فصل سوم

Chapter 3

‘Here we are, madam.’ The big black car stopped and a police officer opened the black door.

‘Thank you.’ Helen Sandberg smiled at him as she got out. Another police officer opened the front door of her house.

Inside the house it was quiet. Her daughter was reading. She put the book down.

‘Hello, Mummy. You’re late. You said you’d be home by ten o’clock. I wanted to talk to you about my homework, remember?’

Helen sat down. ‘I’m sorry, Sarah. I did remember, really. But I had very busy day. Anyway, I’m home now. What’s the problem?’ ‘it’s this book,’ said Sarah. ‘I have to write about it at school on Friday, and I don’t understand it.’

‘All right,’ said Helen. ‘Bring the book into the kitchen and I’ll look at while you make me a cup of coffee.’

They sat in the kitchen and talked for nearly half an hour. Then Helen looked at her watch. ‘OK, Sarah, that’s enough for now.

It’s nearly midnight, and I must be up at six tomorrow. I’m going to bed. Goodnight.’ Alone in her bedroom, she undressed and got into the big empty bed. She was very tired, she closed her eyes and three minutes she was asleep.

The phone rang at 12/15 a m

Helen groaned, and picked it up.

‘Hello… What?… Who?… Do you know what time is it?’

She ran her hand through her hair and turned the light on. ‘What, now? I don’t believe it. Are you sure?’

The voice on the telephone explained carefully. Helen groaned again, and sat up. ‘I hope it is serious. If it isn’t, somebody is going to be in big trouble… yes… All right… Send the car in fifteen minutes, then.

And bring me some coffee! Goodbye.’ She put the phone down and got out of bed. Outside the tomorrow she could hear a strong wind blowing.

Twenty minutes later she was sitting in the back of her big black car, drinking a cup of coffee and talking to the Chief of Airport Police on the car telephone. It was raining heavily.