had been erected across the road and several police cars were parked against the kerb.
'Sorry, ma'am, but you'll have to go back. No one is allowed through,' a uniformed constable told her.
'But I live here,' said Eva. 'I'm only going as far as Willington Road.'
'That's where the trouble is.'
'What trouble?' asked Eva, her instincts suddenly alert. 'Why have they got that barbed wire across the road?'
A sergeant walked across as Eva opened the door of the car and got out.
'Now then, if you'll kindly turn round and drive back the way you came,' he said.
'Says she lives in Willington Road,' the constable told him. At that moment two SGS men armed with automatic weapons came round the corner and entered Mrs Granberry's garden by way of her flowerbed of prize begonias. If anything was needed to confirm Eva's worst fears this was it.
'Those men have got guns,' she said. 'Oh my God, my children! Where are my children?'
'You'll find everyone from Willington Road in the Memorial Hall. Now what number do you live at?'
'Number 9. I left the quads with Mrs de Frackas and '
'If you'll just come this way, Mrs Wilt,' said the sergeant gently and started to take her arm.
'How did you know my name?' Eva asked, staring at the sergeant with growing horror. 'You called me Mrs Wilt.'
'Now please keep calm. Everything is going to be all right.'
'No, it isn't.' And Eva threw his hand aside and began running down the road before being stopped by four policemen and dragged back to a car.
'Get the medic and a policewoman,' said the sergeant. 'Now you just sit in the back, Mrs Wilt.' Eva was forced into a police car.
'What's happened to the children? Somebody tell me what's happened.'
'The Superintendent will explain. They're quite safe so don't worry.'
'If they're safe why can't I go to them? Where's Henry? I want my Henry.'
But instead of Wilt she got the Superintendent who arrived with two policemen and a doctor.
'Now then, Mrs Wilt,' said the Superintendent, 'I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you. Not that it couldn't be worse. Your children are alive and quite safe, but they're in the hands of several armed men and we're trying to get them out of the house safely.'
Eva stared at him wildly. 'Armed men? What armed men?'
'Some foreigners.'
'You mean they're being held hostage?'
'We can't be too sure just yet. Your husband is with them.'
The doctor intervened. 'I'm just going to give you a sedative, Mrs Wilt,' he began but Eva recoiled in the back seat.
'No you aren't. I'm not taking anything. You can't make me.'
'If you'll just calm down...'
But Eva was adamant, and too strong to be easily given an injection in the confined space. After the doctor had had the hypodermic syringe knocked from his hand for the second time he gave up.
'All right, Mrs Wilt, you needn't take anything,' said the Superintendent. 'If you'll just sit still we'll drive you back to the police station and keep you fully informed of any developments.'
And in spite of Eva's protests that she wanted to stay where she was or even go down to the house she was driven away with an escort of two policewomen.
'Next time you want me to sedate that damned woman I'll get a tranquillizer gun from the Zoo,'
