The Law Enforcement Enriched Officer
It was a pitch-black night, well suited to the scheme. Well, not so
dark anyway. He still didn't feel as reassured as he had thought
earlier, of the efficacy of the camouflage that his black uniform
accorded him.
These miscreants might spot me, he thought as he glanced about once again at his environment.
The shrubbery gave him cover and mocked the sickly yellow glow from the
nearest street light that barely lit anything beyond a 2-feet radius.
The foliage was also thick and tall in this area of the roadside and
together with the overhanging leaves of a nearby tree, completely
obscured the 6-foot tall signpost that announced:
'No stopping
No waiting
No parking
Fine N30,000'
No waiting
No parking
Fine N30,000'
He glanced up at the hapless signpost and shook his head. Government!
He mused, dem no dey eva do something finish. How pesin wan take see dis
sign wey bush cover so?
He adjusted his position on the cement
block on which he was sitting. Only yesterday, he and Mutiu had
surreptitiously placed it here so that either of them delegated to this
hideout, would have some convenience, for the long stakeouts between the
ambushes.
A dull ache had started in his right buttock, its
pulse matching beats with the one that throbbed in his right hip. He
wondered about the time. A glance at the battered leather watch on his
right wrist told him he'd been sitting in the spot for almost two hours.
By this time last week Thursday, he'd 'apprehended' three offenders
before 7:50. These guys don dey wise up, he mused.
No, he
consoled himself, they can't resist the temptation to walk into this
trap. One person must fall tonight. And I go chop am.
From his
position, he could see across the road to where his partner lounged on a
bench in the recessed storefront of an supermarket that had closed for
the day. Although he couldn't distinctly make out his form, he knew that
Mutiu was alert and that at the opportune moment, he would spring into
action, as they had earlier agreed.
The traffic was light and
flowing but had begun to thin out in the last 30 minutes. There were
hardly any pedestrians walking alongside the road now and the place was
looking more deserted with every minute now. A gentle breeze had started
to blow, and it threatened to lull him to sleep. He glanced at his
watch again.
I go soon go house, he reasoned, but I no fit comot here without bar for pocket. Make I chill small.
A minibus slowed, hesitantly it seemed and coasted towards the spot
alongside his hideout. He tensed, a sneer creasing his lips. From the
corner of his eye, he spotted a minute movement from the storefront
across the road.
Mutiu, the sharp guy!
His concentration
returned to the vehicle which had only just stopped. As the rear
passenger door began to open, he rose to his hunches, careful not to
let his head be seen above the bushes.
A figure set one foot on the ground outside the bus. And Officer Moses pounced.
Co-writing credits: Steavihn Hakkore Imediegwu
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