Murder at Cape Three Points - страница 4
“I know.”
“Why does Lartey always do this?” She demanded furiosly. “What is wrong with that man?”
“You’re asking me?” Dawson said gloomily.
“He’s your boss, isn’t he?” She snapped.
“He could be my twin brother, and I still wouldn’t understand him.”
“You can’t go,” Christine said, shaking her head vigorously. “You simply cannot.”
She snatched up her novel. Dawson, sensing a looming crisis, said nothing. He was praying something would come up miraculously to change the chief superintendent’s mind. However, when Lartey called within half an hour, Dawson had a sinking feeling.
“Massa,” he answered in the colloquial but respectful manner of addressing a senior officer. “Good afternoon, massa.”
“Afternoon, Dawson. How is your boy doing?”
Dawson stood up again to go outside the ward. “He’s making a slow recovery, sir.” He didn’t want to give too glowing a report.
“Good. I need you to return to your duties on Monday.”
“You gave me ten days off-”
“You can make it up some other time,” Lartey interrupted briskly. “We have a petitioned case from Takoradi, and I’ve assigned you to take it.”
“Please, sir, it won’t be possible to leave Hosiah right now. He’s still quite sick, and he needs me to be around for at least-”
“You have a wife, don’t you? Now you listen to me, Dawson. Your solving that serial killer case last year doesn’t suddenly make you a VIP. Your rank is still inspector, and you are still a junior officer. If you’re planning to move up the ladder, may I remind you that you are up for chief inspector next year, and I will be one of the senior officers on the panel recommending your promotion?”
Dawson swallowed hard. Lartey had cut him down to size with a single swipe.
“If you’re refusing to go to Takoradi,” the chief superintendent continued crisply, “don’t expect me to endorse your promotion. Instead, I will initiate dismissal procedures for insubordination. Take your pick.”
Dawson shut his eyes for a moment and gritted his teeth. Promotion versus dismissal was hardly a dilemma. The chief was serious about his threats, and he had Dawson by the throat.
“Yes, sir,” he said lightly, as if an unpleasant exchange had not just occurred. “What’s the story, sir?”
“Do you remember about four months ago a fishing canoe was spotted from an oil rig off Cape Three Points floating around with two dead bodies inside, one of which was decapitated?”
“Yes. It was in the news for some time. The victims were a Mr. and Mrs. Smith-something, if I remember.”
“Charles and Fiona Smith-Aidoo. She was a member of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly. He worked for Malgam Oil as director of corporate affairs. The canoe came drifting in full view of the Malgam rig. As if that wasn’t enough, their niece, Sapphire Smith-Aidoo, who is a physician, was on duty on the rig at the time this all happened.”
Dawson frowned. “What a bizarre story.”
“It is. The bottom line is the murder is still unsolved, and the doctor filed a petition with CID Headquarters last month asking us to investigate, and the director general has approved it. Someone has to go to Takoradi, and I have decided it will be you. Superintendent Hammond is the regional crime officer in charge at Sekondi HQ. You’re to report to him once you get there.”
“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.