Barker, Clive - Books of Blood 01 by Barker Clive

Author:Barker, Clive [Barker, Clive]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-06-11T16:50:12+00:00

The Governor’s room was locked, as it had been for a full week now. Explanations differed as to where he was. Meetings with funding bodies was a favourite reason touted amongst the staff, though the Secretary claimed she didn’t exactly know. There were Seminars at the University he was running, somebody said, to bring some research to bear on the problems of Remand Centres. Maybe the Governor was at one of those. If Mr Redman wanted, he could leave a message, the Governor would get it.

Back in the workshop, Lacey was waiting for him. It was almost seven-fifteen: classes were well over.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘Waiting, sir.’

‘What for?’

‘You, sir. I wanted to give you a letter, sir. For me mam. Will you get it to her?’

‘You can send it through the usual channels, can’t you? Give it to the Secretary, she’ll forward it. You’re allowed two letters a week.’

Lacey’s face fell.

‘They read them, sir: in case you write something you shouldn’t. And if you do, they burn them.’

‘And you’ve written something you shouldn’t?’

He nodded.

‘What?’

‘About Kevin. I told her all about Kevin, about what happened to him.’

‘I’m not sure you’ve got your facts right about Henessey.’

The boy shrugged. ‘It’s true, sir,’ he said quietly,

apparently no longer caring if he convinced Redman or not ‘It’s true. He’s there, sir. In her.’

‘In who? What are you talking about?’

Maybe Lacey was speaking, as Leverthal had suggested, simply out of his fear. There had to be a limit to his patience with the boy, and this was just about it.

A knock on the door, and a spotty individual called Slape was staring at him through the wired glass.

‘Come in.’

‘Urgent telephone call for you, sir. In the Secretary’s Office.’

Redman hated the telephone. Unsavoury machine: it never brought good tidings.

‘Urgent. Who from?’

Slape shrugged and picked at his face.

‘Stay with Lacey, will you?’

Slape looked unhappy with the prospect.

‘Here, sir?’ he asked.

‘Here.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘I’m relying on you, so don’t let me down.’

‘No, sir.’

Redman turned to Lacey. The bruised look was a wound now open, as he wept.

‘Give me your letter. I’ll take it to the Office.’

Lacey had thrust the envelope into his pocket. He retrieved it unwillingly, and handed it across to Redman.

‘Say thank you.’

‘Thank you, sir.’

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