The Dawuni Files - A White Shadow

Chapter Eighteen

The policemen barely looked at Dawuni's badge when he flashed. From his previous visit two days ago they already knew who he was , so they allowed him  in.

Dawuni entered Monique's room, glad to see her looking much better. She was eating some fruits and watching a movie.

"Hi. I can see you're much better." Dawuni stood by the bed.

Monique smiled." I am, but the doctor doesn't want to discharge me."

"I feel your pain." Dawuni laughed." Are those kiwi fruits?" He pointed at the pieces of green fruits on the plate.

"Yeah, they are."

"It's rare to find them in Ghana, how were you were able to get them?"

"Actually, my friend Irene brought them to them to yesterday."

"Irene?"

"Yeah, Irene Hayford. Do you know her?"

"I do. Wow, what a small world we live in. But I hope you didn't tell her ..."

Monique face fell and she shifted uncomfortably in the bed. "She already knows."

Dawuni was shocked." You told me that you'd told no one."

"I wasn't lying, but the day you came  and questioned me I was so hurt and sad. After you left, she visited me. I needed someone to talk, so I told her everything. She promised not to tell anyone."

Dawuni stared at Monique, not believing what he was hearing. How could she be so stupid? Dawuni couldn't possibly imagine how Monique could be so naive, foolish and buffoonic? Now, instead of worrying about the blackmailer, they also had to deal with the possibility that Irene could've told someone.

Dawuni angrily strode out of the room. He had to speak with Irene.

   *                      *                        *

Dawuni knocked for the umpteenth time, but no one answered the door. Irene's car was parked inside the yard of the house and it was a Saturday. Where could she've possibly gone without her car.

He was just about to call her  when he heard someone call to him." Sir!!"

Dawuni turned and saw a little boy, about 8 years old, on a bicycle.

"Are you looking for Auntie Irene?" The boy asked.

"Yes. Do you know where she is?"

"She has travelled." He answered.

"Travelled? Where?"

The boy shrugged. "I don't know. She just  told my mommy that she was traveling. She didn't also tell her when she was coming back."

"Okay. Thank you." Dawuni told him.
The boy rode off , his legs pedaling hard.

I can't possibly wait for her to come back, Dawuni thought. Who knows when she might even come back. He drove his car, parked it a distance away from Irene's house and got down.

This was the second time Irene's name has cropped up and he needed to be sure that she was clean. Dawuni decided to search her house. He didn't have a warrant and he knew he was breaking the law, but desperate times call for drastic measures.

There was a route that passed behind the house and Dawuni used it , walking purposefully to the back of the house. He looked around casually, then jumped over the short fence, racing stealthily to the back door.

The trees provided him with enough cover. Dawuni immediately used his phone, employing a trick Titus taught him to check for the presence of any CCTV cameras. There were none.

He removed a small lock picking set from his pocket and started working on the door. After ten minutes of sweating, turning and cussing Dawuni heard a click and the door swung open noiselessly.

He entered and closed the door silently. He had to work fast. Irene had said that some robberies had been reported in the area. This meant that the people in the neighborhood were probably on alert.

Dawuni checked the bedrooms first, and found two of them empty. The third one, which appeared to be Irene's room was clean and spotless.

He looked through the drawers, the closet , under the bed and everywhere in the room but found nothing suspicious. Dawuni opened the last drawer and saw a laptop inside.

He opened it and went through the files. They were mostly lesson notes and assignments. Dawuni checked her emails and found nothing. They were just emails from friends and one email from a hotel about a reservation. Dawuni guessed it was probably for her trip.

He looked around and spotted a waste basket. Searching through it gave him the same results. There were a few snack wrappers, old magazines and a receipt for a bus ticket, also for her trip.

Dawuni made sure everything was as it were, before he came in. He searched the other rooms but found nothing remarkable. Relieved and glad, Dawuni locked the back door and walked to his car.

He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel while munching on a chocolate bar. It looked like he'd have to wait for Irene to come back. He didn't want to call her. He couldn't risk someone listening in.

His phone beeped and Dawuni picked it up. It was a voicemail. He tapped on it and listened.

By the time the voicemail was done, Dawuni's hands were shaking with excitement. He knew who and where the blackmailer was. But first he had to make a call.