Two Weeks Later – Sapphire Police Station
The air was cold but different this time. Nelly walked in, shoulders high, no fear in her steps. Beside her, Omar clutched a flash drive with the power to turn the truth loose.
At the front desk, the officer blinked in recognition.
> "Can I help you?"
> "We're here to report the truth," Omar said. "And submit proof that clears Nelly's name."
> "Proof of what?"
Nelly's voice was calm.
> "Who really orchestrated the shooting at the school competition."
Within minutes, Detective Musa ushered them into a private room. He plugged in the flash drive and pressed play.
> "You told me it would scare him, not nearly kill him!"
"If anyone finds out—"
"No one will. The girl's still blamed. That's all that matters, right?"
The room went still.
Musa looked up sharply.
> "That voice… that's Julie? The housemaid?"
Nelly nodded. "Yes. Julie from the Benson estate."
Omar added, "We followed her. She met someone in a shady building. That's where this was recorded."
Detective Musa stood slowly, face unreadable.
> "You two just cracked the entire case."
He reached for his walkie.
> "Unit Four, dispatch a team to the Benson estate. Suspect: Julie — the housemaid. Charges: attempted murder, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice."
---
AT THE BENSON ESTATE
Julie was wiping down the marble floor, humming to herself.
The other staff members were in the kitchen.
Suddenly—
Three police officers stormed through the entrance with Detective Musa leading them.
Mr. Benson appeared, startled.
> "Officers? What's going on here?"
> "Where's Julie?" Musa asked sharply.
Julie turned from the hallway, confused.
> "I'm here… what is—?"
> "Julie, you're under arrest for your involvement in the shooting of Jimmy Benson, and for framing an innocent girl."
Gasps from the house staff.
Mr. Benson's brows furrowed.
> "She's a maid… what does she have to do with that?!"
> "More than you think," Musa snapped. "We have a full confession. She planned the entire thing."
Julie began to shake.
> "Wait! I was pushed into it—please—Nelly was never supposed to—!"
The officers cuffed her quickly.
> "You'll have time to explain at the station."
They marched her past a stunned Mr. Benson, who could only stare.
---
BACK AT SAPPHIRE STATION
Detective Musa returned to Nelly and Omar with a nod.
> "Julie's in custody. The case is being reopened. Your name, Nelly — is cleared."
Nelly let out a shaky breath, eyes wet.
Omar leaned closer and smiled.
> "You finally got your voice back."
> "No," Nelly whispered. "I just started using it."
---
Sapphire Police Station – Interrogation Room 4
Julie sat on the cold metal chair, her wrists cuffed tight. Her hair was messy. Face stained with dried tears. She looked nothing like the composed housemaid everyone once ignored.
Across from her sat Detective Musa, his tone cold and unmoving.
> "You planned the attack during the competition. Jimmy Benson was shot. Explain that."
Julie swallowed.
> "It wasn't supposed to be him."
Musa narrowed his eyes.
> "Then who?"
Julie looked away. Then said quietly:
> "Nelly."
The room went silent.
> "I… I wanted to scare her. Ruin her. Maybe… maybe even end her. But the bullet missed and hit Jimmy instead. I never wanted him dead."
> "But you wanted a 19-year-old girl dead?" Musa snapped.
Julie was trembling now.
> "She ruined everything. Jimmy cared about her. Mr. Benson started defending her. Luna hated her, I hated her—everyone did. She got under everyone's skin. And I just wanted her gone."
> "Who helped you?"
> "No one."
Musa banged the table, hard.
> "Who helped you?! You didn't pull that trigger yourself. We traced that gun to a building on the east side. You met someone there. Talk!"
Julie clenched her jaw.
> "You can beat me, threaten me— I'm not naming them."
Musa nodded once.
> "Good. Then we'll do this the hard way."
He gestured. Two officers stepped in.
---
LATER – HOLDING CELL BLOCK
Julie's voice echoed through the cell walls, followed by the slap of a baton.
> "Okay! Okay! I'll talk!"
They brought her back to the room.
Breathing heavily, lips bleeding slightly, she whispered:
> "Tanko and Malik. The same boys from before. They helped me get the gun."
Musa's eyes darkened. "Those thugs again…"
> "They owe me," Julie said bitterly. "We all had one thing in common — hatred for Nelly."
---
MEANWHILE – ON THE STREETS OF LAGOS
Two unmarked police vans swerved around corners. Guns loaded. Sirens off.
> "Suspects located," one officer radioed. "Apartment block, third floor. Go silent."
They broke into the building quietly.
Malik was sitting on a couch, gaming.
Tanko was smoking near the window.
BOOM.
> "Hands up! SAPPHIRE POLICE! MOVE!"
The boys didn't even have time to run. They were tackled to the floor, cuffed, and dragged out in minutes.
> "You boys have a date at the station," an officer muttered. "And it ain't gonna be pretty."
---
BACK AT THE STATION
Detective Musa looked at the report and sighed.
> "This story keeps going deeper."
> "And I'm going to keep digging," Nelly said quietly from outside the door. "Until it's all out."
Sapphire Police Station – Interrogation Room 5
The room was quiet except for the hum of the AC.
Malik sat slouched, chewing the inside of his cheek.
Tanko tapped nervously on the metal table, eyes darting around the room.
Detective Musa entered with two officers and dropped a file on the table.
> "Let's not waste time."
He opened the file, revealing pictures of the gun, Julie's recorded confession, and screenshots of bank transfers.
> "You're already in trouble. But this? This could buy you years in Kirikiri."
Neither spoke.
> "She confessed. Julie. She said you gave her the weapon. You helped her set up the attack."
Tanko blinked, then mumbled:
> "She said she'd handle the money. Said someone would pay us after."
Musa leaned forward sharply.
> "Who paid you?"
> "We didn't know—" Malik started, but Musa slammed the table.
> "WHO PAID YOU?!"
Tanko looked at Malik. Then slowly looked up.
> "She said the man backing it... was Mr. Benson."
Silence fell like a bomb.
> "Say that again?" Musa asked, voice dangerously low.
> "Julie said Mr. Benson gave her money to make Nelly disappear. Not to kill. Just... silence her. Scare her. She said he was tired of the 'noise' Nelly caused. That he couldn't let it ruin his reputation."
Malik added, shaking his head,
> "We didn't know it would turn into a gunshot. That was never the plan. But once it happened... Julie said it was okay. That Benson said as long as Nelly got blamed, he'd 'clean it up.'"
> "He paid her off afterward. Told her to 'lay low.'"
---
Detective Musa stood slowly.
His face was blank — but his fists were clenched.
> "You boys better be telling the truth. Because now we're talking about a man with money, power, and lawyers. And if you're lying…"
> "We're not," Tanko said quickly. "We just wanted it over. Julie promised us it would go away."
Musa turned to the officers.
> "Get a warrant. I want access to Benson's financial records. Every transfer in the past month."
---
MEANWHILE – IN ANOTHER ROOM
Nelly sat outside the room, shaking as she heard the words repeated by a passing officer:
> "Mr. Benson funded the whole thing..."
She gasped.
Omar turned to her, shocked.
> "He wanted you gone... all along."
Nelly whispered, tears welling up:
> "I was living in his house… and he still wanted to destroy me."