The Cocoa Saga *Part V* The Police Station

“Cacao trees crossed with dumb cane…” Samuel was thinking out loud as we waited outside the police chief’s office. We had been requested to give details on our findings to local government law enforcement.

“Yes, it is certainly strange.” I said this as I digged through my purse to see if I could find cream for my dry hands.

“I’ll be a quick minute,” Samuel said as he headed to the restroom. I nodded just after I gave up searching my purse. Just then a blond haired man wearing a black Armani suit carrying a giant shoulder bag with the word “Pearl Co.” embossed on the outside walked down the hallway to my right. I wondered why one of the representatives of Pearl Company,the biggest comestics company in Europe, was doing in Sri Lanka.

As he passed by me, he accidentally tripped over my purse sitting on the floor and fell to the ground. The giant shoulder bag he was carrying, emptied miniature tubes of hand creams that was strewn all around.

“I am so sorry,” I exclaimed as I jumped to my feet and began helping the blond haired man pick up his belongings. “I had not realized my purse was in your way, otherwise I would have moved it.”

“No worries at all,” he said is a thick British accent. He gave me an effortless smile letting me know he was not upset. “Thank you so much for helping me. Here, have one.” He was offering me one of his sample hand creams.

“Oh thank you,” I said delightfully as I thought about my good fortune on the free sample. I took the cream and waved the man goodbye as I quickly used it on my dry hands.

“The Chief is ready to see you now.” I turned and saw an officer standing in the doorway across from me. As I got to my feet, I saw Samuel heading my way from the restroom.

* * * * * * *

After a brief explanation of our findings, there was a slight pause as the Chief took in all of the information. Samuel and I were sitting across Chief Shivan in two uncomfortable folding chairs. On either side of Chief Shivan stood two officers looking very suspiciously at the both of us.

“What do you believe is the reason why someone crossed these two?” Chief Shivan asked as he rubbed his chin in deep thought. Samuel and I looked at each other. Neither of us had come to a conclusion yet.

“Actually, we are not really sure why someone would do it,” Samuel finally answered.

We think we have an idea but are not certain,” Chief Shivan said as he leaned back in his chair, still rubbing his chin. “We think that this could have been done to target someone in the village.”

“Who?” I asked curiously. A target was not something I had considered.

“Can we trust to tell them?” asked the officer to the left of Chief Shivan. He eyed me suspiciously.

“Yes, I think they should know,” Chief Shivan replied to his officer. He turned to me and said, “There was some extended family of the Mayor of Kandy living in that village.”

“So you believe it was an attempt to threaten the Mayor of Kandy?” Samuel asked.

“We are not sure, but the extended family of the Mayor of Kandy lived closest to the location of the fatal plants. It is a possibility whoever planted those there had done this intentionally.” Chief Shivan was about to say something more when suddenly the telephone rang. “Chief Shivan here… yes… I am here with both Dr. Jeevan and Samuel Mink…. Alright we are on our way.” He stood up suddenly. “We all have to get to the village outskirts right away. There has been a critical discovery.”

I looked at Samuel and read his mind. What more could they have discovered out there in the jungle?

To be continued……