After the warning he’d given her, Madeleine Andrews had expected that her father might not return home until well into the evening. She was therefore amazed when he came back in little over an hour from the time when he’d left the house. There was a secondary surprise for her. The first time he’d taken tea with Binnie Langton, he’d come back in a state of euphoria. Andrews was more guarded this time. There was no smile hovering and no nostalgic glint. Madeleine was intrigued.
‘Did you have a nice time?’ she asked, helping him off with his coat.
‘Yes.’
‘And did Mrs Langton make you a cake?’
‘She made all manner of things.’
‘Why are you back here so early?’
Handing her his cap, he slumped into a chair. ‘I’d had enough, Maddy.’
‘I thought you’d spend hours with Mrs Langton.’
‘So did I,’ he said, wistfully, ‘and I would have done so if Binnie and I had been alone. But her sister was there — Mrs Young — and that changed everything.’
She hung coat and cap on a peg. ‘I don’t understand, Father.’
‘Ivy Young came to look me over and to see if I was sound in mind and limb. I tell you, Maddy, I felt as if I was an old bull in a market, being poked and prodded by a farmer who wasn’t sure if I was worth spending money on. It was dreadful. Mrs Young did everything but ask me my weight.’
‘Why didn’t Mrs Langton stop her?’
‘You can’t stop a woman like Ivy Young. When she gets up a head of steam, she has as much traction power as one of the locomotives I used to drive. I wasn’t questioned — I was interrogated.’
‘Oh dear!’ said Madeleine, sitting down opposite him. ‘That must have been very unpleasant for you.’
‘The really unpleasant thing is that she was obviously there because Binnie had invited her. She wanted her sister to check me over. I suppose it’s a good sign in some ways,’ he went on. ‘It shows that her interest in me is serious. But it was really uncomfortable at the time.’
‘Was Mrs Young anything like her sister?’
‘No, she was much slimmer and — if I’m honest — a bit more intelligent than Binnie. She lost her own husband years ago and was very supportive to Binnie when she was in the same position. Ivy Young is an attractive woman,’ he said, ‘and she dresses very well. I’m surprised that she hasn’t married again. She must have many admirers. On the other hand, they would have been frightened away if she’d treated them the way that she treated me this afternoon.’
Madeleine was at once sympathetic and relieved. Though she was sorry that her father had not enjoyed the event as much as he’d hoped, she was secretly glad that his whirlwind romance had slowed to a more reasonable speed. It would give him time to appraise the situation in a more objective frame of mind. While he might still have strong feelings about Binnie Langton, they might be tempered by the fact that marriage to her would encumber him with an over-inquisitive sister-in-law.
‘How do things stand with you and Mrs Langton?’ she asked, tentatively.
‘That’s the trouble, Maddy — I don’t really know.’
‘But you still like her, I assume.’
‘Yes, I like her very much but I just had to get out of there.’
‘What do you think her sister will say about you?’
‘I’ve no idea. I hope that she doesn’t advise Binnie to have nothing more to do with me. She could see how fond we were of each other — and still are. I’d love to see Binnie again but I’m not sure that I could sit through another ordeal like that.’
‘Why not invite her here, Father?’
He was doubtful. ‘I’ll think about it.’
‘It would give me the chance to meet Mrs Langton.’
‘What if she turns up with her sister?’
‘You make it clear that the invitation is only for her,’ said Madeleine. ‘Does she know where you live?’
‘She knows every single thing about me,’ he protested. ‘Her sister made sure of that. Where did I live? What church did I attend? Who were my friends? How would I manage now that I was retired? Did I have anything put by?’
‘She sounds as if she was terribly nosy.’
‘That’s how it felt at the time, Maddy. On the walk back home, however, I tried to see it from her point of view. She only wants to protect Binnie. After all, there are some men who might try to take advantage of a handsome widow.’
She was outraged on his behalf. ‘Nobody could suspect you of ever doing that, Father,’ she said. ‘Mrs Langton must realise that. In any case, Dirk Sowerby would have spoken up for you. She couldn’t possibly have any qualms about you.’
