The Interloper

Brenda hoped that Temple would understand the cryptic note that she had left. She had managed to slip away from Willis, while Soppy kept his attention focused on two of the dogs running round the track.

Willis disliked the dogs but once he had cottoned on that they were a source of ready money, his interest was aroused. So, it was easy to distract him while Brenda placed the note beneath the shed. Willis timed the dogs and looked closely at the record sheets that Brenda had been keeping for sometime.

When she returned, she nodded to Soppy and he quickly looked away. It had worked this time, but Willis, as furtive as a weasel, seemed to have eyes at the back of his head. They both knew that he watched their every move.

With Willis sleeping in the main farmhouse, there was almost nowhere that Mrs Hannaford could meet up with Brenda and Soppy. She didn't dare venture into the cottage for fear that Willis would follow. In the farmhouse itself, Willis stalked them. To Brenda's eyes, he seemed deeply anxious. If only she could find out what he was afraid of. Since there was no local news on the radio and they had not seen any newspapers for some days, they were unaware of the shootings in Starmouth. And that was just how Willis and Redbourne intended it should remain.

Once the news was out, then the trouble would really begin.