The next morning Kate found herself back in Mogobane but not sure where to begin. She knew what she would like most would be to skip the police station all together, but she also knew that would only create enemies. Constable Lecheng was most likely going to be her shadow on this case no matter what her personal preferences might be. She might as well get used to it. Unless Matebele chose to take him off the case, which she would do if she was in his place. But somehow she suspected he wouldn’t. He seemed to want to use this case to prove once and for all that Lecheng was useless, then maybe he could get him removed from the police force for good. So Kate would try her best to get used to Lecheng. She decided today she would start the day with a heart-to-heart with the lazy Lecheng. Maybe, she thought half-heartedly, he wasn’t aware of what a screw-up he was. She doubted it, but maybe.

She found the front office of the tidy station empty. She could hear voices behind the station commander’s door so she took a seat waiting for him to finish. Despite not wanting to eavesdrop, in the quiet office it was impossible not to overhear the conversation. Kate could hear the agitated voice of Matebele and the pleading voice of a woman.

“Tobias, how long do you want to wait? This is a chance for us. This child has no one,” the woman pleaded.

“I said that I’m sorting something out. Why can’t you be patient? We’re not that old, you’re only 39. Many women still get pregnant well into their forties.”

“You know what the doctor said. It’s not going to happen, Tobias.”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” Kate could hear anger build up in the police boss’s voice, though he kept it steady. “I said that we would wait a bit longer. There’s nothing else to discuss, Mary. I’m busy now. Are we finished here?”

The door was opened by the station commander who was surprised when he saw Kate sitting outside the door. “Detective Gomolemo, have you been here long?” he asked.

“No, I’ve just arrived,” Kate lied.

“Sorry,” he said indicating the woman next to him, “this is my wife, Mary Matebele.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kate Gomolemo. I’m working on a case here in Mogobane. I suppose we’ll see each other around the village. In such a small place I suppose you see everyone eventually.”

Mrs. Matebele shook Kate’s outstretched hand and gave her a smile despite the tired look on her face. “Yes, you do. Sorry to rush off, but I must go. I work at the orphanage and we have a trip today, they’ll be waiting for me. I’m sure we’ll see each other soon Kate. Go siame.”

She rushed out the door and Rre Matebele ushered Kate into his office “She’s always busy at the orphanage, my wife. She loves children. She’d spend the whole night telling me stories about the children there if I let her. We don’t have children of our own yet, you see.”

“Yes,” Kate said not able to hide her embarrassment at knowing more about the Matebele’s private life than she felt that she should. “So where’s Constable Lecheng? I thought we’d sit down and discuss how we’d attack this case?”

“You mean he was not in the reception when you arrived? I had thought he’d arrived by now.” He picked up the microphone for the roger-roger not hiding his annoyance. “Lecheng are you there?” he said.

“Ee rra, I’m here.”

“Get into the office- now!”

After some minutes, the constable arrived with the overwhelming smell of yesterday’s beer following him. He acknowledged Kate’s presence with a nod and gave Rre Matebele a solemn salute. He sat down in the chair next to Kate.

“So Detective Gomolemo is going to be your supervisor on this murder case, do you hear Lecheng?” Matebele said in a stern voice. “I want to be kept informed of how things are going. The first thing you should do is sit down together and map out your strategy. I expect you to be in top form. Detective Gomolemo doesn’t have time for your sloughing off. I’ve already informed the family about the murder cases.”

Kate listened but felt that the stern voice was a bit forced. For her, it was obvious, Asst Sup. Matebele was finished with Constable Lecheng. He knew talking and lecturing would have little effect on the young man but felt he, at least, should go through the motions for the Gaborone detective.

“Yes, sir,” Constable Lecheng replied.

Kate looked at the young man and thought she saw a sign of regret at his mistake. He had to realize that he’d nearly let five victims of murder go silently to their graves, the murderers walking free. But Kate also wondered why Asst. Sup. Matebele still wanted to leave him on the case? Hadn’t he made a mess of it already? The case was too serious to use as a way to get rid of an incompetent officer. She wondered why Matebele himself had not investigated the whole thing further from the beginning. Five people dead, even if it was an accident, was a serious issue not to be left in the hands of a junior officer with a suspect performance record. From what she’d gathered so far, everybody knew that Constable Lecheng was prone to mistakes. In her heart, Kate laid some of the blame at the feet of Lecheng’s supervisor, though she’d be hard pressed to speak her concerns out. The famous Asst. Superintendent Tobias Matebele was beyond reproach in the books of Botswana policing.

Constable Lecheng showed Detective Gomolemo into the other office that they usually used for interrogating suspects. He pulled out a metal chair and sat down waiting to be told what to do. Kate sat down opposite him making him feel uncomfortable; those discomforting eyes stared at him without flinching.

“Before we go any further, I’m going to be honest with you,” Kate said. “From what I’ve seen so far, you’re lazy and incompetent and I don’t think I’m going to enjoy working with you unless a few things change.” Kate jumped in wanting to get the bad part over first.

The young officer looked at her. “Who do you think you are coming in here and saying such things? A big shot Gaborone detective thinking we’re all a bunch of village hicks here neh?” Lecheng replied, sitting up straight. “This is why they shouldn’t let women in the police, they start thinking they’re the bosses.” He flopped back into his chair. He’d said his piece as far as he was concerned.

Kate didn’t want a fight, in fact, his last comment nearly made her want to laugh. She had thought such antiquated thinking no longer existed, especially in young men like Lecheng. Maybe it was just a defence mechanism, she decided. In a way, she felt sorry for him. From the look of him, he was fast on his way to an early death. Though he was probably little over twenty-five, he looked almost Kate’s age. Too many late drunken nights, she suspected. He was probably quite a handsome young man but the permanent scowl on his face ruined that.

“This is a murder case now. Five people were murdered and you need to sort yourself out and get serious. I won’t accept anything else. Do you understand?” Kate asked the now slouching Lecheng who looked at her with an expression of boredom on his face that only served to infuriate her. “And for your information, not only do I think I am your boss, I know I am. So I suggest you keep that in mind in the future.”

“Yeah, I gotcha. Now what’s your big plan, Detective?” He questioned her in a tone of a challenge that Kate chose to ignore.

She took a deep breath. She’d said what she wanted to. It didn’t seem to have had much effect but right now she needed him. Lecheng knew the village and the people living there. She’d have to tolerate his belligerence, at least for now. Another deep, soothing breath and she almost became calm again. Almost, but not quite. Despite their overwhelming differences, Detective Gomolemo and Constable Lecheng agreed on one thing- it was going to be a very long haul.

“I thought that the first place we should start would be with the family. See if they suspect anyone. Then maybe go out to the lands, talk to the neighbours. Maybe somebody knows something. If we could find the kid who wrote the note that would help too. “

Lecheng picked up the keys to the patrol car, stood up and said, “Let’s go then.”