“What did Smith-Aidoo say to your answer?” Dawson asked.
“He accepted it, and we more or less left it at that. I had lunch with him and Fiona, and we parted on amicable terms.” Cardiman smiled. “Look, I’m no fool, Inspector. I know you’re looking for a murderer and that I was one of the last persons to see the Smith-Aidoos alive. So, yes, I accept that I could be a suspect, but let me assure you of one thing: Although Charles and I had fundamental disagreements in outlook, I did not hate the man. In fact he was really a nice, personable chap.”
Dawson shook his head. That wasn’t good enough. “It’s not a matter of hate, Mr. Cardiman, it’s rather his threatening the way of life you love. This place represents your very reason for living in Ghana, or am I wrong?”
“You are not, and I appreciate your clarity of perception, but…”
“Let’s go over this again,” Dawson interrupted, dissatisfied with the way the discussion was going. From the corner of his eye, he saw Chikata carefully watching Cardiman. “What time did Charles and Fiona leave Ezile Bay?”
“Around twelve thirty. I was due in Takoradi that afternoon, so I left at about one. I came across their vehicle at the roadside about twenty or twenty-five minutes later. The front doors were wide open. I took a look inside the vehicle without touching anything, I looked around, called out their names several times, but nothing.”
“Did you see anyone in the vicinity or any sign of another vehicle?” Chikata chimed in, to Dawson’s approval. He wanted more of that from his sergeant.
“No one and nothing,” Cardiman said firmly. “It’s not a highly traveled road, as you yourself must have noticed on your way in. It’s usually several miles before you see anyone else either in a car or on foot, and for the most part that’s near the two or three villages along the way-women carrying firewood and so on.”
Which makes it a very convenient place to kill someone, Dawson thought. “Do you own any firearms, Mr. Cardiman?”
“No!” He looked baffled. “Come on, Inspector. I didn’t kill the man any more than you did. How could I have ambushed their vehicle if they left at twelve thirty, and I left almost thirty minutes later? By that time, they would have been close to the Agona Junction. I couldn’t possibly have caught up with them.”
Dawson admitted to himself that Cardiman was right. He took a few minutes to jot down notes in his book and then looked at Chikata. “Did you have any more questions?”