‘And I have no qualms about Binnie — only about her sister.’
After some thought, she offered her counsel. ‘Take plenty of time to mull it over. If you want to see Mrs Langton again, invite her here for tea.’
‘I will, Maddy.’ He gave a self-deprecating laugh. ‘This is ridiculous. I owe you an apology. A man of my age shouldn’t be in a situation like this, boring his daughter with silly nonsense about his private life. You’re the one who needs the attention. You have a wedding at the end of the month, yet you don’t even know if there’ll be a bridegroom able to get there in time. Have you had any word from him?’
‘Not since his last letter.’
‘Then it’s high time he wrote another one. If he doesn’t do so very soon, I’ll send Binnie’s sister down to Exeter to interrogate him. That will shake up the famous Inspector Colbeck.’
Sunday morning found all three of them attending a service at the cathedral. The bishop was there, seated in state, but it was one of the canons who officiated. Tallis found it inspiring to take communion in such a beautiful and imposing place. It added resonance to the whole exercise. Closing his eyes, Colbeck kept imagining Madeleine and himself standing before the altar on their wedding day. Leeming was grateful that he’d taken the precaution of sitting on the other side of the inspector so that there was a buffer between the superintendent and him. Even so, proximity to Tallis was still unnerving. Since he wasn’t at all engaged by the long, abstruse and high-minded sermon, Leeming let his mind drift to his family and thought of them settling into their pew in the more modest setting of the parish church. They — like him — would be praying earnestly for his early return to London.
When the three of them left the cathedral, Tallis excused himself and went off in the hope of having a brief word with Henry Phillpotts. Colbeck had told him about the bishop’s philanthropy with regard to the Devon County Asylum and Tallis had been duly impressed. It helped to adjust his opinion of the man quite radically. Colbeck and Leeming were left standing near the spot where the charred body of Joel Heygate had been found. As the rest of the congregation strolled past them on their way home, the detectives reviewed the state of the investigation.
‘Something is missing,’ said Colbeck.
‘Yes,’ agreed Leeming, mournfully, ‘it’s Estelle and the children.’
‘I’m talking about this case, Victor.’
‘I know, sir, and what’s really missing is an arrest.’
‘We’ve had one arrest,’ Colbeck reminded him, ‘and the woman is still languishing in a cell. But I was referring to something else.’
‘There’s no need to do that. We know who the killer was. We know that he has a link to Michael Heygate. And — most certainly of all — we know that Bagsy Browne committed a second murder.’
‘That’s not a proven fact.’
‘Who else would want to have killed that Irishman?’
‘Quite a few people if the fellow was working for the police,’ said Colbeck. ‘The post-mortem might give us some clues but I still think it’s far too early to condemn Browne. And just because he and Michael Heygate once met, it doesn’t mean that they were in league with each other.’
‘What are you saying, Inspector?’ asked Leeming. ‘That neither of them is guilty and that Lawrence Woodford is responsible for one or both murders?’
‘Woodford remains a suspect in only the first case, Victor. No, what is missing is the chain on which we can hang all the disparate elements of this investigation. We have plenty of bits and pieces but no connecting link. I believe that our most reliable witnesses are the owl and the canary. Unfortunately,’ said Colbeck, ‘neither is able to offer his evidence in a court of law.’
‘What must we do next?’
‘First of all, we should call on the superintendent and see if he has any news for us. After that, a visit to Miss Dorcas Hope will be in order.’
‘Why is that, Inspector?’
‘She’s minding the canary. Miss Hope is also a sensitive young lady with, I suspect, a caring nature. If I confide details of Mrs Rossiter’s plight, I’m sure that she’ll wish to offer the sister some support. Miss Impey will have been poleaxed by what happened.’
‘At least the manageress didn’t save her performance for the funeral,’ said Leeming, jocularly. ‘It could have been very embarrassing if she’d turned up there and tried to stop them lowering the coffin into the grave.’
