The year was 1953. Although Constable Spokes Moloi had been stationed at the BSAP outpost six miles north of Krum’s Place for the past two years, nothing had necessitated his having to visit Chief Mkhize’s village in an official capacity, and so he had never gone there, even though it was so very close and he had something of a personal reason … He never finished that particular thought because his mother wanted him to marry the shy and retiring Bodecia, and that was what he would do. He had already disappointed his mother by joining the BSAP, and so he was determined to make it up to her by marrying Bodecia and learning to be happy with the choice his mother had made for him.

That is the choice that his life would have carried within it had not Sergeant Michael Meredith received, over the BSAP newly issued two-way radio, a call from one Emil Coetzee located at the Ashtonbury Farm and Estate saying that he had come across human remains in a burlap sack, and that he suspected that the body had drifted from upriver, perhaps Krum’s Place, but most likely, Chief Mkhize’s village.

Spokes, who was there when Sergeant Meredith received the call, was happy finally to have an official reason to go to Chief Mkhize’s village, but, of course, he did not further investigate this happiness. She was probably married by now … had probably moved away … had probably long forgotten the specifics of the man who had brought about her father’s suicide.

‘You know what to do,’ Sergeant Meredith told Spokes as soon as they arrived at the many hectares of the Ashtonbury Farm and Estate and greeted Emil Coetzee, who stood in the middle of all that land, wearing a brown Stetson that made him look like a cowboy in one of those westerns at the bioscope. As Spokes walked towards the burlap sack, he heard Sergeant Meredith say to Emil Coetzee, ‘He’s our best man. Although you will never catch me saying that to his face, you understand. It never helps to have Africans hear praise of themselves. Always gives them ideas above their station.’

Spokes chose not to think about what Sergeant Meredith had said, and to think, instead, of the fact that the sergeant had recently put his name up for both promotion – to Sergeant – and transferral – to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). He knew that Sergeant Meredith was as good a man as he could be under the circumstances.

Spokes peered into the burlap sack and saw a woman’s body hacked at the limbs – probably to ease her body into the sack. The death could be either premeditated or accidental, Spokes surmised as he leaned down for a closer look to ensure that he was seeing correctly. Yes, there was without a doubt a Y-dissection cut into her chest and abdomen. Now that was most interesting … as interesting as the quality of the brand-new dress that had been draped over her body.