Kwei Quartey - Murder at Cape Three Points

“This was such a wonderful idea, Dark,” she said, her eyes shining as she looked at him. “The boys are having the time of their lives, and they’re overjoyed to see you safe and sound. Thank you.”

He looked back at her. She was lovely in a loose flowered skirt and a waist-hugging sleeveless teal blouse. She asked him if he had learned anything useful from Cardiman or the chief.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I have to digest it tomorrow.”

He wasn’t interested in talking any further about it, and he knew she sensed that.

They crossed a bridge over the Ezile River, passed along the outskirts of Akwidaa, negotiated another clump of rocks, and entered the peninsula forest along a path that twisted and turned through thick undergrowth and palm and banana trees. At intervals, lengths of chicken wire stretched between one bush or tree and the next.

“What are those for?” Christine wondered.

“I think it’s to keep goats and sheep out when they plant crops,” Dawson said. “And of course, any wild animals.”

“Wild animals? What wild animals?”

“You know, forest leopards and things like that,” Dawson said casually.

“What?” Christine said, stopping in her tracks. “There are no leopards in Ghana.”

“Oh, yes there are,” he said, turning to her authoritatively. “People just don’t know about them. Just like they don’t know we have dolphins and whales.”

“Wait a minute,” she said incredulously. “There are leopards in this forest? Who told you that?”

“One of the villagers,” he replied casually. “He said they stalk people, pounce on them, and devour their flesh. Sometimes the remains of people are found stripped to the bone.”

She looked around. “Dark, are you serious?” Her voice shook slightly.

He looked back at her. “Of course I’m serious. Don’t worry. It’s not very likely we’ll run into one of them. They’re very secretive.”

Her eyes widened. She jumped and swung around as though she had heard something. At that, Dawson couldn’t keep his face straight any longer and burst out laughing. “I’m just playing with you.”

“ What? ”

“I’m lying. No one told me there are leopards here.”

“Okay, that’s it,” she said furiously, pulling a strip of leaves off a bush. “You’re done for.”

She charged at him and began whipping him with the flimsy branch. He fell over with laughter.

“Get up and let’s go, you bad man,” she said. “We’re wasting time.”

He dusted himself off and took the lead again.

“I thought you said there are signs showing which way to go,” she grumbled after a few minutes. “I haven’t seen one yet.”

“I just said that to get you to come with me,” he tossed back.

“I’m beginning to dislike you,” she commented. “Besides that, I’m exhausted.”

“There!” he exclaimed.

“What? Where?”

“The ruins of the fort.” He pointed. “Over there.”

“Oh, yes! ” she exclaimed. “I see it now.”

They were looking at segments of crumbled walls constructed from earth-colored bricks. Large trees grew in and among the ruins, wrapping roots around the walls as if trying to strangle them.

“Four hundred years old,” she murmured. “Amazing.”

They moved closer to the ancient structure, but didn’t touch anything.

“I wonder what they’re doing to preserve it from further damage,” Dawson said.

“Apparently, not much. Aren’t the trees and their roots going to eventually split the walls open?”

Dawson circled around to the left edge of the ruins. Here, the ground sloped quite steeply into a shaded depression. He called out to her. “Let’s go down there.”

“Whatever for?”

“It looks nice and cool. We can relax for a minute.” He stooped. “Get on my back. I’ll take you down.”

HE SPENT A few minutes creating a soft, clean spot on the ground using fronds from a banana tree, and then he sat with his back against the tree while she rested in between his thighs, leaning against his chest.

“You’re right,” she said. “It’s nice here.”

He nuzzled her neck, her ticklish spot, and she went into convulsive giggles and tried to get away from him, but he held her fast.

“Darko, stop!” she begged in between paroxysms.

“Okay, okay,” he said, grinning and letting her relax against him again.

“You know what I’m thinking?” she said.

“What?”

“I get the feeling this might be some kind of sacred grounds and that we’re trespassing.”

“Then they should put a sign up that says so.”

“The gods expect you to automatically know certain things.”

“Oh, really?” he asked innocently.

“Yes, Dark. Which is why you probably shouldn’t have your hand in my blouse.”

She gave his right hand a firm but playful slap and he withdrew. “All right,” he said with a sigh. “I’ll be good-even though it’s going to kill me.”

She laughed and relaxed against him. “You can handle it.”

“Barely.”

She was quiet for a moment, then, “I hope the kids are all right.”

“Abe is taking care of them,” Dawson murmured. “For once, don’t think about the boys. We hardly ever get to spend time together alone, you and I, so let’s enjoy this moment.”

“Okay,” she said softly.

He wrapped his arms around her and inhaled the sweetness of her skin. They were silent, enjoying each other and the sound of the gentle breeze stirring through the trees of the forest.

ON SUNDAY MORNING, CHRISTINE, Hosiah, Akosua, and Abraham went to church while Dawson stayed behind with Sly, who was Muslim. They walked over to Chikata at the Stellar. Dawson switched the TV channel from the action adventure he had been watching to something more child-suitable, and Sly settled down on the bed to watch while the two men sat at a table on the balcony to talk about the case. They hadn’t had time to discuss Chikata’s outing with Baah in detail, but Dawson knew that the trip had turned up little to nothing.

“We went to a priestess in New Amanful,” Chikata told him now, leaning back and stretching his legs. “When I asked her about human sacrifice, she got offended and said, ‘I don’t involve myself with the spilling of human blood.’ She seemed very serious about that. Then we found fetish shrines in Kwesimintsim and Anaji-those are some other sections of Takoradi. The priests and healers we saw there wouldn’t talk. They mostly shook their heads and gave me evasive answers. They didn’t want to reveal any tricks of their trade.”

Dawson nodded. “Much of traditional medicine is jealously guarded. It’s like companies who don’t want to reveal their manufacturing process.”

“One possible lead, though,” Chikata continued. “The New Amanful priestess told me I should get in touch with a well-known fetish priest called Kweku Bonsa. She said if anyone knows about something like that, it’s Bonsa. He works in Kojokrom, a little way out from Takoradi. We didn’t have enough time, but maybe I can track him down tomorrow.”

“All right. Good job.” Dawson looked at his phone. “They should be back from church by now. Let’s go to Abraham’s house. They’re having us for lunch.”

AFTER A SUMPTUOUS meal, it was time to say goodbye to Christine and the boys.

“Drive safely,” Dawson told her as he saw them off outside Abraham’s shop. He gave her a hug and kissed her.

“When will you be back, Daddy?” Hosiah asked, swinging on his arm.

“As soon as I can. Be good. Don’t give Mama any trouble.” Hosiah smiled with a hint of mischief. “Okay.”

“And remember, Daddy’s going to be fine.”