“Before I even answer that,” Ponsu said, picking up his fly whisk, “let me first ask you a question. Who gave you that information? That is what I want to know.”

“Well, the source is not that important, sir,” Sowah said. “We—”

“Excuse me, please,” Ponsu interrupted, holding up a finger. “Excuse me to say, but the source of the information is very important. Do you know why, please?” Sowah didn’t answer, so Ponsu proceeded. “The source is important because the information is not true. You understand what I’m trying to say. In other words, this person is telling you lies. Therefore, you must go back to that person, you understand me, and put him straight.”

Sowah waited a few seconds to be sure he wouldn’t be interrupted again. “Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear enough,” he said. “What I said was that we have reason to believe Mr. Tilson might have visited you, sir.”

Ponsu gave a long, slow blink that appeared to mean, you think you’re so smart, don’t you. “And so, what if I say the oburoni was here?” he asked. “Then what will you do?”

“We are trying every avenue to locate him, Mr. Ponsu,” Sowah said. “We talk to anyone he has been in contact with in order to gain some clues as to his movements and possible whereabouts.”

“I see,” Ponsu said, pressing his lips together. “Well, let me tell you now that no such man of such description has ever been here.”

“Is it possible you might have met him or spoken to him, but you now cannot recall?”

The priest shook his head. “I don’t forget anything, and if he came here and I wasn’t in, then Cliff and Clem would have told me.” Ponsu nodded at the twins.

“Okay,” Sowah said. “Mr. Ponsu, sir, have you heard anything at all about this missing American—Mr. Gordon Tilson?”

Ponsu regarded him deadpan. “Nothing.”

“He was the victim of a romance scam,” Sowah went on. “He came to Ghana looking for the woman he believed he had fallen in love with, only to find, of course, that it wasn’t the case.”

“Ah, what a pity,” Ponsu said, with a creditable show of empathy. “And why are you looking for him? What is your interest?”

“We have been contracted to locate him and find out what happened to him.”

“I see,” Ponsu said. “Who is the one hiring you?”

“I’m not at liberty to comment on that,” Sowah said.

Ponsu lifted his palm and let it drop. “Ah, well. So be it, then.”

“We are also looking into who was responsible for scamming Mr. Tilson,” Sowah said, “and so I would like to ask if you have connections with any sakawa boys, sir?”

Ponsu adjusted his robes. “If I have a connection with sakawa boys,” he repeated with a laugh. “Why are you asking me that?”