Read Online Deadly Harvest by Michael Stanley - Free Book Online Page B

down at her feet. After a few moments she shook her head.
    Constance stood up and put a pot of pap on the stove to cook. Samantha realized it was a signal for her to leave, but she had noticed Dikeledi’s hesitation.
    â€œWould you show me the route Lesego would’ve taken to school, Dikeledi? Would you drive with me? It won’t take long, and I’ll bring you right back.” The girl hesitated again, but then nodded. She jumped up and left the room, reappearing a few minutes later with a jacket, despite the warm evening.
    Samantha gave Tole her business card and thanked them all for their help. Constance just nodded and concentrated on the pap .
    D IKELEDI DI RECTED HER DOWN the hill to the town; there was only one way to go. Then she described how Lesego might have reached the hill from the school via the shops she needed to visit. Samantha stopped the car at the deserted school and turned to the girl.
    â€œYou were close. It must be terrible for you. I’m so sorry.”
    Dikeledi nodded but didn’t reply. She fought back tears.
    â€œYou wanted to tell me something at the house, didn’t you? But not in front of the others. Won’t you tell me now? I really want to find out what happened.”
    Dikeledi turned away from her and stared out at the afterglow of the sunset. “Why do you care? I suppose it’s your job, but no one ever listened to me. Now it’s too late.”
    Samantha wondered how to reach the girl, knowing she couldn’t take too long. Dikeledi was expected home.
    â€œI grew up in Mochudi as well. Did you ever hear of a girl called Segametsi Mogomotsi? She also lived here in Mochudi. She disappeared, too, when she was about your age. Segametsi was one of my best friends.”
    â€œWhat happened to her?”
    Samantha didn’t want to talk about the details. She didn’t even want to recall the details. “They never found the men who did it. I vowed I was going to, but I didn’t, either. She was murdered for muti .”
    Suddenly Dikeledi was sobbing in her arms. All the tears held back over the past months came flooding out. Samantha just held her and let her cry.
    Almost as quickly as they’d come, the tears stopped, and Dikeledi wiped her eyes and nose with her hand. She dug in a pocket of her jacket, pulled out a piece of paper, and offered it to Samantha. “I found this at the bottom of the hill. You remember where it turns into the town? Exactly there.” Samantha examined it. It was a handwritten list of items, obviously a shopping list. She noticed the exaggerated loops on the g ’s.
    â€œIt was Lesego’s, wasn’t it?”
    Dikeledi nodded. “I’m sure. And she dropped it there when they took her. I know that’s what happened, but the policeman didn’t believe me. They didn’t do anything.” The tears were close again.
    â€œI believe you.”
    â€œWhat are you going to do?”
    â€œNext week I’m going to ask at every house close to the bottom of the hill. I’m going to tell them that’s where Lesego was abducted. Perhaps someone will remember something. I’m going to find out what happened. And then I’ll come and tell you.”
    Dikeledi digested this without comment. At last she said, “Can I have it back? The list? She left it for me.”
    Samantha hesitated but, after all this time and handling, the chance of finding any prints on the list was remote. She passed it back to the girl.
    â€œI need to go home now, please. My aunt will be cross if I’m late.”
    â€œOf course,” said Samantha, and started the car.

NINE

    T HE HOSPITALS H AD NO news for Witness, nor had the morgue. Witness didn’t know which way to turn, what to do. So he sat in his house and did nothing.
    Late on Saturday afternoon, there was a knock at the door. Witness flung it open, hoping. But it was a police constable.
    â€œI have come about the report