The Dawuni Files - A White Shadow

Chapter Sixteen

Monique was pregnant? Dawuni thanked the doctor and sat down in shock. He felt a little sad that Monique had just lost her baby.

But who would poison her? Was it the blackmailer? Had Monique attempted suicide? Was Monique even the one who stole the drone?

These questions run through Dawuni's mind. It seemed as if everything he took a step closer to solving this mystery, he was
always brought two steps back.

Dawuni called Nii and brought him up to date on everything, carefully leaving out the parts of him suspecting  Monique and she losing her baby. The former was because he wanted to be sure before he told him and the latter because Monique was the one supposed  to tell him.

Nii sounded worried, but he said he couldn't make it since he was away on an international trip. He instead sent two policemen to guard Monique. Nii thanked Dawuni and hung up.

Dawuni sighed and stretched himself. The clock on the wall read 11:00 pm and Dawuni decided to head home to get some sleep. He was bone tired.

*                 *                   *                 *

Dawuni walked towards Monique's room, two days later. He showed his badge to the policemen outside the room and they examined it critically. Satisfied, they let him in.

Monique was sitting up on the bed, looking much better. She smiled when Dawuni entered , a sharp contrast to thier previous meeting.

"How are you feeling?" Dawuni placed the basket he brought on a spare chair.

" Much better." Monique replied." Although my body still hurts, thank you. The doctor told me you found me in my house and called the ambulance. I'm really grateful."

"No problem. I brought you some food." Dawuni gestured to the basket. " I'm not that good of a cook so I hope you'll  get sicker after eating my food."
Monique laughed softly.

"The doctor told me what happened." Dawuni said sadly." I'm very sorry."

Monique's eyes watered." I didn't even get to tell Nii before that witch killed my baby."

"Witch?" Dawuni perked up.

"It was Diane. I don't know how but I think she must've found out that I was pregnant and came over yesterday under the pretense of reasoning with me. I'm sure when I went into the kitchen, she must've taken the opportunity to spike my juice."

"Are you sure of what you're saying?"

"I am." Monique said bitterly. "Who else could it be. She's the only one who visited me yesterday."

"Do you have any proof." Dawuni knew that Diane disliked Monique alot, but to poison her... Has her dislike turned into hate? What Monique was saying was very serious and could potentially put the First Lady behind bars.

"I think so." Monique picked up her phone. "The CCTV cameras must have captured her." Monique gave the phone to Dawuni. "The cameras are connected to my phone, and they run a 72-hour system."

Dawuni took the phone and tapped on the app. He keyed in yesterday's date and fast forwarded to the evening.
He watched as Monique came out of the kitchen and into the living room, holding a glass of juice. She put it down and went to open the door, ushering Diane in. They sat down and began to speak rather calmly.

After a while, Monique went into the kitchen, leaving Diane alone in the living room. Dawuni expected her to get up any moment and put something into the drink, but she just sat there. Monique came back and they began to speak again, although not so calmly as first.

Diane took out a large envelope and offered it to Monique. They began speaking agitadely and Diane got up. She walked out of the house angrily.

Monique started drinking the juice and it wasn't before long that she doubled over, collapsing on the floor.

Dawuni looked up , disappointment etched on his face. He gave the phone back to Monique and she watched the footage.

"Buh,how is that possible?" Monique was surprised." If it wasn't her, then who did? She's the only one who visited me yesterday."

"I don't know, but clearly it wasn't Diane." Dawuni thought for a while." How long have you had that drink?"

"It's actually noni juice. I squeezed the fruits and kept the juice for three weeks to ferment, before drinking it. The juice helps with my glands and skin."

"Has there been a break-in  in your house?". Dawuni needed to be sure his suspicions were correct.

"No." Monique shook her head.

Dawuni nodded slowly. Even if there was a break-in, he doubted Monique would notice, provided it was done expertly. Someone might've broken into the house and spiked the drink. He was sure it was the blackmailer.

Dawuni took the bracelet and showed it to Monique." Is this yours?"

"Yes." Her eyes widened at the sight of the bracelet." Where did you find it? I've been looking for it everywhere."

"I found it at a certain Mr Kuma's house. He's a fashion tycoon. I believe you know him."

"Yes, I do. I've never gone to his house before. I lost the bracelet some weeks ago and I couldn't find it. But how did it get there?"

Dawuni shrugged. He knew Monique was telling the truth. His guts told him that much  and he trusted his guts. The person who broke into Monique's house must have also stolen the bracelet and dropped it at The Little Boy so as to implicate her. It was a very clever plan.

"Have you spoken with Nii?" Dawuni asked.

"I did, this morning. He's currently on an international trip."

"Speak of the devil." Dawuni gestured to the television.

There was a news story about the meeting the president was going to have with heads of some African States on a trade deal. The meeting was coming off in Accra, in a few days time.

"Hopefully, when he comes back and is done with the meeting he will come and visit."

But they knew that wasn't possible. The publicity from the President's visit could expose thier relationship.

Dawuni wished Monique a speedy recovery and left the hospital, after making sure that she had eaten something.

The moment he got into his car, Dawuni called Titus and asked him to send him the list of everyone who was present at the fashion show during the PAAF week. His instincts were telling him that all this was somehow connected with the fashion show.

Getting  home, he immediately checked his email , glad that Titus had  been able to pull up the list.

The list was huge and divided into groups. Dawuni knew that it was going to take a long time to go through it, but he wasn't deterred.

Dawuni started with the smallest group and that was the list of reporters. He was checking through  when a name caught his attention. It was a name he knew very well.
Irene Hayford.