Page 106 of The Stranger in Room Six

Belinda

I wait outside Mabel’s room. It’s my only hope of catching Harry Marchmont. Amazingly, there isn’t a bodyguard. I just pray that Mouse doesn’t come out of Room Six and see me.

The door opens.

‘Mr Marchmont,’ I say. ‘I help to look after your sister. She received a threatening note. It said “FASCIST TRAITORS MUST DIE. YOUR SINS WILL BE PUNISHED”.’

I’m aware that I’m babbling in my fear of not getting it all out.

‘May I see it?’ he asks.

I can’t tell him Mouse snatched it from me but I’ve prepared my story. ‘Someone stole it from me.’

He looks shocked. ‘Who?’

‘I don’t know. I kept it in my room to hand over to the manager when she was back but then it disappeared.’

I feel awful about lying but I don’t know what else to do.

It’s clear that he sees me as either a nutcase or a suspect. ‘What’s your name?’

‘Belinda,’ I say. ‘Wall,’ I add reluctantly.

‘We will look into it. Thank you. I expect the police will want to talk to you. You’re not going anywhere, are you?’

I feel even worse now. What if they find out that I supplied the information to Mouse? If it wasn’t for my daughters’ safety, I would confess everything on the spot.

But now I’ve put myself right under the microscope. The police will investigate my background – it’s what they do to people who give information, isn’t it? I’ve just risked my family’s life for an old lady who might be as guilty of breaking the law as I am.

Mabel

‘Who could have given the papers that information?’ Harry asks.

It’s on the tip of her tongue to say ‘Belinda’ but she knows her dear friend wouldn’t do that.

‘I don’t know,’ she says.

‘One of your carers mentioned the note you received. It appears to have “disappeared”, rather conveniently. I’ve just telephoned the police but they say they can’t do anything without physical evidence. You should have come to me first.’

‘But you’re always busy with work,’ she protested.

He makes a ‘you’re right’ gesture. ‘Please stay in your room, Mabel, for safety.’

Yet she can’t bear it. She needs fresh air.

But everyone stares at her wherever she goes. The dining room. The communal lounge. The games room. The gardens. ‘I’m not living in a place with Nazi connections,’ says one woman.

Residents start to talk of leaving. Mabel gives a radio interview with Harry next to her, explaining she had no idea that her parents were working underground for the illegal BUF but not denying this fact either. She also added that she had not even known they were her parents at the time.

Numbers look set to plummet. ‘Sunnyside’s going to go into the red at this rate,’ Harry says when he visits again.

Mabel squeezes his hand, wanting to say something. But all she can think of is Clarissa’s body, the word TRAITOR under the stone beside her.

Supposing someone tries to kill her too?