The moment Emma walked into Alistair’s office, she knew something had gone badly wrong. The familiar warm welcome and gracious smile had been replaced by a furrowed brow.
‘They’re not going to let me visit Harry, are they,’ she said.
‘No,’ said Alistair. ‘Your application was turned down.’
‘But why? You told me I was well within my rights.’
‘I phoned the warden earlier this morning and asked him exactly the same question.’
‘And what reason did he give?’
‘You can hear for yourself,’ said Alistair, ‘because I made a tape recording of our conversation. Listen carefully, because it gives us three very important clues.’ Without another word, he leant forward and pressed the play button on his Grundig. Two spools began to whirl.
‘Lavenham Correctional Facility.’
‘I’d like to speak to the warden.’
‘Who’s calling?’
‘Alistair Stuart. I’m a New York attorney.’
Silence, followed by another ringing tone. A longer silence, then, ‘I’ll put you through, sir.’
Emma was sitting on the edge of her seat when the warden came on the line.
‘Good morning, Mr Stuart. This is Warden Swanson. How can I help you?’
‘Good morning, Mr Swanson. I made an application ten days ago on behalf of my client, Miss Emma Barrington, requesting a visit on compassionate grounds to an inmate, Thomas Bradshaw, at the earliest possible opportunity. I received a letter from your office this morning saying the application has been turned down. I can find no legal reason for—’
‘Mr Stuart, your application was processed in the usual way, but I was unable to grant your request because Mr Bradshaw is no longer being held at this establishment.’
Another long silence followed, although Emma could see that the tape was still turning. Alistair eventually said, ‘And which institution has he been transferred to?’
‘I am not at liberty to disclose that information, Mr Stuart.’
‘But under the law, my client has the right to—’
‘The prisoner has signed a document waiving his rights, a copy of which I’d be happy to send to you.’
‘But why would he do that?’ said Alistair, casting a line into the water.
‘I am not at liberty to disclose that information,’ repeated the warden, not rising to the bait.
‘Are you at liberty to divulge anything at all concerning Thomas Bradshaw?’ asked Alistair, trying not to sound exasperated.
Another long silence followed and, although the tape was still running, Emma wondered if the warden had put his phone down. Alistair placed a finger to his lips, and suddenly the voice was back on the line.
‘Harry Clifton was released from prison, but continued to serve his sentence.’ Another long pause. ‘And I lost the best librarian this prison’s ever had.’
The phone went dead.
Alistair pressed the stop button before he spoke. ‘The warden went as far as he could to assist us.’
‘By mentioning Harry by name?’ said Emma.
‘Yes, but also by letting us know he served in the prison library until very recently. That explains how Lloyd got his hands on the diaries.’
Emma nodded. ‘But you said there were three important clues,’ she reminded him. ‘What was the third?’
‘That Harry was released from Lavenham, but continues to serve his sentence.’
‘Then he must be in another prison,’ said Emma.
‘I don’t think so,’ said Alistair. ‘Now we’re at war, my bet is that Tom Bradshaw will be serving the rest of his sentence in the navy.’
‘What makes you think that?’
‘It’s all in the diaries,’ said Alistair. He picked up a copy of The Diary of a Convict from his desk, turned to a page marked by a bookmark and read: ‘The first thing I’ll do when I get back to Bristol is join the navy and fight the Germans.’
‘But they’d never have allowed him to return to England before he’d completed his sentence.’
‘I didn’t say he’d joined the British Navy.’
‘Oh God,’ said Emma as the significance of Alistair’s words sank in.
‘At least we know Harry’s still alive,’ said Alistair cheerfully.
‘I wish he was still in prison.’