The body stank of death. The smell made the air thick and sweet, and the officers found it hard to breathe. They were out on a hill somewhere, in a nature reserve south of Johannesburg. Birds flew in circles above them, looking like grey clouds.

Detective Tom Carera spat in the sand. “What have we got?”

His partner, Detective Jacob Nhlapho, eyed him with irritation. “You’re late again. If you had been on time, you would have gotten the brief.”

Detective Carera sighed. “I don’t have time for your games today.”

“Then don’t be late. Victim is Sarah-May Adam, 25, lived with her mother and father. Single shot to the chest. She was killed instantly.”

“Weapon?”

“None.”

Carera nodded and walked around the body. “Pretty face.”

Detective Nhlapho said nothing.

“She was dumped here,” said Carera.

“We knew that already.”

“Ag, give me a break, man. Please.”

“They want to take her away now, so finish up.”

Nhlapho walked down the hill before Carera could open his mouth.

Detective Nhlapho had worked with Detective Carera for many years. They were rookies in the police force at the same time and had trained together when they were much younger. Now they were partners investigating murders. Nhlapho couldn’t say he enjoyed Carera’s company — Carera smoked, ate bad food, and got drunk almost every day. It made him lazy, dulled his senses. He had started coming to work late, missing important meetings, and fighting with other police officers. Each time, Nhlapho covered for him.

That day was the same as it always was. Detective Nhlapho arrived at the crime scene alone, and he was forced to lie to his colleagues yet again. “He’ll be here soon,” he kept saying. But Carera only arrived two hours later. Typical.

Just then, Carera came storming down the hill.

“What’s up with you now?” said Nhlapho.

“I can’t stay here.”

Carera got into the driver’s seat of their shared police car.

“Carera, I think I should drive. You don’t look OK.”

“Just get in the car. I’m not telling you again.”

The car ride back into Joburg was silent. Nhlapho checked his watch. It was going to be a very long day. The next stop was to see Mr and Mrs Adam, Sarah-May’s parents. It was always the worst part of an investigation — telling the family that their loved one wasn’t coming home.

***

The room was cold and smelled like soap. It was past five in the afternoon and the sunlight was golden, streaming in through the large windows.

Dr Nina van Wyk sat in one of the armchairs in her office. They were light blue and the walls were white, making the room look bigger than it was.

“What do you really want to talk about today?” said Nina. “I can see that something is bothering you.”

Her patient sat across from her, fidgeting. He hadn’t shaved in a while and he smelled like he had been drinking.

“Nothing.”

Nina waited. She knew he would talk eventually. He always did.

“It’s this case I’m working on,” he said. “Dit maak my mal.”

Bingo. “What about it is bothering you?”

“I don’t know. It feels different this time.”

“Different?”

Detective Carera rubbed his face, trying to find the words. “It’s just different…what are you writing in your book?”

“Don’t worry about me. Carry on.”

Carera kept his eyes on Nina’s notebook. “I was there this morning, at the crime scene. I almost had to leave. I’m not soft, hey. Not soft at all. But I almost started crying.”

Nina’s pen was still moving across the open page of her notebook. “You’ve gone through a lot lately. It’s normal to be emotional.”

“It’s not that. The victim is…someone I used to know.”

Nina stopped writing. “Were the two of you close?”

Carera nodded.

“How close?” she asked.

“She was a friend. A very special friend.”

Tell us: What is the relationship between Carera and Sarah-May? Why do you think Carera is hiding things from Nhlapho?

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