"You mean she didn't drown?" Commanding Officer Mwenda asked Phil that Friday morning in his office.
"No sir. The autopsy report clearly indicates that Molly died before she was dumped in the water. Someone killed her. This is a murder case now."
"But I thought she died of drug overdose? Is it possible that her boyfriend could have panicked after she died thereby dumping her in the pond?"
"It is not possible sir. Why would he take such a risk anyway?"
"Maybe a client perhaps..." began Mwenda before drifting into silence. After about ten seconds he said, "So what else do we know?"
"From our investigations, she was a decent woman but tough and uncompromising in her work. She had no social life. And she definitely was not a prostitute."
"Not a prostitute? You told me last time that there was no doubt about it!" Mwenda protested.
"We have to move with facts sir. She wasn't a prostitute. She was actually a virgin."
Mwenda held his chin with his left fingers and then nodded slowly.
"So we know who she is and that she was murdered. Do we have any leads on who killed her or why?"
"At the moment we don't have sir."
"What is your next course of action?"
"We need to look more closely at the pond area. Maybe someone saw a car near the pond that night. We also need to find the source of the drugs that were found in her system. I have a feeling that this death has to do with a drug deal."
"You mean she was killed in the middle of a drug deal?"
"Yes something like that."
"Alright, but please close this case quickly. I need to go on leave."
"I will try my best sir. But one more thing, would you like me to enlist the assistance of the narcotics section on this?"
"Do you have anyone in mind?"
"Mercy."
"Approved."
"Thank you sir."
"Just make sure that stupid boy Dan isn't anywhere near this case. He once told me in a meeting that just because my office is on the top floor, I shouldn't think that I am god. He gets only inconsequential cases."
Phil smiled. He stood up to leave.
"One more thing. Now that we believe that she did not commit suicide but was murdered, should I release this update to the press? The journalists will be here this afternoon. What do you think Phil?"
Phil gave it a thought and then said. "Sir it will be better if you stick to the line that investigations are ongoing. The murderers are out there amongst us in the community and they also listen to the news. We don't want them to know that we know what is going on."
Mwenda nodded his head approvingly.
Phil walked out of the office and went straight to Mercy's office. He found her trying to make an old LaserJet printer work by smacking it with her hand.
"Does anything here work at all? No paper, no air conditioning unit and even the departmental computer is down," complained Mercy as she threw her hands in the air helplessly.
Phil smiled and then said, "Let us go."
"Where?"
"I am taking you out right now. I need you."
Mercy laughed shyly and dimples formed on her cheeks.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah seriously. Accompany me in the field."
"You and I?"
"Yes, but Nawa will be joining us."
Mercy left the printer and then walked towards her desk. Even in her khaki police trousers, her hips were clearly defined and outlined. Phil noticed that she always walked like a model in a beauty contest, placing one leg directly in front of the other at all times. She put on her green sweater and then said, "You need to talk to Dan about this. After all he is my boss here at Narcotics. I am just an intern. And I can't just leave my station without his knowledge."
"Don't worry about that, Flower. Fat Albert has already approved your involvement on my team for this case."
"Did you just call me Flower?" Mercy asked with a curious expression.
"Yes I did. You actually have a lot in common with a rose flower. Radiance, glamour, beauty..."
"Stop it you also ahhh," she responded with a measure of embarrassment. Dimples formed on her round cheeks. She then swept her long weave backwards with her right hand.
"You look even more gorgeous when you sweep your hair backwards like that," remarked Phil.
Mercy shook her head and waved a warning finger at Phil.
They walked downstairs close to each other and then exited the building through the main reception. In the car park, they found Nawa already in their car waiting. Phil sat in front beside Nawa whereas Mercy sat alone behind.
"To Mtendere sir?" Nawa asked Phil.
"Yes."
"Hello madam," Nawa addressed Mercy.
"Hi, just call me Mercy," she replied with a smile.
Nawa started the car. The engine started running and then stopped.
"It must be the battery," complained Nawa. He tried again and it ran this time. They drove out of the premises using Church road.
"What are we going to do in Mtendere?" Mercy inquired.
"We need to talk to a girl whom we feel knows something about Molly's murder."
"She is the drug supplier?"
"That is my suspicion."
"Based on what?"
"She was mentioned by Molly's closest friend in connection with resolving a certain unknown puzzle. I have a feeling that this has to do with a drug crime."
They were in Mtendere in ten minutes and Nawa noted the Shipwe Shipwe tavern- the one the receptionist at Women Empowerment Zambia had referred to.
"So where do we turn now?" asked Nawa, driving more slowly through the dusty gravel road which was full of potholes. The car made cranky sounds. People of all ages were walking on the road itself and only stepped aside upon hearing the sound of the car.
"She said second turn," replied Phil. They slowly drove past the first road off the main one. A dog ran in front of the car and Nawa braked suddenly. He opened the door and almost got out.
"It’s just a dog bo Nawa," said Mercy with a laugh.
“And I suppose you want to slap the dog too?” asked Phil.
Nawa shat the door and continued driving, avoiding potholes on the gravel road.
"That should qualify as the second road," Phil pointed out. Nawa turned in that road and noticed a yellow house surrounded by shrubs.
"We are here," said Nawa as he parked the car about twenty meters away. Next to the house was parked a red Nissan Pickup.
''What is that Nissan doing in this area?" Phil wondered loudly.
"Why can't a Nissan be found in this area?" Mercy wanted to know.
"Well I am not segregating, but going by the girl's reputation am wondering what that vehicle is doing next to her house."
"You don't wanna know," replied Mercy with a laugh.
"Should we move in?" Nawa asked.
"Let's wait a while," said Phil.
They sat inside the car in silence for fifteen minutes. A number of people stared at their car curiously but said nothing.
Just after Phil sighed impatiently, a huge light skinned man in a black hat and dark glasses wearing a long brown coat emerged from the house.
"Mr. Client I presume?" Mercy remarked.
The man walked quickly to the Nissan Pickup van and opened the door. He started the vehicle, reversed a little and then made a U turn, thereby facing the cops' car. He removed his hat and dark glasses and for the first time his face could clearly be seen by the cops inside the Toyota car.
"What!?" yelled Phil. The man drove along the bumpy street on a high speed past them, raising a cloud of dust.