MISSING PIECE (Part 7)

Despite been happy to be home, Armstrong refused to go to church, read his Bible or even join his family to pray. He saw it as a waste of time, praying to a God that didn’t care. All pleas fell on deaf ears. Interventions from the pastor and family members infuriated him the more. His children became scared of him because of his quick temper and began withdrawing anytime he was around. They’d run to the room and lock themselves in till he fell asleep on the couch or went out again.

**********
“This is not what we agreed”, she shouted. He hated seeing her like this. She was calm and sweet but when angry, could act like one possessed.
“Just calm down, you are shouting….”
“I don’t bloody care. Don’t even tell me to calm down. How did all these happen?”
“It beats my imagination”, he said, “However, there is something we….you can do.”
“And what might that be?”, she asked.
“I know you still have a hold on Chief Benson. Go and talk to him. I’m sure he can use his influence on it.”
Not a bad idea. Why didn’t I think of this earlier. “You had better pray it works out or else…..”
             He smiled a bit. “Of course it would.”
“What’s their position now?”
“Normal.”
She nodded. “Just keep them in sight, okay?”
He raised his hands in the air. “You’re the boss.”
“Twale for you, mama”, one of the boys with him hailed her.
“Anything for us?”, he asked.
“After what you’ve done? You’re getting nothing!”, she yelled and stormed out.

***************
Police Station….
“I’m sorry for delaying you”, Mr Alao said.
“No problem. You na my man naa”, the DPO, James Akpofure said. They laughed. “So what brings you here?”
“Look at these”, Mr Alao said, handing him some files. The DPO studied it for a while.
“There’s nothing wrong with these.”
“Exactly. Yet, money keeps missing monthly from the official account. You have to help me before I go bankrupt.”
“Wait, Alao. I thought we arrested the culprit, ermmm…..Armstrong?”
“This has been going on when he was in prison. There are no traces whatsoever. He’s innocent, James.”
“Hmmm….maybe not.”
“Meaning?”
“It could be that he has devised a better way of stealing from you, with the help of insiders of course.”
Mr Alao placed his hands on his head. “Ahh! Mo gbe! (Ahh! I’m in trouble!). What do we do now?”, he asked fidgeting.