Page 76 of The Stranger in Room Six

Belinda

When I return the next morning, Mabel is ready and waiting.

‘I haven’t slept all night,’ she says. ‘My mind has been going round with so many questions. When did you find Karen? How? Where is she?’ Then, in a hushed voice, she adds, ‘Is she still alive?’

Now I wish I’d stayed quiet. But perhaps I can use this to my advantage, especially in view of Mouse’s threat last night. I’ve barely slept either, visions of Linda’s and Mouse’s bloodied bodies on stretchers kept running through my mind. If only I could have seen then what the future held.

‘I’ll tell you about Karen when you tell me more of your story.’

Mabel looks rather sullen. ‘I don’t see why it’s so interesting to you.’

I can hardly tell her that my girls’ lives depend on me finding that list. I need to think of something else.

Scrambling, I say, ‘The thing is, Mabel, I’m really interested in the Second World War. Remember how I was complaining about having wasted my degree? I’ve decided to sign up to an Open University History course to get me back on my feet.’

Mabel looks less hacked-off now. ‘What a good idea. I find it extraordinary that young people nowadays know nothing of it.’

‘Me too.’ I take a deep breath. ‘As part of my research, I read that each county in Britain had a list of people who were suspected of being on Hitler’s side.’

She frowns. ‘Really?’

‘Yes. After the war, some people on that list were tried and brought to justice.’ I decide not to repeat what Mouse said about certain traitors being quietly stabbed in a back alley.

She shudders. ‘How horrible.’

Now for the tricky bit. ‘Did your aunt or the Colonel ever say anything about a list?’

‘No,’ she says firmly.

‘So you don’t have it in your possession?’

‘Belinda!’ She laughs out loud. ‘Whatever makes you think that?’

‘I just wondered,’ I say, my hopes plummeting.

‘Mind you,’ she says, ‘there are plenty of other stories I can tell you about the war that might help your research.’

I sit forward in the hope she lets something slip. It’s not that I think she’s lying about the list but maybe she has it without knowing. Mouse’s boss seems certain it was in the family, at least at some point.

A bell rings suddenly, signalling the staff meeting. ‘I’m sorry but I have to go now. We’ll chat more tomorrow.’

She clutches my arm. ‘Please don’t.’

‘I have to, Mabel.’

‘Come back tomorrow,’ she says imperiously. ‘I want you to take me to the stables where I used to ride Foam. We can talk there. How I loved burying my face in his mane and telling him all my secrets. In fact, I’d tell them to you now if you weren’t going.’

Is she playing me? She can’t know I’m being blackmailed, surely? Hopefully she’s just trying to persuade me to play more of this ‘I’ll tell you my secrets if you tell me yours’ game.

Still, I can’t help but worry that Mouse really will hurt Mabel. It’s not just that I’ve already got enough blood on my conscience. It’s because I genuinely care for this courageous little old lady.

The following morning, I wheel her down to the stables and she begins.