Beware This Boy (29 page)

Jack woke up suddenly, fear propelling him into consciousness. Every night he had a nightmare, usually that he was trying to run away from a Nazi who was out to kill him, but his legs were like lead and he couldn’t move fast enough. He managed to force himself awake just as the murderer was grabbing him by the neck. Jack didn’t need a head doctor to interpret the dream. He knew he was running away from Donny and his gang, and even when fully awake, he had the same feeling of helplessness as he had in his nightmare. He didn’t know how he was ever going to get away.

He could hear his mum moving downstairs and for a moment he wanted to throw himself into her arms as if he were a little boy. But what could she do? She’d tell his father, for sure, and he would bring in the police. Even if Donny was sent to jail, eventually he’d get out, and woe betide the one who had betrayed him.

He thought he heard sounds from his parents’ bedroom. His dad might be getting up. He got into his trousers and jersey and went down to the kitchen.

His mother was standing at the counter, cutting some bread for toast. “Morning, Jack. You’re up with the sun. How come?”

She smiled at him, but he’d seen her unguarded expression and was shocked to see how sad and tired she looked.

“No reason. I was awake. Is Dad up?”

“Just about. I thought I’d cook us up some bacon for breakfast. Do you want your egg today or save it?”

“Today, please.” He slid into a chair at the kitchen table.

“Are you going to go to Holy Communion today?” his mother asked.

Jack hesitated. His grammar school was an old-fashioned one, still affiliated with the Church of England. The pupils were expected to attend matins and to take Communion on a regular basis. The truth was, Jack was afraid to go. Even though he was old enough to know better, he was afraid that God would send a sign of His disapproval. Strike him dead in the middle of the service. Old Mr. Perry had been a mean blighter and he’d been struck down one day when he knelt to say his prayers.
Crash
. Gone, just like that. God had got vengeance.

“I don’t think so, Mum.” Before he could come up with a plausible excuse, there was a loud knocking at the front door. She looked at Jack in alarm.

“Who can that be at this time of the morning?”

Jack felt himself go white. None of their neighbours would knock like that on their front door. Friends used the back entrance.

Phyllis wiped her hands on the pinafore. “Fetch your dad. They’ve come about Brian, I’ll bet.”

There was another heavy pounding.

Phyllis caught him by the sleeve. “No, wait. Run to your granddad’s house and warn them. Go out the back way. Quick.”

“What about Dad?”

“God help us, we’ll have to hope he can keep his mouth shut. Run, Jack. Run.”

Jack opened the back door as his mother went to the front. He heard a deep masculine voice say, “Mrs. Walmsley? I’m Sergeant Carson, Military Police. We’re looking for your son, Brian Walmsley.”

As soon as he reached the back entry, Jack took off. A part of him was flooded with relief that they had come for Brian, not him.

“It’s all right, Brian. It’s all right,” Eileen repeated. “They’ve gone. You’re quite safe.”

“Come on out, son,” said Joe, and together he and Eileen helped Brian crawl out of the tiny space. He was shaking so violently he could hardly stand up. His pupils were so dilated the irises had almost disappeared.

“Dad, get me the stool from the bathroom,” said Eileen. Joe did so at once and she made Brian sit down. “Put your head between your knees and take some deep breaths.” She put her hand on the back of his neck. “That’s it. Good. Another one. Good boy.”

Joe’s face was expressionless but Eileen could feel his tension. Redcaps were one thing – he could deal with them, concrete objects – but this kind of hysteria in a man he was at a loss as to how to handle.

“Let’s go downstairs to my room,” she said.

Joe took Brian’s arm and slipped it across his shoulders. They looked like two comrades coming off the battlefield. Eileen was right behind them.

Beatrice silently opened the door to Eileen’s bed-sitting room and all of them went inside.

“I’ll make us some tea,” Beatrice said and hurried off to the kitchen. Joe sat his grandson in the armchair by the fire.

Eileen took her shawl and covered him, then went to her dresser and took out the bottle of brandy. She poured a big shot into a glass.

“Here, swallow this down. You’ve had a shock.”

Brian didn’t need to be told twice. He gulped back the brandy, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and leaned back in the chair.

“I can’t go in that cupboard again. I’d rather die.”

Suddenly they heard Beattie talking to somebody at the back door. All three of them froze.

“Stay here,” said Eileen. “Brian, if you have to, get under the bed.”

She opened the door and looked into the hall. Jack emerged from the kitchen, Beatrice behind him.

“The redcaps are looking for Brian,” he burst out breathlessly. “They came to the house just now. Me mum said to come and warn you.”

“They were here already,” said Eileen. “We got Brian hidden just in time. We’re all in my room. What did your mum and dad say to the redcaps?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. They were at the front
door and Mum told me to run and warn you. I went out the back way.”

“Did anybody see you come here?”

“Nobody, Auntie. Nobody’s about.”

Just as well
, she thought. One glimpse of Jack’s face and everybody on the street would be at the door, wondering if the Abbotts had received a telegram.

