The Power of Five Oblivion Read Online Free PDF Page B

thousand pounds that you don’t need and that you can’t spend. And for that you’re willing to risk the life of every man, woman and child in this place?”
    “Why should we be afraid of the police?” Sir Ian asked. He had been one of those who had voted to send Jamie away.
    “Because if you’re afraid of everyone – and you’re right to be – you should be equally scared of the police.” The Traveller ran a hand across his cheek. It was dark with stubble. He was still shaving, although with blades that he must have used hundreds of times. A lot of the men in the village had given up when they ran out of razors and now had shaggy beards. “When I travelled here seven years ago,” he went on, “I passed through villages upriver, miles away. The buildings were still standing but there was nobody in them … not a soul. I found houses stripped bare and empty fields with nothing growing except weeds. What happened to those people, do you suppose? Maybe one of them decided to get in touch with the police for some reason. Maybe someone found out where they were.”
    He let those last words, ice cold, hang in the air.
    “The police could come here anyway,” Miss Keyland said. “They could find the boy quite by chance. If we were harbouring him, we could all be punished.”
    “Why should the police come here unless we call them?” Mr Flint said. He was obviously taking the part of the Traveller.
    “Even so, if the boy has committed some sort of crime…” Miss Keyland reached out and picked up the photograph. I was surprised that she could even consider turning Jamie in, but at the same time she was a teacher and so I supposed she had a greater respect for the law.
    “I’ve done nothing wrong,” Jamie said, quietly. It had been a while since he had spoken.
    “How can you know that?” Dolan sneered. “I thought you’d lost your memory.”
    “I wouldn’t do anything to hurt anyone. I didn’t come here to hurt you.”
    “Then why are you in the photograph?” Miss Keyland asked. “Why do the police want you?”
    “I don’t know. And they’re not telling you either. All they’re doing is offering you money…”
    “There’s also the question of why the photograph appears to be ten years out of date,” Mrs Flint added.
    “I agree with the Traveller,” I said. “I don’t think you should send him away. What’s wrong with letting him stay?”
    That was most definitely a mistake. Sir Ian turned on me with a withering look. “You are not here to vote, Holly,” he intoned. “You are here because you are accused of breaking village law and helping to conceal a stranger. And we’ve heard enough from you too, Traveller, thank you very much. You will now leave this place and allow the Council to do its work and decide on the matter.”
    I thought the Traveller was going to answer back but he knew better than me and simply bowed his head, turned and left. I noticed he walked with a slight limp. Maybe the cold and the damp of the river had entered his bones. We waited until he had gone, his footsteps echoing on the stone floor. A door at the back of the church creaked open, then boomed shut. Once more we were alone.
    “There is nothing more to be said,” Sir Ian exclaimed. “We were about to have a vote. We have now heard certain representations. Let us make a decision.”
    “I think the Traveller was right,” Mr Flint said. “Why put ourselves in danger? The boy can stay here, even if we have to keep him under lock and key. Let’s leave the police out of this.”
    Not surprisingly, Mrs Flint agreed. The vicar nodded too. “He’s a child. Maybe, if we look after him, his memory will return. Until then…” His voice trailed away.
    Equally unsurprisingly, Dolan and Reade hadn’t altered their position one jot. “Turn him in,” Reade said.
    “Get the reward,” Dolan added.
    “I don’t know,” Miss Keyland said. She was looking very old and tired. Her face was full of concern.
    Before