Kwame Mainu returned to England from Ghana in August 1996, with the memory of Akos Mary’s death fresh in his mind. The wife of Kwame’s friend, Professor Tom Arthur, had been taken to Komfo-Anokye Hospital in Kumasi after collapsing when a fetish priest cursed her. After a cursory examination and a long delay, she was admitted to the women’s ward. She had not been given any treatment and her husband was told that she was to bring food for the patient. The next morning, her visitors were informed that she had passed away during the night and that her body had been transferred to the morgue.

A few days after his return to Coventry, Kwame was asked to meet Aunt Rose at the hairdressing salon where Akos Mary had previously worked. At first Kwame thought Aunt Rose had called the meeting to hear her first-hand account of the events in Kumasi, but he soon realized the little lady had news of her own to impart: “I stopped your daughter, Akosua, going to the pentecostal church; did she tell you?

‘No, with the care of Professor Arthur and the boy we haven’t had time for a proper talk.’

“The teenagers had decided that she was a dadada (spoiled child of wealthy parents) and was getting nowhere.”

‘Then I must thank you for being his guardian angel.’

“Akosua didn’t get into trouble, but I had less success with Elsie Ntim.”

Have you found Elsie? That is wonderful!’

I’m afraid it’s not that wonderful.

‘Because? What happen?’

They have brutally beaten her; she wants to see you.’

‘Where is she?’

At Walsgrave Hospital.

I must tell Afriyie.

‘No, she asked to see you first.’

Aunt Rose explained how she had followed her own investigations and tracked Elsie down to a house in Birmingham that was known to be a brothel. Through León, she had learned that the police planned to raid the place to arrest the suspected human traffickers. Aunt Rose had begged her to lead the raid and Elsie had been released, but not before she suffered a severe beating. “She wants to come back when she’s well, but she’s too shy to face Afriyie,” Aunt Rose said. So I persuaded her to see you first.

They drove to the hospital and found Elsie in a comfortable single room. She lay sleeping with her head bandaged. Her arms, also wrapped in bandages, lay on the white sheets. A nurse who was sitting by the bed offered her seat to Aunt Rose and told them, ‘She’s going to wake up soon. They put her under anesthesia to restore some bones in her arm. Why don’t you go to the restaurant for a cup of tea? I’ll let you know when I’m conscious. She couldn’t help but wonder if Akos Mary could have been taken to such a place, she could have survived. From the look she exchanged with Aunt Rose, she guessed that her thought was shared.