Chapter 61

He’d left it at the station.

Luckily the girl seemed as surprised as he was, and they stared at each other, immobile.

Then he noticed that the face was heavier featured and the brows bushier than a woman would have. “You’re not a girl,” Will eventually concluded. And then realized he’d spoken aloud.

“No. I am not a girl,” the…person…replied.

It was a very long knife and the hand holding it was impressively steady. Will shifted on the balls of his feet a tiny amount, getting ready in case the chap came at him. In response, the knife was raised a little.

After another pause and some more eye contact, the light voice said, “Who are you? And what do you want of me?” He didn’t sound like a maniac, but Will didn’t like being questioned at knifepoint. He’d had a couple of go-rounds with German counter-intelligence before he’d invalided out in 1915 and hadn’t enjoyed it much back then, either.

“I’m a police officer. If you could put the knife down, sir. Please.”