‘She’ll be in the asylum for some time. I’m hoping that Dr Swift and his staff will be able to bring about some sort of recovery but I very much doubt if she’ll ever be able to work at the railway station again. Mrs Rossiter will for ever associate it with Joel Heygate.’
‘Can she ever be completely cured?’
‘We must pray for that outcome, Victor,’ said Colbeck. ‘To be candid, I found the place faintly disturbing. Being surrounded by so many other people with mental disorders is hardly the ideal environment. She’s only one patient out of hundreds, of course, so can hardly expect much individual attention.’
‘Asylums are awful places,’ said Leeming. ‘You only have to look at them. If she wasn’t mad when she went in there, she soon will be.’
‘That’s too harsh a judgement. I have more faith in Dr Swift.’
Breaking into a walk, they went out of the cathedral precinct, discussing the case and its profound consequences on the city. On their journey, they saw only one policeman on duty, an indication of the lack of resources available to Steel.
‘How are they going to catch Browne with so few men?’ asked Leeming.
‘The idea is that he’ll be coaxed out of hiding.’
‘That’s absurd, sir.’
‘Why?’
‘What sort of man would risk his life to rescue a woman like that?’
‘Strange as it may seem,’ said Colbeck, ‘the age of chivalry is not dead. Bagsy Browne may well feel that he has an obligation to his friend. Most people in his predicament would have fled some time ago. My guess is that Browne hasn’t done that. I’ve never met the fellow but I’ll wager that he’s still somewhere in the area.’
Since it was too dangerous to stay in Rockfield Place, he had to find another refuge. It was not a problem for Bagsy Browne. He found a boat that was under repair and moored in the estuary near Topsham. It was cold, cramped and shorn of any comforts but it was a safe hiding place. As he sat in the tiny cabin, he smoked his pipe and studied the rough diagram he’d sketched on a piece of paper. Based on memories of his time spent in custody there, it was a floor plan of the police station and showed him how many locked doors there would be between Adeline’s cell and the main exit. Getting inside the place was relatively easy. Escaping with someone else in tow was more of a challenge. But it was one he was prepared to accept.
The element of surprise was critical. On a Sunday, he knew, there were fewer policemen on duty in the streets and at the police station. If he could time his attack, he might be able to achieve what at first looked impossible. Adeline would know that he was coming for her. The coin he’d tossed into her cell had been a promise that had to be honoured. She’d be ready. There was no doubting that. After poring over the diagram, he worked out his plan in detail. He would wait until the city was shrouded in evening shadows before he made his move. Darkness would aid their flight. They would spend her first night of freedom in the boat. It would soon be time for Bagsy to quit Exeter altogether, but not until he’d been able to watch the funeral of Joel Heygate and gloat with satisfaction. Where he would go, he was not entirely sure, but one detail had already been decided upon. He would leave alone.
Having rescued Adeline, he’d have discharged his duty to her. From then on, she could fend for herself. That was the way it was. Bagsy Browne had an inflexible rule. He always travelled alone.
When they entered the superintendent’s office, Steel was studying a report with a frown of disappointment. Putting it aside, he gave them a welcome and there was an exchange of pleasantries. Each of the visitors gave his impression of the service at the cathedral. Colbeck was complimentary, while Leeming admitted that the experience had been overwhelming. Steel gave a sardonic smile.
‘At least you were spared a sermon by Bishop Phillpotts,’ he said. ‘He’s been known to go on for an hour.’
‘Is that all?’ asked Colbeck.
‘The first time I saw him in full flow, he was not so much justifying the word of God as impersonating him.’
‘Superintendent Tallis does that at times,’ moaned Leeming. ‘It’s as if he’s handing down the Ten Commandments to us. But while we’re here, sir, perhaps you can settle an argument.’
‘What sort of argument?’ said Steel.
‘Well, it’s more of a professional disagreement than anything else. I think that Bagsy Browne committed two murders, with the possible assistance of Michael Heygate in the case of the first. Inspector Colbeck is unconvinced. Which one of us would you support?’
‘I’d have to say that — at first — I agreed with you, Sergeant.’
