What is the ransom?

I had often seen Chief Akin Badmus on the pages of the paper and on TV and he seemed to have a larger than life personality, but the man that stood in front of me was nothing like I had imagined. He looked…humble, If humble has a look. I was glued to the spot, speechless and confused and then he approached me.

Chief Badmus: Anjolaoluwa, I have waited a long time for this moment. I am sorry for catching you off guard but I had to see you.
Emeka: I will give you two a moment.

Emeka was walking away, leaving both of us alone and all of a sudden I was scared to be alone with the strange man in front of me. I grabbed Emeka’s arm without saying a word. Emeka: Anjola, you will be fine don’t worry. I am here watching.

Emeka left us and I kept staring at the man who had given me up so easily. Chief Badmus: Are you ok my dear?

Me: Why are you here? You abandoned my brother and me. You have always known where we were and you stayed away! Are you ashamed of us? Your illegitimate children from a university drop out.

Chief Badmus: Is that what you were told that I am ashamed of you? I did it all for you my darling.

Me: Please spare me. How callous can a father be to stay out of his daughter’s life for her own good? How can growing up without a father figure be for the good of any child?

I heard footsteps behind me I didn’t need to look back, I knew it was my husband.

TK: Anjola what is going on here?

Me: I was just on my way back inside TK. Let’s go.

Chief Badmus: Please Tokunboh I need to speak to my daughter.

TK: Your daughter happens to be my wife and she would like to go inside. It’s her birthday today and she has guests to attend to. Chief Badmus: Tokunboh you are a man and I know you understand the mistakes a young man is capable of making… TK: There is nothing that would ever make me abandon my daughters. The only thing that can tear me away from my family is death. Don’t ever compare me to you!

Chief Badmus: Anjola, I hope you give me the opportunity to tell you my side of the story soon. I was about to tell him I was not interested when I saw Bella rushing towards us

TK: Bella what is it?

Bella: Is Oladunni with you?

Bella asked addressing me.

Me: No she’s not. The last time I saw her, her nanny was feeding her. What is the problem?

Bella: We cannot find her. We have searched everywhere.

She burst into tears.

My head was spinning. TK immediately rushed inside the hall.

I lost my balance and Chief Badmus grabbed me and led me into the hall.

I noticed there was a bit of pandemonium in the hall. I saw TK holding a tiny shoe, it was Oladunni’s shoe. Me: Tokunboh where is my child? TK: Anjola, we found this in the compound. The security guards have confirmed that every vehicle that came into this compound had an invite to the party.

Me: What are you trying to say? I don’t understand.
TK: Oladunni has been kidnapped and whoever took her was invited here by us.
I saw a small crowd starting to gather around us.

The Duchess: What is this man doing here?

She asked immediately she spotted Chief Badmus.

TK: Mum! Is this really the time for this?

I walked away and sat down on the nearest chair. I didn’t care about whatever drama The Duchess was about to start because Chief Badmus was there. I was in shock. My daughter! Why would anyone want to kidnap her? Were they trying to hurt me or TK or the Duchess? I scanned the room, who here had a motive to kidnap our child?Everyone who had come tonight had been invited because we considered them friend or family.

TK came to me to inform that the police had arrived. The doors of the restaurant were locked and no one was to leave the hall until they had been interrogated. The interrogations lasted three hours by the time they were done it was 2am in the morning. TK: What do we do now?

He asked the team lead of the police officers who had been sent to us. Inspector: We wait for the kidnappers to contact you and tell us what they want.

Me: Money?

Inspector: Let’s hope its money.

TK: What do you mean, we should hope its money. What else could they be after? Inspector: Mr Ayo-Kessington let me be honest with you, we see a lot of incidences like this amongst very wealthy families like yours and sometimes it’s not about money. Me: If not money then what?

Inspector: Sometimes it’s for revenge or maybe the person behind this wants something they know you won’t be willing to give up easily.

The Duchess: Inspector I have spoken to the Inspector General and he has promised to personally see to it that my grandchild is recovered and I want to assure you that if she is not home by sunset tomorrow I will make your life a living hell.

Chief Badmus: I am certain the police will do their job, and they will get all the support they need from every one of us here. If it is a ransom case, no matter the amount I am willing to pay so Oladunni is returned to us unarmed.

The Duchess: Please keep your money and support no one asked for it! This is not your battle Akin and you are not welcome here. TK’s Dad: What is all this Adenike? Is this the time for this? Akin please I think you should leave. We will ensure you are kept abreast of the investigation.

Inspector: I understand this is a trying time for the family but I need to inform you that everyone that was here tonight is a suspect including every member of this family and no one is allowed to leave the state without permission from us. Furthermore, I will advise you manage this information. Kidnappers get agitated when there is too much media coverage and publicity around the case. They panic and get desperate to cover their tracks in any way possible. For the sake of Oladunni’s safety we need to keep this quiet.

TK’s lawyer and legal adviser Femi Osinowo spoke

Femi: Thankfully most of the guests had left as at the time Oladunni went missing. We made all those who were interrogated by the police sign non-disclosure forms so they are not to discuss the incident with anyone or they would face legal charges. We will need the guest list TK so we can track the rest of the guests and find out what they know.

TK nodded and called his PA who had planned the party to send the guest list immediately. We left the hall and went home. There was a hole in my heart from not knowing where my child was, had to be the worst feeling I had ever had in my entire life. As soon as we got home, my phone rang, the mobile networks TK and I use had been contacted by the police and our lines were being tapped in anticipation of the kidnapper’s call. It was an unknown number and I just knew it was the kidnapper.

TK grabbed the phone and put it on speaker

TK: Who is this?

A masculine voice responded

Stranger: I have your daughter

TK: What do you want?

Stranger: To see you suffer and lose everything like I lost everything.

TK: How much do you want?

Stranger: This is not about money.

TK: Please what do you want? I will give you anything. Stranger: I want to see you suffer. You and that pretty wife of yours! The caller hung up.

I sank to the floor. Lily my sister in law rushed to my side.

Lily: You have to take it easy darling. You have to think about the baby you are carrying. Let me make you some tea. Me: I don’t want tea I want my child. Someone give me my child.

TK: Anjola you need to get some sleep. I will call the police to see if the network was able to trace the call.

My brother spoke

Afolabi: Do you think it’s a coincidence that when Chief Badmus appears this happens.

TK: This is not time to point fingers Afolabi. Let us just focus on finding Oladunni.

After a warm bath and some chamomile tea, I eventually fell asleep, a tortured sleep where I kept having dreams of someone taking Oladunni from me and me trying hard to get her out of his arms but I couldn’t.

I woke up not too long after, to the sound of commotion coming from the hallway. When I opened the door, I saw the house was full with the entire Ayo-Kessington clan and police officers. Bella was in TK’s arms and she was crying profusely. Me: What is it Bella? Are you ok? Is Oladunni ok?

TK stretched out his hand to give me a piece of paper.

TK: Adamu brought this in this morning. He said a courier company delivered it.

It was an envelope addressed to Bella, inside was a letter all it said was

“Princess Bella, You are next”!

Me: Why would anyone be doing this to us Tokunboh? What have we done to deserve this?
TK: Don’t worry baby. I will do my best to get Oladunni back and I swear no one would be able to touch you or Bella. No one!
I knew my husband meant what he said, but would his best be enough?