Chapters (88)
- Cover
- Title Page
- Dear Reader …
- Also by Robert Muchamore
- PART ONE
- Walter J Freeman Adolescent Mental Health Unit – East Grinstead, UK
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- PART TWO
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- PART THREE
- Walter J. Freeman Adolescent Mental Health Unit – East Grinstead, UK
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- PART FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- EPILOGUE
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- Have you read KILLER T?
- 1 SLASHED RUBBER
- 2 NOT HARRY POTTER
‘I’ll take you to my apartment,’ Remi said. ‘Are you certain you wouldn’t prefer a hotel?’
‘There are only two decent hotels,’ Julius said. ‘My mum always got tipped off when someone interesting arrived in town. I want my family knowing I’m here when I want them to know I’m here.’
‘Unfortunately, I must leave tonight to film a report in Mali,’ Remi said. ‘A Dutch fashion chain has announced it will only use organic cotton in children’s clothes.’
‘How does that take you to Mali?’ Julius asked.
‘Organic is very bad for cotton farmers, because fields cannot be sprayed with chemicals that stop malaria.’
‘And you can get that story on Dutch news?’ Julius asked.
‘The story has a good hook,’ Remi explained. ‘Poor Malian children working in cotton fields die of malaria so that rich European children can wear organic.’
‘That sucks,’ Julius said, shaking his head as he glanced out the window at a huddle of hairless beggar kids.
‘I’ve asked discreetly on your behalf,’ Remi said. ‘SJ’s behaviour since he lost the election has baffled everyone. My source at the governor’s mansion says Rotimi is keen to settle with SJ. He’s asked for a lump sum to clear his election debts, a cut of your mother’s profitable contract to supply Nigerian army uniforms and assurance that no member of the Adebisi family will stand against Rotimi’s son in the next election.’
‘Why his son?’ Julius asked. ‘Rotimi’s not even sixty.’
‘There is a three-term limit for state governors,’ Remi explained. ‘Rotimi can’t stand again.’
‘If Rotimi gets his money, my mum goes free?’
Remi nodded. ‘And the harassment of the Adebisi family ends. Rumour is, SJ wants the governor’s job back. He’s not fussed about money, but he won’t agree a deal that stops him campaigning again in three years.’
Julius knew his uncle didn’t want the governor’s job back, but although Remi was being a big help, he was a journalist with no love for the Adebisi family. Julius reckoned it safest to keep SJ’s secrets to himself, for now.
Rush hour meant the seven kilometres from Transit Park West to Remi’s apartment in the north took an hour. Since Remi had to leave for Mali, they ate suya from a street stand before heading up six floors. Even if they’d wanted to risk the elevator, the electricity was out and Julius was a sweaty wreck after two trips to the sixth floor with luggage.
As he rolled his second bag through Remi’s new front door, Julius noticed the wooden screen that once divided the room flat to the wall and Duke’s bed replaced by a boldly striped sofa.