The Wolf Letters. Will Schaefer

from window twenty feet onto paved street and is somehow unhurt enough to run 56 miles to the north in four hours. Witnesses report Brown running at incredible speed with blood-soaked clothes through Aldershot and Maidenhead. In Aylesbury Brown fights with police who assume from clothes that he requires assistance with medical emergency. Brown fights until a total of twelve more police are summoned. Four police are hospitalised, one with serious head injuries inflicted with Brown’s bare hands. Arrested. Extremely violent and agitated, makes strange noises like barking dog. Cannot answer questions, speaks in unknown language. Forcibly detained at Maidenhead police station while enquiries are made. Spits and vomits, is unbearably hostile. Suddenly goes quiet and dies of severe fever in presence of police doctor on Friday morning at 2:41am. Signifies: C’s story not exaggerated and probably correct. Roby compromised - how? Not known. Hospital? G.H.? C.P.? Other? Not known. Consequences: Recovery compromised. Time v. short. G.H in definite danger.

      I reread the last sentence. G.H. in definite danger … G.H. … G.H. … G.H. could only mean George Haye … An icy sense of dread ascended from my stomach. Danger, death, murder, fear … Every muscle coiled on instinct, and I wanted to run out of Nielsen’s office, to run out and keep running for as long as it took to feel safe. Murder … Terrified, I wrestled with my thoughts and my body’s urge to flee, forcing myself to read the note again.

      Recovery compromised … recovery of what?

      C.’s story not exaggerated and probably correct … Who was C.?

      … Brown fights until a total of twelve more police are summoned. Four police are hospitalised, one with serious head injuries inflicted with Brown’s bare hands …

      I stopped at the letters C.P. …

      C.P. … C.P. … could that be Claude Pownall? It had to be. Nielsen definitely knew of him. The note indicated that Claude may have compromised the old man. What did Claude do? How? And then I realised my initials were also noted in connection with whoever may have betrayed Roby. My initials … me … Did I somehow betray Roby by telling Claude about the letters I’d translated? I could have: Claude was talkative, he may have let it slip out. Then my urge to run was overtaken by an urge to be sick. I talked when I should’ve been quiet … I may have killed a man …

      Footsteps on the corridor linoleum. Nielsen was coming back. Sweating, I quickly sat down again. If he noticed that my mood had changed dramatically - and as a detective he well might - I would tell him I was feeling unwell.

      “That will be all, Mr Haye. Thank you for your time.”

      Slowly I stood up. “Happy to help.”

      “Very good. But remember: you must not speak of what you do for me in here.”

      “I won’t. Don’t worry.”

      I walked home, feeling sick, angry, remorseful and despondent. I was reeling … I talked … I may have killed a man …