There was nothing for it but finding out if there’d been a mistake in Sophie’s research. So the three of them walked towards it, past silent accommodations that lined both sides of the green. They were cottage-like and they displayed a variety of belongings in the areas in front of them: everything from a tricycle missing one of its three wheels, to an old croquet set, to a barbecue lacking its grille. The accommodations themselves were in various states of good repair and disrepair, the former a general sign of private ownership and the latter indicating council digs that were going too long ignored by the council.
There were lights on inside the chapel. That was hopeful, as far as Tani was concerned. But when they tried the door, it was locked, and knocking upon it brought forth no one.
“This i’n’t good.” Tani dropped his arm round Simi’s shoulders. She looked up at him, her dark eyes scared. “I thought you said it was always open,” this to Sophie who was trying to peer into one of two side windows.
“It’s s’posed to be open till nine o’clock,” she told him. “P’rhaps there’s another door?”
Simi pointed to a sign that was fixed to the other window. It was hand-lettered and looked as if it had been done in a rush. Closed for Now were the words on it, accompanied by In Emergency Ring and a number. Sophie rang, but there was no answer, just an automated voice telling her to leave a message, which she did. Then she descended the steps, signalling Tani and Simi to follow.
They found another door, this one leading to what seemed to be a basement. It bore a brass plate that said Office, but this door was locked as well. No sign of life came through its wooden panels.
“Damn,” Sophie muttered. “Okay. New plan. We go to my house. Your parents still don’t know about me, right?”
Simi looked at her, then at Tani. “Is she your girlfriend?” she asked her brother. “Is she why you said you wouldn’t marry that Nigerian girl, Tani?”
Sophie swung round to look at him. “My dad’s idea,” he told her quickly. “I said I wouldn’t do it soon ’s he told me it was arranged. I di’n’t tell you cos what was the point? If I marry anyone, it’s not going to be some woman I never seen, Soph. An’ jus’ now? I’m not marrying anyone.”
They went again to the front of the building. Three girls were at the foot of the steps, about to mount them. Tani told them the place was deserted, and as he was speaking an ancient white bloke came out of one of the cottages. He had scarecrow hair and whatever the scarecrow was meant to protect appeared to be growing from his eyebrows, his ears, and especially his nostrils. In the blazing heat, he was wearing a cardigan, a brushed cotton shirt, and a bow tie.
“You lot,” he called to them. “There’s no loit’ring round here. So skedaddle.” As they approached, he went on. “Tol’ her from the first, I did. There can’t be loit’ring is what I said. She promised and look where we are, eh? An’ she said no boys so what’re you doing here?”
Tani didn’t have to answer because one of the three newcomer girls said, “We got a meeting, we do.”
Old gent replied, “Not happenin’ today and could be not happenin’ never. Cops were here. Got herself arrested is what she did. So, you lot? Like I said? Skedaddle. Off with you now.”
“But we got a meeting,” protested another of the girls. “Supposably there’s someone always here. There’s meant to be someone. Like all the time, there’s meant to be someone.”
“Well, I can’t help that, can I? And let me tell you, I’m not spending any more of my day telling girls like you lot to run off. I’m missing my telly, I am. I been sitting at the window since the coppers took her. No handcuffs, mind. But when they left, th’ place got locked up.”
“By who?” Sophie asked.
“By me is by who. I got a key, don’t I.”
“So you could let us in.”
“Could do,” he agreed. “And have no mind to do. Don’ know you, do I. Don’ know a single any of you lot. I barely know her. Zawadi she’s called. Bloody kind of name is that? Made up name, I wager: bunch ’f sounds put together. Now you get yourselfs out of here cause as long as this place’s closed up, there’s no space here for any of you.”
“You know what this place is, though,” Sophie said. “Orchid House. You know about the work it does, don’t you? You know how it helps little girls. Like this one. Like Simisola here. So you could help if you wanted to.”