Blitz by Claire Rayner

could pick up. It wasn’t easy after all those years in the state pen in Maryland! I may not have a prison record here, but word gets around, you know? So I had to do the best for myself I could – ’
    ‘Get to the point, I haven’t all day.’ And she looked at her watch pointedly and was startled to see how late it was: almost five. She’d have to go soon, have to get over to the canteen. ‘Hurry up,’ she added harshly. ‘I have to leave.’
    ‘It’s all very simple. I’ve got a consignment of dried fruit coming in from America. I managed to get space on a merchantman on its way to Oslo – never mind how, but I can tell you it’s flying a Swedish flag and it cost me plenty to get my stuff on it – and I have to store it somewhere safe. Another of these bloody raids and my money could go up in smoke, my whole investment. And it’s a big one. All I want is to store it here in Mum’s – in your cellars so I can sell it later on – ’
    ‘Why not sell it now? There’s a market I imagine. You could get it out to shops fast and then you wouldn’t need storage.’
    ‘There’s too much for that. Anyway, I can’t get enough petrol just now to deal with distribution. And to be honest I’d like to hold on a bit. The price could get better.’
    Her lips curled at that. ‘Hoarding food, Bernie? Where
do
you get your nice little ideas from, I wonder.’
    He grinned unrepentantly. ‘So I want to get the best return on my investment I can! Is that such a crime? Listen, Poppy, it’s no big deal! Let me rent the cellars a few weeks – it’s all I want. I can let you have some of the stuff for your own use – ’
    ‘I don’t want anything from you!’ she said with blistering scorn.
    ‘But your canteen? Yes, I know about it. Mum told me. A few pounds of raisins’d come handy surely? I can even get you some eggs and a bit of sugar and butter. Then you can make all the poor little wardens and firefighters nice puddings – ’
    She opened her mouth to refuse and then stopped, too disgusted to say all she would have wanted to.
    ‘Forget it,’ she said. ‘I want nothing black-market. I haven’t needed it to break the law yet, and I’m damned if I’m going to now, just for you.’
    ‘There’s nothing illegal about dried fruit, Poppy!’ Jessie said.‘Is there? This I thought you could take and be glad of it. He said he won’t charge you – I mean, it’s hard to get these days! Sugar and butter I grant you, they’re rationed and I wouldn’t touch ’em either – but a bissel dried fruit and some eggs? Where’d the crime be there? It’s good business, dolly! – I want some for the kitchens, I can tell you. Make a deal already, Poppy – let’s make an arrangement and then we’ll all be happy – ’
    It started slowly and far away as it usually did and all of them lifted their heads and then as it got louder and the sickeningly familiar swooning wail came closer Poppy said, ‘Oh, to hell with it. Do as you like, Jessie, I have to go – I promised to be back at the canteen by five and it’s nearly that now.’
    And she turned and made for the door, grabbing her coat from the back of it and slinging it on as she went.
    ‘Poppy!’ Jessie shrieked and got awkwardly to her feet. ‘A raid’s started – don’t go out there – are you crazy? Come down to the cellar with me, Poppy!’
    But she’d gone, leaving the door swinging behind her, and Jessie sat down again, her face a mask of fear and misery. And Bernie looked after her and smiled.
    ‘Well, that’s that then!’ he said with great satisfaction. ‘I’ll start shifting the stuff in first thing in the morning.’
    ‘If it doesn’t get bombed tonight,’ Jessie said. ‘Like my Poppy!’ and began to cry again.
    ‘Oh, it won’t,’ he said and stretched widely. ‘On account it’s not coming off a ship but from Birmingham. Got to tell Poppy the best sort of story, eh? Not to worry, Mum – just leave it all to me. And right now,