by John Creasey
‘We have read the letter. It was from a man in South Africa, working with the cooperation of the South African Government. Brilliant man, although blind. Powell’s brother-in-law. The agent’s wife worked with him,’ the Home Secretary went on. ‘They suspected Kennard of treason, doubted if official notice would be taken of it, and sent word to you. The letter was intercepted – didn’t reach you, although doubtless Powell thought it did. Evidently Powell learned how dangerous it was, when here. He was killed, we believe, because he might have read it. There is a very simple explanation, Mr Mannering, but I’m not at liberty to disclose what it is. I should add that it had a considerable importance.’ He turned to Lorna. ‘Mrs Mannering, your husband is a very remarkable man.’
He shook hands and went out.
Anderson-Kerr gave a wintry smile.
‘Settle your debt with Bristow yourself, Mannering.’ He paused. ‘I suppose you couldn’t persuade him to be a pukka policeman, Mrs Mannering. I feel sure, if you could do so, we’d get some striking results.’ He gave a bark of a laugh and went out.
The Mannerings and Bristow were alone.
‘Bill,’ asked Mannering meekly, ‘am I forgiven?’
Bristow grinned.
‘I’ve never been hit over the head for a better purpose. I can tell you this, John. Kennard and Dawson had the ear of the Government over some big project in South Africa. Millions were involved in a mining deal.’ He hesitated. ‘Dawson convinced some Government people that you were spying.’
‘And is Dawson a spy?’ asked Lorna quickly.
‘I doubt it. He and Reed were picked up and his place surrounded by squad cars within five minutes of your arrival here; it’s being searched now. In a few days Dawson would have got all he wanted, and vanished,’ Bristow added. ‘I’m sending you home in one of our cars. The rest of your party went on ahead of you. Is that all right?’
‘Danger all over, then?’
‘Of course.’
‘That’s fine,’ said Mannering, in a tone which made Lorna look at him sharply.
As they were heading for Chelsea, she said: ‘What is it, John?’
‘A trifle, merely, but one bird has escaped the net.’ He patted her hand and sat back with closed eyes, the elation of victory giving way to exhaustion.
Reaching the house, a voice hailed them from above.
“We’ve just waited for you to open the champagne,’ cried Robby.
He came halfway down the stairs to greet them, slid an arm in each of theirs, and they walked into the flat together. Garielle was sitting with Chittering on a couch. Daphne and Harrison shared another. The champagne stood, four bottles in two buckets, on a small table.
‘Now we can really celebrate,’ Robby said. ‘First toast, to the worker of miracles. Chitty – show your skill, draw a cork.’
Mannering’s gaze roamed round the room, rested for a moment on Garielle, then on Daphne, then on Harrison. It stopped at Harrison.
‘Very clever,’ he said. ‘Very clever indeed. Only you shouldn’t have worked the same trick as Dawson. He pretended to have been shot at once, to make out that he was a victim, not a murderer. The gambit was worn out by the time you used it. You arrived, after being knocked about by your own men, so as to get in with me. You did the same thing when you climbed up the wall after one of your own men – he was to have escaped, but I was too near the door.’
Harrison was on his feet.
‘Look here—’
‘Listen to me,’ said Mannering. ‘No one climbing in at that window could have got in without making some noise and giving Dickson plenty of time to shoot him.’
‘You’re crazy!’ Harrison cried.
‘Nearly crazy. You strung along with Dawson against Kennard. You were in the business from the beginning. You were always at Daphne’s side, so that if she rebelled against Dawson you would know exactly what she was doing. You told Dawson she had come to me; you watched and foxed her all along the line. Until the last, you strung along with us. You were left behind to see everything was all clear, and when I caught you you said you’d come looking for us. If you’d been genuine, the moment you escaped you would have gone to the police.’
Harrison was standing quite still, his right hand at his pocket.
He said: ‘You can’t prove it.’
‘I can prove it,’ Mannering said, ‘and you’ll find that Dawson will bring you down with him.’
Harrison snatched a gun from his pocket. Before anyone could stop him he had turned it on himself. Dying, he turned to Daphne and told her the whole unhappy business.
He had known the letter was on the way to Mannering and had gone to Mannering’s flat. Finding it empty, he had broken in and found the letter, planning to blackmail Dawson and Kennard with it. But his nerve had broken when he had seen what Dawson was doing. He had told Dawson that he had found it at Powell’s lodgings after all.
