It was a tiny compliment—good for Charlie—the sort of thing that might be said without really meaning anything, but it was the first time Mma Ramotswe had heard Mma Makutsi say something positive about the apprentice, and she was struck by it. Something had happened; some sandbank of animosity had shifted, even if slightly.

Mma Makutsi brought her back to the matter in hand. “But what do we do, Mma Ramotswe?”

“We write to Violet,” she said. “We send a letter, which I shall dictate after I have finished my tea.”

Mma Makutsi showed her satisfaction at this. “Oh, that is a very good idea, Mma. We can inform her that we have handed the letters over to the police. We can also say that we have consulted our lawyers and that they are preparing a case against her. And we can tell her that we are not surprised to hear that the letters were written by such a silly, cowardly person, who was a disgrace to the Botswana Secretarial College—a complete disgrace.”

Mma Ramotswe shook her head. “No, Mma. I don’t think we shall do that. Thank you, but no.” She picked up her cup and drained the last of the tea from it. I’m going to need all the support of this tea, she thought, as after this letter I am going to have to go and see Mma Sebina.

Mma Makutsi readied her notebook. “I am ready, Mma.”

Mma Ramotswe cleared her thoat. “Dear Violet,” she began. “We met in the supermarket. You know who I am, but I do not think that we know one another well. I am sorry that I have not had the chance to get to know you better, but maybe in the future that will happen.

“I believe that you wrote me some letters. I know that you claim that you did not do this, but I think that there is enough evidence to satisfy me, at least, that it was you.

“I am writing now to say sorry to you. The only reason why anybody should have written those letters was that I—and my assistant, Mma Makutsi—must have done something in the past to make you feel angry with us. If we have done that—and I do not know what it could be—then I want you to know that I am very sorry for making you feel that way about us. You should not have written to us in the way you did, but I am still saying sorry for anything we have done, Mma, and I am asking you to accept that apology.