The Wall

26

“What do you mean, she’s still warm?”

“Touch her,” Thembinkosi said, lifting the freezer lid again.

“No,” Nozipho said. “I don’t want to. Why is she still warm?”

“Because she hasn’t been dead all that long.”

“But…”

“And because she hasn’t been in the freezer long.”

“And…”

“We have to get out of here.”

“But… The men in the car must have put her in there.”

“Maybe.”

“Why maybe? Who else could’ve done it?”

“I don’t know. I’m not here to…” Thembinkosi broke off. He wasn’t sure how to end the sentence.

“What?”

“…to investigate a murder.”

Nozipho stared at him. “You just said murder.”

“Come on,” Thembinkosi said, taking Nozipho’s hand again. He pulled her back into the house and to the door to the smaller bedroom. He opened the door so that more light fell into the hallway. “There!” He pointed at the spot.

“What is that?”

“I think it’s blood.”

Nozipho leaned down to look at it closely. “And that makes you think the old woman was murdered? Maybe she just cut her foot or something.”

“You just said it yourself. What other reason could there be to put her in the freezer instead of calling the doctor or the police?”