A Sister's War by Molly Green (the reading strategies book txt) 📕

‘Yes, but she’s got a bad ankle,’ Constable Scott said. ‘She can’t walk.’

‘Right-o. We’ll carry her back.’

‘What will you do with the cat?’ Margaret’s voice held alarm.

‘Take it back to the butty, of course,’ Ronnie said. ‘It’ll be our mascot.’

‘Dora won’t allow it.’

‘Dora won’t see it – until it’s too late. Don’t worry – I won’t let it come to any harm. Just go with the policemen, Margaret. You’re shivering like mad. If you don’t catch cold, I’ll be amazed.’

She watched as the two policemen locked each of their arms to the other, then Constable Scott lifted Margaret into the “seat” they’d created.

‘Put your arms round their necks,’ he told her, ‘and they’ll get you in the warm before you know it.’

‘Ronnie …’ Margaret’s voice was a whisper ‘… thank you.’

‘Right.’ One of the policemen nodded to the other. ‘Let’s get cracking.’

Ronnie watched numbly as the awkward little group moved off. She felt Michael Scott’s gaze on her and turned. He was staring at her but she couldn’t make out his expression in the dark. For a few seconds they didn’t speak.

Michael Scott seemed to rally himself. ‘Right,’ he said in a businesslike tone, ‘are you ready? We don’t want to hang around here in the cold. Your friend looked to me in quite a state.’

‘I’m sure she’ll be fine when she’s got a cup of cocoa inside her and tucked up in bed,’ she said, picking up Margaret’s coat, heavy with the dunking.

‘I sincerely hope so.’ His eyes alighted on the coat. ‘Here, give me that.’

It was no use arguing with him. She handed it over.

‘I want to thank you,’ she stuttered, as she carefully picked her way towards the towpath, one hand holding her torch, the other trying to stop the kitten from clawing through her jumpers with the movement. ‘I don’t know what I’d have done without your help.’

‘All in the line of duty.’

She wished he hadn’t put it quite like that – but how else could he have replied? He was a policeman and simply doing his job.

‘You said you were sending someone else,’ she said quietly. ‘I didn’t expect it to be you.’

To her surprise he said, ‘I thought you might prefer it to be me.’

It was as though the two of them were walking through the night completely alone. Concentrating more on his words than looking where she was going, Ronnie stumbled over an exposed tree root and would have fallen if he hadn’t shot out his hand to stay her. The kitten let out a squeal. For long seconds Ronnie’s eyes locked with his. Then he put his free hand under her elbow and they walked on. Somehow the pressure of his hand was reassuring even though he didn’t say another word until they reached the boats.

‘Margaret lives in the motorboat,’ Ronnie told him, breaking the silence, ‘but I’ll need to put the cat in the butty before I go and see how she is.’

‘Why don’t I find out and let you know. I need to talk to my two colleagues anyway and it’ll be more than crowded in there.’

‘Are you sure it’s not too much trouble?’

He smiled. ‘I’m sure.’

Ronnie nodded and handed him back his coat. Pressing the little cat firmly to her chest she banged on the side of the butty. To her surprise Angela put her head through the hatch.

‘They’re all in Persephone,’ she said.

‘I’m coming in anyway,’ Ronnie said, her heart plummeting, hoping her hand over her chest would look casual, as though she was cold – which was true. It would be Angela. She was sure to tell Dora there was a cat on board.

‘Well, did you find her?’ Angela asked in her clipped tone.

‘Yes, we found her,’ Ronnie answered. ‘She’d fallen in the canal but managed to pull herself out.’

‘What a stupid girl! What on earth was she doing so near the edge at this time of night?’ Angela’s tone was tinged with disbelief.

‘Actually, Margaret’s not stupid,’ Ronnie said with a rise of irritation. ‘And I don’t know what she was doing.’

Trying to have a bit of peace away from you, she badly wanted to say.

‘I expect she saw something and went too close to have a look,’ Ronnie went on, then shrugged. ‘Something like that, anyway.’

There was a muffled mew. Ronnie coughed, trying to disguise it.

‘What was that noise?’ Angela screwed up her face.

‘What noise?’ Ronnie’s eyebrows shot up. ‘I didn’t hear anything.’

‘Like a cat mewing.’

‘Oh, you’re imagining it.’

‘Where’s your coat?’ Angela said, narrowing her eyes.

Before she could think of an answer, Ronnie heard footsteps on the roof.

‘Ronnie, it’s Michael. Can you open up?’

‘Oh, it’s “Ronnie” and “Michael” now, is it?’ Angela said, rolling her eyes as she went to open the hatch.

Ronnie’s cheeks warmed but she was determined not to rise to Angela’s sarcastic comment. Michael Scott bounded down the steps with Ronnie’s raincoat.

‘Oh, it’s Constable Scott,’ Angela said, edging towards him. ‘How nice to see you again – and so soon.’

‘I believe you’re wanted on the motorboat, Miss …?’ He fixed his eyes on her. ‘Sorry, I don’t remember your name.’

‘Why should you?’ She sent him a smile. ‘It’s Angela … Angela Pearson.’ She took her empty cup and placed it in the hand bowl without rinsing it. ‘I suppose it’s Miss Dummitt asking for me. She seems to have made me her right-hand woman,’ she added perfectly seriously, ‘so I’ll go and see what I can do.’

Constable Scott nodded, then glanced at Ronnie who rolled her eyes.

‘Dora’s never said or indicated anything of the kind,’ Ronnie said when Angela left. She took the little cat from underneath her jumper and set it on one of the seats. ‘I’d better get you something to eat, Puss,’ she said, stroking him. ‘You look a bit thin. Don’t you have a home to go to?’ The cat began to purr.

Michael Scott grinned as he moved to stroke the cat who’d jumped onto her raincoat and was washing its face. ‘No, Dora never mentioned anything like