Chapter 4: The Night Job

Block D, Palm Grove Estate no far. Five minutes I don reach. Enter stairs, climb go 4th floor. As I come out, I see one woman squat for front of Room 14B.

The night breeze cold, and everywhere quiet except for generator wey hum faintly from another block. Mosquito dey dance for ear, and street dog bark far for express. I hold my bag tight, dey watch everywhere—Lagos night no dey play.

As she see me, she quick stand up, ask, "You... you be the locksmith?"

She stand up like person wey fear catch. She wear long white gown, wrapper tie for chest, and her hair scatter small for front face, like person wey sleep no complete.

I fit swear say her voice dey shake.

The thing shock me small. Normally, people dey vex, not dey fear like this. Maybe she just dey panic, I reason am.

I nod. "Na me. Na you call me, abi?"

My voice strong, make she no reason say I be one of those fake night workers.

"Yes, yes. I no even know wetin happen—door no gree open, key no dey turn. I try force am, key break inside."

Her hand still dey shake as she point the lock. I dey see say sweat dey her forehead despite the cold.

She point the lock. True true, half key dey inside the keyhole.

Na as she talk am, I bend small, check the lock well. Broomstick plus key—my handiwork dey show. If to say she know, she fit pour hot water for my head.

"E be like say the lock cylinder don spoil, e need change," I tell her, show her my business license and security registration, as dem dey require. I check her ID—her name na Aisha Lanre. She be the real owner.

I shine my torchlight for her face small, then on her ID. Everything correct. I dey always do my due diligence—no let police wahala catch me.

Normally, dem suppose get third party, like security or neighbor, but as e late, some rules we dey skip.

I look left and right; all the windows for corridor dark. Everybody dey sleep. For Lagos, nobody wan put mouth for another person matter for night.

After I finish the registration, I bring out my tools, begin work.

I adjust my bag, kneel by the door, start to dey unscrew the lock like say na surgery I dey do.