He died before the doctor arrived.
Daphne looked down at Harrison’s dead body, then turned to Mannering with pain-filled eyes.
‘I know my uncle was involved, and now there is Ralph. I can’t stand any more. I just can’t stand it.’
The whole truth came out during the trial. Kennard and Dawson had taken over vast tracts of land, given out that it contained gold, but convinced the Governments of South Africa and Great Britain that it contained uranium in rich deposits. Samples were taken and tested; it was true. But Kennard and Dawson owned only part of the land, and tricked and cheated to get it all.
Kennard had been in the scheme from the beginning; then, finding that he had gone too far, turned against it. Dawson had killed him, and taken control.
Of the final night, Harrison had telephoned Dawson as soon as he knew of the rendezvous at the cottage. He arranged for Robby and Chittering to be waylaid, and for a man to be at the house to catch Mannering.
The Mannerings and Daphne Kennard were at the wedding of Robby White and Garielle, a month later. They were to spend their honeymoon on the voyage to South Africa.
Daphne was planning to stay in England, take over the affairs of the Kennard Line and the other companies. Mannering believed she would do it brilliantly.
As the newly-married couple drove away, she turned to the Mannerings with a smile.
‘Oh by the way, I think I can find a job for Micky Riley – in fact I know I can. I’d like to think that one man came out of that awful business well.’
Series Information
Published or to be published by
House of Stratus
Dates given are those of first publication
Alternative titles in brackets
‘The Baron’ (47 titles) (writing as Anthony Morton)
‘Department ‘Z’’ (28 titles)
‘Dr. Palfrey Novels’ (34 titles)
‘Gideon of Scotland Yard’ (22 titles)
‘Inspector West’ (43 titles)
‘Sexton Blake’ (5 titles)
‘The Toff’ (59 titles)
along with:
The Masters of Bow Street
This epic novel embraces the story of the Bow Street Runners and the Marine Police, forerunners of the modern police force, who were founded by novelist Henry Fielding in 1748. They were the earliest detective force operating from the courts to enforce the decisions of magistrates. John Creasey’s account also gives a fascinating insight into family life of the time and the struggle between crime and justice, and ends with the establishment of the Metropolitan Police after the passing of Peel’s Act in 1829.
‘The Baron’ Series
These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels
Meet the Baron (The Man in the Blue Mask) (1937)
The Baron Returns (The Return of the Blue Mask) (1937)
The Baron Again (Salute Blue Mask) (1938)
The Baron at Bay (Blue Mask at Bay) (1938)
Alias the Baron (Alias Blue Mask) (1939)
The Baron at Large (Challenge Blue Mas
k!) (1939)
Versus the Baron (Blue Mask Strikes Again) (1940)
Call for the Baron (Blue Mask Victorious) (1940)
The Baron Comes Back (1943)
A Case for the Baron (1945)
Reward for the Baron (1945)
Career for the Baron (1946)
Blood Diamond (The Baron and the Beggar) (1947)
Blame the Baron (1948)
A Rope for the Baron (1948)
Books for the Baron (1949)
Cry for the Baron (1950)
Trap the Baron (1950)
Attack the Baron (1951)
Shadow the Baron (1951)
Warn the Baron (1952)
The Baron Goes East (1953)
The Baron in France (1953)
Danger for the Baron (1953)
The Baron Goes Fast (1954)
Nest-Egg for the Baron (Deaf, Dumb and Blonde) (1954)
Help from the Baron (1955)
Hide the Baron (1956)
The Double Frame (Frame the Baron) (1957)
Blood Red (Red Eye for the Baron) (1958)
If Anything Happens to Hester (Black for the Baron) (1959)
Salute for the Baron (1960)
The Baron Branches Out (A Branch for the Baron) (1961)
The Baron and the Stolen Legacy (Bad for the Baron) (1962)
A Sword for the Baron (The Baron and the Mogul Swords) (1963)
The Baron on Board (The Mask of Sumi) (1964)
The Baron and the Chinese Puzzle (1964)
