“Of course, Mma,” said Mma Potokwane. “I understand. Now, let us talk about other things. We cannot sit here and talk about vans, like men do. We must talk about more important things.”

Mma Ramotswe took the initiative. “Yes, we can leave that sort of talk to our husbands. That and football.”

Mma Potokwane laughed. “Football! Yes, my husband is always going on about that with his friends. It is very dull for me.”

“Mind you, Mma,” said Mma Ramotswe. “Some bits of football are quite interesting.” She looked down at the floor in modesty. “As it happens, Mma, I have just solved a very major football case. Would you like to hear about it?”

It was why she had really come out to see Mma Potokwane, to tell her of the extraordinary resolution of the case of the Kalahari Swoopers. And it was an odd case, really—a very odd case. So she told her about her excursion into the world of football players and of the sudden, blinding insight that Puso had triggered.

“And was it the problem?” asked Mma Potokwane.

“I think so,” said Mma Ramotswe. “Of course I had a bit of difficulty persuading Mr. Molofololo when I saw him earlier this morning. I told him that the reason he was losing was that the players all felt uncomfortable in the boots he was making them wear. He shouted at me, actually, and said that he had never heard such nonsense and that it was typical of the sort of idea that a woman would come up with. He was quite rude, actually, and I told him that I would not be spoken to like that and that he had better watch what he said. And do you know, Mma, that deflated him like a balloon. And he stopped shouting.”

“I would always listen to you, Mma,” said Mma Potokwane.

“Thank you, Mma. Well, he seemed to be thinking and after a while he telephoned the captain and started to talk to him about boots. The captain said much the same thing that I had said. And the captain also said, Why don't you listen to anybody Rra? Why don't you hear us when we try to talk to you? Mr. Molofololo started to shout about that, but I stopped him and said, There you are, Rra—you are not listening, are you? And he stopped. Just like that. He had heard something at last. After that he started to apologise to me. He said that he had learned a lesson and that he was very grateful for it.”

Mma Potokwane nodded approvingly. “So what did you say then, Mma?”

“I said, Here is my bill, Rra. It is ready for payment now.”

“And?”

“And he paid. He paid very well, Mma. That is why I have come out to see you, to tell you all about this and … and to tell you about another case. A very shocking one.”

Mma Potokwane listened open-mouthed as Mma Ramotswe told her the story of Violet Sephotho and her shocking attempt to ingratiate herself with Phuti Radiphuti. And when she came to tell her of the way in which Charlie had exposed the plan, the matron hooted with laughter. “That boy really is quite a star,” she said. “I have always said that. And yet he's still an apprentice.”