‘There you are,’ said Leeming, savouring his victory. ‘For once, I’m right.’
‘We’re still in the realms of hypothesis,’ cautioned Colbeck.
‘No,’ said Steel, ‘we are not.’
‘There’s been a development?’
‘Yes — and it’s a very significant one, Inspector.’ He held up the report he’d been reading. ‘This is from the post-mortem on Finbar Mulleady.’
‘He’s that Irishman killed by Browne,’ noted Leeming.
‘I’m afraid that you’re wrong, Sergeant. He may not have been killed by anyone. The wound which stained his trousers with blood was caused by a broken flagon of beer in his pocket. There was no sign of violence upon him. According to this,’ he went on, passing the report to Colbeck, ‘the most likely cause of death was drowning after he’d fallen into the canal. He went lurching along the towpath while blind drunk, tripped and hit the ground hard. The flagon in his pocket was smashed to pieces and he rolled into the freezing water.’
‘Browne could have pushed him into the canal,’ maintained Leeming.
‘That possibility can be eliminated,’ said Steel. ‘A witness came forward to say that he saw Mulleady staggering along the towpath. It was a clear night and there was no sign of anybody else. That’s not surprising because it was extremely cold. The witness also lives in a barge, apparently, and is used to seeing Mulleady tottering home every night.’
‘In other words,’ said Colbeck, reading the report. ‘Browne is innocent.’
‘Only innocent of the death of Mulleady — I was far too hasty in ascribing it to him. Bagsy Browne is still wanted for the murder of the stationmaster.’
Leeming was chastened. ‘What if he didn’t kill Joel Heygate either?’
‘I have no doubts on that score,’ said Steel.
‘And I have no doubt that the brother was somehow involved.’
‘What do you think, Inspector?’
Colbeck was mischievous. ‘There is another question we might ask,’ he said with a twinkle. ‘What if the body under the bonfire was not that of the stationmaster? After all, it was virtually impossible to identify. We’ve been operating almost entirely on circumstantial evidence. Could it be that Joel Heygate was the killer and that the corpse was merely a decoy while he disappeared from the scene?’
Leeming shuddered. ‘If that’s true, we’ll be here for months!’
‘I didn’t say it was true, Victor. In fact, it’s highly unlikely. I’m merely repeating what I said to you earlier. Something is missing. There’s a vital piece of evidence that may bring together all the information so far gathered and give it clarity.’ He put the report on the desk. ‘Let’s talk to Peter.’
‘A canary is not going to be able to help us, sir.’
‘You never know,’ said Colbeck. ‘Stranger things have happened.’
To the delight of Dorcas Hope and her mother, Peter hopped about in his cage and chirped happily. He was clearly contented in his new home and had provided a lot of comfort for Maud during the long stretches when she was alone. There had been only one scare. When Dorcas had opened the cage door so that she could reach in and clean the base of droppings, the canary had escaped and flown around the room. But it was only a tour of inspection. Once he’d taken his bearings, Peter flew back down and went back to his perch in the cage. It meant that it was safe to let him fly around in the house. There was no danger of losing him.
Dorcas loved Sundays. It was her one day away from the hurly-burly of the refreshment room. After going to church, she could spend precious time with her family, now enlarged to include a canary. While she missed the manageress, she’d quickly grown to like Mrs Rossiter’s deputy. Timothy Vesey was much less critical of her and more ready to praise her work. Passengers who recognised him from his long stint at Newton Abbot station were all pleased to see him. A day in Vesey’s company was much less tiring than one under the erstwhile manageress.
‘I tried to read one of those books on canaries,’ said Maud. ‘All that detail was a bit confusing. I didn’t realise that canaries were a type of finch.’ She peered into the cage beside her. ‘And to think you’ve come all the way from the Canaries.’
‘Actually,’ corrected Dorcas, ‘that’s not true. I remember Mr Heygate telling me that Peter came from Madeira.’
‘Isn’t that one of the Canary Islands?’
‘I don’t think so, Mother.’
‘I never was much good at geography.’
