TWELVE
JOSHUA GOBEY WAS AN important man but, in his own eyes and those of his wife, not as important as he deserved to be. He was short and thin and had spent much of his life looking up at taller and broader men. He didn’t do that anymore. Not since he’d become the head of the key diamond division of the Botswana Police, the section tasked with preventing the theft and smuggling of diamonds from the rich Debswana mines, which formed the backbone of the country’s economy. When he spoke, people listened—even his uncle, Tebogo Gobey, deputy commissioner of police.
Joshua arrived early for his appointment, but his uncle’s personal assistant showed him in immediately. Tebogo was behind his desk working but rose at once and accepted and reciprocated Joshua’s respectful greeting. But there was a touch of reservation in his welcome; too many favors had been requested and granted for Tebogo to be really warm. He was fond of his late brother’s ambitious son, but he was uncomfortable with their relationship within the police. At least Joshua was competent, although not brilliant. Tebogo wondered what had brought him to his office this time.
Joshua closed the office door and chose a chair while Tebogo returned to his seat behind the desk.
“How are you, Uncle?” The voice seemed to indicate real concern. Tebogo frowned. His mind went back to his last visit to the doctors and their useless advice.
“As well as can be expected. They say the emphysema is getting worse. That I must cut out smoking.” He shrugged to indicate his reaction to that proposal. “I’ve cut down. And I have some herbal medicines from a man I know who is a great healer. I’m sure that will help.”
“Are you looking forward to your retirement?”
Tebogo smiled. Of course, this was his nephew’s interest. “I’m not sure. Maria says I mustn’t get in her way at home!” They both laughed.
“I was wondering—” Joshua began, but Tebogo interrupted.
“If I’ve spoken to the commissioner about my successor?”
“Well, yes.”
Tebogo nodded. “He was receptive to the idea of considering you. He has some other possibilities, of course.”
“The grapevine says he favors Jacob Mabaku.”
Tebogo hesitated. Joshua was well informed. Indeed, the CID director was probably the front-runner. At last Tebogo said, “He’s made no decision as yet.”
Joshua, too, hesitated. “It’s too uncertain,” he said at last. “I think we must explore other ways.”
“Other ways?” Tebogo frowned, unhappy with Joshua’s use of “we.”
Joshua leaned back and folded his arms. “Uncle, you’re a man of the world, and a very successful one.” He leaned forward. “All entirely on merit of course. No fair person would suggest otherwise. But in rising so high, you must have protected yourself from other men. Men intent on bringing you down and replacing you. Men who used improper ways of advancing their own ends.”
Tebogo said nothing, wondering how much his nephew knew and where this was going.
“Mabaku now. He’s a decent detective, good administrator. But vision, leadership?” Joshua shook his head. “How do you think he came to the commissioner’s notice? By solving a murder here or there? There has to be more to it than that.”
“More to it?” Tebogo tried to sound puzzled.
“Of course. He’s had help. Like you’ve had help with your lungs. I’m sure you’ll have a long, healthy retirement, Uncle. Maria is sure of it.” So that’s it, Tebogo thought. He’s been talking to my wife. Nothing stops the wagging of her tongue.
“What are you asking?”
“I just want to meet the person you use, Uncle. The one who gives you the ‘herbal’ medicine. So that I can also have some help. Help to ward off what the other candidates are doing. Just so the commissioner can see clearly that your recommendation is the best one.” Joshua nodded slowly. “That I’m the best person to succeed you as deputy commissioner. On merit.”
So, thought Tebogo. This is the price. In addition to all the pula these witch doctors and healers have sucked from me, I am now sending my brother’s son into their clutches—the brother who would never forgive me if he knew. His skin crawled, and his heart sank.
“I’ll see if it is possible. I don’t know. He can be busy. Or difficult. And expensive. Very expensive.”
Joshua nodded again. He had what he wanted. He thanked his uncle and rose to take his leave.
JOSHUA PULLED HIS BMW 323i up on the shoulder of the dirt track and switched on his interior light to check his uncle’s directions. He was in the middle of a poor area, houses little better than shacks dotted over a few acres of stony dust. It wasn’t the kind of place he expected to meet a powerful witch doctor. But the hand-drawn map was quite specific, showing the shack on the corner of the track he was on and the one intersecting from the right. He reversed slightly so that his headlights picked out the building. There was no sign of life, and no car was visible. He switched off the headlights and the engine and waited. He’d been told to wait until he saw a light come on inside.
