Arthur Upfield: Battling Prophet

“It was that reaction to Luton’s suspicions, rather than Luton’s grounds for suspicion, which decided me to probe a little before deciding to investigate, and I hadn’t probed very deeply when I did decide to investigate.

“It may be redundant to point out, sir, that I am a police officer sworn to uphold the law, to prevent a crime whenever possible, wherever possible. That I was not in my own State did not absolve me from my sworn duty. I point out, too, that I was at the time on leave of absence, and that I was breaking no regulation governing my employment.”

Bony looked intently into the eyes of every man seated in the row, trying to determine the interest each individual had in these proceedings. Speaking clearly, deliberately, he continued:

“I enjoy an earned reputation for not relinquishing an investigation once begun, until convinced whether or not a crime has been committed. Thus, despite hindrance, I reached the murderer of Benjamin Wickham.

“I will now present in detail the forces which attempted to hinder me, and which, if triumphant, would have blindfolded Justice and must have permitted a murderer to evade the consequences of his crime.

“What are these forces? One is the Security Service: its agents in every town, in trades unions and commercial offices. We know that Security Service has no police powers, and that its function is to report only to the Prime Minister of the day. Outside, no one knows its members and agents. Another force is the Commonwealth Investigation Service, which has power to arrest and arraign for trial. Information from the first supplied to the Prime Minister is passed to the second for action when considered necessary. This we all know.

“In theory, sir, an excellent brake on subversive activities. In practice, a waste of public money, because there are no legal bars to subversive activities unless the country is at war. And the main result of the activities of these services is that, while unable to control subversion for which they were established, they have proved, in this particular case, a hindrance to the elucidation of crime, prosecuted by an officer of a law enforcement organisation.

“As I shall show. The world knows how Wickham fought for recognition, how he was constantly rebuffed. What is not yet known is that the Commonwealth Government ultimately realised the value of Wickham’s meteorological knowledge to the entire world, and particularly to any one country ambitious for world conquest. The Government approached Wickham only after it had learned that several other countries had been and were in contact with him. The disillusioned Wickham wouldn’t again treat with his own Government, who then became panicky and set their forces to work to induce him to negotiate, and, failing this, to prevent his recorded knowledge being passed to a foreign country.

“The preliminary contact with Wickham was made through the local Security agent in Cowdry, the manager of the Commonwealth Bank. When I tested him, he fell into my trap and communicated with his superiors, who actually had the temerity to attempt to have me withdrawn from the area by cajoling you, sir, to order me to report…”

“I don’t think, Inspector Bonaparte, I like that verb ‘to cajole’,” interrupted Colonel Spendor.

“Pardon, sir. The verb is ‘to request’-by requesting you, sir, to order me to report without delay. Had they contacted me and, with reasonable courtesy, explained that they were trying to prevent a foreign power from obtaining knowledge of priceless value to Australia, and that I happened to be stamping on their feet, I would have withdrawn at once, with the intention, of course, of returning and continuing my investigation after they had achieved their objective.”

Bony related in sequence the events which led finally to the arrival of Superintendent Boase and theC.I. S. at Mr. Luton’s cottage. He told of the attack on Mr. Luton, the threatened waylaying of Wickham’s secretary, why he had burned the car, and how later he had learned that one of these men, named Marsh, was a member of S.S. from Melbourne. He told of the ‘hawker’ sent to spy out the land before another assault on the cottage was made by the foreign agents, his capture, and the ultimate use of Knocker Harris as a Trojan horse.

“These events have additional significance,” he went on. “All occurred after I had gone to Adelaide to test a rumour that I had been ordered to report back to my headquarters. Security did not know I was under cover when these events occurred, and yet no effort was made while they were keeping Mr. Luton’s cottage, as well as Mount Mario, under observation, to protect an old man living alone, an old man certain to become the centre of a foreign interest who reasoned as they themselves did.

“What is clear, sir, is that the foreign agents were always ten jumps ahead of the Commonwealth Services, and that I was five jumps ahead of the foreign agents.

“I have placed in safety the will of the late Benjamin Wickham and the book in which he recorded his ultimate calculations. Under the terms of the will, the weather calculations are bequeathed to Dr. Carl Linke, the late Mr. Wickham’s assistant. Like many brilliant scientists who have come to this country as displaced persons, Linke has been treated by the authorities in a manner which, in a future age, will cause guffaws of laughter. I intend to see that Dr. Linke receives his inheritance from his friend and co-worker in the field of meteorology, and, if the Commonwealth Government is still interested, I might suggest that Dr. Linke be approached with some degree of deference.

“And, finally, sir, there are two matters of a more personal nature. I have prepared a full report of this investigation to submit to a national journal for publication. I now hand to you my resignation that, following its acceptance, I can release my report to the press.”

Bony sat down and crossed his knees, careful not to spoil the immaculate creases. In the room there was not a sound until a chair scraped the floor and a man stood to ask:

“May I speak, sir?”

“Well, what is it?” growled the Chief Commissioner, and from the tone Bony was sure the questioner must be a Security man.

“I would suggest, sir, that Inspector Bonaparte’s resignation be not immediately accepted.”

The Chief Secretary pencilled a hurried note to the C.C., who, turning disdainfully from the person standing, read:

“I’ll pay.”

Always a Trump Card

INhis own office, Colonel Spendor raisedhimself and the chair and crashed it enthusiastically, for he was delighted by the trend of the enquiry, which would undoubtedly reach far beyond his Police Department.

The Chief Secretary had departed to confer with the Premier, and Lowther was dictating his notes to a typist. With the Chief Commissionerwere Superintendent Linton, Bonaparte’s superior, and Superintendent Boase.

“It would seem, sir,” said Linton, heavy and red, “that Bonaparte has the game sewn up. The point about lack of proof that he received the telegram could be made the subject of an amendment to the Regulations, don’t you think?”

“I’ll store that for further consideration, Linton,” the Colonel evaded.“First things first. The Chief Secretary will present to the Premier an undeniable handle to turn in the innards of more than one Commonwealth Cabinet Minister. For, mark you, the Commonwealth Government won’t face Bonaparte’s threat of publicity. The S.S. and theC.I. S. will be so shaken up that they won’t recognise each other next week. They’ve had it coming to them, and by gad! it’ll take ’emnow by the throat.”

“You approve of Bonaparte’s tactics, sir?” pressed Linton.