‘Do you know why your father-in-law was so angry?’
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Grace Lukas/c nodded. ‘You have to understand, this is oplatek time, the time for forgiveness and reconciliation. It means a lot to Zygmunt. We all know it will be his last oplatek, and he needs
to leave everything straight.’
‘ i ‘ I see.
“I don’t think you do,’ said Grace. She wiped her hands on a tissue and crumpled it into a tight ball. ‘In spite of oplatek, I think Zygmunt found he couldn’t forgive. I think he realized it wasn’t in his heart to forgive Andrew and that was what made
o
him so angry. I was frightened what Andrew meant to do when
o J O
he left. He’s in trouble, isn’t he? I just know he’s mixed up with the wrong people.’
Ben Cooper found Peter Lukas/ waiting for his wiic to come out from making her statement. He looked grey and worried, but there was an air of resignation about him, too. He looked as if he knew what Grace would be saying in her statement, and there was nothing he could do about it.
‘Mr Lukasz, could you answer a question for me?’ said Cooper.
‘What is it?’
I wonder if you could tell me when the Dom Kombatanta was built?’
Lukasz’s mouth fell open a little. It wasn’t what he had expected. ‘Well, the original building was put up a few years after the war, when a Polish community first began to develop in Edcndale.’
‘So where did the money come from to build it?’
‘The money?’
‘It must have cost quite a few thousand pounds. Where did it come from?’
‘Donations,’ said Lukasz. ‘Donations from the Polish community. Everybody put in a share, I suppose.’
‘Some more than others, perhaps.’
‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘I’m wondering whether there was a particular benefactor, someone who was able to put a large amount of money in. It could make all the difference.’
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‘You’d have to ask Stcfan Janicki. He’s the treasurer. He might still have the records.’
‘I will.’
‘What does it matter, anyway? There have been lots of Poles who have made a success in business. Why shouldn’t they put monev into something that benefits their community?’
y o V
‘No reason at all, I expect.’
‘My cousin Tadeusz Kulczyck has contributed quite a lot for the recent improvements,’ said Lukasz. ‘He paid for the new stage and the toilet block.’
‘Is he here in Edcndalc?’
‘He doesn’t live locally, but he visits us when he can. Tadeusz is an architect,’ said Lukasz. ‘He designed the Dom Kombatanta in Ottawa.’ ‘As in Ottawa, Canada?’
‘Of course.’
‘Your cousin Tadeusz is Canadian?’
‘And why not? There are plenty of Poles in Canada.’
Cooper thought he was telling the truth. There were probably Polish communities everywhere, with long and indestructible roots, like bindweed. He remembered the old men with their closed faces, still oozing loyalty and determination. Hitler had mocked these people, calling them Sikorski’s Tourists. But Walter Rowland said he preferred to have them on his side. Cooper wondered how he could get the Poles on Au side, too. Gut, of course, Hitler had taught him that lesson already — what they needed was a common enemy.
‘I have one more thing to ask of you,’ said Cooper. ‘This is more in the way of a favour.’
‘Really?’
‘Did your father ever mention a man called Walter Rowland? He was a member of the RAF rescue team who attended the Lancaster crash.’
‘I think 1 know who you mean.’
v
‘As it happens, he lives near to your church.’ ‘Yes? And what’s this favour?’
“I wondered if you would visit him,’ said Cooper. ‘I just … well, I wondered if you would visit him.’
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Lukasx, kept a pu/./.lcd silence. Cooper thought he must have put the request badly. In fact, he hadn’t really explained anything about Walter Rowland at all.
‘He has no family,’ said Cooper. ‘But his history has links to your father’s. Why not think of him as part of your community?’
Finally, Fry held open the door for Mrs Lukasx to leave. She and her husband didn’t look at each other as he fell in behind her and steered her wheelchair down the ramp and out of the police station.
The
