Chapter 26: Chapter 26

Part Nine

Trouble in Paradise

An unexpected problem in a supposedly positive situation, especially in a marital or romantic relationship

Chapter Twenty Three

Halal was still asleep when Darrell got out of bed, his phone had been ringing non stop for some minutes. He'd ignored it for a while but the caller pestered on. Eventually he got out of bed and went over to the dressing table to pick up his phone.

"Darrell Miller" his voice sounded raspy as he spoke. He looked at Halal who was stirring now. "Darrell" it was Felicity.

"Felicity?" he checked the caller ID to confirm.

"Darrell, Harvey wants you at the hospital now" Felicity said.

"Harvey, why? Does this have anything to do with Calabar?" Darrell asked. "No, It's about Victoria. She's in a coma" Felicity replied.

Halal gasped "What happened to her?" she asked Darrell as he got dressed.

"I don't know, Felicity was a little close mouthed" Darrell replied.

"Should I come with you?" Halal asked. "No, no need for that. Just stay here, be safe" Darrell pecked her forehead before rushing out of the bedroom. Halal stared after him wondering what had gone wrong, why Victoria in a coma? Did she have an accident or something?

"Ezinne was the last person who saw her last night , she said Victoria was asking for Madam Loveth" Doctor Harvey said looking around the room.

Darrell stiffened, so Victoria had seen the list. It had to be, that was the only explanation for this. The person might not have killed her but Darrell was sure the person would return to finish the job.

"What exactly happened to her?" Darrell asked. "From the looks of it, she slipped and fell" Doctor Harvey said.

"Or was pushed" Felicity muttered attracting a few stares. Doctor Harvey cocked a brow in her direction. "Well who could have pushed Victoria? Detective doctor Felicity" Doctor Scott the obstetrician asked sarcastically.

Felicity shook her head "Doctor Harvey could we talk privately please? there is something I would like to discuss with you" Felicity requested. Doctor Harvey nodded and dismissed the lot.

"Darrell, stay" Felicity said as he was about to join the other Doctors who were leaving. Darrell's spine stiffened, just how many people knew about that list now? he wondered. Damn Victoria, she brought this upon herself with her big mouth.

"What's going on?" Doctor Harvey sat down and looked at the two gynaecologist curiously. "Perhaps Darrell would like to explain why Victoria is in a coma" Felicity glared at him.

Darrell looked at her confused "You think I had a hand in that?" He asked her surprised. He and Felicity had met in the States, Felicity knew him better than anyone in the hospital . How could she think that?

"Yes, I do" Felicity replied. "You think I would try to kill Victoria, or anyone else?" Darrell asked outraged.

"You're not a killer Darrell, if someone told me you killed anyone, I would never believe it. But would you have faith in me if you were told the same thing?" Felicity asked looking hurt.

Darrell sighed, he understood where she was driving to. "Victoria told you about the list" he stated.

Felicity nodded "I didn't believe her at first, but then I started hearing murmurs. She was telling a lot of people, I began to see the possibility of it being true. I'm a mother Darrell, do you really think I would deprive another woman of becoming one?" Felicity asked looking at Darrell in disbelief.

Doctor Harvey stared at the both of them confused. "What's going on, what are you two talking about? What list of suspects?" Doctor Harvey asked raising his voice.

Darrell took in a deep breath before turning to Doctor Harvey. "I'll explain Doctor Harvey, but whatever I'm going to tell you is strictly confidential. If it gets out, the hospital is going to be in a lot of trouble. I haven't told the victim yet" Darrell said. "Victoria said you told Halal already" Felicity frowned.

"I couldn't, how do I tell her that the death of her children were orchestrated by someone from the hospital?" Darrell asked.

Doctor Harvey grew even more confused "Can one of you explain to me what the hell is going on?" Doctor Harvey shouted.

"Doctor Harvey, Victoria's death was no accident. Felicity is right, She was pushed" Darrell said.

"Can you prove that?" Doctor Harvey asked with a frown plastered on his face. "Explain to me, don't leave out any detail" Doctor Harvey said.

