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Chapters (48)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. CHAPTER ONE
  7. ON A HOT DAY WE DREAM OF TEA
  8. CHAPTER TWO
  9. FOOD COOKED WITH LOVE TASTES BETTER
  10. CHAPTER THREE
  11. YOUR HOUSE HAS GOT MY NAME ON IT
  12. CHAPTER FOUR
  13. I SHALL SIMPLY LOOK UP IN THE SKY
  14. CHAPTER FIVE
  15. I AM YOUR FRIEND, AND I AM ASKING
  16. CHAPTER SIX
  17. THE THINGS OF WHICH A MECHANIC MIGHT SPEAK
  18. CHAPTER SEVEN
  19. THE THIS WAY UP BUILDING COMPANY
  20. CHAPTER EIGHT
  21. MMA RAMOTSWE DRIVES CLOVIS ANDERSEN TO MOCHUDI, AND THINKS
  22. CHAPTER NINE
  23. THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT OWN THE AIR
  24. CHAPTER TEN
  25. SHE WAS LIKE A DEFLATED BALLOON
  26. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  27. AN INNOCENT MAN, A FIRST OFFENDER
  28. CHAPTER TWELVE
  29. THE EFFECT OF LIME
  30. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  31. THERE ARE SOME NICE PEOPLE ON THE ROAD
  32. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  33. GOLD INSIDE, NOT JUST OUTSIDE
  34. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  35. HOW MANY CUPS OF TEA …
  36. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  37. THE HABITS OF LIONS
  38. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  39. HAVE YOU HAD ANY INJECTIONS RECENTLY?
  40. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  41. A LAWYER SPILLS TEA OVER HIS SHIRT
  42. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  43. YOU ARE A VISITOR TO OUR COUNTRY
  44. CHAPTER TWENTY
  45. BETTER NAILS, BETTER LIFE
  46. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  47. MMA RAMOTSWE, I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE
  48. About the Author

“Who does he think he is?” Mma Ramotswe burst out. “Sitting there and lecturing us on the needs of hotels!”

“I didn’t like him,” said Clovis Andersen. “Not one bit.”

“And what did I say about Mma Potokwane? There was so much I could have said, but the words seemed to go from my head. I let my friend down.”

“You did not,” said Clovis Andersen. “You put it very well, Mma.”

“It was a waste of time.”

Clovis Andersen disagreed. “No, it wasn’t a waste of time. Not at all.”

She glanced at him quizzically. “How can that be?”

“We learned everything we needed to learn,” said Clovis Andersen. “First, the reason why he agreed to see you so quickly was that he thought you were investigating him. That tells us something: there are grounds for investigation. And then, when he realised that it was all about Mma Potokwane, he changed. He realised the heat was off, you see.”

She saw that, but wondered where it led.

“And then,” Clovis Andersen continued, “did you see how he reacted when you mentioned the building? He had been relaxed before that. Then suddenly he was worried. I could see it very clearly from where I was sitting. He clenched his fists—just a little, but I saw. It’s the building, Mma. He said it’s not about the building, but it is. That’s where we have to look.”

“I do not see, Rra …”

“The obvious question is this, Mma: Who is getting the contract for the building? And why? He volunteered the information that the contract had been put out to tender. Why did he say that? Because even if it’s true, you can be sure it wasn’t awarded on merit. No, he mentioned it because he has something to hide. He is very transparent, our Mr. Ditso.”

“Yes …”

“Yes indeed, Mma Ramotswe. And as you know, I don’t like to quote myself, but on this occasion may I be permitted to do so? Somewhere in the book—I forget where—I say that if you listen hard enough, people will give themselves away. They will always mention the things that are preying on their mind, the things that they have done wrong. All you have to do is listen: it always comes out.”

Mma Ramotswe took her eyes off the road to give Clovis Andersen a look of admiration.

“Be careful, Mma Ramotswe. There is a car coming.”

She swerved—just in time to avoid a car approaching from the other direction. The other driver waved; a friendly wave, for some reason, not an ill-tempered one.

“There certainly are nice people on the road in this country,” said Clovis Andersen.

“I think that driver was my cousin,” said Mma Ramotswe. “It looked like her.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

GOLD INSIDE, NOT JUST OUTSIDE