NO ORDINARY ROOM (12 page)

General Kruger was a thickset man with a short cropped spiky hair and fifty six years old.  The remnants of a broken nose and the scar on the left cheek had been the result of combat training injuries and nothing to do with the action he had seen during various active service missions in different parts of the world.  His refusal to wear, what he called, sissy glasses, meant that he frequently had to squint through his pale blue eyes just like he was doing now when he addressed the two officers who formed the special investigating panel that he had set up.

‘Gentlemen, we have a serious problem that needs to be sorted out before we leave here today.  You’ve all seen the reports from British Intelligence after they have conducted a thorough search of this Rosser Farm and the surrounding area.  You have also seen the medical reports regarding the assessment of Sligo which were conducted where he is hospitalized.

Colonel Thumper Jolin was fidgeting with the papers in front of him and it caught the attention of General Kruger.

‘Colonel Jolin, what’s your assessment of what happened out there during the planned raid on the farm?’

Jolin’s face reddened as he replied. ‘The way I see it, General, we have a simple case of a man with more imagination than guts.  Only Sligo appears to have seen these helicopters, but none were seen on the Brit’s radar and there were no reports of any being within fifty miles of that area.’

Colonel Bob Franklyn the other member of the investigating panel wasn’t so convinced when he chipped in.

‘But can we rely on the Brits with their outdated equipment.  You know what they are like for penny pinching.’ 

‘And what about this creature that Sligo saw charging at him?’ General Kruger asked and then continued. ‘According to his testimony it looked like a giraffe with horns and was spitting fire like a dragon.’ 

Jolin used his finger in a rotating motion alongside his ear, indicating that Sligo was seventy five cents short of a dollar.

* * *

It took less than fifteen minutes after the enquiry team had heard a short testimony from Valance and Doolan before General Kruger announced, ‘Then we’re all agreed on our verdict with regards to Doolan and Valance without waiting to see Sligo.  We’ll meet again in a few days before we visit Sligo where he is being held and it might be wise to have some assistance available in case Sligo goes a bit loopy on us.  I’ll get one of my aides to make arrangements and pass on the details to you.  Thank you for your support and consideration with this very difficult case.  We just need to bring Doolan and Valance back in to deliver our verdicts and then we can head for some lunch.’                                                       

* * *

Scott Valance left the enquiry building with a hop, skip and a jump and headed for his temporary billet on the camp to make a very important telephone call.  His Mom would likely be asleep because of the time difference, but it wasn’t everyday that a son was recommended for a medal. He had been ordered not to make any contact with Sligo or Doolan and not to reveal any details of his mission.  The medal would be for displaying courage on active service.  Within twenty four hours most of Crook’s Creek would believe that Valance had kept a small army of men at bay and helped save the lives of two comrades.  They would likely think that it was behind enemy lines out in some god-forsaken desert or jungle and perhaps it was best if he didn’t ever admit to it being in, little old peaceful, England.

Doolan didn’t know why he was going to be recommended for a medal and promoted, unless it was a reward for keeping quiet about a bungled operation.  He would always wonder what happened to Sligo, the wackiest guy he had ever met.  He had heard stories about how some men flipped during combat, but a raid on a farm in England was hardly combat, nor was being chased by farmyard dog.

* * *

General Kruger was having lunch with his investigating panel colleagues to discuss their planned meeting with Sligo scheduled for tomorrow when his aide passed him a short note.  The relaxed features of Kruger changed to a frown and he rose from the table. ‘If you’ll excuse me gentleman I need to return to my office.  It appears that Sligo has escaped from the secure unit he was being held in and is on the run.’

General Kruger hoped that Sligo would give himself up or be captured soon.  It wouldn’t help Anglo-British relations to have a psycho like him roaming the English countryside.  According to the medical folks he was suffering from some aggravated illusionary illness and was likely to be extremely dangerous if he was confronted. 

CHAPTER NINETEEN

 Kevin was laughing when he came into the lounge and sat next to Debbie on the settee.

    ‘I was just telling our Steve about what happened at the farm last week.’

    Jamie stopped reading his computer magazine and asked his dad what had happened that was so funny. 