Darrell looked at Felicity who nodded. "I found a file that belonged to the late Doctor Femi" Darrell began. "He'd compiled a few notes about one of my patients, Mrs Amity. Doctor Femi believes that Mrs Amity's two children were murdered in the hospital, the miscarriage was no miscarriage at all but an induced abortion" Darrell said.

Doctor Harvey's expression faltered. "Oh..." He said.

Darrell and Felicity shot him a questioning look. "Oh.....?" Felicity questioned.

"Femi and I were best friends, he came to me. He told me about his findings, I refused to believe that someone in the hospital would betray us like that. I refused to listen to him, I told him he was only making up stories to cover up his failure as a gynaecologist" Doctor Harvey said sorrowfully. He buried his face in his palm "I should have listened to him" he said.

Felicity sat down, the news was beginning to weigh her down.

"Felicity I'm so sorry, I know you're not a murderer. I wrote down the names of everyone in the hospital, their posts and a few people in Halal's life. I didn't tell you because, I was scared I'd endanger your life like Doctor Femi" Darrell explained.

Felicity looked up at him and smiled weakly. "Who could do such a thing so terrible?" she asked.

"I don't know but Doctor Femi must have confided in someone else. I tried to check the security tapes but it has been cleared, that date is no longer on the register" Darrell said.

"Every trace of evidence has been wiped away. I believe doctor Femi death was a murder too, Victoria is not safe here" Darrell continued.

Doctor Harvey stood up "I'll make sure my friend's death is avenged. Victoria would be moved to another hospital for now. My friend in Ibadan has a hospital, I trust him. As for Halal she must not find out anything yet, especially her crazy husband. No one in the hospital must know about this, dismiss every rumour. For now let's keep this between ourselves " Doctor Harvey ordered.

Darrell and Felicity nodded, "That file, I'll like you to send me duplicates" Doctor Harvey said.

"Alright Doctor" Darrell responded. "You can go now, if I have any information to pass, I'll text it to you" Doctor Harvey said.

Darrell and Felicity agreed before walking out of the office. "I'm sorry" Darrell muttered. "It's okay, you did it for my own good" Felicity said.

"How is Victoria?" Darrell asked. "Terrible, her neck is broken, her spine was badly hurt. She might never walk again, that's if she gets out coma" Felicity said.

"She will, she has to. She's our only hope of knowing the killer" Darrell said.

Felicity nodded, "Darrell please be careful, you and Halal. We're dealing with a monster, anyone who murders children is a monster, anyone who kills is a beast." Felicity said.

Darrell nodded, It was nice to share the burden with someone else who really understood these things. He wasn't alone now, he had help.

Darrell was still numb the next day when he woke up, if he hadn't been so careless with that file, Victoria wouldn't have seen it. Hell! Halal had seen it too, thank God she hadn't gone through it. That would have broken her completely.

Halal handed him a cup of coffee and a plate of eggs.  "I'm going to see Daria today, I'm giving you space. I'll be back late" Halal informed him.

He nodded, Felicity had been so upset when she found out.

He wondered if Halal would forgive him when she finally learned the truth. They'd promised each other, 'No more secrets' and here he was keeping the biggest secret from her.

She straightened her black leather skirt and kissed his cheek. "I love you" she muttered softly. "I love you too" Darrell replied huskily.

"Take care of yourself" Halal said picking up her black Gucci purse.  She observed his expression for a while before speaking.

"You know you can always talk to me Dee, I can tell that something is eating you up. I'm here for you, always" Halal said. Darrell nodded but said nothing, Halal sighed before walking away.

The minute she walked away, he walked over to his liquor cabinet. The one place Halal would never go to, he sighed before pulling out the file. He had to duplicate it for Doctor Harvey, good thing Halal was not at home.

The door bell rang right before he entered his mini office, where he had his printer and photocopier amongst other things.  He paused right outside the door and wondered who had come. He wasn't expecting anyone and Halal wouldn't have rung the bell.

