Chapter 4: Eno and Baba Tunde

I leave the place, go back shop. As I reach door, I see one girl dey waka up and down. She dey look my notice, phone for hand, but dey fear to call.

She dey waka front and back, dey read my price list. Her face dey familiar—maybe na one of those UNICAL or Poly girls wey dey do SIWES for Aba.

I sabi this kind—just dey shy to ask price. I go meet her. "Sister, you dey find car?"

I approach her with smile. Na so to get customer be—you must make dem relax.

She jump, look me. "Na you be the boss? I wan buy car wey person die inside."

I even look her twice, wonder if na joke or test she dey run. But her eye clear, she mean am.

I invite the girl enter. She just dey shy, sit down well, dey look like person wey dey shame. All my years, I never see customer wey dey bashful like this. From her look, she resemble student.

Her finger dey play with bag, she cross leg, shoes clean but cheap—classic school girl. Her voice dey low, as if she dey fear people hear.

I ask, "You be university student?"

She nod soft. "Yes, I dey University of Calabar. Oga, I wan buy car wey person die inside."

I nod, I smile. For students, I get soft spot. "You be Calabar girl?" She shake head, "No, I just dey school there."

"You just get license? You dey find cheap car to learn?"

As she dey nod, she bite her lower lip. E clear say money no too dey. I no dey blame am—Naija hard for students.

She hold gala and La Casera for hand, dey squeeze am like say e go solve her problem.

I get plenty students like her. Dem no dey keep the car long—within six months, dem go sell am back, I go make 600k or 800k each time.

Sometimes dem go come with uncle or aunty, talk say dem want car to "manage." Na normal run for town.

She no answer quick, she think small, then nod sure. "Oga, you get car wey many people die inside? The more, the better."

Her logic funny me, but I just smile. E be like she believe if e cheap, e go fit use save allowance, or maybe she dey run dare for school WhatsApp group.

Typical student logic—think say more deaths mean cheaper price. True, but the more deaths, the more wahala. With her kind body, she fit see strange things.

I see say she dey serious. Some people dey believe say spirit dey follow person, but for this town, na only sharp people dey survive.

I open computer, pick one car. "How about this one? 2017 Mazda. For express, heavy fog, trailer jam am. Driver, passenger, two colleagues—all die instantly."

I show am pictures—some people dey fear, but she just dey nod like say e no concern her. Students of nowadays get mind.

She look the car, shake head. "I hear say that car stuck for go-slow. You get better one? Big brand, abeg."

She dey dream Benz or Highlander, but I just laugh. "Madam, spirit no dey check car brand."

The best haunted car I get na that BMW X1, but Chijioke don carry am. To talk true, I for like sell give this girl than person like him.

I reason say if na her, maybe she go pray, do night vigil before she drive. Chijioke own, na wahala sure.

I tell her, "Few days ago, I get BMW wey fit you, but e don go. Drop your number, add me for WhatsApp, if better one show, I go tell you."

She agree, add me for WhatsApp. Her username na Eno—cute, but her profile picture just dark, e get as e be.

I notice say her last name no show. E fit be one of those girls wey dey run two names for security. I no blame her.

I follow her go outside, check her Status. Before, na normal life—chop, shop, sometimes snap with fine boy. But since last month, everything don turn dark dark. Maybe na student trend.

I dey reason maybe she dey go through something. Some people dey chase shadow, na so street be.

After Eno, time don reach 5 p.m. I remember say Baba Tunde still dey pet shop dey baff, so I rush go with my okada.

Aba traffic no dey play—if you no leave shop early, na go-slow go finish you. I hold my key, dey run like person wey dem send.

Baba Tunde na stray I pick four years ago. No breed, just normal local dog—all black, smart well. Anytime I put Baba Tunde for accident car, he dey know if wahala dey. One time, he bark for exhaust pipe, we check, see say body parts still dey there.

Baba Tunde sabi spirits—people dey call am "Pastor Dog" for compound. Dem say if dog fear car, make human being run. Baba Tunde na my own CCTV. If e bark, everybody dey respect am.

Normally, na only cars wey pass Baba Tunde test I dey sell.

One time, one old Camry wey e bark for, I carry go mechanic—na so dem see small finger under back seat. Since that day, I dey trust Baba Tunde pass my own eye.

As I reach pet shop, Baba Tunde clean well. As he see me, he wag tail, rush me, dey drool everywhere. I rub him head, dey plan give am treat, when my phone ring. Na police station.

My heart cut—Naija police no dey call person for joke. I pick. "Na Shen be this? There don happen accident for Ikotun Road, car na from your shop. Abeg, come station come help us with investigation."

My hand dey shake as I drop phone. For this business, na only God and police dey settle last matter. I look Baba Tunde, him just dey wag tail. E get as e go be.