On Borrowed Time by Graeme Hall

Author:Graeme Hall [Graeme Hall]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

The swan-shaped pedalo edged away from the jetty and moved out towards the middle of the boating lake. The swan had seen better days. The white paint was peeling and it had lost one eye. The lake was crowded with families and few of them had much control over their direction of travel. The two passengers on this particular bird were trying to keep the vessel in a straight line while watching out for any errant swans that might be heading their way. When they reached a good distance from the edge of the lake they stopped pedalling and let the swan bob and drift, only taking evasive action when a collision seemed possible.

‘Every time we meet you surprise me,’ said Susan. ‘Always a new adventure.’

‘I like to keep things fresh,’ said her companion. ‘So, you wanted to talk? Has something happened? Have you been able to get in to his office?’

‘Not yet no, but I will soon. Leave that to me.’

‘Then what is it?’

‘I wanted to ask you something. I wanted to ask you a favour.’ Susan, nervous, paused, but when he said nothing in reply she was forced to continue. ‘Would it be possible to find out what happened to a child who was adopted during the Great Famine? I say adopted, but sold would be a more accurate description.’

‘Sold? By the parents?’

‘His mother, yes.’

‘Well, my dear, that’s not something I get asked every day. Before I come to the “why”, what information do you have about this person?’

‘I can get you the name, age, home village and the year.’

‘We’re drifting back to the shore. Let’s move out again.’ They pedalled for a few minutes in silence. ‘You know how incomplete the records are?’

‘Of course, but assuming what I’m looking for is in the records somewhere, do we have the ability to find out?’

‘In principle, yes. Now on to the “why”. Why do you need this information?’

‘If I’m honest, I don’t know that I do. But Kwok-wah would like it and I’d like to be able to give it to him.’

‘Is this his price?’

‘No. He hasn’t asked for it, and anyway, I don’t think I’m going to need to ask him to help. At least no more than he has unwittingly helped already. I’d just like to be able to give this to him.’

‘Is it a family member?’

‘No. It’s the son of the old woman who looks after the building where Kwok-wah lives. He’s very fond of her and knows it would mean a lot to her.’

‘Susan, we’re not talking sentiment here, are we?’

She flinched at his cold tone of voice. ‘Ah, the S-word,’ she said. ‘I know, I shouldn’t have any. I know I’ve no right to ask this.’

‘Let me get this straight. You want me to risk an asset for something like that? Just to get information – which, by the way, may not even exist – for you to give to your young man so he can be kind to an old woman? Without

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