The water was stinging, Michael didn't want to think of the dumps that may have been thrown in the water. Out from his blurry vision, he spotted Chioma. Michael increased the pace of his strokes and swammed fast towards Chioma, her body was already going down, she had lost consciousness.

He grabbed hold of her by her waist and her upper body part fell against his shoulder. She weighed nothing under water so it was easier for him to swim to shore with one hand.

When they had finally arrived at dry land, people were already standing there watching, some were holding out there phones recording, while others were taking pictures as Michael heard shutters, even an Igbo woman had her hands raised and was singing songs of praise to God for the rescue. Some Yoruba women who had stalls where they sold fish were clapping there hands and speaking in their local dialect.

Michael laid Chioma on the ground gently. She had a bruise on her forehead, probably doing the fall. He laid his index and middle finger against her neck to check for a pulse, when he found one he gave a sigh of relief.

"Let me help." Michael looked up to see a lady in a knee length skirt and a red blouse walking fast towards him, "I am a nurse, let me help." Michael nodded his head in approval, better a professional than him.

She stopped beside Chioma and proceeded to do CPR. She interlocked her fingers, pushing down on Chioma's chest a couple of times and then opened her mouth and breathe out into Chioma mouth, sending air to her lungs. She kept on doing this process, till suddenly Chioma's eyes opened. Chioma turned to the side immediately, coughing out the dirty water she had swallowed earlier.

"Chioma!" Michael rushed to her side, relief written over his face. Chioma sat up looking around her.

"Am I in heaven? If I am, heaven is ugly mehn!!" She scrunched up her nose. "Heaven smells too."

"Chioma!" Chioma turned and saw a very worried Michael beside her, along with a lady that she didn't know.

"What are you doing in heaven?! Wait a minute!" She looked around her again, slowly coming to her senses.

"God, you don't know how happy I am to hear your voice." He gave her a hand, which she grabbed and he pulled her up.

"What happened to me? My head hurts." She lifted her hand to feel the sore place on her head, wincing at the pain she felt there.

"Yeah, you've got a bruise there, probably when you hit your head during the fall."

"Well, I have to go," Said the lady. "I am glad you are ok."

Michael suddenly dragged his eyes away from Chioma, remembering the lady who had helped saved Chioma's life. "Chioma, this is..."

"Esther, my name is Esther."

"Esther helped to save your life," Michael told her.

"No, you did the saving actually, you were the one that brought her out of the water and prevented her from drowning. All I did was what any nurse would have done."

"Thank you," Chioma told the lady, she wasn't still in her right mind, but she did understand from what was said that the lady had helped her.

"You're welcome," She said to Chioma, turned and gave Michael a smile before walking away. People were already walking away after seeing that Chioma was ok, and some even came approached to congratulate Michael for his heroic act on saving Chioma's life, soon they were alone.

"Wow, so it seems you are the superman to my Lois." she gave a low laugh and shook her head. "Thank you for saving my life Michael."

But Michael didn't answer, he kept staring at her, studying her features.

"You could have died, for a moment, I thought I had lost you," he said quietly.

"Oh please, my spirit is strong, look at the bright side, I didn't die, did I? I am alive and-"

Her next words were muffled because Michael had laid his lips on hers. Chioma froze, she was sure her heart had stopped beating. Here was Michael, Michael, guy that had always frustrated her life. Michael, guy she had always been made to work under, Michael, guy that is...

His lips were soft

Chioma felt her body relax into his, her eyes fluttering shut as her lips started moving in sync with his. He brought his hands slowly to her hips, deepening the kiss and just when Chioma was about to put her hands around his neck and pull him closer to her, he pulled out.

"Fuck! I am so sorry!"

"Y-you are s-sorry?" Chioma asked confused.

"God, what did I just do. I am sorry, ok? I didn't mean that, and taking advantage of you while you are still in shock of what just happened." He rubbed his hand over his face and looked away, muttering curses on himself.

