It was well after the evening meal break and Rupe had been careful to seek out the captain alone in his tent. He’d deliberately chosen not to approach him at the officers’ tent for fear of bumping into Maxwell, and he’d also taken care to carry the book concealed in his kit bag. As far as Rupert Barrett was concerned, the destruction of this book was positive evidence of foul play.

Samuel felt much the same way. Simply seeing the copy of Just So Stories savagely ripped in half, and knowing how valuable it had been to Anthony Hill, Samuel knew in an instant that something was wrong.

‘I feel it’s my duty to tell you, sir,’ Rupe said, ‘that Captain Maxwell had been bullying young Ant something terrible. Same way he was Kasey Davis a while back.’

The two men’s eyes locked. Both understood exactly what was being implied.

‘Kasey himself told me about the bullying,’ Rupe went on, ‘said he’d witnessed an incident and felt that the captain had found another whipping boy in young Ant. I asked Anthony if he’d like me to intervene on his behalf. I was prepared to come to you, sir, just like I did with Kasey. But Private Hill didn’t want me to do that. In fact, he was very much against it. He didn’t want to cause any trouble.’ Rupe’s eyes flickered away and he stared at the ground, feeling wretched. ‘I wish to God now I hadn’t listened to him,’ he said, ‘I wish to God I’d come to see you instead.’

Samuel felt sorry for Rupert Barrett. A big man, a strong man, yet he looked so helpless, so vulnerable. It was clear he felt guilty, but he had no cause. He was a good soldier who cared for his men.

‘This whole tragic affair is not your fault, Corporal,’ he said. ‘You mustn’t blame yourself, you’re hardly the guilty party.’ Samuel stopped short, not prepared to name out loud who they both believed was. ‘Besides, you’ve come to me now and I’m glad you have. We must get to the bottom of this.’ He gazed down at the book in his hands. ‘That is if it’s at all humanly possible,’ he added. ‘I’m afraid this discovery of yours is hardly solid evidence.’

‘Yes, sir, I’m aware of that.’

‘Perhaps some discreet enquiries around the camp,’ Samuel suggested, ‘and perhaps with the help of Private Davis?’

‘Oh yes, sir,’ Rupe instantly responded, ‘Kase is right with me on this. He feels as strongly as I do that Ant’s death was no accident.’

‘Good. Well, let’s see what the two of you can come up with. Maybe someone witnessed something unusual, perhaps you can discover some sort of link.’ He didn’t mention a link to whom. Once again, his fellow officer’s name went unmentioned.

Samuel knew what he was doing was highly unethical according to the military code of allegiance among officers, but he didn’t care. The customary bond shared by white commanding officers meant nothing when one was dealing with a man like Chuck Maxwell.