“Just stay quiet until they ask you questions. No need to offer anything,” Kenosi whispered in Nadine’s ear when he arrived.

Two police officers had been there for nearly an hour by then: a tall, thin older woman, who appeared very no-nonsense, and a handsome, friendly younger man. The woman introduced herself as Inspector Mira Labane.

“So you are Nadine Kaunda, the one who found the body?” Inspector Labane said.

“Yes … that’s me.” Nadine looked up at Kenosi who nodded his head slightly.

“Why were you here so early? I guess you have your own keys?” she asked, not looking at Nadine but instead at her small notebook.

“Yes, I have my own keys. I’m head of accounts and today our auditors need the files for the year-end report. I had a few things to sort out,” Nadine said. She saw her hand resting on the desk, and it was shaking. She moved it to her lap underneath, where her nerves would not be on show for everyone.

The friendlier police officer held out his hand to her. “Nadine, this must have been very traumatizing for you, to find the body and all. I’m Sergeant Tefo Nokane by the way.”

Nadine shook his hand. “Thank you … yes.”

Inspector Labane gave Sergeant Nokane a look that didn’t escape Nadine’s detection. The inspector was not pleased with the sergeant.

“Ms Kaunda, could you just answer my questions?” she said. “This is a murder investigation. The quicker we get going the more likely we’ll find the murderer. Surely you want us to be successful.”

Nadine started to speak and Kenosi placed his hand on her arm to stop. “My client has just found her boss and friend shot dead in his office. I wonder if you might have some compassion for that,” Kenosi said.

Inspector Labane looked at him, not impressed. “Client you say?” And then, seemingly quietly nearly to herself: “I wonder why the head of accounts needs a criminal lawyer …”

“Let me answer fully. I want to help,” Nadine said to Kenosi.

He held his hands up and stepped away as if to say that she was on her own then. Nadine turned to Inspector Labane. “Yes, I have keys to the office. It’s only the three of us with keys: me, Dick and the other partner, Molefi … Molefi Sebego. But as far as I know he’s still in Joburg.” Then she remembered. “Oh … and the cleaning company boss. I just know her as Mma Toteng.”

Inspector Labane was writing in her small notebook. “You must give me their contact details: Molefi Sebego and Mma Toteng.”

She put her notebook on the desk, handed the pen to Nadine, and waited. Nadine scrambled in her phone and through the invoices in her computer from the cleaning company and wrote down the numbers.

“Good. It’s good when people are helpful,” Inspector Labane said. “Do you own a gun?”

“No! No, of course not,” Nadine said.

Kenosi stepped forward again. “Honestly. Have you no compassion at all?”

He put his arm around Nadine and it was too much. She burst into tears. Kenosi helped her to her feet. “I’m taking her home. You have her number and know where she lives. If you need to ask questions you’ll do it there.”

Inspector Labane watched the two leave and then turned to the younger police detective.

“You know you could try a bit harder to see the people you interview as actual people, with emotions,” Sergeant Nokane said.

“Tefo, you could try a bit harder to care about the dead man behind that desk. He’s the victim here. Keep that straight,” Inspector Labane said. “Everyone else is merely a potential suspect to be eliminated, a weed to clear away, until only one is left: our murderer.”

She turned and walked back to the office where the forensic team was just finishing up.

 ***

Tell us what you think: Should Mira Labane be more compassionate when questioning suspects?