Merlin shifted uncomfortably in his chair. The A.C.’s office windows were closed and it was very warm. “May I ask, sir, why you are interrogating me about this matter?”
The A.C. grimaced, momentarily displaying his unwholesome array of speckled brown teeth. “Why am I interrogating you about this matter? Because it is a matter of extreme importance and I would expect you, as my best officer, to have developed some plans in respect of, of, er, this matter!” Insofar as was possible, the A.C. flushed a little more.
Merlin could feel his own temper rising. In addition to the workload that he had carried all year he was also required to involve himself in making plans to counter looting? This was getting ridiculous. When Merlin became angry his skin usually lost colour, in contrast to the A.C. “I have given no specific thought to looting, save to consider it as a possible occurrence when the German bombing campaign commenced and to anticipate it being something requiring rigorous policing if it happened, sir. You may have noticed that I and my team have been rather busy of late. Insofar as specific planning as regards combating looting goes, I was, or rather am, under the impression that coping with this, together with all the other likely consequences of bombing raids, was a matter for the civil defence authorities rather than my humble little unit. Sir.”
The A.C.’s beady little eyes bore into Merlin. He cleared his throat and began to say something then thought better of it. He looked up at the ceiling and when his eyes returned to Merlin the shading on his cheeks had lightened to a rosy pink. “Alright, Frank. Perhaps I was a little unfair. I was just put on the spot today at a meeting at the Home Office. The figures on looting to date were a surprise to everyone and that desiccated calculating machine of a Home Secretary had a go at me in front of a large and powerful audience on this subject, and I suppose I’m taking it out on you in turn. I apologise.”
Merlin realised with amusement that, dreadful as the war was, it was capable of some unexpected beneficial side-effects. For example, he doubted very much that in peacetime the two words “I apologise” would ever have issued forth together from the A.C.’s mouth. As the colour receded from the A.C.’s cheeks, it returned to Merlin’s. “Well, sir. Thank you. But why on earth are you, or rather we in the force, being taken to task on this issue? I would have thought that the civil defence planners would have been thinking about this for ages.”
“Apparently not. A patriotic belief in the goodness of human nature in this country perhaps? A bit of wishful thinking maybe.”
“But you and I know, sir, that the war has already been a godsend to the British criminal classes – and not just to the already established criminals, but to a whole new range of crooks and spivs. Looting was always bound to be a problem.”
“Quite, Frank. In any event, we are now required to do some thinking on how to combat it. But we can’t do it alone. We need to work closely in particular with the AFS and the other civil defence authorities, particularly those responsible for the heavy-rescue men and demolition squads. I think we need to get some sort of coordinating committee going and we have to do it without delay. The bombs are going to be falling around here pretty soon.”
Merlin looked at his watch. It was a quarter past six and he had arranged to meet Sonia at the Lyons Corner House in the Strand at seven. “So what is it you want from me, sir? I’m not really much of a one for sitting on committees, if that’s what you were thinking.”
“No, no, Frank. I can’t afford to have you tied down in this. But I was thinking perhaps someone else in your team? And it wouldn’t be just meetings. There’d be some action, I think.”
“I’ll give some thought to it overnight, sir.”
“Thanks, Frank.”
“If you don’t mind, sir. I have an appointment now and—”
The A.C. waved his hands and offered Merlin another display of teeth. “Yes, yes. Off you go. I hope it’s an appointment involving pleasure, Frank. You deserve it. I shall see you tomorrow.”
*