A Death in the Family by Michael Stanley Page B

better ideas. Still, he might get some if he had all the information.
    â€œLook, Jacob, I want to be in the loop on the case. Sit in on the meetings, offer suggestions.” He held up both hands as Mabaku frowned and started to interrupt. “I won’t do anything. I’ll leave everything to you and Samantha. But at least that way, I can follow what’s happening and feel that I’m helping.”
    Mabaku thought about it. Kubu was back in the office, and everyone talked about the case; CID meetings focused on it. And, in fact, he could do with Kubu’s insights.
    â€œAll right, Kubu. If I have your word that you’ll do nothing . No more talks to neighbors. No more chats to bartenders. Nothing!”
    Kubu promised and rose to leave. He was relieved and pleased. Mabaku had been fair, and now he could get a detailed report from Samantha about what was going on. He was sure he’d be able to persuade her to follow up on any ideas he had. It was almost as good as being on the case himself.
    *   *   *
    KUBU WASTED NO time contacting Samantha, who immediately called Mabaku to check that she could answer Kubu’s questions.
    â€œYou don’t trust what I say?” Kubu asked after she hung up.
    Samantha didn’t answer, but she pulled out her notebook. “From what the director tells me, I don’t have much to report that you don’t already know,” she said. “We are still looking at silver Toyotas, but that’s going to take us a while yet. There are lots of them, especially because it probably came from somewhere other than Mochudi.”
    â€œHow are you going about it?” Kubu growled.
    â€œWe’re trying to speak to the owners of all silver Toyotas in the Mochudi, Mahalapye, and Gaborone areas to see where they were on Monday, the twenty-seventh of January. We also cross-checked this with our Known Criminals database. It’s very tedious, and several people are working on it.”
    Samantha hesitated. “I went up to Mahalapye to check out the public phones where the calls to your father were made, and I spoke to your uncle, Mzi. I must say he wasn’t very helpful, but he was at his favorite shebeen—Kalahari Oasis—the whole night when your father was attacked. I also stopped at Tobela, but I didn’t discover anything.” She looked at Kubu. “That’s all I have. I’m sorry.”
    Kubu stood up. “Thank you, Samantha. Please let me know when you learn something.”
    He returned to his office frustrated by the lack of progress, but he acknowledged a little sheepishly, at least to himself, that Samantha was doing a good job.

 
    CHAPTER 22
    Kubu realized he had to talk to Kunene’s wife. For the first time in his life, he felt that he really understood what she was going through, and he was reluctant to trespass on that grief. But there was no option, so he found her address and headed to the house.
    Tasela Kunene was drinking tea with a neighbor. She was a stout woman, dressed formally in black. Her eyes were red, but what struck Kubu at once was that one eye looked swollen, and she had a crepe bandage on her left forearm.
    Kubu introduced himself, and the neighbor retired to fuss in the kitchen and allow them some privacy. Feeling strangely embarrassed, Kubu offered his condolences. She nodded and offered him a chair opposite her. He wasn’t sure where to begin.
    â€œMma Kunene, I’m sorry to disturb you at a time like this, but the police need to investigate any death not due to natural causes. It’s standard procedure.”
    Tasela surprised him with her response. “I hope you don’t believe that Goodman committed suicide like that other detective did.”
    Kubu hesitated. “The circumstances seemed to suggest suicide, mma.”
    She shook her head. “You don’t know him. Goodman got a promotion about six months ago, so he was making good money.