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like Major Fordham. He seemed fit and strong. He was in civilian clothes but there was something about the way his eyes roved quickly around the assembled men that suggested invested authority
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    As they entered, the red-haired man stood back to let the woman through first, and as she went by he touched her lightly on her back
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    Most men would have missed that, would not have seen the feeling in the redhead’s body, but he saw it. So that was the story, was it? He coveted her. Was the feeling returned? It wasn’t possible to tell at this point, but he registered the impression. You never knew when such knowledge would come in handy
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    The doctor called for silence, and the commandant made his announcement. The woman translated fluently. She spoke excellent German with a Swiss accent
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    What the major said was very disturbing
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    A Land Army girl had been found dead. He knew who she was. A tasty bit he’d often fantasized about. She had been shot with a German Luger
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    For a moment he doubted himself, but he knew nobody could have stolen the gun he had hidden so carefully. It had still been there this morning. He checked daily
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    The redhead was a policeman, as he’d suspected, and his speech was brief and to the point. “Please do not think you are betraying a comrade if you report to me any suspicion, however slight. I will assess any information. This is a vicious murder we are dealing with.”
    He’d got through to them, although the likelihood of any of this bunch telling on one of their fellows was slim. They had learned to be leery of any police authority. “See everything, say nothing.” They were, after all, enemy aliens
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    Dr. Beck raised his finger for attention. His English was impeccable. “I am sure I speak for all of my fellow internees when I say that I am deeply shocked to hear what Inspector Tyler has said. Miss Bates was a kind and generous young woman in the prime of her life. We will miss her. We will, of course, do everything we can to help you facilitate his investigation. However, I do want to point out that we here in this camp are at a disadvantage. Most of us are irrefutably German and it is possible one of us may be familiar with weaponry, as you say, particularly German weaponry, but we are here behind barbed wire and we are guarded. We hope there will not be what perhaps might be referred to as scapegoating if the real perpetrator of this crime is not found soon.”
    There were murmurs of agreement from those of the men who understood, and they translated for the others around them, not waiting for the Englishwoman to do it
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    “Our relationship with the local people of Shropshire has improved over the summer,” continued Dr. Beck. “Some of them even come to our entertainments. I would hate to see that friendly climate spoiled by the irresponsible spreading of rumour regarding this particular gun.”
    One of the internees, their captive poet and self-proclaimed genius, waved his clenched fist to emphasize his support
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    “I agree with Dr. Beck,” he yelled
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    The commandant asked the section captains to start organizing the men for the search. All belongings were to be placed outside the tents in orderly rows. With everybody’s co-operation the whole thing wouldn’t take long and they could soon resume their regular activities
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    He had to reassure himself of the security of the hiding place he’d created for his own gun. But he knew the search would be perfunctory. Nobody wanted to act like a Nazi toward their own countrymen
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    The trio was leaving now. The redhead went through the gate and the woman was close as she passed. He was right. The policeman did desire her, and perhaps the feeling was returned; he couldn’t quite tell. They were not strangers to each other, he was certain of that
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    The internees started to move away, talking excitedly and nervously among each other. With this incident and the policeman, a door had opened. Suspicions could be discreetly voiced. He’d