‘Did nobody see her being taken away?’
‘Only Gideon,’ said Andrews. ‘He claims that he was just passing the end of the street but I think he was standing out there and watching the house. He’s so lovesick, he’ll wait for hours for the chance of a word with Maddy. If she comes out of this, she’ll have reason to thank him.’
‘What did he see, Caleb?’
‘A policeman with a dark beard, talking to Maddy on the doorstep then helping her into a cab. The driver cracked his whip and off they went. Gideon had no idea that she was being kidnapped. Luckily, he called in here later on. I sent him off to raise the alarm.’
‘Is there anything I can do?’
‘You’ve done it just by being here, Frank.’
‘I could send Rose over to fetch and carry for you.’
‘No,’ said Andrews, ‘your wife has enough to do as it is.’
‘You only have to ask.’
‘Rose would have to wait in the queue. I’ve got dozens of offers.’
Pike grinned. ‘All these women, banging on the door of your bedroom — you always did have a way with the ladies, Caleb.’
‘Not when my arm was in a sling and my leg in a splint.’
‘They want to mother you.’
Andrews became solemn. ‘I tell you this, Frank,’ he said. ‘If they paraded in here naked and danced in front of me, I’d not even look at them. There’s only one woman on my mind right now.’
‘Maddy.’
‘Why the hell can’t they find her?’
The letter arrived late that morning. Written in capitals on a sheet of exquisite stationery, it was addressed to Inspector Robert Colbeck. The message was blunt.
RELEASE ALL THREE PRISONERS OR MISS ANDREWS WILL SUFFER. WE WILL BE IN TOUCH TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS.
A shiver ran through Colbeck. It gave him no satisfaction to see that his guess had been right. Madeleine Andrews was being used as a bargaining tool. Colbeck’s problem was that the Superintendent was not prepared to strike a bargain or even to pretend to do so. Releasing anyone from custody was like retreating on the battlefield to him. When Colbeck went to his office to show him the letter, Tallis was defiant. He thrust the missive back at the Inspector.
‘Nobody tells me what to do,’ he asserted.
‘Does that mean you are prepared to let Miss Andrews suffer, sir?’
‘Not deliberately.’
‘Ignore their demands and that is what will happen.’
‘It could be bluff on their part,’ said Tallis. ‘If they harm her in any way, they lose the one lever that they have at their disposal.’
‘I prefer to take them at their word, sir.’
‘Yes, Inspector. We know you have a fondness for releasing felons from custody. It was by your connivance that Mulryne walked free.’
‘Brendan Mulryne is no felon,’ retorted Colbeck.
‘He is in my eyes.’
‘He acted with outstanding bravery at the Crystal Palace.’
‘That does not excuse what he did.’
‘Mr Mayne felt that it did, Superintendent. I wonder what his reaction to this demand would be?’ he said, holding up the letter.
Tallis was hostile. ‘Do not go over my head again, Inspector.’
‘Madeleine Andrews’s life may be at stake.’
‘So is your career.’
Colbeck was unperturbed by the threat. Madeleine’s safety meant more to him at that moment than anything else. Baulked by his superior, he would have to find another way to secure her release.
‘Excuse me, sir,’ he said, politely. ‘I must continue the search.’
‘You can tear that letter up for a start.’
Ignoring the command, Colbeck went straight back to his office and he was delighted to see that Victor Leeming had finally returned. The Sergeant had the weary look of someone who had pushed himself to the limit. Before he allowed him to deliver his news, Colbeck told him about the kidnap and showed him the letter. Leeming’s response chimed in with his own. Even if they did not intend to release the prisoners, they should enter the negotiations so that they could purchase some time.
‘One other thing you should know,’ explained Colbeck. ‘Early yesterday morning, a cab driver reported the theft of his vehicle while he was having breakfast. Later the same day, it was returned.’
‘You think that it was involved in the kidnap?’
‘Yes, Victor. No self-respecting cab driver would have agreed to take part in a crime like that. And the fact that the cab was returned is significant. These people will destroy a steam locomotive but they will not harm a horse. But how did you get on?’ said Colbeck, wrinkling his nose. ‘You smell as if you’ve just come from a slaughterhouse.’
‘Several of them, sir. And they all stink like old blue buggery. Do you know how many slaughterhouses there are in London?’
‘I’m only interested in one of them.’
‘Needless to say,’ complained Leeming, ‘it was the last that I visited. However,’ he went on, taking out his notebook and referring to a page, ‘they did remember Vernon Seymour and they had an address. He lived alone in a tenement near Seven Dials. The landlord there told me that Seymour had come into some money last week and moved out. I saw the room where he lodged — it still had a whiff of the slaughterhouse about it.’ He flicked over a page. ‘According to the landlord, Seymour received a visit from a tall, well-dressed man with a beard. Shortly after that, he left the place.’
‘What about his brother?’
‘Harry came there from time to time, apparently. That’s all I can tell you.’ Leeming turned over another page. ‘But I had more success with the regimental records. Mr Tallis gave me a list of possibilities and told me where to find the records. Arthur Jukes, Vernon Seymour and Harry Seymour all served in India in the 10th Queen’s Regiment.’
‘Infantry?’
‘Yes, Inspector. It’s the North Lincoln.’
‘Any officers listed as retiring?’