Debra and Jade headed out of town to the suburb of Irvingdale to speak with Mr Mulwa. They needed his informant’s name. They would interview that person and then they’d be done – they both agreed there was really no case here.

They found the house easily because of the many cars parked outside. The door was answered by Mr Mulwa. He took them to a bedroom at the back, away from the people there to mourn with them. Mrs Mulwa followed them.

“So, did you discover anything?” Mr Mulwa asked.

“No, we haven’t,” Debra said.

“We need to speak to the health official who told you there might be a problem,” Jade said.

“But Colleen … I mean the person, told us not to,” Mrs Mulwa said.

Jade looked through her notebook. Colleen Wright, a nurse on duty the night of the death.

“I’m sure if Ms Wright cares enough to tell her patient’s parents that their daughter may have been killed by one of her co-workers, she won’t mind speaking to us.”

“I hope she won’t be angry. She’s been so supportive,” Mrs Mulwa said. “When she’s not on duty she’s always here, helping us with arrangements. She’s a lovely person.”

“The nurse is coming here every day?” Jade asked. That seemed odd to her, but then she herself was rarely described as a ‘lovely person’, so maybe it was normal in other people’s worlds.

“Yes. Can you believe someone is so kind?” Mr Mulwa said.

“We’ll find our own way out. Thanks for your time,” Debra said.

In the car Jade said, “That’s weird, right?”

Debra agreed, and Jade felt better about her opinion. She knew sometimes when it came to normal human emotions she struggled. Good to know she was on the right track this time.

“To the hospital then,” Debra said. “I think we need to talk to Ms Colleen Wright.”

* * * * *

Colleen finished taking the old woman’s blood pressure. “It’s way down, Mrs Sithole. The medicine must be working. I wouldn’t be surprised if the doctor lets you go home this evening. I’m positive Tuti will be happy.”

“That would be helpful. Caroline is taking care of Tuti but they don’t get along,” Mrs Sithole said.

“You’ll be home to Tuti before you know it,” Colleen said, patting the older woman’s arm.

Colleen left the room and motioned for the detectives to follow her to a meeting room down the hall. She was a tall, plain woman, likely in her mid-forties Jade thought. No wedding ring or evidence that there’d ever been one. But she was friendly enough.

“So, what can I do for you ladies this afternoon?” Colleen said, smiling and with her hands tidily folded in front of her.

“We understand that you think there might be some inconsistencies in the death of Anne Mulwa,” Debra said.

“The poor thing! I hate to even think about her. She suffered so and just when we all thought she was coming around from the worst of it, this happened. Unforgiveable,” Colleen said. She slipped a cloth handkerchief out of a pocket in her trousers. Who still used cloth handkerchiefs, Jade wondered.

“So that night you were on duty in paediatrics, is that correct?” Jade asked.

“Yes. It was me, Lerato, Sam and Betty. Mike Milner was supposed to be on duty but I understand he swapped with Sam.”

“And did anything unusual happen that night,” Jade asked.

“You mean besides Anne’s death?”

“Yes, of course,” Jade said.

“No, not really.”

“What do you mean?” Debra asked.

“Well … I don’t think I’m the only one who holds this opinion, but Sam Bogale is not the most conscientious nurse. I’ve caught him sleeping while on night duty. Also, he smokes. What sort of respectable nurse smokes? To be honest, I think something happened in Anne’s room that night,” Colleen said.

“Something like what?” Jade asked.

“I can’t say. It’s only that I was coming down the passage and I found Sam coming out of her room. He saw me and then quickly slipped away. He looked very guilty. Two hours later she was dead.”

“Don’t you think you should have brought it to the attention of Nurse Jongman, instead of Mr and Mrs Mulwa?” Jade asked. She’d never been a fan of goody-two-shoes like this Colleen. Always snitching on co-workers over petty things.

“Nurse Jongman is very busy. She tends to take most of my suggestions quite lightly,” Colleen said.

“If I could ask you a few personal questions? I don’t mean to pry, just police work,” Jade said.

Colleen smiled. “Pry away. I’m an open book.”

“Are you married, Colleen?”

“No.”

“Kids?”

“I’m not married!” She seemed shocked someone would ask her that.

“People do have children without being married you know,” Jade said.

“Not people like me.”

“And your family?”

“I live alone. I only have my mother. She lives in a care home in Johannesburg. She’s always been sickly.”

Jade nodded her head. She was getting a pretty clear picture of Miss Colleen Wright. A prim busybody, with no life of her own, who liked to get involved in other people’s lives in the hope that hers wouldn’t be quite so lonely. End of story, no case here. Jade only felt bad for her co-workers.

“Thank you for your time, Ms Wright,” Debra said, reaching out her hand to the nurse, who didn’t take it; she even took a step backwards, as if avoiding it.

“Are you a homosexual?” Colleen then asked Debra.

“Yes, a lesbian.”

Colleen nodded. “Yes, I noticed that straight away. There is a way about you people, isn’t there?”

Jade took Debra’s arm and pulled her down the passage. “I think we’ll go now.”

“She’s a piece of work,” Debra said in the car.

“A lonely woman, nothing more. Don’t give her another thought.”

“Is there something about me?” Debra asked looking in the rear-view mirror.

“She’s an idiot. Forget about it,” Jade said. “Maybe that’s her pick-up line.”

Debra pulled out of the parking lot. “You’re funny, neh?”

***

Tell us: Do you agree with Jade’s opinion of Colleen Wright? Would you like her?