‘I’d so love to visit Madeira, but there’s no hope of that happening. The farthest I’ve ever been in my life was to Cornwall with you and Father.’
Maud was resigned. ‘Travelling abroad is not for the likes of us.’ When there was a knock on the front door, she sat up. ‘Who can that be?’
‘I’ll go and see.’
Dorcas left the parlour and opened the front door. Maud could hear a man’s voice. After a short discussion, Dorcas came back with Colbeck and Leeming. Maud felt a little intimidated to have two detectives in the small confines of the parlour. She apologised for not getting up but her hip was causing her pain if she moved. The visitors sat down and Leeming stared at the canary.
‘He’s a colourful little chap, isn’t he?’
‘Yes,’ said Dorcas. ‘He’s given us so much pleasure.’
‘Mr Heygate obviously cared for him,’ said Colbeck. ‘That cage is far bigger than it needs to be for such a small bird. He has plenty of room to fly around.’ He became serious. ‘We’re really here to talk about Mrs Rossiter.’
‘How is she, Inspector?’
‘She’s not at all well, Miss Hope. In fact, for reasons we needn’t go into now, she’s been taken to the County Asylum.’ The women were horrified. ‘It was on the advice of Dr Swift.’
Dorcas gasped. ‘Does that mean that Mrs Rossiter is … insane?’
‘It means that she’s in need of some help.’
‘How long will she be in there?’
‘Nobody can say, Miss Hope.’
‘This is terrible news,’ said Maud. ‘In some ways, the asylum is worse than going to prison. Even if they let her out, you’d never look at her the same way again. Mental patients are so …’
‘I think that the word you’re after is “unpredictable”, Mrs Hope,’ said Colbeck as he saw her struggling. ‘But some conditions are curable and patients go on to lead perfectly ordinary lives. However,’ he went on, ‘we really came to talk about Mrs Rossiter’s sister. As you can imagine, the news will have shocked her deeply. Unlike your colleague in the refreshment room, she’s not the most robust lady.’
‘No,’ said Dorcas. ‘Miss Impey is a very shy and private person.’
‘I wondered if you might find time to visit her.’
‘Yes, yes, I’ll be glad to, Inspector.’
‘At a time like this, she needs a friend.’
‘I’ll make a point of going there later today.’
‘Thank you, Miss Hope.’
Leeming was still eyeing the canary. ‘If only he could talk,’ he said. ‘He must know where that missing diary is.’ Peter chirped at him. ‘I think he’s trying to tell us.’
‘The diary is not in the house,’ said Colbeck, ‘we know that.’
‘That’s what I told Mr Woodford,’ said Dorcas. ‘It was after you explained that you’d seen no trace of it when you searched the house.’
‘Yet he claimed to know nothing about the diary.’
‘I certainly mentioned it to him, Inspector.’
‘I’m obliged to you for the information.’
‘By the way, the house is no longer guarded by a policeman.’
‘That was my doing,’ explained Colbeck. ‘In case the killer knew of that diary’s existence and came looking for it, I wanted the house protected. Since there’s been no sign of anyone on the prowl, we decided to bring guard duty to an end. A policeman is a valuable asset. There’s no point in keeping one at the railway station when he can be far more use in the city.’
Dorcas blushed. ‘While we’re talking about the house,’ she said, guiltily, ‘there’s something I must confess.’
‘Go on,’ urged her mother. ‘Tell the truth. Nobody will blame you.’
‘The thing is that I still have a spare key to the house. Mr Heygate gave it to me so that I could feed Peter when he was away. There were two other keys — his and the one belonging to his cleaner, Mrs Penhallurick.’ She opened a drawer in the sideboard and took a key out. ‘This is the third one,’ she continued, handing it over to Colbeck. ‘I didn’t mean to keep it so long.’
‘Thank you,’ he said, ‘but there’s no call for worry. It’s a tribute to you that Mr Heygate entrusted the key to you — as well as his canary, of course. His own key was not on the body when it was found under the bonfire, so the police had to gain access by using the one belonging to his cleaner. I’ll pass this on to Superintendent Steel. Let me ask you once again,’ he added. ‘Are you quite certain you told Mr Woodford about the diary?’