She turned to Joe. “What do you think’s the best thing to do, Dad?” She kept her voice low so Brian couldn’t hear them.

Her father rubbed at his face. “We can’t hide him again like that. He won’t be able to stand it. Let’s hope Ted kept quiet.”

Eileen tapped Jack on the shoulder. “I want you to get over to the factory. Find Mr. Cudmore and tell him I won’t be in today.”

“What if he asks me why?”

“He won’t. Don’t say any more than that, for God’s sake.”

Jack started for the door and she stopped him. “Wait.” She went back into her room and got a piece of paper from her desk. Brian was sitting with his eyes closed, utterly still. She scribbled out her note.
Dear Lev, I won’t be able to meet you tonight. Not feeling well. See you tomorrow
.

She stuffed the note into an envelope and went back into the hall.

“Here, Jack. I want you to give this to a man by the name of Lev Kaplan. He’s making a film at the factory. If he’s not there, leave it with the guard at the gate. It’s important that he gets it. Got that?”

“Yes, Auntie.”

“Come straight back here when you’ve done that. And don’t run. We’ve got to act as if everything is as usual.”

The boy nodded and Eileen let him out the front door. She was aware that both Joe and Beattie were regarding her curiously.

“The American was supposed to be taking photos of the clinic this afternoon.”

Her dissembling came so glibly she felt a pang of shame. But however much she loved her parents, Eileen did not feel ready to share her new tender, tumultuous feelings. Especially not right now.

She smiled at her mother. “Now then, Mum, how about that tea you were going to make?”

Eileen and Joe went out into the hall.

“We’ve got to get him out of here, Eileen. He’s going to crack completely if we don’t. We need those identity papers he was going on about, and we need them soon. Now, it’s my feeling that our Jack and Brian are in on something together. Frankly, at this moment I don’t want to enquire too closely. What’s your feeling?”

She nodded. “I agree totally.”

Joe grimaced. “Eileen, my pet, I never dreamed we’d ever be in a position like this. Redcaps stomping through the house, us all telling lies like we were criminals …”

Eileen came over and put her arms around him. “Me neither, Dad. But you know what? I’m proud of you.”

When Tyler arrived at the factory, an immaculate Cudmore, smooth-haired and close-shaven, was waiting for him.

“You’re a great morale booster, Mr. Cudmore.”

The secretary turned rather pink. “Really, sir? How so?”

“You manage to convey order even in the midst of chaos.”

“Thank you, sir. I do think these things are important, even in wartime. I should say, especially in wartime. Polished shoes can do wonders for the spirits.”

“Right.” Tyler took his place behind the desk. “Speaking of
shoes, I wonder what you can tell me about Michael Smith, the dillie man. Do you know if he was ever in the army?”

Cudmore looked puzzled. “I’m not sure, sir. I can look at his application record. He’s only worked here for three months, so I’m sure we still have it on file.”

“Excellent. So what have you got for me?”

“There are a few more workers in today that you haven’t spoken to. I assume you will be wanting to interview them.”

“Thank you, Mr. Cudmore. By the way, has Miss Ringwald-Brown clocked in yet? I thought I’d have another try at talking to her.”

“No, sir. I did check before you arrived. I believe the young lady in question has called in to say she is not well and won’t be at work today.”

“Do you have her address? Perhaps if she’s under the weather I should go to see her instead.”

“That would be in my files, sir. I shall bring it for you.”

Tyler noticed that there was a Thermos on the desk. “For me?”

“Yes, sir. I took the liberty of making you some tea. That way you won’t have to bother going to the canteen.”

“Thank you, Mr. Cudmore.”

In fact, Tyler would have been more than happy to join the workers on their break. Professionally, as he’d said to his constable, mingling with the crowd, listening, paying attention could pay dividends.

The secretary stepped back into his usual position by the door and close to the wall. “Mr. Endicott sends his apologies, sir, but he won’t be in today. He has urgent work to attend to on his estate.” He gave a small cough. “He’s quite highly strung, appearances to the contrary. He was dreadfully upset by what happened yesterday.”

“Not half as upset as the poor girl who’s lost her hair,” retorted Tyler.

“Quite so. I did take the liberty of ringing the hospital this morning. Miss Tomlin is out of danger but still in isolation for the time being.” The cough again. “I was going to take it upon myself to collect money for some flowers and a card to send to her.”

“Good idea, Mr. Cudmore. Add this.” Tyler fished in his pocket and found a couple of shillings, then he began to unscrew the Thermos lid. “All right, let’s get going. I’d like to wrap this up today if it’s at all possible.”

Jack was seated at the dining room table between Joe and Eileen. He was fiddling with a spoon, twisting and turning it in his hands. They had talked Brian into going back upstairs.

Joe shifted his bad leg. “Now, son, I’m not going to pry any more than I need to, but you can see what a heap of trouble we’ve got on our hands. We’ve got to get our Brian out of here, and the sooner the better. Now, he was talking to us about getting hold of a passport so he could get to Ireland for the duration. Do you have any idea where he was thinking he might get such an item?”