The Eyeball Expert: Mike Sanse Mysteries #1

By Anthony Mugo

‘What a neat mess,’ Pai said. ‘Baraza banked on Zachary too heavily to let go. Edmond was envious of Zachary and wants his position back. Perhaps there existed a stronger undercurrent between Zachary and Esau. The latter confiscated the murder weapon from the kitchen two days ago. Zachary was probably onto Janet, Clifford’s lover. Noel is a woman scorned. Evidently, if Zachary had nine lives and if everyone acted on their motives he would be dead nine times.’

Zachary was an abrasive manager and irresistible to women. Sanse and Pai are in the middle of investigating his murder when Maggie, Zachary's co-worker, is also killed. Who is behind the murders? Is it the temperamental Esau, the jilted Edmond, the buttoned-up Clifford or the beautiful Janet? Is it Baraza, the possessive owner of Shalom Junior School, or Noel, his wild daughter?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anthony Mugo
• Release date: Oct 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370987979

Anthony Mugo

Anthony Mugo was fourteen when he read The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie. By the time he got to the last page he knew he wanted to become a mystery writer. His dream was realized with the publication of the Mike Sanse murder Mysteries Series. His Young Adult novella, Never say Never, is based on his struggles at getting an education. It won him the Burt Award. He won the same prize in 2014 with Ask the Stars. When Anthony Mugo is not writing he is reading. When he is not reading he is writing. He lives in Nairobi with his wife, son and daughter.

Book preview

The Eyeball Expert

A Mike Sanse mystery

Copyright ©2017 by Anthony Mugo

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems – except in the case of brief quotations in articles or reviews – without the permission in writing from its publisher, Anthony Mugo. [e-mail]

Disclaimer

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Contents

Disclaimer

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

About the author

Connect with Anthony Mugo

Other titles by Anthony Mugo

The Lollipop Flew Away preview

Chapter 1

‘Centre for excellence,’ Pai said as he drove through the gates of Shalom Junior School. ‘Well, substitute excellence with murder.’

The moment Pai pulled up near the flag mast a bespectacled man hurried towards the car. But for the black suspenders the man was all white; white suit, white polo neck, white shoes.

‘Detectives,’ the man said. ‘Clinton Baraza, we talked on the phone.’

‘Where is the body?’ Michael ‘Mike’ Sanse, Pai’s partner, asked as he stepped out of the car. Baraza was stupefied to see him combing his perfectly combed hair.

‘This way,’ Baraza said.

From their position Pai and Sanse could see four buildings in the compound: two blocks roofed with corrugated iron sheets, a storied block coming up, and a cabin just before the block to the left. The space between the complete blocks was occupied by swings, slides and seesaws.

‘I wish this matter was behind us already,’ Baraza said. ‘What a blot to a decade-old reputation!’

The murder had taken place at the far end of the middle block. About ten metres from where the body lay were staff toilets.

‘I sealed off the area as ordered,’ Baraza said.

‘Smell that?’ Sanse said.

‘Bhang,’ Pai asked.

‘I’ll be damned!’ Baraza said. ‘Was he after the smoker?’

The body lay on its face, a rusty metal rod projecting from the nape of its neck. Sanse squatted to study the murder weapon as Pai put on latex gloves and reached for the pockets.

‘Zachary Muia,’ Pai was holding an ID card and a photo with the inscription, HAPPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY KATE. ‘Was he married?’

‘No.’

‘He was ambushed from behind,’ Pai said.

‘The rod was used to stoke fire in the kitchen,’ Baraza said. ‘It went missing two days ago.’

‘Where is everyone?’ Pai asked.

‘We’re in mid-term break. We planned a staff meeting from 11.30 am.’

‘How many workers do you have?’ Pai asked.

‘Sixteen,’ Baraza said. ‘Only seven had arrived by the time the murder took place.’

‘Could you give me their names?’

‘Zachary, Esau, Judy, Janet, Edmond, Clifford and Maggie.’

‘Who discovered the body?’ Sanse asked.

‘Maggie,’ Baraza said. ‘No one has gone in or out.’

A police Land Rover with three Regular police and two forensic officers drove into the compound. The forensic officers got down to work taking pictures and dusting for fingerprints.

‘Damn, who invited the vultures?’ Baraza said as