In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alexander McCall Smith
project; they knew that in a day or so they would have to go out and seek people who might give them information,
unless, of course, one of the letters which Mma Makutsi wrote or the telephone conversations which Mma Ramotswe conducted yielded results. At a quarter to five, when the afternoon
heat had abated and the sky was beginning to redden over the Kalahari, Mma Ramotswe announced that although the working day still technically had fifteen minutes to run, they had achieved so much that they might in good conscience stop.
Ive made so many phone calls, she said. I cannot speak any more.
And are we any closer to finding him? asked Mma Makutsi doubtfully.
Mma Ramotswe was not one to be defeatist. Yes, we are, she said. Even if we have not discovered anything concrete, every step along the path is one step closer to the solution. Mr Andersen says, doesnt he, that if there are one hundred quesI
N T H E C O M P A N Y O F C H E E R F U L L A D I E S 4 5
tions to be asked in an investigation, you have to go through every one of them, and so you achieve something even if you get no answer. That is what he wrote.
He must be right, said Mma Makutsi. But I am not sure that we will ever find this man. He is too smart. He is not a man to be caught all that easily.
But we are smart too, said Mma Ramotswe. There are two smart ladies after him, and he is just one man. No man will escape in such circumstances.
Mma Makutsi still looked doubtful. I hope that youre right, Mma, she said.
I am, said Mma Ramotswe simply. And with that conclusion
she stood up and began to gather her things together. I can take you home, she said. I am going that way.
They locked the office behind them and made their way round to the place where the tiny white van awaited them under its acacia tree. Mma Makutsi got into the passenger seat, next to Mma Ramotswe, who strapped herself in and started the engine. As she did so, Mma Makutsi suddenly grabbed her arm and pointed to something that was happening outside the garage.
A large, silver-coloured car, a Mercedes-Benz, had drawn up at the road side. The windows of this vehicle were slightly tinted, but a woman could be made out at the driving wheel. No sooner had she stopped, than Charlie, the older apprentice, appeared from the front of the garage, sauntered across the ground between the garage and the road, and casually climbed into the passenger seat of the expensive car.
Mma Ramotswe looked at Mma Makutsi. They were both clearly thinking the same thing; Charlie had produced a roll of notes that morning, and Mma Makutsi had quite astutely suggested
that he was seeing a rich woman. Well, here was a rich woman in a rich womans car, and there was Charlie setting off
4 6
with her at the end of work. There was only one interpretation
that anybody could put on that.
Well, exclaimed Mma Makutsi. Thats that then.
Mma Ramotswe stared in fascination. Who would have thought that that silly boy could take up with a woman like that? Who would have thought it?
There are some women like that, said Mma Makutsi, a strong note of disapproval in her voice. They call them cradle-snatchers. That is because they take young men away from girls of their own age. They steal these boys away.
So that woman is a cradle-snatcher, said Mma Ramotswe. That is very interesting. She paused, and then turned to Mma Makutsi. I think that we shall have to come back on duty right now, she said. I think that we should follow that car, just to see where they go.
Thats a very good idea, said Mma Makutsi. I do not mind being back on duty.
The opulent silver car set off towards town, and as it did so the tiny white van swung out from the side of the garage and set off behind the other car, but at a respectable distance. For a powerful car, the Mercedes-Benz was being driven slowly; most Mercedes-Benz drivers, Mma Ramotswe had
unless, of course, one of the letters which Mma Makutsi wrote or the telephone conversations which Mma Ramotswe conducted yielded results. At a quarter to five, when the afternoon
heat had abated and the sky was beginning to redden over the Kalahari, Mma Ramotswe announced that although the working day still technically had fifteen minutes to run, they had achieved so much that they might in good conscience stop.
Ive made so many phone calls, she said. I cannot speak any more.
And are we any closer to finding him? asked Mma Makutsi doubtfully.
Mma Ramotswe was not one to be defeatist. Yes, we are, she said. Even if we have not discovered anything concrete, every step along the path is one step closer to the solution. Mr Andersen says, doesnt he, that if there are one hundred quesI
N T H E C O M P A N Y O F C H E E R F U L L A D I E S 4 5
tions to be asked in an investigation, you have to go through every one of them, and so you achieve something even if you get no answer. That is what he wrote.
He must be right, said Mma Makutsi. But I am not sure that we will ever find this man. He is too smart. He is not a man to be caught all that easily.
But we are smart too, said Mma Ramotswe. There are two smart ladies after him, and he is just one man. No man will escape in such circumstances.
Mma Makutsi still looked doubtful. I hope that youre right, Mma, she said.
I am, said Mma Ramotswe simply. And with that conclusion
she stood up and began to gather her things together. I can take you home, she said. I am going that way.
They locked the office behind them and made their way round to the place where the tiny white van awaited them under its acacia tree. Mma Makutsi got into the passenger seat, next to Mma Ramotswe, who strapped herself in and started the engine. As she did so, Mma Makutsi suddenly grabbed her arm and pointed to something that was happening outside the garage.
A large, silver-coloured car, a Mercedes-Benz, had drawn up at the road side. The windows of this vehicle were slightly tinted, but a woman could be made out at the driving wheel. No sooner had she stopped, than Charlie, the older apprentice, appeared from the front of the garage, sauntered across the ground between the garage and the road, and casually climbed into the passenger seat of the expensive car.
Mma Ramotswe looked at Mma Makutsi. They were both clearly thinking the same thing; Charlie had produced a roll of notes that morning, and Mma Makutsi had quite astutely suggested
that he was seeing a rich woman. Well, here was a rich woman in a rich womans car, and there was Charlie setting off
4 6
with her at the end of work. There was only one interpretation
that anybody could put on that.
Well, exclaimed Mma Makutsi. Thats that then.
Mma Ramotswe stared in fascination. Who would have thought that that silly boy could take up with a woman like that? Who would have thought it?
There are some women like that, said Mma Makutsi, a strong note of disapproval in her voice. They call them cradle-snatchers. That is because they take young men away from girls of their own age. They steal these boys away.
So that woman is a cradle-snatcher, said Mma Ramotswe. That is very interesting. She paused, and then turned to Mma Makutsi. I think that we shall have to come back on duty right now, she said. I think that we should follow that car, just to see where they go.
Thats a very good idea, said Mma Makutsi. I do not mind being back on duty.
The opulent silver car set off towards town, and as it did so the tiny white van swung out from the side of the garage and set off behind the other car, but at a respectable distance. For a powerful car, the Mercedes-Benz was being driven slowly; most Mercedes-Benz drivers, Mma Ramotswe had
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