(Edwin is in Germany, gathering information about Philip's death. After talking on the telephone to John in England, he enters the office of Major Harkness.)

MAJOR HARKNESS
Everything okay?

EDWIN ASHTON
Thanks. I, uh, talked to my son-in-law.

HARKNESS
Fine.

EDWIN
I believe you've got the RE's* report...on the explosion.

*[Royal Engineers']

HARKNESS
Ah, well, there's...nothing very much in it. No surprises.

EDWIN
Then it was a German booby trap.

HARKNESS
(avoiding eye contact, as he walks over to his desk)
It was... It was all very much as I expected.

EDWIN
Major! If it was that, why was Jago afraid to tell me?

HARKNESS
Sergeant Jago talked to you, did he?

EDWIN
No. He wouldn't say a word, and he shut up someone else who started to.

HARKNESS
(smiling)
Sensible fellow.

EDWIN
Major, you mustn't treat me like a fool.

HARKNESS
I'm sorry. It's what's called the exigencies of the service.

EDWIN
Why mustn't I know the cause of the explosion?

HARKNESS
(after some hesitation)
Because of that.

(He nods toward a bomb casing fragment on his desk and finally looks at Philip's father.)

EDWIN
(picking up the fragment)
Well, it's a bit of a bomb.

HARKNESS
Ours.

EDWIN
(puzzled)
An RAF bomb...

HARKNESS
Unexploded, until it was disturbed by the children.

EDWIN
(stunned)
A bomb...dropped by our own lads.

HARKNESS
Now, please. Keep it under your hat. I'm going to let the booby-trap story stand. It's better for the civilians.

 

(from "Two Fathers" by Alexander Baron)