‘It’s not about the invasion,’ she snapped. ‘It’s about you being a ridiculous child with too much imagination. Don’t you dare go to the police with these stories about Michael.’

In that one unguarded moment, I saw a flash of truth on her face. I took a step back from her, towards the lower section of the tunnel.

‘He was here, wasn’t he, Mags? Michael did come through here! Why are you lying to me? You’ve been lying to me for months – to all of us! You have to tell me now, Mags – what’s going on?’

It was no use. Her jaw was locked with obstinate rage and her eyes were the same as the volcanic-grey irises that gloomed behind her head.

I took another step back from her.

‘I said, stay here, Petra,’ she growled.

But I didn’t.

Chapter 36

36

The constable on duty at the desk was the same one who had come to search the lighthouse after Mutti’s tribunal – the one with the oily moustache.

‘I need to report an act of sabotage,’ I said, as soon as I got through the door. I leant over the desk towards the policeman, breathing hard. ‘The telephone line to the lighthouse has been cut.’

Oily looked at me. He made a note of what I had just said. ‘And when did this happen, miss?’ he asked.

‘About half an hour ago. It’s very important,’ I said. ‘It’s not just a normal telephone line, it was installed by the Admiralty, for emergencies.’

Oily made a note of that too. ‘Did you see this happen?’

‘Yes, I did. And I saw who did it too – it was Michael Baron.’

He put his pen down. ‘Michael Baron, the magistrate’s son?’

‘Yes.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes.’

Oily looked at me very closely. ‘You live at the lighthouse, don’t you? One of the half-German girls. Your mum was locked up for being a traitor.’

I looked at him hard. ‘No, she was interned for being an enemy alien. It’s a very different thing.’

‘And it was Mrs Baron who locked her up, wasn’t it?’

‘Yes,’ I said, ‘Mrs Baron was one of the magistrates at the tribunal, but what’s that got to do with—’

‘It’s just a bit of a coincidence, that’s all,’ Oily interrupted. ‘Seems to me that you might want to cause trouble for her – to get your own back or something.’

‘No!’ I said. ‘I’m telling the truth! You have to tell Pinstripe – the detective, I mean. I don’t know his name – the one in the pinstriped suit. You have to tell him about it right away.’ I fished the scrap of paper from my pocket. ‘Give him this, please. It’s vital evidence – look, MB!’