16. A DISQUIETING TITLE

Hitherto the books had been absorbing to the inquisitive mind of Glen Mower. But in a moment that changed when he read the title of the next book.

Life Without Sir Robert Peel by Kai Diamonde. Mower put the book down as if it had suddenly become electrified and his face conveyed commensurate shock. He looked at the author who was viewing other books in the collection with, in all probability, an eye on which one to nick. But now it made sense as to why. For like the inmates of Brabazon Lodge, Kai Diamonde was affected by being hypnotized. In his case he had evidently been De-Peeled. The founder of the police force didn’t exist in his brain, erased from his take on history. Therefore, he had no fear of the police as he had no concept of what they were. It explained his pilfering ways and the time behind bars he had expended.

Glen wondered why Kai wasn’t an inmate at Brabazon Lodge like the others. But it occurred to him that he must be too valuable an asset to the United Nations Security Council to be incarcerated. He was obviously useful to them in their end goal and his total disregard for the police no doubt proved invaluable at times with some of the things they asked him to do. Mower would’ve speculated further but was stopped in his tracks when the object of his pondering returned to his side and furtively produced the book he had looked like stealing.

‘Don’t ever say, Matey, that your historical knowledge has never made it into print,’ he mused, showing his colleague the title.

Life Without Sir Walter Raleigh by Glen Mower.

‘I’ve never written a book about whoever that Ralegay is in my life!’ Glen declared. But as he did so he felt the colour drain from him as if the declaration became devoid of ink.

‘I will let you sit down and digest the implications,’ Kai replied. ‘Now you know why I refer to you as one of us.’

‘But, I have never been put under the spell of the pendulum watch!’

‘Not when you looked deep into the eyes of that blonde you had dinner with after you bumped shopping trolleys at Sainsbury’s, Matey?’

‘Bloody Hell!’

Although Glen had no concept of this Sir Walt guy he realised that the fact he had been voided from his personal slant on history had something to do with his inexplicable desire to throw water over people he seen on fire when others around did nothing and also why he very nearly came to blows with the proprietor of a cafe when he offered to throw cheese and coleslaw over his jacket.