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

really lovely to celebrate in this interminable war.

Soon the three of them were drinking tea. Ronnie watched, amused to see Raine making sure her ring flashed under the weak light of the side table lamp.

‘Lorraine, do I see you are wearing a new ring?’

‘I am, Maman.’

‘Allow me to look, please.’

Raine walked over to her mother’s chair, holding out her left hand.

‘This is an engagement ring.’ Simone tilted her head to look up at her eldest daughter, then took Raine’s hand to inspect the stone more closely.

‘I suppose it must be,’ Raine said, staring at it as though for the first time.

‘Do not be sarcastic,’ Simone admonished. ‘It does not suit you.’

‘I wasn’t really.’ Raine gave a short laugh. ‘It’s only that you stated the obvious, seeing as it’s on the wedding ring finger.’

Simone peered down again. ‘It is very pretty,’ she said at last. ‘But you know that emeralds are unlucky.’

‘Not another one,’ Raine muttered. A slight frown crept between her eyebrows. ‘I love it. Don’t you think it the most beautiful green?’

‘It is – but diamonds are safer.’

‘I didn’t want safe diamonds,’ Raine said, her voice on edge as it often was with Maman. ‘Unless it’s one like Suzy’s gorgeous antique ring,’ she added quickly. ‘No, Maman, I wanted a risky emerald.’

‘And you chose this yourself?’ Simone asked.

‘Yes, Maman, I actually chose it myself. Alec said I could have whatever ring I wanted.’ Raine stared at Simone, challenging her to say more.

Ronnie’s stomach clenched. Raine and Maman didn’t get along that well at the best of times, but until now they seemed to have called a truce. Was it about to break? To defuse a possible argument, Ronnie was about to ask if anyone wanted more tea when the doorbell rang.

‘Who is that now at this time of night?’ Simone’s voice was sharp with irritation. ‘Send them away – whoever they are.’

‘I’ll get it,’ Raine said, springing up.

Ronnie heard the door open, then a man’s voice. It went on for a minute or two but she took little notice until Rusty started to growl. Perhaps she should go and see who it was. But before she could move she heard Raine say, ‘You’d better come in.’

The front room door opened and Raine stood there, her face strangely pale as she stared at Ronnie.

And then Ronnie saw who was behind her: two policemen followed her sister into the front room. They quickly glanced round. She recognised the shorter man – she’d forgotten his name, but he was the same sergeant who’d come with Michael when they’d searched the boats that time. The other one, a constable, was tall and thin with eager eyes.

What on earth were they doing here?

The sergeant looked straight at Simone.

‘Sorry to disturb you, madam, but we need to ask your daughter a few questions.’

Chapter Thirty-Two

‘What is the meaning of this?’ Simone demanded as her stare bounced off the two policemen, and then alighted on Raine. ‘I suppose I must ask you the same question, Lorraine.’

‘I think you’d better ask Ronnie, Maman,’ Raine said quietly.

‘Véronique? Is she in some sort of trouble?’ Simone’s voice rose. She stared at Ronnie.

‘That is what we must find out,’ the sergeant said, removing his cap. ‘I’m Sergeant Sandford and this is Constable Butler of the Grand Union Canal Police. I previously met your daughter when she was working on the canal boats.’

‘She still is,’ Raine put in. ‘So why do you think Ronnie has anything to say to the police?’ Before waiting for an answer, she carried on, ‘She’s only seventeen. What can she possibly have to say that would be of any use to you?’

‘Because we think she may be able to help us fill in some gaps in a case we’re investigating,’ Sergeant Sandford said. ‘May we sit down?’

‘I’ll fetch another chair,’ Ronnie said, jumping up, her mind racing. She grabbed a dining-room chair and carried it back to the front room, where the constable took it from her.

Don’t say another girl has had an accident.

After the two policemen were seated, the sergeant fixed his gaze on Ronnie.

‘I believe you know a William Drake?’

Ronnie’s stomach lurched sickeningly. So that was it.

‘Yes,’ she said in a low voice, then forced herself to look directly at him. ‘Has something happened to him? Has he had an accident?’

‘One thing at a time, miss.’

‘To whom is this person you are referring?’ Simone interrupted, half rising from her chair and fixing her eyes on Ronnie.

‘Just a boy I know.’

‘How well do you know him?’ asked Sergeant Sandford.

‘That is something I would also very much like to know,’ Simone interjected.

‘Only slightly,’ Ronnie said, the heat rising to her cheeks with Raine’s and her mother’s eyes upon her. ‘He came to my rescue a couple of times when I was working on the boats.’

‘Were they the only two occasions?’

Ronnie noticed the constable was scribbling in a notebook.

‘No. Maybe twice more. But I’ve only known him since I began working on the canals.’

‘And when was that?’

‘In November.’

‘The exact date?’

‘The end of November.’ In her nervousness she couldn’t remember the exact day.

‘And you work for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company – is that right?’

‘Yes.’

‘And your trainer is Dora Dummitt?’

‘Yes.’

‘My sister has a right to know why she’s being questioned like this,’ Raine interrupted, and to Ronnie’s surprise lit a cigarette. She wondered when Raine had started smoking again.

‘All in good time,’ the sergeant said firmly. ‘Now, where were we? Ah, yes. And when he came to your rescue’ – he emphasised the word – ‘did you happen to notice his motorbike?’

‘Of course,’ Ronnie said. ‘He gave me a lift on it and saved me from getting into trouble with Dora … I mean Miss Dummitt. I would’ve been late if it hadn’t been for Will,’ she added, hoping it would help him in whatever business the two policemen were here about. ‘Please tell me what’s the matter.’

‘It appears he may be in trouble.’

‘What sort of trouble?’

‘Black-marketeering … theft … fraud.’

For a few seconds she couldn’t