‘You did?’
‘Yes, and it’s derelict. Boarded up. Fenced off. When I was there it had been closed since the early eighties. Some locals told me. They called it “the college”. So there’s been no one there for decades. I think the organization must have gone down when Hazzard passed. It was all going tits-up by the middle seventies anyway. And I’m going back to 2004 when I was there.
‘The building was owned by some holding company that listed the building as a college. Might still be, for all I know. I couldn’t get any kind of response out of the holding company when I tried, either. I took some pictures, though, but didn’t get a plate section for the book, so the photos were never used. Pictures were too expensive for the publisher.’
‘But you went inside?’
‘No. Couldn’t even get through the fence. It’s got massive grounds, but you can see it in the distance in a couple of places. The best thing were the gates. Over the top of the railings there’s this iron plate with an inscription on it: Let us go out of ourselves. Let us enlarge. I loved that. Really nice touch.’
Seb finished another drink and gripped his own hair painfully. ‘You have recordings?’
‘A few hours of them. I spent a full day with Liza.’
‘Could I . . . ? This may sound strange, but I’d really like to listen to them.’
‘Afraid I wouldn’t release the original tapes. They’re on cassette. I’ve been meaning to transfer them to disc, but haven’t done it yet.’
‘You have a transcription?’
‘Only for the bits I wanted for the book. Most of it didn’t make the final draft. But, I’ll do you a deal: if you let me read the SPR files, you can listen to poor old Liza, Virginia and Flo. It is quite upsetting, though.’
‘Done. When are you free?’
‘Well, when did you have in mind?’
‘Tomorrow.’
Mark Fry laughed. He thought Seb was joking. ‘Half-term in a week. We could sort something out for then. I may have a couple of days free.’
A week? Seb didn’t want to imagine what could happen in that time. ‘Maybe I could get the train up to you and I’ll get a room somewhere, and while you’re at work I can go through the recordings. Tomorrow?’
There was an awkward moment in which Seb sensed the man’s discomfort. ‘I hope you don’t mind me saying, Mr Logan, but it’s quite an odd request. What’s the hurry?’
‘Seb, please call me Seb. I know it’s strange and an awful imposition but . . . I need to learn as much as I can about the SPR, and Hazzard, and quickly. I’ve no time.’
‘This isn’t a book. Research?’
‘No. Well, not right now. That’s not the main reason.’
‘Then I don’t understand the urgency. I mean, you’ve only just found out about all of this.’
‘This is going to sound odd. Christ, how do I explain this? I’m being threatened, blackmailed, I think.’
‘Bloody hell.’
‘By an old friend, who died.’
‘I’m sorry, I think.’
‘He was trying something on. I mean, he was trying to use me for his own reasons. But he’d spent years, literally years, trying to master projection. He was obsessed with Hazzard too. And he . . . well, before he died, he came here with these files. That’s how I have them. And his diary. I guess you could call it that. Hundreds of fragments, and what I can read of them suggests that he’d been engaged in something very strange.
‘Mark, I believe he was there, at the SPR property. He must have been. And he wasn’t working alone, because now I have someone else bothering me. A very odd woman. I just want to know what I am up against.’
‘Your friend, and this woman, they said they were from the SPR?’
‘No, neither said much of any use. They were very careful about what they told me. But I’m piecing things together from these papers. And if I can get access to your notes, and these recordings, I might be in a better position to know what to do.’
‘Have you called the police?’
‘No. Yes. Earlier. It’s hard to explain. I don’t think they’d understand what this is all about.’
‘I see.’ Though Mark clearly didn’t, he was still intrigued.
‘So, would that be possible, my coming your way? I won’t bother you at all. You can have the SPR stuff while I check out what you have, and then I’ll leave you alone.’
‘Well, I’ve a full week on. Lot of lessons.’
‘I won’t get in your way, I promise. I’ll go through the recordings while you’re at work. And I’m happy to spring for a good dinner. Anywhere you want to go. And when you’ve more time, you’d be very welcome to come down here, for a holiday. It’d be my treat.’
Again the uncomfortable pause.
Seb tried again to reassure Mark. ‘God, I must come across as a really strange bloke. But I’ll explain more to you when I see you.’
This made Mark laugh. ‘I’m not going to disagree with you, but if you really think my stuff will help you out, then I’m not going to leave a fellow explorer of the weird hanging in emptiness! Let me give you my address. Can I also say, it’ll be a thrill to meet you.’
17
There Were Two of Me in that Room