By Any Name Read Online Free PDF

trivial advances she’d made in discovering John’s taste in food and scenery had come from sudden surprise questions, tossed off when he’d been least expecting them.
    ‘I’m in the army?’ John asked.
    ‘Judging by your professional salute, it looks as though you’ve had military training,’ Simmonds replied cautiously. He looked around the small room.
    ‘Five people in here are at least three too many,’
    Dave said. ‘Perhaps we could leave the major and Elizabeth here and go and have a coffee, Lieutenant-Colonel?’
    ‘If it will help discover my identity I’m happy to talk to all of you,’ West offered.
    ‘Is there another, larger room we can use?’
    Simmonds asked.
    ‘The day-room,’ Elizabeth proposed. ‘We encourage the patients to rest after lunch so it’s usually free.’
    ‘I’ll show you where it is.’ Dave opened the door.
    ‘Just to be sure, give us five minutes to clear any stragglers before you bring John along, Elizabeth.’
    ‘Ever get the feeling that you’re about to be discussed behind your back,’ John murmured.
    ‘At least we now have some idea what you do – or did – for a living.’
    ‘Who are those chaps?’
    “Chaps” She made a mental note of the military expression. ‘Major Simmonds is an army psychiatrist.’
    ‘And the lieutenant-colonel?’
    ‘I know his rank, but not his function.’
    ‘Then he’s probably in intelligence. They’re always sticking their noses where they’re not wanted.’
    ‘You appear to know a great deal about the army.’
    ‘What are they going to do?’
    ‘I guess the same things that I have been doing.
    Try to kick start your memory by reference to familiar things. But as the five minutes is up, shall we find out?’
    He tried to quantify his reluctance to leave the room. Possibly it was the result of the lieutenant-colonel’s abrupt manner. But there was no getting away from the fact that he had identified the army
    “civvie” uniform of blazer and grey slacks, not to mention the regimental ties. He had recognized both men as officers the moment they’d walked through the door. Did that mean that he, too, was an army officer?
    The ring-marked coffee table in the centre of a circle of scuffed, vinyl-upholstered, hospital chairs was littered with brochures of military equipment and vehicles.
    ‘And this one?’ Major Simmonds moved on from tanks, Land Rovers and assault vehicles, all of which “John” had correctly identified, to weapons. ‘Enfield L85A1 SA-80.’
    ‘What can you tell us about that gun?’ The lieutenant-colonel questioned smoothly.
    ‘Known as the bullpup SA-80. Assault rifle, calibre 5.56mm, weight 4.89kg, including full magazine and sight. Effective range 300m, rate of fire 650-800 rounds per minute, muzzle velocity 940 metres per second… ’
    Dave scribbled a note on the pad resting on his lap, and slid it towards Elizabeth.
    HE SOUNDS AS THOUGH HE’S SWALLOWED A TEXT BOOK.
    ‘Have you ever fired a bullpup SA-80, John?’ The question came from Simmonds.
    ‘If I have I can’t remember.’
    ‘Are there any problems with it?’
    ‘There were in the early days.’
    ‘Tell us about them.’ The lieutenant-colonel leaned forward in his chair.
    ‘The magazine catch was badly positioned on the prototype models, causing the magazines to fall off when soldiers ran with them slung across their chests but the advantages of this particular weapon have always outweighed the disadvantages, which was why the army stuck with the design.’
    ‘Advantages?’ Heddingham pressed.
    Elizabeth realised that Simmonds and his superior had launched into a well-planned, rehearsed interrogation, and she wondered if Simmonds was the only one with qualifications in psychiatric medicine.
    ‘It’s light. It has low recoil and excellent sights.
    It’s versatile, capable of semi or full automatic fire… ’
    John spoke quietly yet his voice filled the room as everyone present gave him their full attention.