‘Of course, you were out at footy training when I came home and told your mum.  Well, these fellers in uniform, probably Americans and built like rugby players came on to the farm just as I  was herding some of piggy friends out of the sty when they came closer they looked really mean.’

‘What does really mean look like, Dad?’ asked Leanne.

Kevin screwed his face up and jutted out his jaw in an attempt to look fierce.  Leanne grimaced and Jamie smiled. 

‘You looked like Mr Cranleigh just for a minute there, Dad,’ Jamie joked.

‘Very funny.  Anyway, back to the story.  I got the impression that they weren’t just calling by to ask me directions, so I just waved to them.  That’s when the odd thing happened.’

‘Ah, no you don’t,’ Jamie said. ‘I’ve heard this story before, Dad.  You’re going to say that they started running away.’

‘You have heard it then, because that’s exactly what they did, but not straight away.  They just stopped in their tracks and the one in front looked really frightened before he dived to the ground, followed by his mate.  Then they got up and legged it.’

Jamie smiled, ‘This is where you say that you grabbed his leg and started pulling it, like you’re pulling mine.’

‘No, this is what really happened and there’s no way that I would have caught them.  Although Benbow, the farm dog, did start to give chase and would have caught up with them if I hadn’t called him back  The frightened one kept looking back and towards the sky at the blackbirds that were hovering around.’

‘Wow, that’s really weird, Dad, ‘Jamie said.

‘But there’s more,’ Kevin said. ‘As they were running up the hill they dived to the ground again when the firing started.’

‘Now you are pulling my leg,’ said a disbelieving Jamie.

‘Do you believe this, Mum?’ Jamie asked.

‘I always believe what your father tells me, Jamie.’ replied Debbie with a smile.

‘The firing suddenly stopped and they continued up the hill and drove off.’

‘I bet you’re going to say they drove off in a tank.’

‘No it wasn’t a tank.  It was an ice cream van.’

‘Dad, you rotten so and so.  I nearly believed you.’

Kevin laughed, ‘It’s all true.’

‘And who else saw all this action?’ Jamie asked.

‘I don’t suppose anyone else did see it because Mr Rosser was indoors while it was happening.’

‘Did you call the police, about the shots?’ Jamie asked.

‘I didn’t have to.  They telephoned Mr Rosser and asked to speak to me, but they didn’t sound like the local police.  I think they must have belonged to the Ministry of Defence.  Apparently the men were some soldiers on exercise and shots had been fired to make it more realistic.  The coppers wouldn’t say if they were American and just wanted to make sure that no one was hurt and they plan to send someone to the farm to check things out and apologise in person.’

‘And what did you say?’

‘I told them that they’d killed three of Mr Rosser’s prize pigs and wounded me in the leg and put an end to a promising football career.’

Debbie told Kevin to stop teasing and while Jamie retreated upstairs his sister asked her dad if the ice-cream man would be coming to their street.

CHAPTER TWENTY

 Kevin and Debbie Tranter were curious and anxious as they made their way to Jamie’s school and their appointment with the headmaster, Mr Cookson.  Jamie had settled in very well and his results had been excellent, so Debbie was hoping they’d been summoned to discuss his academic achievements.  Kevin was hoping that Jamie had made the County football team.

Kevin had recently had his pride and joy, Betsy, serviced by the garage that repaired the farm tractors and it had made an uneventful arrival when they pulled up outside the school. 

Mrs Farr, the school secretary, was a relative of Pat Rosser and she gave the Tranters’ a friendly welcome when they entered the little office that adjoined the headmaster’s rather larger one and asked them to take a seat.

‘Have you got any idea what this is all about, love?’ Kevin asked.

‘I honestly couldn’t tell you, Mr Tranter, but I’m sure that there’s no need to worry.  Jamie’s a lovely boy and very popular, especially with the girls even though he ignores them.’

‘That’s our Jamie.’ Kevin said, ‘There’s plenty of time before he thinks about girls.  Football is more important at his age,’ then added as an afterthought, ‘and school work of course.’

