Strangers in Time

& Lost

Molly led Charlie to the ward where Lonzo lay on his bed.

Charlie took off his pillbox hat and sat down in a wooden chair next to his friend. He hadn’t seen Lonzo in quite a while, and his old mate looked near death.

“Lonzo, it’s me, Charlie.”

Lonzo didn’t react to him at all.

Charlie looked over at Molly and Oliver, who were standing by the doorway to the ward.

He turned back to Lonzo and pulled something from his pocket. It was the journal. He had taken to carrying it with him. He would write in it when he stopped to eat his lunch.

Charlie opened it. “‘Sorry, Eddie,’” he said, holding the book up so Lonzo could see it. “You wrote that, Lonzo, to Eddie, your best mate.”

Lonzo’s right eye twitched and then his left one seemed to shiver a bit in its socket as the pupil focused on the book.

“E-Eddie?” he said in a frail voice.

“That’s right, Lonzo. Eddie, our friend.”

“He’s d-dead.”

Charlie lowered the book. “Yeah, he is.” He looked Lonzo over. “Who did this to you? Who beat you up?”

“C-coppers done it.”

“Coppers?”

Charlie looked over at Oliver, who had clearly heard this.

Lonzo said, “That... that Will-bee bloke. He and that constable wh-what-is done it. Hit me in the head. P-put me in de cl-clink, then they th-throwed me in the s-street.”

“DI Willoughby,” Oliver grimly said to Molly. “Excuse me.” He stepped away.

Charlie gripped Lonzo’s hand. “They had no call to do that. We never wanted nothin’ to happen to Eddie or that copper. And I bet it ain’t no hangin’ job, either. He was lyin’.”

“I’m s-sorry, Charlie. I t-tol’ him ’bout you.”

“It’s okay, Lonzo. You rest easy now. I’ll be right here, mate.”

Lonzo closed his eyes and his breathing actually seemed a bit steadier.

Charlie looked over at Molly. “We never meant no harm, Molly. We just run ’cause we was scared.”

“I know, Charlie, I know. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

An hour later Molly was astonished to see Major Bryant march into the ward together with another uniformed man. Also with them was Oliver, who was whispering something to Bryant; the man was nodding in agreement.

Bryant spoke quietly with Charlie and Lonzo for a bit. Then, with Charlie’s help, Lonzo signed a piece of paper that Bryant presented to him.

“That’s a good lad,” said Bryant.

He rejoined Oliver and Molly. “After you rang, Ignatius, I checked, and this chap Willoughby has had numerous complaints against him, bad egg all around. He even beat up one of our boys after a public drunkenness charge landed him in a cell. I’ve had Lonzo sign a paper making out a formal charge. He said that a constable also hit him. That bobby will turn on Willoughby quick enough when we put the screws to him. I won’t stand for this. Lonzo was trying to join the army when they grabbed him, he said, even though the lad was not of age. Lonzo also told me what happened at the shop, and he said he forced Charlie to go along. Willoughby tried to make it out to be a hanging job, which of course it wasn’t. I think I can safely guarantee that neither Charlie nor Lonzo will have difficulties over this, unless you want to press charges for Lonzo trying to break into your shop, Ignatius, seeing as how he’s now confessed to it.”

“I have no wish to press charges,” said Oliver quietly.

“Thought as much.”

He and the other soldier left. When Molly and Oliver looked over at Charlie, tears were trickling down his face.

“Charlie!” exclaimed Molly, rushing over and then stopping abruptly.

Charlie was looking at Lonzo, whose eyes were open and unseeing.

“He’s gone,” said Charlie miserably. “Lonzo’s gone.”