Jide sat Aisha and Ngozi down in his living room, the envelope staring at them like a challenge. "Found this in the principal's office," he said, handing it over.
Aisha's eyes widened as she scanned the contents. "This is...this is about his past involvement in that school funding scandal!"
Ngozi snatched the paper. "Wait, the one with the missing millions?"
Aisha nodded. "He was a trustee back then. If this gets out..."
Jide leaned in. "It could ruin him. But why hide it?"
Ngozi grinned. "Because it's leverage. Someone's keeping it safe."
The trio exchanged looks. This was bigger than they thought.
"We need proof," Aisha said. "Real evidence, not just rumors."
Ngozi pulled out her phone. "I've got contacts. I'll dig."
Jide hesitated. "What if we get caught?"
Aisha shrugged. "We're already in this."
Over the next days, they pieced together fragments. Mr. Adewale had chaired a government committee overseeing school funds. A whistleblower had surfaced years ago, but....
Ngozi burst into Jide's room. "Got it! My source sent old court docs. Adewale pushed to settle quietly, paid back some, but..."
Aisha frowned. "But what?"
Ngozi hesitated. "Names are sealed. But...he wasn't alone."
Jide's mind spun. Who else was involved?
The night before the school's annual gala, Jide, Aisha, and Ngozi snuck into the school archives. They found a dusty box labeled "Adewale, P." Inside, a letter.
"...I did it for the school," it read. "Don't let it fall."
Aisha's eyes met Jide's. "He's covering for someone."
Ngozi nodded. "Let's expose him at the gala."
But as they left, Jide felt uneasy. What if they were missing something?