Kevin was reading the last of the certificates on the wall when Mr Franks, Jamie’s form teacher came out of the headmaster’s office.  Mr Franks was short, slightly built, with a boyish hairstyle and could have passed for one of his older pupils even though he was nearly thirty years old.  He gave Kevin a nervous nod, said he was sorry and hurried out of the office.  Kevin was bemused by the apology and was about to make a comment to Debbie when Mr Cookson appeared at the doorway.  He gave them a forced smile and asked if they would like some tea.

‘No thanks.  We’re thinking of going into town for a pub lunch while we’re out.  Who knows perhaps we’ll have something to celebrate.’  Kevin winked at a troubled looking Debbie who could see that Mr Cookson was looking very serious.

Debbie’s bad vibes were soon to be justified when Mr Cookson explained that Jamie’s results in the recent mock exams had been extremely disappointing.

Kevin was taken aback and expressed his surprise, ‘I don’t understand, all of his reports have been great.  Mr Franks was only telling us a few weeks ago at a parent’s meeting that Jamie would definitely be in line for a university place when the time came.  We have never had anyone go to university in my family and so I was really chuffed.  Perhaps it’s my fault if he’s been neglecting his school work because I have been pushing him to practice his football.’

‘I don’t think it’s your fault, Mr Tranter and it has nothing to do with him playing too much football.  When I said that the results were disappointing, I should have said disastrous.  The average class mark for all subjects was 68%.  Jamie’s highest mark was 8%.’  

‘There must be a mistake, surely!’ Kevin said registering his disbelief and realised that this was really serious and suggested. ‘Perhaps some of his answer papers got lost.’

‘It is puzzling, but Jamie’s papers have been thoroughly rechecked.  He answered every question, but only a few were correct.  Can you think of any reason why he might have performed so badly?’

The only reason that Kevin could think of was that it he might have done it for a bet, but he didn’t think he should mention that to Mr Cookson when he replied, ‘Well, no.  Have you asked him?’

‘We’re not allowed to question our pupils about this sort of thing in case it puts more pressure on them.  It’s best if the parents try and determine any underlying reason.  We won’t be announcing the results for a couple of days, so you’ll have a chance to discuss it with Jamie.’

‘Don’t worry we’ll get to the bottom of this and if he’s been messing about then I’ll give him what for,’ Kevin promised.

* * *

Kevin and Debbie had decided that when Jamie arrived home from school they wouldn’t mention their visit to the school until the time was right and Leanne wasn’t there.  Once dinner was over Jamie was about to make his usual trek upstairs to his computer when Kevin asked if he fancied a kick about in the field at the end of the road.

‘I’d like to, Dad, but I’ve got a lot of homework.’

Kevin reached for his coat, ‘Come on we won’t be long.  I feel like running the cobwebs off.’

Jamie didn’t need to be asked again and followed his dad out of the door, but he had already sensed that his dad wanted to speak to him on his own about something.

Kevin wasn’t the sort to beat about the bush and as soon as they reached the field he mentioned the visit to the school and Jamie’s results.

‘What!’ Jamie gasped. ‘This is a wind up, yes!  8%! You’ve got to be joking.  88% would be more like it.’

Jamie took some persuading before he accepted that his dad wasn’t having him on.

‘So, you really have no idea what could have happened?’

Jamie shook his head, still dazed by the news.  ‘I just don’t understand what could have happened.  The answer papers couldn’t have got mixed up because no one in my class is daft enough to only get 8%.’

‘The headmaster told us that your exam papers were thoroughly rechecked.’        

Jamie told his dad that he had answered all of the questions and that there was no way that he could have ended up with such a low mark.

‘That’s all I wanted to know, son.  I‘ll go and see the headmaster and see if they’ll let you sit the exams again. Now let’s forget about school and play some football.’

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Rufus frowned when he heard the knock on the front door.  He looked over at his mother and then the clock on the mantelpiece.  It was getting dark outside and they never usually had a caller this late at night.  The fake Beware of Dog sign and assortment of notices, including, No Hawkers, No Salesmen, No Junk Mail and No Beggars usually did the trick.  The large wattage security light that temporarily blinded any callers helped as well.