Chioma licked her lips and looked away. Michael thinks she was still in shock when she kissed him back. But she wasn't and she wished she were. She can't believe she let her guard down, she should have pushed him away the moment his lips landed on hers. He probably kissed her out of worry, not out of desire, what was she thinking?!!

"We should go," She said suddenly drawing Michael attention to her. "We are both drenched, we should go home and change clothe." Without waiting for him, she turned around and walked away, not even knowing where she was headed.

"Wait!" Michael called walking fast to meet up with her, he grabbed her hand stopping her. "Hey! Look at me."

"What Michael what do you want to say? You're sorry? I get it and I don't want to hear it anymore. Let's just forget about this and move on. This was obviously the stupidest thing we have ever done and if we are to work on this case together, we need to forget this ever happened. Ok?"

"Ok," He nodded. Together they walked to Michael's car, wet. Michael had made a call to Sarah to tell her about Chioma's car and the incident.

"Sarah is calling the towing company, your car will be picked up later in the evening and taken to the mechanics," Michael informed her. Chioma nodded and looked out the window, her mind was far off her car now.

Michael started the car and drove off, they didn't speak to each other throughout the ride.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thanks for the ride, see you tomorrow," Chioma said as she unfastened her seatbelt. She was about to search for her bag when she remembered it was under Isle bridge. Deep down in the river. So was her phone, and the letter.

"Tomorrow? No, you have to rest," Michael said, shaking his head.

"No, I don't have to rest Michael, all the rest I need, I will get them this night. The faster I am up on my feet, the faster I can catch the bitch that tried to kill me."

"I want to catch her as much as you do. After what she just tried to do to you, I want her behind bars suffering even more than I did before. But before that can happen, I need my partner in good shape. Get some rest, spend time with your friend, do girls stuff, just have fun and rest tomorrow, ok?"

Chioma was quiet for a while. "Ok." She nodded, "Ok, I would do as you have said."

"Thank you."

"Ok then, goodbye." She got down from the car, waving to Michael again, before walking away to her apartment.

Michael waited till she had entered inside before he drove away. All Michael could think about was the kiss that was shared earlier, he knew he should be focused more on the murder and he wanted to slap himself for thinking of Chioma's lips. He need to get rid of the feelings. Office relationships weren't allowed and he didn't need distractions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Nice job today guys, everything went according to plan. Also, good job Janet, for helping in reviving the detective, I don't want to kill her, at least, not yet." The lady in the hooded clothe adressed the thugs and the young lady, wearing a knee length skirt and a red blouse. "All we did today was just a warning. Once I have succeeded in scaring them off, they will drop the case."

"But won't they just bring up another detective to continue the case, those detectives don't look like they plan on backing off soon, and that male detective nearly blew my head off." One of the thugs said as he flicked on a lighter to light a cigarette.

"But he didn't, enough talk about that." She snapped. She stood up from where she was sitted. She walked away from the thugs who were getting into a conversation of there own.

"Sooner or later, I will get rid of the cobwebs in my cupboard and Alex will be mine."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chioma stood under the shower, naked. The water went down, from her long hair which lay wet against her back. Kissing her skin as they circled her nipples, running past her bosom. It ran down her back, tracing the line of her spinal cord that led to her behind, then streaming down her long and model like leg. Before finally flowing away to the drain.

She stopped the shower and got her towel, circling one around her hair and the other around her body. She wore her bathroom slippers and stepped out, walking into her room.

"Kachi? Why are you rummaging through my wardrobe, what did I tell you about your relationship with my clothes, there shouldn't be one." Chioma walked towards the basket where she kept her underwear, and picked out a matching lingerie.

"Today is Friday, or have you forgotten? Your mother's dinner party. I am checking to see if you have a dress to wear," Kachi said still rummaging through Chioma's wardrobe, few seconds later, she turned around and gave a loud sigh. "Nothing, you have nothing."

"Ok, that means I am not going, bye!" Chioma dropped the towel, she was only in her underwear now, looking like a model about to take a walk, only that she was well defined than some of the skinny models seen on TV.

