‘I beg to differ, Corporal Barrett. There’s a poisoned apple inside every barrel, and our poisoned apple may well be the man who aided and abetted the supply of alcohol. Who’s to say this insider wasn’t a major influence in the mutiny? Who’s to say he didn’t deliberately fuel the men, inciting them to riot? Anyone think about that?’ Johnson gazed around accusingly at the group, this time including John Carter. ‘No, obviously not,’ he said. ‘I would have thought myself that an inside influence would have been one of the first areas to be thoroughly investigated.’

Lyndon Johnson did not actually hold either Robinson or Barrett responsible for such an oversight. They were not after all ‘investigators’ as such. His accusatory glare was now directed at John Carter, whose report had come to the simple conclusion that as a result of liquor supplied by a black-market racketeer, drunken men had mutinied and turned on their white officers. Incompetent prick, Johnson’s eyes said. And Carter squirmed.

‘I should like to talk to this Baz Taylor,’ the Texan said, ‘but strictly off the record. Calling him in for a formal interview would attract too much attention, and word would get around. So where might I find him?’

‘At The Brown’s Bar, sir,’ Samuel replied. ‘He works for Val Callahan, the publican there. Actually, Val herself would be a handy person to talk to,’ he added as the thought occurred. ‘She knew the men well. Before they were banned from town, The Brown’s Bar was one of the troops’ favourite haunts. What’s more, Val was the force behind the club we tried to set up —’

‘Yes, yes, Captain, good idea, I shall do just that,’ Johnson interrupted, eager to get on with things. ‘I shall most certainly speak with her this afternoon, and also with the racketeer, Taylor. Right now I’m off to Kelso.’

He strode out of the office to meet up with his driver, who was waiting outside, and the others were left in his wake. The man seemed indefatigable.

Chuck Maxwell presumed the newly arrived congressman who was conducting an investigation into the riot wished to speak to him about the fact he’d been so specifically targeted by the mutineers. He was irritated by what he saw as a sheer waste of time. He’d been interviewed by Carter, the staff officer from HQ, and every facet had been covered. He was further irritated by the fact the congressman was turning up at camp right on lunchtime. He was ravenous and had looked forward to a full hot meal in the officers’ canteen. Now having been instructed to await the arrival of this Lieutenant Commander Johnson in the Company C Officers’ tent, he’d had to settle for a hamburger instead.

He was halfway through his hamburger when the jeep pulled up outside and only seconds later the MP lieutenant ushered Johnson into the tent. Chuck rose to attention.

Following the introductions, the lieutenant said, ‘I’ll be waiting in the vehicle, sir.’