Skip to main content

The Guilty Party

Excerpt of the book titled, The Guilty Party
Author: Omoruyi Uwuigiaren
Publisher: Human Change Communication Co.

Chapter One
There was no rain for weeks and the scorching sun showed no mercy on the leaves such that one could hear the sounds the leaves made when they fell. The sun shone as if there might never be tomorrow. In the midst of this hardship was a man that most people called Ogbuefi. He grew up in a dinky little town that did not even have a movie theater. The man seemed to be robust due to many years of inactivity and his baldhead shone like an afternoon sun. Ogbuefi had lost so much and there was no way he would forget in a hurry the truckload of misfortune that crept into his life like a man that dined with mischievous people. Adversity came like the rushing wind upon the poor soul.
However, all that had befallen Mr. Ogbuefi were nothing in comparison to the harm that he had caused the world. With nothing better to do, the man in the pool of old age sat on a sofa in his sitting room, and spread his hands on the soft cushions like the mother hen that protects her chicks from the cruel hands of scavengers. The house was befitting and a man did not need a prophet to tell that Ogbuefi had tasted fortune.
One day, Ogbuefi and his cohorts were in a deal that could rob them of their jobs in the progression of days. One of the key men in the company that they had tried to lure into the deal had backed out and vowed to expose the fraud should they go ahead with the deal. Against all odds, Ogbuefi and the men that saw the deal as an opportunity to set foot on the corridors of wealth were in a room plotting the way out of the bloody mess. “I’m afraid, since Ekanem and Efe are out of this deal, we might not make it,” Ogbuefi said.
“I have pondered it too. Do we call off the deal?” Sam inquired.
“No! Eteh said. “We can’t give up because Ekanem and Efe are not interested. This money is enough to put a smile on our faces.”
Ogbuefi heaved and sat up, “You are right, Eteh. But the money could also ruin us if we are caught!”
“I wonder why they refused to be part of this deal,” Sam said with a frown.
“My mind tells me that those men are up to something,” Eteh disclosed. He sat back and exchanged glances with the other men.
Ogbuefi coughed a bit and said, “Me too. We shall do ourselves great harm if we back out of this deal now because they will end up executing it alone in the future since they are already aware.”
Sam sat up, “Ah! That will be sheer madness if they try it. If that is the case, what do you want us to do?” He flung a glance at Ogbuefi.
“We must get rid of them! It will only cause the company few weeks of search to replace them,” Ogbuefi suggested.
Sam shook his head, “You are going too far. Can’t we visit a witch doctor to prepare charms for us?”
Ogbuefi swallowed hard and replied, “It is risky. I don’t want us to involve a third party. When we get there, we may end up disclosing all that are supposed to be kept secret to the witch doctor. And I don’t want that.”
“The assassins are also third-party. So what is the difference?” Eteh protested.
Ogbuefi nodded, “There is a huge difference, Eteh. We shall not be under any obligation to disclose information about the deal to the assassins. All they need from us is the whereabouts of the target and their cash once the deal is done!”
Sam nodded affirmatively. He seemed to like the idea. “If that is the only way we can all smile, then let’s go ahead with your idea, Ogbuefi.”
Ogbuefi straightened his chin as if he had just won a lottery and took a deep breath. “I will see the boys tonight and they will take it from there.”

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

From the novel entitled, "Beyond Imagination" by Oladele Dada.

 Oladele Dada. It was dawn. The chilly dust-laden wind formed dense fog on the road. The rocky hills and the tall trees made Ajewole a beautiful town. The birds sang aloud, and clanging of stainless dishes in the neighbourhood suggested human activity was at its peak. Humans had begun to move to their various destinations. Adunni had trouble with child bearing and her husband was worried. Then she booked an appointment with her doctor. After several tests, the doctor suggested the couple be patient and that she will surely get pregnant. Not long after, Adunni was pregnant. After several months, Adunni was delivered of a boy. The women in her neighbourhood, alongside the children, sang and danced to her home to celebrate with her. Her husband, Fredrick Olagbade, thanked the Lord and named the boy Juwon.     As Juwon grew, his mother had another child whose name was Olakitan. Juwon was intelligent and his parents were struggling to make ends meet. As poverty st...

BOOK EXCERPT: The Farmhouse by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren

The Farmhouse  by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren Chapter One The Family `Once upon a time in the old town of Gid, an old farmer called Erasmus had a horse and a son. The boy’s name was Jason, and the horse was Francis. They lived in a farmhouse, and Francis took them everywhere they went. The farmer had no wife. She died after Jason was born. Erasmus vowed never to remarry and had remained a widower ever since. Taking care of Jason and Francis alone was never easy, but the farmer promised his late wife on her deathbed that he was going to raise Jason into a fine man. One sad morning, the cockerel said it was dawn. The disturbance woke Jason. The boy stormed out of sleep. He removed the blanket and rolled out of bed. He went to the window and peered out. The weather was clear, and the boughs of trees bowed and danced to the sweet movement of the morning breeze. Jason liked the morning, and then he carried himself to the sitting room, where his father was on his knees saying his morning prayers....

NEW RELEASE: Those Ghostly Victorians by Annette Siketa

  Those Ghostly Victorians by Annette Siketa ABOUT THE BOOK At its zenith, the belief in ghosts in the Victorian era bordered on the hysterical. From stately homes to deserted wells, no dwelling was complete without a resident ghost. Halls and mansions and even the odd palace or two, spawned a multitude of family legends, many of which still persist. Many people claimed to have direct contact with a ghost through an object such as a ouija board or a pen, the latter collectively known as 'spiritual writing'. For example, a secretary allegedly continued to take dictation from his employer long after the latter was dead. Whether it was through books, plays, or supposedly true stories, the influence of the supernatural was profound. And it is not difficult to understand why, especially in the 'lower class', the majority of whom were uneducated. With nothing but drabness and poverty on the horizon, events such as a windy night or a violent storm were likely to set the ima...