He walked over to the door and opened it, his expression steeled when he saw the visitor. "What do you want?" he asked. Valentino crossed his arms over his chest "You and I have matters to talk about " Valentino replied.

Darrell remained expressionless "Halal is not here, we have nothing to talk about" Darrell said coldly.

"Good,  I didn't come to see her.  Victoria gave me your address, there are some things I'd like to confirm from you" Valentino said.

Darrell nodded knowing Victoria must have told him about the list too, damn that Victoria. He moved out of the door way to let Valentino into the house. Valentino looked around before walking in.

The first thing he noticed the minute he walked into the house was Halal's fluffy house slippers beside the door, so Victoria was right after all. His wife has moved in with another man.

"Was she lying or not?"  Valentino asked coldly.

Darrell shook his head "Doctor Femi hid the file before his death, he'd been gathering information for a while. I don't know how he got all that information, but that's the only explanation for what has been happening to Halal" Darrell said.

Valentino looked around curiously "And you think I'm responsible?" Valentino asked.

"Your actions say a lot, you disappeared after Doctor Femi's death. You didn't even come to see your wife at the hospital" Darrell said.

"You think I would kill my own children?" Valentino asked outraged.

"I don't know, Victoria is in a coma now you know? Whoever killed Doctor Femi tried to kill her yesterday. That's the same person who is responsible for the death of your children" Darrell said.

Valentino sighed "Victoria.....I can't believe it" Valentino said.

"Do you know anyone who has a grudge against Halal?" Darrell asked.

Valentino shook his head, "I have to leave now, I'll contact you if I find something. How did Halal take the news?" Valentino asked.

"She doesn't know yet, don't tell her anything. And be careful too Valentino, someone might be using Halal to get to you" Darrell said calmly.

Valentino nodded before turning to go. "Wait, I've answered your question. Now you have to answer mine" Darrell said. Valentino turned back to him. "Did you drug her?" Darrell asked.

Valentino squared his shoulders looking him right in the eyes. "It's been eight years, what does it matter? She's back to you again" Valentino answered.

"It matters to me,  I want to know if you did it and why you did it" Darrell said.

"Take care of Halal, and be careful too" Valentino said  and walked out of the house.

Darrell frowned as he watched the door close, well that crosses Valentino out of the list. He went back to the file and looked at the list, who had he forgotten? He had to think out of the box.

"I'm going to ask you again, tell me the truth. Are you working with someone at the hospital?" Valentino asked coldly.

"Why?" she asked sounding confused but the act didn't fool him.

"I just found out that my children's death was never Halal's fault. This has your name written all over, you made me believe it was her fault!" Valentino yelled.

"Are you suggesting that I'd kill my niece and nephew?" she asked in a raised voice.

Valentino paused "How do you know then that it was a boy and a girl? We never talked about it once." Valentino said bitterly.

"I didn't want you to be distracted. If you had children with her,  you two might have been happy together. You would have ruined the plan" she said emotionless.

"You've ruined me,  I would have done anything for you because I love you. You are selfish, clouded with hate and bitterness. Leave Halal alone, you've done enough. I'm done being your pawn, I'm going to give Halal what she wants. A divorce, we've done enough. Tell mum I said..." Valentino was saying when she cut him off.

"No! never.....everything I do, I do it for you. This is how you're going to pay me back with ingratitude, William. You're a weakling, I would never accept a weakling as my brother. You've done enough, I'll finish this game myself" She shouted.

"You killed my children, don't think I'm going to forget that. I'm going to come after you, hide if you must but I'll find you" Valentino said.

"I'm no coward or weakling, I'll never hide. You know where to find me, I'll be waiting for you. Come if you have the guts to face me like a man!" she said before ending the call.

Valentino picked up his suitcase by the door. He looked around the house before sighing, he dialed his father's number.

"Williams, what do you want?" his father asked coldly.

"I know you don't ever want to speak to me father but please hear me out, there is something you should know"  Valentino said closing his eyes.

There wasn't much he could do to stop his sister but he had to try.  He was going to avenge his children, all three of them.