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Back The Missing American Save as PDF
Chapters (109)
  1. Part One
  2. ONE
  3. One day earlier
  4. TWO
  5. THREE
  6. FOUR
  7. FIVE
  8. SIX
  9. SEVEN
  10. EIGHT
  11. NINE
  12. TEN
  13. ELEVEN
  14. TWELVE
  15. THIRTEEN
  16. FOURTEEN
  17. FIFTEEN
  18. SIXTEEN
  19. SEVENTEEN
  20. EIGHTEEN
  21. NINETEEN
  22. TWENTY
  23. TWENTY-ONE
  24. TWENTY-TWO
  25. PART TWO
  26. TWENTY-THREE
  27. TWENTY-FOUR
  28. TWENTY-FIVE
  29. TWENTY-SIX
  30. TWENTY-SEVEN
  31. TWENTY-EIGHT
  32. TWENTY-NINE
  33. THIRTY
  34. THIRTY-ONE
  35. THIRTY-TWO
  36. THIRTY-THREE
  37. THIRTY-FOUR
  38. THIRTY-FIVE
  39. THIRTY-SIX
  40. THIRTY-SEVEN
  41. THIRTY-EIGHT
  42. THIRTY-NINE
  43. FORTY
  44. FORTY-ONE
  45. FORTY-TWO
  46. FORTY-THREE
  47. FORTY-FOUR
  48. FORTY-FIVE
  49. FORTY-SIX
  50. FORTY-SEVEN
  51. FORTY-EIGHT
  52. FORTY-NINE
  53. FIFTY
  54. FIFTY-ONE
  55. FIFTY-TWO
  56. FIFTY-THREE
  57. FIFTY-FOUR
  58. FIFTY-FIVE
  59. FIFTY-SIX
  60. FIFTY-SEVEN
  61. FIFTY-EIGHT
  62. FIFTY-NINE
  63. SIXTY
  64. SIXTY-ONE
  65. SIXTY-TWO
  66. SIXTY-THREE
  67. SIXTY-FOUR
  68. SIXTY-FIVE
  69. SIXTY-SIX
  70. SIXTY-SEVEN
  71. SIXTY-EIGHT
  72. SIXTY-NINE
  73. SEVENTY
  74. SEVENTY-ONE
  75. SEVENTY-TWO
  76. SEVENTY-THREE
  77. SEVENTY-FOUR
  78. SEVENTY-FIVE
  79. SEVENTY-SIX
  80. SEVENTY-SEVEN
  81. SEVENTY-EIGHT
  82. SEVENTY-NINE
  83. EIGHTY
  84. EIGHTY-ONE
  85. EIGHTY-TWO
  86. EIGHTY-THREE
  87. EIGHTY-FOUR
  88. EIGHTY-FIVE
  89. EIGHTY-SIX
  90. EIGHTY-SEVEN
  91. EIGHTY-EIGHT
  92. EIGHTY-NINE
  93. NINETY
  94. NINETY-ONE
  95. NINETY-TWO
  96. NINETY-THREE
  97. NINETY-FOUR
  98. NINETY-FIVE
  99. NINETY-SIX
  100. NINETY-SEVEN
  101. NINETY-EIGHT
  102. NINETY-NINE
  103. GLOSSARY
  104. Acknowledgments
  105. Continue reading
  106. Part One
  107. ONE
  108. TWO
  109. THREE

“I thought I had seen him before and now I remember where. He came to see Madam Josephine last week when I was at the house in the servants’ quarters.”

“Is that so?” Emma said. “He came to see her for what?”

“I don’t know,” Abena said. “She was angry and shouting at Ponsu about something, but I couldn’t hear what she was saying.”

Emma said, “Oh,” and looked at Bruno. “But I had no idea that she knew Kweku Ponsu.”

“Neither had I,” he said.

“The question never even came up,” Emma murmured. “How did we miss that?”

NINETY-THREE

NINETY-THREE

Before Sana’s blockbuster aired that Sunday evening, the Office of the President had an advance viewing. When the revelation came that James Akrofi, the IGP, was the Godfather who made money off fraud boys and the network of sakawa operatives, President Bannerman went rigid and found himself unable to speak for several minutes. His chief administrative assistant sat and waited until Bannerman looked up and said quietly, “Please summon Commissioner Andoh to the palace.”

James was enjoying a pre-dinner beer while his wife was busy in the kitchen. She had already let him know that she had no intention of watching Sana Sana’s film scheduled to air in a couple of hours. She detested the man and wouldn’t dignify him by watching his nonsense.

Someone knocked on the door and James got up to answer. He was surprised to see Commissioner Andoh on his doorstep holding his police cap respectfully to his chest.

“Alex!” James exclaimed. “What a surprise. Is everything all right?”

“Good evening, sir. Yes, fine, sir.”

“Come in, come in and take a seat. Would you like something to drink?”

“No, sir. I’m not staying long. Please, I have been directed by President Bannerman to summon and escort you to Jubilee House.”

The IGP was puzzled. “Is this an emergency meeting? Why wasn’t I informed?”

“A situation of high emergency has arisen, sir. Please, if you can come now? I will wait here for you, sir.”

“Well, yes, of course,” James said, mystified. “Give me a moment. I’ll get dressed.”

President Bannerman’s soul was shattered in a thousand pieces, like crystal on a stone floor. In the sanctuary of his office with James Akrofi and Commissioner Andoh, Bannerman played Sana’s video again. There it was: Akrofi accepting money from Nii Kwei, a sakawa boy of note.

“That is you in the video,” Bannerman said, turning to James. “Is that not so?”

The IGP was frozen in place. He stared at the president, his mouth opening as if to speak, but nothing came out.

Bannerman was in visible pain. “But, why, James? Why? I trusted you. This is a devastating betrayal. We’ve been friends, colleagues, partners . . .” He trailed off, words failing him.

“I feel shame,” James whispered. “I’ve felt it for a long time.”