"Yes, yes you are, because your mother placed the responsibility of making sure you show your face there on me, now dress up and come meet me outside." She walked out of the room giving Chioma space to dress.

"Yehn yehn yehn yehn blah blah responsibility yehn bleh bleh." she said mimicking Kachi in a voice that was definitely not Kachi's own.

"That's not what I sound like!" Kachi shouted from outside.

"Well not to my ears!"

"Your ears have problems!"

"Your mouth has problems!" Chioma retorted. They went on calling body parts and stating the problems they had.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kachi and Chioma walked pass rows and colums of dresses, Kachi had long chosen the right outfit for herself. A red gown, which stopped just above her knee. It had pink flowers drawn over it and an opening at the sides, just above her waist, which showed Kachi's fair skin, bringing out the sexy look she was going for.

But it wasn't going to be easy to choose a dress for Chioma— who was very picky.

What about this?
Too short.

This?
Do I look like a slut to you?

This is really pretty, don't you think so?
You've gat to be kidding me?

Chioma, this one fits you perfectly, just try it!
Do you even know me?!

The sales assistant had gotten tired of Chioma, she had given an excuse that she wants to go check on something and will be back, but Kachi knows she was gone. Kachi was about to point at a purple gown, she thought was beautiful. But Chioma stopped her.

"Don't even think about it young woman, purple isn't my color." She held Kachi's hand and dragged her to another aisle.

"Chioma you have to pick a dress soon, we have to be at your mother's dinner party by seven, it already clocking five."

"That means we still have... Kachi?"

"Yes?" Kachi answered, confused.

"I have spotted the perfect dress!" She gave a squeal and jumped like a little girl. She ran to a particular section were rows of black gowns were hung. She brought out one, holding it with the hanger. "This is the perfect dress for me. Watch the door!" Without waiting for a reply, she ran towards the dressing room.

Kachi stood waiting outside, few minutes later Chioma showed up looking stunning as ever.

She was putting on a midnight black gown, it was fitted so it hugged her body, showing her thin waist and large hips. It stopped just above her knees and had a low U-line which showed her cleavage a little. The hand was short and shoulder length. It was simply a beautiful gown.

"Sooooo, what do you think?" Chioma asked while giving a little spin.

"It's so beautiful, you look stunning in that dress." Kachi who would agree to anything Chioma had picked if it means they get to leave the boutique said honestly.

"Thank you, let me go change and let's get out of here." She turned around and rushed back to the dressing room.

Moments later, they had their clothes packed in the boutique shopping bag. As they walked out, they saw the sales girl who had excused herself earlier sitting by her desk reading a magazine, when she sighted Chioma and Kachi, she raised the magazine to cover her face, but it was too late, they had seen her. Chioma was going to say something, but Kachi seeing this got hold of her hands and dragged her out of the store.

"So you know the reason your mother is holding this dinner party is because she wants to show you off to possible suitors she has picked out for you," Kachi said as she and Chioma walked over to her car, since Chioma own was still at the mechanics.

Chioma didn't tell Kachi of the incident last night. Kachi behaved like a second mother to Chioma, if she heard what had happened, she would be really worried and Chioma cared for her best friend too much to put that burden on her. She had forged a lie with the engine, telling Kachi that's why it was at the mechanics.

"I know my mother very well Kachi, I am just surprised that she doesn't know me well enough to realize that she is just wasting her time and money on this," Chioma said. They arrived at the place Kachi's car was parked and got in. Throwing the new clothes they had just gotten to the back of the car.

"Well, I can't wait to see who she has prepared for you this time around." Kachi laughed as she drove away.

**********************

What do you guys think of this chapter?

I made this long because of a certain young lady called Joy.

Did anyone suspect the lady in the red blouse? Well, I didn't also. But it couldn't be a coincidence, that a nurse would just happen to be there at that exact same moment?

Next chapter coming in, next week.

Stay safe.