After twenty minutes he was getting irritated. Was this all a waste of time? He checked his watch. He would give it another ten minutes.
Just as he was ready to give up, a reddish light appeared in the window facing the street. It was there for about thirty seconds, then it vanished. He grunted, locked the car, and walked to the makeshift door.
As he reached for the handle he stopped. He had a strong feeling of danger, and his police experience warned him to take such premonitions seriously. He should quietly get back into his car and drive off. Leave this behind him. Never look back.
But that was silly. Then Mabaku would become the new deputy commissioner, commissioner in due course, maybe minister in the government. Just because Joshua didn’t have the guts. That’s what his wife would say, and she’d be right. He gritted his teeth and pulled open the door.
He found himself in the main room of the house. Its single window was now covered by a heavy blind. In one corner was a table supporting a kerosene lamp. The breeze of the door opening caused the flame to flicker, throwing moving shadows. At the side of the table, with the light somewhat behind it, sat something large. The face had sunken eyes and a baboon snout with exposed teeth. The torso was bare and strong, a leopard skin wrapped around the loins. The baboon head is a mask, Joshua thought. And what right does he have to leopard skin, the mark of royalty? He swallowed. The most powerful witch doctors were said to be shape-changers, becoming baboons or hyenas at will to do their evil work in the night. He felt an urge to run but stood his ground. This man is just dressed up to frighten me, he thought. Like a monster in a horror show for children! It’s laughable. He didn’t laugh, but he felt calmer.
“Close the door. Sit down.” The voice was cold.
Joshua closed the door and paused, waiting for his eyes to become accustomed to the dimness. Then he moved forward to the only other chair in the room, facing the witch doctor and looking into the dancing light.
“My name is Joshua—”
“I know who you are,” the baboon man interrupted in a voice that slithered like a snake. “I know what you want. You are here for me to decide if I want to help you, to decide if you are worthy.”
“I am the head of the diamond division of the Botswana Police,” Joshua said angrily. “I am—”
“I said I know who you are.” The words were said softly, but Joshua subsided.
“How are you with women?”
The question was so unexpected that Joshua stammered. “I . . . I . . . I’m strong. With my wife. And there are others. This is not my problem.”
The witch doctor seemed satisfied. He thought for a moment. “We need something very rare and very special. A leswafe.”
Joshua sucked in his breath. “An albino?”
The witch doctor nodded. “Yes, there is great power there. We will take that power for you. Then you will be strong. Not just with women.” The last was said with contempt.
“Will I become deputy commissioner?”
“For that answer, you need to find some old man squatting in the street to throw the bones for you. I offer you real power, not empty promises sold for a few pula. Don’t waste my time.”
Joshua swallowed. “When will it be ready?”
“I must find the right one. These things are difficult. When I have him, I will call you. You will come at once, and we will take the power you desire from him.”
“I must be here when you do it?” Joshua was horrified.
“Not here. But, yes, you will do it with me. The power is much stronger that way.”
Joshua was silent. He realized what the witch doctor was saying. He was to participate in a murder. I will leave now, he thought. I will tell no one this happened. He stood up so that he was looking down at the witch doctor. That made him feel a bit better. Then he sank back into the chair.
The witch doctor nodded, satisfied. “It will be fifty thousand pula.”
“That’s a fortune! How will I explain the payment of all that money?”
“You are still not understanding! You do not explain. After this you will have power. And you walk that road from this point on with me as your guide. It is very little money. I do it so cheaply as a favor to your uncle.”
“I’ll need to think about it.”
The witch doctor shook his head. “You need to decide now. I won’t waste my time with a man who cannot make up his mind. I will give you power, but you must use it.”
Joshua decided to leave. He wanted to escape this evil man with his cold snake-voice. Again he got to his feet, but he realized it was too late. It had been too late once he opened the door of the shack, too late once he’d spoken to his uncle. Perhaps it had been too late after the first time he’d gained something he didn’t deserve.
The witch doctor seemed to know all this. “I will tell you when I want the money.”
“All right,” said Joshua.