“I have a matter of some importance to discuss regarding a flight coming into Kigali from here in New York in a few days. I need help from your agency setting up a surveillance team.”

“Perhaps you should talk with the chief in the local station in Kigali. This is the main office for the entire country. I will transfer your call over to that office.”

“Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.”

Todd wasn’t surprised that he had been given the wrong number. It was just part of working in a large bureaucracy. He had dealt with this type of issue more than once over many years in this office. After a few clicks and hums, the phone started ringing again.

It was now nearly 1:30 am New York time, 8:30 am Rwandan time.

The phone rang and was quickly answered by a man’s voice. “This is the Kigali Police Station. Ingabire here,” the man answered in perfect English. How may I help you?”

“Hello sir, this is Todd Jacobson in the United States with the F.B.I. I need to talk to someone in charge. “That will be Chief Mugabo. I will connect you to his office.

“Thanks very much sir.”

Ingabire looked over to the Chief’s office and saw that it was open. He placed his hand over the mouth piece of the phone and whispered. “It’s someone named Todd Jacobs from the F.B.I.”

“Put him through to my office Ingabire.”

The chief was gently drying off his lean face after washing it again in cool water. He had a thin coating of red dust on his brown face after his long and dusty bike journey. He stood looking in the mirror on the back of his office door at himself dressed in his perfectly pressed uniform. His brown shoes shinned as if he were in the military.

The assistant and deputy chief quickly pushed a button on the phone on his desk and another phone rang in the chief’s office.

Chief Mugabo walked quickly across his small office to his desk and picked up the phone after hearing the whisper from Ingabire.

“Hello, this is Chief Mugabo,” the man answered in textbook English but with a French accent..

“Hello, this is Todd Jacobs from the FBI in the U.S.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

More to come tomorrow.

Thursday is my free day to concentrate on this story.