“And when am I to leave, sir?”
“Monday.”
“Please, Hosiah goes home from the hospital on Tuesday. Can I leave on Tuesday instead?”
Lartey paused and then acquiesced. “Yes, all right-but directly after he returns home. There’s no time to waste. I want this cleared up quickly. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“My assistant has left the docket in your desk at headquarters, so read it and get up to speed.”
“I’ll do that, sir.”
“Chikata will join you in Takoradi on Friday. He hasn’t done a case outside Accra, so I would like him to have some free rein. I expect you to give him the benefit of your experience.”
“Of course.” That was fine with Dawson. In fact, he would be glad to have the detective sergeant with him. He could be a handful, but Dawson was fond of him. When Chikata had begun working with him years ago, he had been cocky and incompetent, but he had improved so much that Dawson trusted him completely now.
“One last thing,” Lartey said. “Dr. Smith-Aidoo works in Takoradi but has been in Accra the past three days. I told her to get in touch with you this afternoon after I spoke with you, so she will be calling to fill you in with the details of the case.”
“Okay, sir.”
“That’s all, Dawson.”
“Have a good weekend, sir.”
Lartey grunted and ended the call abruptly. Dawson’s heart was heavy. Now he had to face his wife and his two sons, one of them barely out of major surgery, and tell them he was going away. It would not go down well.
THE SOMBER MOOD AT Hosiah’s bedside was thick enough to chop into pieces. Dawson was despondent, and Christine was furious about the Takoradi assignment, but as Hosiah stirred and woke up again, they did their best to put away their glum frame of mind and keep their son in good spirits.
As Christine propped him up on his pillows, Dawson’s phone buzzed, and the screen showed a number he did not know. His guess was that it was Dr. Smith-Aidoo, and he was right.
“Has Chief Superintendent Lartey briefed you about the death of my aunt and uncle?” she asked him, after mutual introductions. Her voice was as distilled and clear as crystal, and Dawson immediately liked it.
“He has,” he said, “but, Doctor, I’d like to meet with you as soon as possible. Chief Lartey was very brief, so I will need to get more details from you.”
“I was hoping you would say something like that. I’m eager to meet as well. I’ve heard about you-the serial killer case from a year ago made you famous.”
