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
“I see,” Dazz said, nodding. “If I hear anything, I’ll text you.” He got his phone out. “What’s your number?”
He tapped it in with his thumbs as Emma recited it. Courage got out his own phone and leaned over to see the number on Dazz’s, but Dazz moved it out of reach. “Chaley, why? Mind your own business.”
“Ah, but I want to also text her in case I get information,” Courage said in annoyance. “Are you the only police officer in Ghana or what? Let me get the number.”
“Okay, then ask Miss Djan for permission,” Dazz said with a wicked smile and a wink at Emma.
Courage looked at her. “Can I get it?”
Emma shrugged her shoulders and looked at Dazz. “Up to you.”
Dazz relented under Courage’s glare and read out Emma’s number to him.
“Where do you live?” Courage asked her.
“Madina,” Emma responded.
It was a sprawling town north of central Accra, just past the University of Ghana.
“Excuse me to say, but are you married?” Courage asked.
“No,” she said.
Dazz cocked an eyebrow at Courage. “But why are you so nosy?”
“You too, are you her father or what?” Courage snapped back, sucking his teeth. He returned to Emma. “You should be expecting my call. Very soon.”
“All right,” she said, her voice neutral. A woman doesn’t show too much eagerness, after all.
“We won’t keep you any longer, Emma,” Dazz said. “Best of luck. Let’s keep in touch.”
“Bye,” Courage said, smiling at her.
Emma turned back to the hotel entrance, where she was obliged to go through a metal detector like everyone else. She wondered if the Gabon president would have to do the same.
Passing through automatic doors, Emma entered Kempinski’s gleaming lobby. Large works of art adorned the walls. In velvet and leather seats, dark-suited men and women sat meeting or texting on their mobiles. A tall, curvy woman in a scarlet Kempinski outfit went sailing by on stiletto heels.
Twenty-first century Ghana, Emma thought, trying not to be overly impressed by the size and opulence. She took a seat in one of the high-backed blue velvet chairs and did what everyone else was doing: checked her phone and looked important. While working at the Apple store, she had bought a few decent outfits, one of which she was wearing. She hoped she looked reasonably chic in this environment.