John sat back on Kate’s sofa with a smile on his face. He never in a thousand years could have conjured up a sister like OT for the calm, sophisticated Kate Gomolemo; no that he couldn’t do. OT was a character of her own.

“So, Mr. Mogami, I hope you’re hungry there. I’ve made you a real Setswana meal. I bet you don’t get any of that food here in Gaborone?” OT shouted from the kitchen above the kwasakwasa music she had blaring on the kitchen radio.

Kate rolled her eyes at John and whispered, “She thinks Gaborone is not part of Botswana.”

“I heard that. I know Gaborone is in Botswana. I’m not that stupid. But I know you people like your pizza and russians and such. When did Mr. Mogami last eat bogobe and mogodu? Everything’s ready,” she said carrying the food to the dining table. She went back to the kitchen to collect her carton of chibuku. When she saw John looking at it she asked, “You want some?”

“No, I’m okay,” John smiled.

“So dig in,” OT turned to Kate. “Things are just about getting sorted out for next weekend. When Gomolemo and the white girl arrive on Thursday they better be ready to do some running around. The tailor has everything sewn he just needs to do final adjustments. You know these white girls, they’ve got a different figure all together, no bum to speak of, isn’t it Mr. Mogami?” OT asked with a loud snort and a hard slap on John’s back.

“You know OT, I’ve asked you not to call her “the white girl” she won’t like it, her name is Rachel. Could you please remember that?” Kate said annoyed. This was her daughter-in-law and she wanted to make her transition to a new home, a new country, as easy as she could.

Ignoring her younger sister as usual, OT continued, “I’ve organised the music and some of your neighbours here to help with the cooking. Everything’s going just fine, Katie. You don’t need to worry about anything, I’ve got everything covered.” The fact that OT had everything covered was the very thing that made her worry, Kate thought.

“OT, you know I told you nothing wild, or too loud for the music. We don’t want this wedding to get out of hand. You remember I told you right?” Kate asked her elder sister who had her face buried in the carton of traditional beer.

“Yeah, yeah Katie. But we want to have fun, don’t we Mr. Mogami?” OT asked, giving him another hard slap on the back which knocked the table, rattling the silverware against the china plates.

“Yes, OT, we want to have fun,” John placed his hand gently on Kate’s to quiet her protests. “Kate, just leave everything to OT. I’m sure she’ll do just fine.”

Kate looked at her friend and wondered what he could see in her sister that she could not because as far as she was concerned next Saturday would be a day of surprises. If she knew her sister, OT, like she thought she did, most of them would not be good ones.

*****

When Kate arrived at the police station the next morning, Constable Lecheng was thankfully, nowhere to be found. She did find a note waiting for her though. It was from Mmatli Thela, the herd boy at the chief’s cattle post. He said he had been in looking for her but she had not arrived. He wanted urgently to speak to her, he’d wait at the cattle post for her until she arrived. Kate turned around and headed back out to her car.

As she pulled up to the mud huts, Thela came out of one of them. His face was screwed up into a grimace, he was wringing his hands and nearly ran to the car when he saw her. Standing at the window of the car he said in a quick, agitated voice, “They say Mosenene is dead, he was murdered. Is it true? Was it murder?”

“Dumela, Mr. Thela. Do you think I could get out of my car, maybe move to the shade then we can talk.” Thela was petrified that was clear. If she was to get anything useful from him she’d have to get him calmed down. They walked to the back of the hut where they had been the last time she had been there and sat down on the plastic chairs. “Was Mosenene your friend, Mr. Thela?”

“My friend? No, not really, I just knew him. What is going on in this village? Was he murdered, Detective Gomolemo?”

“Yes, we believe he was and we also believe that his murder is linked with the murder of the five people at the lands.”

Thela head shot up, “Why would you say that? “

“Mr. Thela, a lot of what I’m telling you is police business. Why are you so interested? Why did you call me here today? You said that you wanted to speak to me,” Kate asked.

“Yes… Yes I did. Are you arresting Kwenaetsile Kgano, the traditional doctor?”

“No, why? Do you think that we should? So far he doesn’t seem to be linked to this case,” Kate said.

Thela stood up and started pacing back and forth, pushing his hands through his hair. He turned to Kate, tears streaming down his face. “I didn’t want to die! I didn’t want to die! You should remember that. Remember, I don’t want to die!” He collapsed into the chair, holding his head and weeping loudly.

“What is this all about, Mr. Thela? Why would you die? Do you have something that you want to tell me?” Kate was beginning to suspect that she had found Mosenene’s partner from that deadly night.

Thela looked up from his hands, his eyes clear, his nerves now calm after his outburst. “Maybe you’re in on it too. Why should I tell you?” he said with belligerence. “Anyway, I forgot what I wanted to tell you. I’ve got to finish up things here. I’ve got to see someone later and need to go into the village. So if we’re finished?” he stood up, now a different man. What changed in his mind, Kate wouldn’t know but if he was Mosenene’s accomplice he was right, his life was not safe and no matter if he took on a false bravado or not, that fact was not going to change.