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Chapter one

The Daddy

Mma Precious Ramotswe had a detective agency in Africa, at the foot of Kgale Hill. She was the only lady private detective in Botswana, and her agency was the best. So she called it the No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.

Mma Ramotswe was a good detective and a good woman. She loved her country, Botswana, and she loved Africa too. The people of Africa were her people, her brothers and sisters. She wanted to help them solve the mysteries in their lives, so she became a private detective.

The detective agency was in a small building in the town of Gaborone. Outside the building was a sign:

THE NO 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY.

FOR ALL PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The agency had a tiny white van, two desks, two chairs and an old typewriter. There was also a teapot, and three large cups - one for Mma Ramotswe, one for her secretary and one for the client.

In front of the agency was a tree. When Mma Ramotswe was not busy, she loved to sit under this tree. It was a very good place to think. She could look across the dusty road to the town and, far away, she could see the blue hills. Hills in Botswana always looked blue in the heat.

Mma Ramotswe thought about many things while she was sitting under the tree. She thought about her father, and the beginning of the No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.

Mma Raniotswe’s father worked in the mines in South Africa for fifteen years. The mines were very dangerous. Rocks fell and killed men. The dust destroyed their health.

Mma Ramotswe’s father saved the money from his years in the mines and bought one hundred and eighty fine cattle. But the dust from the mines was still in his body and he became ill.

‘I want you to have your own business,’ he said to Mma Ramotswe on his death bed. ‘Sell the cattle and buy a business. A shop, perhaps?’

Mma Ramotswe held her father’s hand and looked into his eyes. She loved her father, her Daddy, more than anyone in the world. Now he was dying. It was difficult to talk through her tears.

‘I’m going to start a detective agency,’ she said ‘Down in Gaborone. It will be the best agency in Botswana. The No 1 Agency.’

Her father’s eyes opened wide with surprise. ‘But– but–’

But he died before he could say anything more.

The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency became very successful. At first business was slow, but then more and more clients came. One of Mma Ramotswe’s first clients was Happy Bapetsi.

‘I have been lucky in my life,’ said Happy Bapetsi as she drank tea in Mma Ramotswe’s office. ‘But then this thing happened.’

Mma Ramotswe watched Happy Bapetsi’s face carefully. Happy Bapetsi was an intelligent woman. She also had few worries - there were no worry lines on her face.

‘It is probably some trouble with a man,’ thought Mma Ramotswe. ‘A man has come into this woman’s life and destroyed her happiness.’

‘I grew up in Maun, up near the Okavango River,’ said Happy. ‘My mother had a small shop. We had lots of chickens and we were very happy.

‘My Daddy left home when I was still a baby. He went to work in Bulawayo, up in Zimbabwe, and he never came back. So my mother and I decided that he was probably dead. But I wasn’t sad about my Daddy because I didn’t remember him.

‘I did well in my school examinations. After I left school, I got a good job in a bank. Now I am thirty-eight years old. I earn a lot of money and I have a nice house with four rooms, I am very happy.’

Mma Ramotswe smiled. ‘You have done well,’ she said.

‘But then this thing happened,’ said Happy Bapetsi. ‘My Daddy arrived at the house.’

Mma Ramotswe was surprised. So it was not a problem with a boyfriend. It was a problem with a father.

‘He just knocked on the door,’ said Happy Bapetsi. ‘It was a Saturday afternoon and I was taking a rest on my bed. I got up and went to the door. A man of about sixty years old was standing there with his hat in his hands.

‘I am your Daddy,’ he said. ‘Can I stay with you?’

He told me my mother’s name. I was very surprised but I was also excited. My mother was dead. I was happy to meet my Daddy. I made a bed for him in one of the rooms and cooked him a large meal of meat and vegetables. He ate it very quickly and then he asked for more.

‘That was about three months ago. Since then, he has lived in that room and I have done all his work. I make his breakfast, cook lunch for him, and then supper at night. I buy him one bottle of beer a day and I have also bought him some new clothes and a pair of good shoes. He just sits in his chair outside the front door and gives me orders.’

‘Many men are like that,’ said Mma Ramotswe.

‘Yes,’ Happy Bapetsi agreed. ‘But I don’t think that this man is my real Daddy. Perhaps he heard about our family from my real Daddy before he died. So he came to Botswana. He has found a very good home for himself.

‘Can you help me? Can you find out if this man is really my Daddy? If he is, then he can stay with me. But if he is not, then I want him to leave.’

‘Yes,’ said Mma Ramotswe. ‘I’ll find out.’

All that day, Mma Ramotswe thought about Happy Bapetsi’s Daddy. How could she find out if he was the Daddy or not? She thought for a long time, then she had an idea.

Mma Ramotswe had a friend who was a nurse. This friend was a large lady, like Mma Ramotswe. Mma Ramotswe borrowed her friend’s clothes, and put them on. She looked just like a real nurse. Then she drove to Happy Bapetsi’s house in her tiny white van.

The Daddy was sitting in his chair outside the front door, enjoying the morning sun. Mma Ramotswe stopped the car and ran quickly up to the house.

‘Are you Happy Bapetsi’s Daddy,’ she said.

The Daddy stood up. ‘Yes,’ he said proudly.

‘I’m very sorry, but Happy has been in a car accident,’ said Mma Ramotswe. ‘She is very ill in the hospital.’

‘My daughter,’ cried the Daddy. ‘My little baby, Happy!’

‘Yes,’ Mma Ramotswe continued. ‘Happy is very sick, and she has lost a lot of blood. We must get more for her.’

‘Yes,’ said the Daddy. ‘They must give her that blood. Lots of blood. I can pay.’

‘The money is not a problem,’ said Mma Ramotswe. ‘Blood is free, but we don’t have the right kind. We will have to get blood from someone in her family, and you are the only person. We must ask you for some blood.’

The Daddy sat down heavily. ‘I am an old man,’ he said.

‘Yes,’ said Mma Ramotswe. ‘That is why we are asking you. Happy needs a lot of blood, so we will have to take about half your blood. It will be very dangerous for you.’

‘Dangerous,’ said the Daddy.

‘Yes,’ said Mma Ramotswe. ‘But you are her father. We know that you will want to help your daughter. Now come quickly or it will be too late.’

The Daddy opened his mouth and closed it again.

‘Come with me,’ said Mma Ramotswe, taking his wrist. ‘I’ll help you to the van.’

‘No,’ said the Daddy in a weak voice. ‘I can’t go. I am not really her Daddy. There has been a mistake.’

‘You are not her Daddy,’ said Mma Ramotswe angrily. ‘Then why are you sitting in that chair and eating her food? Do you know that there is a law in Botswana against people like you?’

The Daddy looked down at the ground and shook his head.

‘Go inside that house and get your things,’ said Mma Ramotswe. ‘You have five minutes. Then I am going to take you to the bus station and you are going to get on a bus and never come back.’

When Happy Bapetsi returned home, the Daddy’s room was empty. There was a note from Mma Ramotswe on the kitchen table. As Happy read the note, she smiled.

That man was not your real Daddy. He told me. Maybe you will find your real Daddy one day. Maybe not. But now you can be happy again.