Summary

The narration returns to Wilson in the present, and to present-tense, second-person narration. “Enter Rutledge,” the narration says, as Wilson leaves the funeral home and starts putting the pieces together of what must have happened (164). Wilson theorizes that Rutledge and Olioke had been working together to get rid of him. Rutledge had been tracking his movements, including his time with Tampico, whom Olioke knew from their shared interest in the well-being of Namibia. After Tampico quit his foundation, Wilson theorizes, Olioke decided he wanted to send the aardvark back to his people, and so conspired with Rutledge – who wanted to get Nancy Beavers elected - to both get rid of Wilson and get the aardvark back. Wilson imagines that one or the other of the conspirators was spying on Wilson and Tampico on the night of their confrontation over whether Tampico could...