WITHOUT A TRACE (PART 1)

 

They say God keeps flies away from the tailless cow. But this vaca has a full-grown tail and a half. It is the natural law of our planet. I believe law and order in nature are hinged on incorruptible whys and wherefores of our universe. We as part of nature cannot escape it. This law is enshrined in all our activities. Although some humans seem to forget. All too often, the sword of justice comes down and reminds us we belong to this earth and are one with it and everything within.

So, when Uba called that morning, the fear in his voice was palpable. I could touch it. Ike had disappeared without a trace. A thousand words rolled off his lips per second, like a fishmonger.  I urged him to slow down and take a deep breath.

 "Do you remember where you left him? I asked. Confused. He stammered, “What the hell are you talking about? "left him? is he some object?  "Have you been sipping that special tea of yours again? I ignored the dig. There were more pressing issues at hand. 

Uba’s brother, Ike, was too much of a "big" man to be left anywhere. Because he was everywhere, and had eyes and ears in too many places. His head was constantly on a swivel. Ike was the law itself or so he made everyone believe. One Saturday, he left home and never returned. 

I met up with Uba at his home. We called Ike's closest friends, the ones known to Uba. With a man like Ike, the sea was deep and secrets powered him. Armed with a list of friends the length of the river  Nile. We went to work. This list did not include his women; Mistresses. Girlfriends. Casual lovers. Ex-lovers, one-night stands, business associates, and everything in between. 

For a married man, I wondered how he managed to keep them all happy.  Udo, his long-suffering wife was beside herself. Hollering, howling, and cursing all at once. I consoled her as best as I could. Mumbled some promises under my exhausted breath. "We will do all in our power to find him. Who was I kidding? this looked like the case of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

 I wondered if Udo was privy to all his extra-curricular activities. The wife always knows right? although they pretend not to. For some, it was easier to turn a blind eye, if their financial needs were fulfilled. And a man like Ike looked like he did that.

The next day, we filed a missing person's report. The police asked all manner of questions and went to work immediately. Ike was not only popular but well connected. Some of the top cops were on his payroll. Uba and I returned to Ike's home to go through his stuff before the police came for them.

 Ike's  phone and car were at home. Ike never went anywhere without his phone. Uba managed to get into the phone.  The last calls  made were crucial to this case. We called the number but got no response. It was switched off. 

It's been two weeks since the disappearance and neither the Police nor Uba still has any answers to what happened to Ike. How does a man like Ike disappear without a trace? Not even his closest friends know what could have happened. The Police interrogated everyone on the list and everyone had an alibi. The last call Ike made was to Cecilia. 

Who is Cecilia? 

Cecilia is one of  Ike's mistresses. 8 months pregnant with his child and devastated. Ike had called her that Saturday and promised to drop by. but never arrived. Cecilia told the police. While the police went on with their job of finding Ike. Uba and I decided on plan B, to be the backup on finding his lost brother.