Darkest Hour by James Holland Page A

taken out of his hands. But I would have thought the police might be a
bit more open-minded. It's wrong, Tanner, very wrong.'
    'Has anyone spoken with the other Poles? Who's in
charge of them?'
    'There's a Polish colonel and, yes, they have.
According to the OC, they're being very co-operative. I went down there to see
the colonel myself a short while ago and they're obviously a bit upset, but
they seem to have accepted the official line without question.'
    Tanner sat in silence, wondering whether to tell the
lieutenant about Slater and the stores. No. Best not. Instead
he said, 'Is there any news on when we'll be off, sir?'
    'Could be any moment. And then we'll have to leave
this sorry business unresolved. I don't mind telling you, Tanner, I still feel
pretty bloody shocked about what's happened and, frankly, helpless to do
anything about it. Whether the CSM had anything to do with it, I'm not sure,
but the thought of a murderer getting away with it and for him possibly to be
part of our company when it goes to France . .. Well, I can't say it thrills
me.'
    Fanner looked away. Uncomfortable memories were
returning, memories from his childhood - or, rather, the end of his childhood. But that was very different , he thought. He frowned.
'Don't worry, sir. I'm sure the truth will out.'
    'Do you believe that, Sergeant?'
    'Yes, sir,' said Tanner. 'I do.'
    It was around ten p.m. on Friday, 10 May, and Tanner
and Sykes had kept their plans to themselves. The rest of the platoon were on
airfield duty, which meant having sentries posted at the watch office, the fuel
stores and the main office building, and manning the gates at the entrance to
the airfield. Tanner had done several rounds, checking his men, but as dusk
gave way to night, he called Sykes away from the watch office and together they
crossed the southern end of the Northern Grass towards the company stores.
    Rather than walking there directly, though, they
doubled back, weaving a route through the rows of wooden huts until they
emerged behind the building beside two accommodation huts that were visibly
empty. Waiting in the shadows at the end of the last hut, Sykes felt in his
pocket and pulled out a set of Bren-gun reamers. 'These should do the trick,'
he whispered. 'Listen, Sarge, don't take this the wrong way, but I think it's
better if I go there alone.'
    'I don't - someone needs to watch your back.'
    'Yes, Sarge, and no offence but you're quite a bit
bigger than me and with two there's more to see than one. Let me sneak over
there on my own, unlock the door and have a squint inside. If there's anything
worth seein' and the coast's still clear, you come on over.'
    Tanner thought about it. 'All right, Stan. Just be
quick, all right?'
    'A couple of minutes.' Sykes scampered lightly across
the short distance to the stores and disappeared into the shadows.
    Tanner strained his eyes but couldn't see him, then
glanced to either side. Nothing. It was quiet. The sliver of moon was behind
him, casting long shadows. Good. At least the door to the
stores would be in shadow too.
    Then something made him start. A kind of rustle, from
the left-hand side of the hut. Tanner pressed himself to the end wall, and
turned his head in the direction from where the sound had come. His heart
thumped, but as the seconds passed and he heard no more, he began to relax. A
rat or something, he told himself, even the breeze.
    There it was again. Tanner strained his ears until a
sixth sense made him turn. A dark shape and then, too late, he saw the
silhouette of a rifle butt—
     
     

Chapter 5

     
    Sykes reached the door of the stores, paused and
looked round. A couple of hundred yards away he could just distinguish the outline
of the Bofors but he was sure he had been neither seen nor heard, especially
from that distance. It was dark in the shadow of the building, but once he had
found the first padlock he no longer needed his eyes. Picking a lock was about
listening and feeling, not seeing. He