Edward Marston - The Railway Detective

In the normal course of events, Robert Colbeck had little direct contact with him but, in the wake of the Inspector’s success at the Crystal Palace, Mayne insisted on congratulating him in person. First thing that morning, therefore, Colbeck was summoned to his office along with Superintendent Edward Tallis who, in spite of a tinge of envy, emphasised that the idea of setting a trap at the Great Exhibition had come originally from Colbeck.

‘Well done, Inspector,’ said Mayne, shaking Colbeck’s hand.

‘Thank you, sir.’

‘Both you and your men performed a splendid service.’

‘We could not have done so without the active support of the Superintendent,’ said Colbeck, indicating Tallis. ‘He should have some share of the glory.’

‘Indeed, he should.’

He gave Tallis a nod of gratitude and the latter responded with a half-smile. Turning back to Colbeck, the Commissioner appraised the elegant Inspector.

‘I trust that you did not dress like that last night,’ he said.

‘No, sir,’ replied Colbeck. ‘I would never risk creasing my frock coat or scuffing my trousers in a situation of that kind. More practical clothing was needed. I had a feeling that some violence might occur.’

‘Yet only three of you were on duty.’

‘I reasoned that we would only have to deal with a few men. That is all it would have taken to set up the explosion. Besides, the less of us, the easier it was to conceal ourselves.’

‘I have read your report of the incident,’ said Mayne, ‘and found it admirably thorough, if unduly modest. Why not tell us what really happened, Inspector?’

Clearing his throat, Colbeck gave him a full account of how the arrests were made, praising the work of his two assistants while saying little about his own involvement. The bruising on his face and the bandaging around the knuckles of one hand told a different story. Mayne was enthralled. Irish by extraction, he was a handsome man in his mid-fifties with long wavy hair, all but encircling his face, and searching eyes. As the person in charge of the special police division, raised to take care of security at the Crystal Palace, he had a particular interest in the events of the previous night. Thanks to Colbeck and his men, the reputation of the Metropolitan Police Force had been saved.

‘Had they succeeded,’ observed Mayne, drily, ‘the results would have been quite horrific. You saved the Great Exhibition from utter destruction, Inspector Colbeck. The very least that you may expect is a letter from Prince Albert.’

‘With respect, sir,’ said Colbeck, ‘I would rather His Royal Highness stayed his hand until this investigation is over. All that we have in custody are three members of a much larger gang. Its leader remains at large and, until he is caught, we must stay on the alert.’

‘Have these villains not disclosed his identity?’

‘No, sir. They are very loyal to him.’

‘Army men, all three of them,’ said Tallis, eyebrows twitching in disapproval. ‘It shocked me that anyone who had borne arms for this country should lower himself to such an unpatriotic action as this.’

‘It is disturbing,’ agreed Mayne.

‘The Exhibition has the stamp of royalty upon it. To threaten it in this way is, in my book, tantamount to an act of treason. Left to me, they would be prosecuted accordingly.’

‘The court will decide their fate, Superintendent.’

‘The gravity of this crime must not be underestimated.’

‘It will not be, I can assure you of that.’

‘If you want my opinion —’

‘Another time,’ said Mayne, interrupting him with a raised hand. ‘Would you mind leaving us alone for a few moments, please?’ he asked. ‘I’d value a few words in private with Inspector Colbeck.’

‘Oh, I see,’ said Tallis, discomfited by the request.

‘Thank you, Superintendent.’

Tallis paused at the door. ‘I’ll want to see you in my office later on, Inspector,’ he warned.

‘Yes, sir,’ said Colbeck.

Tallis went out and closed the door behind him. Mayne sat down behind his desk and waved Colbeck to a chair opposite him. Now that the two men were alone, the mood became less formal.

‘The Superintendent is a typical army man,’ observed Mayne, ‘and I say that in no spirit of criticism. Colonel Rowan was another fine example of the breed. He had a wonderful capacity for organisation.’

‘So does the Superintendent, sir,’ said Colbeck, giving credit where it was due. ‘And unlike Colonel Rowan, he does not insist on retaining his army rank. He chooses to be plain Mister instead of Major Tallis.’

Mayne smiled. ‘He will always be Major Tallis to me,’ he said, wryly. ‘But enough of him, Inspector — tell me a little about yourself.’

‘You have my police record in front of you, sir.’

‘I am more interested in your life before you joined us. Like me, I believe, you trained as a lawyer. Were you called to the bar?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Why did you not pursue that career? I should imagine that you cut quite a figure in a courtroom.’

‘Personal circumstances had a bearing on my decision to turn my talents elsewhere,’ explained Colbeck, not wishing to provide any details. ‘In any case, I found the life of a barrister far less fulfilling than I imagined it would be.’

‘I had the same experience, Inspector. Unless one is successful, it can be an impecunious profession.’

‘Money was not that issue in my case, sir. I was disillusioned because I was always dealing with crime after the event, and it seemed to me that, with sensible policing, so much of it could have been prevented from happening in the first place.’

‘Prevention is ever our watchword.’

‘It’s the main reason that I joined the Metropolitan Police Force.’

‘You were far more educated than our average recruit.’

‘Educated in criminal law, perhaps,’ said Colbeck, ‘but I had a lot to learn about the criminal mind. One can only do that by pitting oneself against it on a daily basis.’

‘Judging by your record, you were an apt pupil.’

‘I was fortunate enough to secure an early promotion.’

‘It is we who are fortunate to have you,’ said Mayne, glancing down at the open file on his desk. ‘Though your service record has not been without its minor setbacks.’

‘I prefer to see them as my idiosyncrasies, sir.’

‘That’s not what Superintendent Tallis calls them. He has had to reprimand you more than once. This time, of course,’ he went on, closing the file, ‘he will have nothing but praise for you.’

‘I am not sure about that.’

‘You are the hero of the hour, Inspector Colbeck.’

‘There were three of us involved in that surveillance, sir.’

‘I am well aware of that.’

‘What you may not be aware of is the means by which Brendan Mulryne came to be on the scene. Sergeant Leeming had a perfect right to be there,’ said Colbeck, ‘but there is a slight problem where Mulryne is concerned. To that end, I wonder if I might ask you a favour?’

‘Please do,’ said Mayne, expansively. ‘After your achievements last night, you are in a position to ask anything.’

‘Thank you, sir. The truth is that I need your help.’

After making discreet inquiries, Thomas Sholto repaired immediately to Sir Humphrey Gilzean’s house. He steeled himself to break the bad news. Ashen with cold fury, Gilzean had already anticipated it.

‘They failed,’ he said.

‘Yes, Humphrey.’

‘They let me down again.’

‘Not for want of trying.’

‘With all that gunpowder, they could not even contrive a small explosion. I lay awake in bed, listening — and nothing happened.’