Chapters (109)
- Part One
- ONE
- One day earlier
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- PART 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
- 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
- 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
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- EIGHTY
- EIGHTY-ONE
- EIGHTY-TWO
- EIGHTY-THREE
- EIGHTY-FOUR
- EIGHTY-FIVE
- EIGHTY-SIX
- EIGHTY-SEVEN
- EIGHTY-EIGHT
- EIGHTY-NINE
- NINETY
- NINETY-ONE
- NINETY-TWO
- NINETY-THREE
- NINETY-FOUR
- NINETY-FIVE
- NINETY-SIX
- NINETY-SEVEN
- NINETY-EIGHT
- NINETY-NINE
- GLOSSARY
- Acknowledgments
- Continue reading
- Part One
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
“Very good,” Godfather said. “I think you have something for me, not so?”
The two young men went into their backpacks and took out a bundle of cash each. There was a moment of uncertainty as to who should offer the money to Godfather first. Thinking on his feet, Bruno gave his share to Nii, who handed over the combined portions. That way, Bruno would have a clear video of the transaction taking place. They could produce multiple stills from the clip.
Godfather nodded and put the cash down on the table beside him. “Come, both of you. Kneel here.” They knelt before him and he touched their heads. “You are now both my sons. God bless you. You may go now.”
Bruno and Nii left in silence and closed the door behind them. The military officer and the man in the suit eyed them.
“We too, we need water to drink,” the suit said pointedly.
“By all means,” Nii said. He got out his wallet and gave them each a fifty-cedi bill.
EIGHTY
EIGHTY
On Friday morning, bathing in the afterglow of the successful meeting with Godfather, Nii texted Ponsu that things had gone very well. Hours later, the priest, not the fastest texter in the world, replied to say Nii should come to his compound that afternoon before Ponsu headed to Atimpoku for the weekend.
“Okay, Daddy,” Nii said.
As was typical for Ponsu, he kept Nii waiting at the compound for an eternity before showing up. He had been to a funeral and was resplendent in crimson and black cloth. He seemed unusually preoccupied as Nii followed him into the house.
“Have a seat,” Ponsu said, casting around for the remote for his new air-conditioning unit. To his annoyance, he couldn’t locate it, so he sat down on the bed. “So, talk about Godfather. How is he?”
“He’s fine. He was happy to see us.”
Ponsu rolled down his cloth to his waist to help cool off. “What about Bruno? Did Godfather say something about him?”
“He was praising Bruno. Very happy. And Godfather blessed the two of us.”
“Good, good. Now, Bruno will see the money flowing.”
“Yes please,” Nii said. “Daddy, I want to ask you about a certain woman who was at my house yesterday—”
“One of your girlfriends?”
Nii laughed a little. “No, this one is just a friend. Bruno’s sister.”
“Eh-heh? And what?”
“Please, she wants to do sakawa too.”
“Is that so? Bruno trusts her?”
“Yes please.”
“Her name?”
“Emma.”
“You have a photo?”
“Yes please.” Nii went to his recent pics. “Here.”
Ponsu took the phone and studied the photo. “It seems I know her,” he said.
“Please, spiritually?”
“No,” Ponsu said. “I’ve seen her before somewhere.”
“Oh, okay.”
Ponsu rubbed his forehead. “Wait, wait. It’s coming.” His head snapped up. “This girl is a detective.”
Nii stiffened. “Please, you say what? A detective? What kind of detective?”