Edward Marston - Five Dead Canaries

‘I’m so glad that Alice didn’t see Joe like that,’ she said, anxiously. ‘It would really have upset her.’

‘She’s a policewoman. Alice knows that we have a spot of bother from time to time.’

‘It’s more than a spot of bother, Harvey. That man could have beaten your brains out.’

‘I’ve got a thick skull and so has Joe. Besides, we both had hats on.’

‘They didn’t stop you from being knocked out.’

‘Don’t remind me,’ he said, one hand to his head. ‘The pain only eases when I can forget about it. Just be thankful I’m safe and sound. It’s all over now.’

Ellen was distraught. ‘He had a gun — you could have been killed.’

‘But I wasn’t, love. What does that tell you?’

‘It tells me that you take too many chances.’

‘We couldn’t let him get away.’

‘Has the superintendent given you time off to recover?’

Marmion laughed. ‘Claude Chatfield wouldn’t give us time off if we’d been run over by a train. He’ll expect us back to work tomorrow on the dot.’

‘That’s cruel.’

‘It’s the way the Metropolitan Police works, Ellen, and you know it.’ He kissed her on the cheek. ‘Isn’t there something you’ve forgotten?’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘A word of congratulation wouldn’t go amiss.’

‘I just feel terribly sorry for the pair of you.’

‘We’ve caught a dangerous criminal,’ he told her. ‘He was sent to this country to cause havoc by setting off bombs. Joe and I will get a big round of applause in the press for this — and there’ll be cheering in Frongoch as well.’

‘Is that the place you went to in Wales?’

‘Yes, love. The governor is going to be very pleased with us.’

‘Then I should congratulate you as well,’ she said. ‘Well done, Harvey.’

‘The real hero is Joe. He actually arrested Niall Quinn.’ Marmion winked at her. ‘Would you like to know why?’

‘Yes, I would.’

‘When he held a gun on me, Quinn took my wallet. Joe saw him do it. I bet that’s what incensed him. Joe must have known there was a lovely photo of Alice inside it,’ said Marmion. ‘Nobody was going to get away with that.’

Unconfirmed reports of sightings of Herbert Wylie had come in regularly. Claude Chatfield had collated them and dismissed those that were clearly of no use to him. Some were deliberately misleading, sent in by people who patently derived a thrill from causing mischief. He was still sifting through the latest batch when Harvey Marmion appeared in the open doorway. Chatfield glanced at him. For a man sometimes on the verge of looking scruffy, the inspector was noticeably smart for once. He saw the question in the superintendent’s eyes.

‘It’s my best suit, sir,’ he explained. ‘The one I had on yesterday got rather dirty. My wife refused to let me go out in it.’

‘That’s very commendable of her,’ said Chatfield, ‘but I wasn’t expecting you for another hour.’

Marmion held up some sheets of paper. ‘I had a report to write. You’ll want to know all the details of yesterday’s adventures.’ He handed the pages over. ‘It’s not fully accurate. I missed the actual arrest. Sergeant Keedy will tell you about that.’

‘How are you now?’

‘I’m feeling much better, sir.’

‘No permanent damage, I hope?’

‘When the stitches are taken out, I’ll be as right as rain.’

‘The commissioner is going to be singing your praises.’

‘I’m always glad to get plaudits from Sir Edward.’

‘Well, don’t rest on your laurels,’ said Chatfield, becoming businesslike. ‘There’s still a murder investigation to be resolved. Don’t expect an ovation from me until it’s all over and done with.’

‘Is there any more news about Wylie?’

‘There’s far too much. The British public seems to have invented a new game. The object is to befuddle us by making false claims.’

‘That’s an indictable offence,’ said Marmion, ‘as our friend in Rochester found out. Did you ever discover his real name?’

‘Forget him. The real Herbert Wylie is still at large. If I hear anything reliable, I’ll phone the information through to you. Make sure that you check your calls at regular intervals.’

‘I will, sir.’

‘Where will you begin today?’

‘At the place where we left off yesterday,’ said Marmion, ‘and that’s the Quinn house. They’ll want to know what happened to Niall and whether or not they’ll be prosecuted. You’ll see from my report that I recommend leniency. They didn’t invite him there and he had no intention of going into the house when he returned there. All he was after was the gun he’d hidden.’

‘Nevertheless, he was on the premises when you called there.’

‘That was a coincidence.’

‘They gave sanctuary to a man on the run.’

‘That’s not quite what happened, Superintendent.’

Chatfield sniffed. ‘I’ll make my own judgement about that when I’ve read your report.’

‘Fair enough,’ said Marmion. ‘You’ll notice that I’ve given our chauffeur a special mention. While I was still seeing stars, he was assisting in the arrest of an armed man. He and the sergeant should be singled out for their bravery.’

‘And so should you,’ said the other, grudgingly. ‘Has the sergeant arrived yet?’

‘Yes, sir, he was here before me. Sergeant Keedy is very resilient.’

‘That’s something we must all strive to be. Is he waiting in your office?’

‘No,’ replied Marmion, ‘I believe he had someone to see.’

Alice Marmion was shocked to learn of the injuries to her father and to Joe Keedy. When the sergeant met her outside Scotland Yard, he explained how the bruising on his face had got there and how he and the inspector had finished up in hospital. She scolded him for not sending for her but he told her that he didn’t want to disturb her at that time of night and that her mother had been able to supply enough succour for both of them. Alice insisted on seeing the head wound and there was a sharp intake of breath when she saw the stitches.

‘They won’t stay in for long,’ said Keedy, replacing his hat.

‘You shouldn’t have tackled an armed man, Joe.’

‘What were we supposed to do — buy him a train ticket and wave him off?’

‘I’m serious. You might have got hurt.’

He indicated his head. ‘I was hurt, Alice. But my pride would have suffered far more if we’d let him escape. I’ve been cursing Chat for sending us all the way to Merionethshire but it seems worthwhile now. We caught the man who escaped from there even though it wasn’t really our job.’

‘How’s my father?’

‘You can ask him yourself. He’ll be out in a moment.’

‘Over the years, he’s had so many injuries on duty.’

‘They haven’t deterred him, Alice — or me, for that matter.’

She hugged him impulsively and he pulled her close. They were still entwined when Inspector Gale marched up. She cleared her throat to indicate displeasure and the two of them stood apart.

‘I warned you when you first joined,’ she said, oozing disapproval. ‘I don’t allow fraternisation with male officers. It’s unprofessional behaviour.’

‘Sergeant Keedy and I are engaged,’ Alice reminded her.

‘Not when you’re on duty. Domestic matters are irrelevant then.’

‘That’s a matter of opinion, Inspector.’

Gale’s eyes blazed. ‘Do you dare to criticise me?’

‘Of course not,’ said Keedy, acting as a conciliator. ‘Alice understands that the job takes precedence. It’s a lesson she’s learnt from her father.’