a journalist with the National Television.
We will leave our statements, and if, in the next 24 hours nothing is done, I promise you will be hearing about your incompetence on national television.
Good day."
"Erm, wait ladies, e never reach like that, I'm only trying to investigate and ascertain the authenticity and genuineness of these accusations. These are serious allegations, you know."
Oga, we have heard you, just know that we have more copies of the audio recording, and all of our conversations this afternoon here with you, were recorded too.
That's our insurance as we know you can be bought over. If anything happens to I or my friend, the whole world will hear what went down. Good bye officer." Sade said, waving her recorder at the pot bellied officer as she pulls her friend along and struts away.
Layo was too shocked to speak.
"What did you do in there Sade? How did you think to do that? When did you start the recording?"
"That's why I'm a journo, I think on my feet, do all that's necessary to fish out the truth."
"I just hope all goes well."
_____________________________________
A day later, a missing person's report was filed by Angela's friends, and due to the similarities in the report and Layo's statement, the case was referred to the police station where Layo and Sade made the report.
Her friends also attested to the fact that Femi was Angela's steady boyfriend who picks her up from their house most of the time.
The body was found in the Lagoon as it was not very deep.
All fingers pointed at Femi.
The circumstantial and physical evidence were just too many to ignore.
_______________________________________
"Come out, you wicked girl, you want to kill my son, you want to send him to jail,......"
That was the menace that woke Layo and her neighbours up three days later.
She was already packing her things, she needed a change of environment, a fresh start. She has to be ready to move once the trial is over.
She didn't bother to open the door, neither did she respond to her mother in law's noise.
In the course of sorting through their things, she found a file in Femi's drawer.
In this file were receipts and evidence of purchase of some landed properties.
One smart thing she did was insisting they made each other their next of kin and they gave each other right of attorney.
This meant that in the event of any mishap or unavailability of one party, the other party could assume ownership if the other's properties.
As God would have it, Layo still had a valid visa to the United States which Femi never allowed her to use six months ago when she was granted, simply because he was denied.
This was her fresh start.
She couldn't wait for the trial to be over.
The state prosecutor pushed for a speedy trial.
With the weight of the evidence provided, Femi pleaded guilty.
Femi was sentenced to life imprisonment and Layo sold off all the properties, moved to the United States where she started picking up the pieces of her life.
All rights reserved
Written By Tolulope Fakayode-Faniran
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