Ndakaripa

"Winona Manyame's office ... Winona speaking ..."
She breathed into the phone
"Good. My name is Ndakaripa Nemapare. I understand you are a Private Investigator ... 'a good one' ... to quote my best friend's words."
The female voice on the other end paused
Winona smiled into the phone and said
"Thank you for the complement, Maam."
Then curiosity getting the better of her could not help but ask
"May I know the name of your best friend who referred you to me, please?"
A twinkle was in her eye
"Ruramisai ... Ruramisai Nematumbai ..."
The female voice replied
"You come highly recommended. She said you helped her solve a Gutu mysterious case last year that had baffled them for months."
Winona smiled and said
"Oh, yes ... Ruramisai ... she is my College mate and friend. And yes, I did help her out with the case you are referring to."
"I would like to make an appointment with you at the earliest date possible, please. There is a case I would like you to investigate"
The female voice continued. Winona reached for her diary, flipped through it, found the page she had been looking for, read through it and said
"I have an opening next week ..."
"Can't we make it earlier than that ...?!! Could you squeeze me in, say tomorrow ...?"
The female voice cut in. Winona hesitated
"Eh ... eh ..."
"Its urgent that I meet with you. Lives are at stake ..."
The female voice insisted. Winona hesitated again
"Tomorrow ... ? ... Mmmm ... "
And she flipped through the page
"I'm afraid I am totally booked ..."
"Please ... please ... even if we make the appointment after hours ...I am willing to pay you double your normal fees ..."
The lady insisted
Winona hesitated
"Mmmm ..."
"Five times your normal fees ...?"
The lady bargained
Winona tried to say
"It's not about the money, Maam ..."
"Ten times ...!!"
The lady was not taking 'No' for an answer. From the way she was behaving, she clearly needed her case, whatever it was, to be solved quickly. Winona sensed the sense of urgency in the woman. She scanned through her diary again. She was trying to find a slot where she could squeeze the lady in
From the way she was behaving, she clearly needed her Case, whatever it was, to be solved quickly. Why was this lady so anxious to meet up with Winona?!!
What Case could she want resolved so badly and that quickly that she could not wait a few days until Winona was free?
The Second in The Winona Manyame Mysteries, P. I Winona Manyame, is hired by Ndakaripa Nemapare, a wealthy tycoon to investigate on both the mysterious disappearance of her little girl, Tanatswa; and some mysterious occurrences in her home.
The Nemapare household is plagued with strange, dark supernatural forces which haunt and traumatise Ndakaripa and Dambudzo for years. Who or what could be causing these strange occurrences ... and why ...?!! Will Winona be able to get to solve this 'cold' Case?<...