They sat in the kitchen and talked for nearly half an hour. Then Helen looked at her watch. ‘OK, Sarah, that’s enough for now. It’s nearly midnight, and I must be up at six tomorrow. I’m going to bed. Goodnight.’
Alone in her bedroom, she undressed and got into the big empty bed. She was very tired. She closed her eyes and in three minutes she was asleep.
The phone rang at 12.15 a.m.
Helen groaned and picked it up.
‘Hello … What? … Who? … Do you know what time it is?’
She ran her hand through her hair and turned the light on. ‘What now? I don’t believe it. Are you sure?’
The voice on the telephone explained it carefully. Helen groaned again and sat up. ‘I hope it is serious. If it isn’t, somebody is going to be in big trouble … yes … Al right … Send the car in fifteen minutes, then. And bring me some coffee! Goodbye.’
She put the phone down and got out of bed. Outside the window she could hear a strong wind blowing.
Twenty minutes later she was sitting in the back of her big black car, drinking a cup of coffee and talking to the Chief of Airport Police on the car telephone. It was raining heavily.
