Page 58 of The Shadow Code (Heroes of War #3)

T he telephone rang just after eight the following morning. Ellie blinked at the ceiling, unsure for a moment whether she was dreaming. She’d barely slept a wink. The night had been endless, her mind circling, always returning to Catherine’s face.

The ring came again, shrill and insistent.

She threw back the covers and headed into the hallway, lifting the receiver with a groggy ‘Ellie Harcourt speaking.’

‘Ellie, it’s Lilian.’

She straightened instinctively, though her bones ached with exhaustion. ‘Is everything all right?’

‘I didn’t mean to wake you,’ Lilian said. ‘But I thought you should hear it from me.’

Ellie’s stomach twisted.

‘They caught Catherine yesterday evening, at King’s Cross, with a ticket to Kendal in her pocket.’

Ellie sank onto the arm of the sofa. ‘Is she … Has she said anything?’

‘Not yet,’ Lilian said. ‘But she will.’ A pause. ‘I’m about to question her. I thought you’d want to know.’

Without thinking, she said, ‘Yes. I do. Thank you.’

‘You sound awful.’

‘I didn’t sleep.’

‘Hmm. You wouldn’t, after what happened. Worry’s a thief. It gets in your head, rifles through the drawers and leaves the bally lights on.’

Another silence.

‘I’ll be there as soon as I can,’ Ellie said.

She set the receiver down and stood for a moment barefoot on the cold floorboards.

The flat still felt strange. The books on the shelf.

The chipped teacup. The empty armchair by the hearth.

All of it watched her. She swallowed, her heart drumming in her chest. Part of her wanted to see Catherine, part of her wanted to shrink away completely and stay home.

She hurried to the bathroom, splashed cool water on her face, dragged a brush through her hair before twisting it back into a neat bun.

In the kitchen, she downed a glass of water and grabbed a slice of bread and jam.

Then she slipped on her coat, shoved her feet into her shoes, and reached for her handbag and gas mask.

She wanted to hear what Catherine had to say for herself, and she wanted to look her in the eye while she said it.

Maybe then she’d finally understand how she’d been so thoroughly fooled.

Ellie opened the front door and stepped outside into glorious sunshine.

She checked her watch as she locked up behind her, her stomach knotting tighter with each tick.

If she hurried, she’d catch the eight forty-five bus from Tavistock Square.

That would take her straight to Trafalgar Square, and from there it was only a short walk to New Scotland Yard.

The thought of seeing Catherine again made her mouth go dry.