Vaults of Secrets - Chapter 4

Read Chapter 3 here and Chapter 5 here

“Exactly! I will check in every week, at least once, and if you don’t hear from me till the beginning of a new week, then you can assume something has happened,” Sharon said, her phone held to her ears as she threw clothes into the open luggage on her bed.

She continued the back and forth from the wardrobe to the bed as she listened to the voice on the other end of the phone.

Kingsley’s rapid speech didn’t surprise her, they have been friends since they were both babies and while she was the reckless one, he was always the smart rule follower. He is also a worrier, worrying about things he has no control over, and now, as usual, he is angry and worried about her, all at the same time.

“Kingsley,” She called, interrupting his tirade. “I understand your concerns, but it’s done. Yes, I’m reckless, and I’ve always been, but that’s why I have you. You have always been there to save me.” She laughed remembering the many times she has said the same lines.

“Kingsley, I’m sorry” She continued sobering up. “I know you don’t approve of this but you are my best friend and the only person I can count on and trust with my life. Those documents I sent to you are proof of the evil the Bankoles have done to innocent children for over two decades,”

“Can I count on you to ensure those documents get to the media no matter what happens to me? Can I count on you to stop them from doing more harm to more children?” Sharon asked in a small voice. Her friend is straight as an arrow and she knew the only way to secure his help, is to show him the good he will be doing, and she wasn’t disappointed.

“Thank you, Kingsley.” She said sighing in relief.

“I will be careful. Yes, I promise. Just take action after a week of silence from me. Okay, I have to go now. No, you can’t reach me, I will only turn on this phone whenever I need to check in with you. So, I will call you.”

That went well, she thought gleefully, sprawling on the bed. My plans are coming together, I just need to stay alive to handle it myself and earn some money too.

Although Sharon is confident that Kingsley will activate the backup plan if something happened to her before she could leak the information herself, she understands the benefit of staying alive to activate the Bankoles’ downfall herself; she gets the money, a chance to attend the trials of the Bankoles, and if luck was on her side, an opportunity to spit on Mrs. Bankole’s self-righteous pancaked face.

She looked at her half-packed luggage in disgust. Sharon has never liked travelling and the thought of doing it yet again physically sickens her, but she has been in Benin for too long. Her visa to Egypt was ready, she just needs to get to Abuja and catch a flight out there.

Life on the run is no fun, she thought, groaning as she got up to resume her packing. Just as she zipped the luggage shut, she heard footsteps approaching, followed by a soft tapping on her door. She stood still, her hand still on her luggage’s zip, listening for any sound that could give away the identity of the knocker.

“Who is there?” She asked, feigning bravado.

*Originally published 22 September 2020