EIGHT
SAMANTHA HAD ARRANGED TO meet Lesego’s family on Saturday around six, when they all gathered before supper. Driving to Mochudi, she recalled Kubu’s advice and comments, and admitted to herself that she was a little nervous about how the meeting would go. But when she arrived at the house, her confidence returned, and she knocked firmly on the front door.
She was greeted by a man who introduced himself as Tole Tobogo. He was polite, but she disliked the appraising way he eyed her. A bitter-looking woman sat stiffly on the threadbare couch with a teenage girl next to her. The teen must be Dikeledi Betse, the missing girl’s sister, she thought. Two boys squatted on the floor. Tole introduced her to Constance Koma and told her the names of the others. He pulled up a rough-wood chair from the dining table for the detective.
Constance spoke for the first time. “So the police are interested in Lesego’s disappearance now. It’s a bit late. Nearly five months late.”
Samantha had talked to the investigating officer and agreed with the woman’s opinion. Not much investigating had, in fact, been done. The police had asked around the town and found nothing. They’d filed a missing-persons report, and then they’d lost interest. Nevertheless, she felt obliged to defend them. “The police have always been interested in the case, mma. There just hasn’t been a lot to go on.”
“So what makes you think you can do anything? You look very young.”
Samantha bristled but kept her voice calm. “I’m reviewing the case for the CID. To see if we can find anything that was missed.”
“And what do you think happened?”
“She was probably abducted and killed for muti.” But for Constance’s hostile tone, Samantha would have been more circumspect in her choice of words. The faces around the room registered shock. Only Dikeledi showed no reaction. In her heart she’d known this since Christmas.
For a moment there was dead silence. Then Constance put her hands to her face and started to cry. The expressions of surprise and disbelief on the faces of the others would have been almost comical in any other context. None of them moved; it was Samantha who went across to the couch and put her arms around the woman, but Constance pushed her away, then seemed to regain her composure.
“I’m all right,” she said. “What do you want with us after all this time?”
“Can each of you please tell me everything about the day Lesego disappeared? Anything at all that was unusual. Even if you don’t think it’s important. Let me decide that. Please try. Otherwise we may never find out what happened.”
Each member of the family described what they recalled of that day, but no one remembered anything unusual.
Then Tole spoke about the following week.
“I asked everyone I met. But no one had seen anything. At least that’s what they said. I think they were scared a witch doctor was involved.”
“The people you talk to only want to drink at the bar,” Constance interjected.
Samantha ignored that and spoke to Tole. “Did anyone seem evasive? As though they were hiding something?” Tole shrugged and subsided.
Samantha turned to Dikeledi. “The police at the station said you were very concerned. Very loyal. That you came back several times. Did you find anything? Is there anything else you can remember that might help me?”
Dikeledi looked down at her feet. After a few moments she shook her head.
Constance stood up and put a pot of pap on the stove to cook. Samantha realized it was a signal for her to leave, but she had noticed Dikeledi’s hesitation.
“Would you show me the route Lesego would’ve taken to school, Dikeledi? Would you drive with me? It won’t take long, and I’ll bring you right back.” The girl hesitated again, but then nodded. She jumped up and left the room, reappearing a few minutes later with a jacket, despite the warm evening.
Samantha gave Tole her business card and thanked them all for their help. Constance just nodded and concentrated on the pap.
DIKELEDI DIRECTED HER DOWN the hill to the town; there was only one way to go. Then she described how Lesego might have reached the hill from the school via the shops she needed to visit. Samantha stopped the car at the deserted school and turned to the girl.
“You were close. It must be terrible for you. I’m so sorry.”
Dikeledi nodded but didn’t reply. She fought back tears.
“You wanted to tell me something at the house, didn’t you? But not in front of the others. Won’t you tell me now? I really want to find out what happened.”
Dikeledi turned away from her and stared out at the afterglow of the sunset. “Why do you care? I suppose it’s your job, but no one ever listened to me. Now it’s too late.”
Samantha wondered how to reach the girl, knowing she couldn’t take too long. Dikeledi was expected home.
“I grew up in Mochudi as well. Did you ever hear of a girl called Segametsi Mogomotsi? She also lived here in Mochudi. She disappeared, too, when she was about your age. Segametsi was one of my best friends.”
“What happened to her?”
Samantha didn’t want to talk about the details. She didn’t even want to recall the details. “They never found the men who did it. I vowed I was going to, but I didn’t, either. She was murdered for muti.”
Suddenly Dikeledi was sobbing in her arms. All the tears held back over the past months came flooding out. Samantha just held her and let her cry.
Almost as quickly as they’d come, the tears stopped, and Dikeledi wiped her eyes and nose with her hand. She dug in a pocket of her jacket, pulled out a piece of paper, and offered it to Samantha. “I found this at the bottom of the hill. You remember where it turns into the town? Exactly there.” Samantha examined it. It was a handwritten list of items, obviously a shopping list. She noticed the exaggerated loops on the g’s.
“It was Lesego’s, wasn’t it?”
Dikeledi nodded. “I’m sure. And she dropped it there when they took her. I know that’s what happened, but the policeman didn’t believe me. They didn’t do anything.” The tears were close again.
“I believe you.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Next week I’m going to ask at every house close to the bottom of the hill. I’m going to tell them that’s where Lesego was abducted. Perhaps someone will remember something. I’m going to find out what happened. And then I’ll come and tell you.”
Dikeledi digested this without comment. At last she said, “Can I have it back? The list? She left it for me.”
Samantha hesitated but, after all this time and handling, the chance of finding any prints on the list was remote. She passed it back to the girl.
“I need to go home now, please. My aunt will be cross if I’m late.”
“Of course,” said Samantha, and started the car.