Fender nodded and left the Warden's office, suppressing the anger he felt. If anything disastrous happened while they wasted time ... And yet, he could see their point of view. It would be a massive operation to clear the whole woodland area, and would undoubtedly send waves of panic, not just through that green belt area, but through all the surrounding districts. London, itself. And if it did prove to be a false alarm ... He pushed the thought of consequences from his mind.
The girl had seen the rats, and she didn't seem the type who would put the fear of God into everyone if she thought there might be some doubt.
He walked the length of the corridor and entered the reception area.
Jenny Hanmer, talking to a tall, bearded man, saw him and gave him a smile. The bearded man turned at Fender's approach.
'Hello, Luke,' Jenny greeted him. This is Vie Whittaker, our Senior Tutor.'
Fender nodded. He judged the tutor to be in his late-thirties, prematurely grey hair streaking his close- cropped, black beard.
Whittaker looked fixedly at the rat catcher
'I'm rather disturbed at what Jenny tells me, Mr. Fender,' he said.
'It's something to be disturbed about,' Fender replied. He turned to the girl. There's going to be a meeting tonight, Jenny, here at the Centre. The powers-that-be want you to attend.'
'But aren't they going to do something right away?' Jenny asked.
They'll decide exactly what to do at the meeting. First we've got to convince them there really is a threat.'
That's ridiculous! Surely...'
'I know, I've just been through all that. I suppose it's sensible to hold an inquiry before they decide on a plan of action. So far, you're the only reliable witness, so it'll be up to you to assure them you're not just over- imaginative. The other evidence we have will help.'
'Do you think they will be convinced?' asked Whittaker.
Fender paused before he spoke. To tell the truth, I just don't know.
My guess is that they'll play for more time. All I want to do now is to get a bite to eat and a beer. Care to join me, Jenny?'
Jenny said, 'Yes, I would,' and Fender caught the sharp look the senior tutor gave her.
'What about the lecture this evening? Aren't you coming to that?'
Whittaker said.
'I don't think I'm really in the mood for 'A Naturalist's Journey to Iran and the Persian Gulf' at the moment, Vie,' she replied. 'After what I saw today, I could use a stiff drink myself.'
'I'll see you later then.' Whittaker turned and strode off down the corridor leading to the classrooms.
Fender ignored the exchange. 'Okay,' he said, smiling at Jenny, 'lead me to a pub.'
They drove past the huge public house close to the Centre and headed south, using the car's lights at full- beam because of the total darkness that had descended on the forest. The road had sudden dips and Fender kept to its centre because of the rough banks on either side, adjusting his headlights and pulling over to the left when the occasional car approached from the opposite direction. He noticed they passed several high, bricked walls which he guessed hid some large properties. In a clearing to his left he saw lights shining.
That's a forest keeper's house,' Jenny told him. There are quite a few scattered throughout the woodland.'
'And what's that coming up on the right?' he asked, pointing to a sign ahead of them.
That's the Suntrap Field Study Centre.'
'Anything to do with your place?'
'Not really. We work together from time to time.'
The moon suddenly appeared from behind rolling clouds and the landscape was bathed in its silvery light. They passed a farm, and then the road swung hard to the right and they found themselves ascending a steep hill, more houses on their right, a riding stable on the left. The public house was on the top of the hill, opposite a group of buildings surrounded by a high wire fence. 'What's that?' Fender asked.
'Oh, that belongs to the police. It's a training camp for cadets. They also have a firing range and a place for training their dogs.'
Fender turned the car into the car park at the rear of the pub and stopped. He shivered in the cold night air as they crossed the tarmac, heading for an entrance to the bars. Looking around, he saw they were quite high above the forest, gentle fields leading down into dense woodland below them. But what he saw in the flattened area immediately next to the pub brought him to a halt.
'What is that, Jenny? What are those buildings?'
Jenny followed his gaze. 'It's a mobile homes estate. You know, like caravans but with no wheels.'
'Do you know how many houses there are?'
There are two estates over there, one of about twenty, the other about thirty or forty. They're separated by a farm. Another one is at the end of Hornbeam Lane, but not many people know about it it's very secluded. I think there are twenty homes on that.'
'Christ,' he said. 'I didn't realize the forest had such a heavy population. It may make us look silly, Jenny, but I just hope-to-God we're wrong about the rats.'
As he spoke, a heavy cloud covered the moon's brightness and he suddenly felt vulnerable to the night. He took Jenny's arm and guided her into the welcoming warmth of the pub.