‘Yes, Inspector,’ replied Dorcas. ‘He was very interested in the news.’
Lawrence Woodford waited until there was a lull in activity then he strolled nonchalantly along the platform to the stationmaster’s house. The key had been put into the safe and it had been easy for him to get access to it. Making sure that nobody was watching, he let himself into the house and looked around with the air of the commander of a besieging army that finally brings the walls of a city down. This was his new domain. He was in at last. Woodford shook off his feeling of triumph and got to work. Convinced that the diary was there somewhere, he began a frantic search.
Being locked up always brought out an aggressive streak in Adeline Goss. When a policeman brought her food, she was combative.
‘You can’t keep me locked up,’ she asserted.
‘We can do as we wish.’
‘You’ve got no reason to hold me.’
‘Yes, we have, Adeline,’ he said. ‘You were seen with Bagsy.’
‘In the course of a week,’ she argued, ‘I could be seen by a number of men. It doesn’t mean that I’m hiding them. When they’ve had their money’s worth, most of them are only too glad to run straight home to their wives.’
‘Bagsy Browne is more than a friend of yours.’
‘So — is friendship against the law now?’
‘You’ve been harbouring a killer.’
‘I don’t harbour anyone. I simply give them an hour’s pleasure.’
‘And you take money for it,’ he pointed out. ‘That’s illegal.’
‘It’s also common sense. I put a price on my womanhood.’
‘Eat your food and shut your mouth.’
‘I can’t eat this pigswill!’ she yelled.
‘Then save it for Bagsy.’
He locked the door of her cell and walked away. Adeline sat down on the bare wooden board that served as a bed. It was attached to the wall by two chains and could be lifted up to give her marginally more room in the cell. Using a wooden spoon, she tasted a first morsel of the stew she’d been handed. It made her retch. Spitting it out, she threw the bowl at the door. Needing reassurance, she took out the coin tossed into the cell by Bagsy. It was a message. He’d not forgotten her or the service she’d rendered him. Somehow — sooner or later — he’d come for her.
She lay on her back on the bed and let out a full-blooded laugh.
Superintendent Steel had seen enough of Tallis to realise that he could never work under him. Colbeck and Leeming carried their authority lightly but Tallis thrust it at people. Even in a casual conversation, he had to exert control. Steel was reminded of the man’s status with every syllable he spoke. It was dusk and Tallis had called at the superintendent’s office. After discussing the case in exhaustive detail with his detectives, he wanted to see the report of the post-mortem on Finbar Mulleady and be kept abreast of the very latest news. It was an effort for Steel to remain polite.
‘I can add nothing to what Inspector Colbeck will have told you, sir,’ he said.
Tallis finished reading the report. ‘This must have come as a relief to you.’
‘As a matter of fact, it came as something of a setback.’
‘I fail to see why.’
‘I’d made the elementary mistake of solving a crime without having all the details at my fingertips. Browne is on the run. Mulleady sees him with Adeline Goss and reports to us. We arrest her but not Browne. Mulleady is killed by Browne in an act of revenge. It was too cut and dried,’ he said. ‘I should have known better.’
‘In your place, I’d be glad.’
‘I don’t see any reason for gladness.’
‘Did you really want a second murder in the area?’
‘No, sir, it’s the one crime that’s thankfully rare.’
‘Think what would have happened,’ said Tallis, handing over the report. ‘If you’d had two unsolved murders on your hands, the press would have been baying at your heels and the Watch Committee would be calling you in to explain yourself.’
‘I’ve had plenty of trouble from both quarters, believe me.’
‘People will expect instant solutions. It’s unrealistic.’
On his feet, Tallis seemed to fill the room. It was like having both Colbeck and Leeming there together. While he couldn’t wait for his visitor to go, Steel was unable to think of a way to get rid of him.
‘What’s your opinion of Michael Heygate?’ asked Tallis.
‘He’s involved in this whole business somehow — and I don’t just mean as beneficiary. I still can’t understand why he and his wife spent the night of November 4th in Exeter. Incidentally, they stayed at the Crown Inn,’ said Steel. ‘Further to your suggestion, my men checked all the hotels.’
‘Is the Crown Inn an expensive hostelry?’
‘It’s reasonably expensive, sir.’
‘How could they afford it when they are manifestly short of money?’ asked Tallis. ‘And why did they tell me they stayed with friends? I don’t like being lied to.’
‘Then you shouldn’t have joined the police force, sir. We must hear more lies than anyone else in creation.’ Tallis actually grinned. ‘However, I’m holding you up. I’m sure that you have much more important things to do.’
‘Nothing is more important than solving this case,’ said Tallis, settling into a chair. ‘Let’s review the evidence so far. Colbeck insists that something is missing and he’s almost invariably right. Let’s see if — between us — we can’t tease out some new evidence about this fellow Browne. Where do you suppose he could be?’
Wearing his disguise as an old man, Bagsy Browne bided his time. He stayed close enough to the building to keep it under surveillance but far enough away not to arouse suspicion. Light was slowly seeping out of a sullen sky. No policemen were on patrol nearby and few people were walking past. Since Adeline would not be able to outrun any pursuit, he’d taken the precaution of stealing a horse and cart. They waited in an alleyway at the rear of the police station. When he judged the time ripe, Browne hobbled off with the aid of his stout walking stick. Once inside the building, he was confronted by the duty sergeant, a middle-aged man with side whiskers.
‘Can I help you, sir?’ asked the policeman.
‘I’ve come to report a crime.’
‘Oh?’
‘Two lads have just robbed a woman in the street.’
‘Was she hurt?’
‘Yes,’ said Browne. ‘She’s lying on the pavement. I tried to stop them but I’m too old to fight any more. Come with me and I’ll show you where the woman is.’
Browne stood back so that the sergeant could pass him. As soon as the man had his back to him, Browne struck him hard across the back of his head, sending him to the floor, then administered two more crushing blows to knock him unconscious. Grabbing a bunch of keys from their peg, Browne quickly opened a door that led to a passageway and a second one that led to the cells. He then ran along to the cell at the end and tried various keys in the lock.
Adeline was overjoyed. ‘Bagsy!’
‘We have to move fast.’
‘I knew you wouldn’t let me down.’
‘One good turn deserves another.’ He found the right key and the door opened. ‘Off we go, Ad. I’ve got transport waiting for you.’
They rushed down the corridor and out of the cell block. But the escape plan suddenly faltered. Having finished his discussion upstairs, Tallis had come down and found the duty sergeant on the floor. Realising that there was an escape bid, Tallis stood up and filled the doorway.
‘Out of the way!’ ordered Browne, brandishing his stick.
‘Give that to me,’ retorted Tallis.
‘I did warn you.’
He began to belabour Tallis who stood there bravely and took most of the blows on his arms. Eventually, he managed to grab the stick and wrench it from Browne’s grasp. The latter was infuriated. Pulling out his dagger, he threatened Tallis with it but the superintendent stayed his ground. The commotion had brought Steel out of his office and roused a policeman in the back room. Both came to investigate. Desperate to get away, Browne dived at Tallis and thrust the dagger into his arm. All resistance vanished. With a cry of pain, Tallis clutched the wound, allowing Browne to push him out of the way so that he and Adeline could step over the body of the duty sergeant and run out of the building. The policeman went after them but he was too slow. Before he could get close to them, they’d clambered on to the cart and driven away at speed through the streets of Exeter.
Steel, meanwhile, tried to revive the fallen man and was relieved when the duty sergeant began to regain consciousness. Turning his attention to Tallis, he helped him to stem the bleeding from the wound. Steel was penitent. He’d set a trap for Browne but had failed to catch him. He’d not only lost a prisoner and had one of his men knocked out in the process, he’d contrived to have the Scotland Yard detective in charge of the investigation stabbed.
‘Damn you, Bagsy Browne!’ he swore. ‘I’ll get you for this.’