Sport for the Baron (1966)
Affair for the Baron (1967)
The Baron and the Missing Old Masters (1968)
The Baron and the Unfinished Portrait (1969)
Last Laugh for the Baron (1970)
The Baron Goes A-Buying (1971)
The Baron and the Arrogant Artist (1972)
Burgle the Baron (1973)
The Baron - King Maker (1975)
Love for the Baron (1979)
Doctor Palfrey Novels
These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels
Traitor’s Doom (1942)
The Legion of the Lost (1943)
The Valley of Fear (The Perilous Country) (1943)
Dangerous Quest (1944)
Death in the Rising Sun (1945)
The Hounds of Vengeance (1945)
Shadow of Doom (1946)
The House of the Bears (1946)
Dark Harvest (1947)
The Wings of Peace (1948)
The Sons of Satan (1948)
The Dawn of Darkness (1949)
The League of Light (1949)
The Man Who Shook the World (1950)
The Prophet of Fire (1951)
The Children of Hate (The Killers of Innocence; The Children of Despair) (1952)
The Touch of Death (1954)
The Mists of Fear (1955)
The Flood (1956)
The Plague of Silence (1958)
Dry Spell (The Drought) (1959)
The Terror (1962)
The Depths (1963)
The Sleep (1964)
The Inferno (1965)
The Famine (1967)
The Blight (1968)
The Oasis (1970)
The Smog (1970)
The Unbegotten (1971)
The Insulators (1972)
The Voiceless Ones (1973)
The Thunder-Maker (1976)
The Whirlwind (1979)
Gideon Series
(Writing as JJ Marric)
These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels
Gideon’s Day (Gideon of Scotland Yard) (1955)
Seven Days to Death (Gideon’s Week) (1956)
Gideon’s Night (1957)
A Backwards Jump (Gideon’s Month) (1958)
Thugs and Economies (Gideon’s Staff) (1959)
Gideon Combats Influence (Gideon’s Risk) (1960)
Gideon’s Fire (1961)
A Conference for Assassins (Gideon’s March) (1962)
Travelling Crimes (Gideon’s Ride) (1963)
An Uncivilised Election (Gideon’s Vote) (1964)
Criminal Imports (Gideon’s Lot) (1965)
To Nail a Serial Killer (Gideon’s Badge) (1966)
From Murder to a Cathedral (Gideon’s Wrath) (1967)
Gideon’s River (1968)
Darkness and Confusion (Gideon’s Power) (1969)
Sport, Heat & Scotland Yard (Gideon’s Sport) (1970)
Gideon’s Art (1971)
No Relaxation at Scotland Yard (Gideon’s Men) (1972)
Impartiality Against the Mob (Gideon’s Press) (1973)
Not Hidden by the Fog (Gideon’s Fog) (1975)
Good and Justice (Gideon’s Drive) (1976)
Vigilantes & Biscuits (Gideon’s Force) (1978)
Inspector West Series
These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels
Inspector West Takes Charge (1942)
Go Away to Murder (Inspector West Leaves Town) (1943)
An Apostle of Gloom (Inspector West At Home) (1944)
Inspector West Regrets (1945)
Holiday for Inspector West (1946)
Battle for Inspector West (1948)
The Case Against Paul Raeburn (Triumph for Inspector West) (1948)
Inspector West Kicks Off (Sport for Inspector West) (1949)
Inspector West Alone (1950)
Inspector West Cries Wolf (The Creepers) (1950)
The Figure in the Dusk (A Case for Inspector West) (1951)
The Dissemblers (Puzzle for Inspector West) (1951)
The Case of the Acid Throwers (The Blind Spot; Inspector West at Bay) (1952)
Give a Man a Gun (A Gun for Inspector West) (1953)
Send Inspector West (1953)
So Young, So Cold, So Fair (A Beauty for Inspector West; The Beauty Queen Killer) (1954)
Murder Makes Haste (Inspector West Makes Haste; The Gelignite Gang; Night of the Watchman) (1955)
Murder: One, Two, Three (Two for Inspector West) (1955)
Death of a Postman (Parcels for Inspector West) (1956)
Death of an Assassin (A Prince for Inspector West) (1956)
Hit and Run (Accident for Inspector West) (1957)
The Trouble at Saxby’s (Find Inspector West; Doorway to Death) (1957)
Murder, London - New York (1958)
Strike for Death (The Killing Strike) (1958)
Death of a Racehorse (1959)
The Case of the Innocent Victims (1959)
Murder on the Line (1960)
Death in Cold Print (1961)
The Scene of the Crime (1961)
Policeman’s Dread (1962)
Hang the Little Man (1963)
Look Three Ways at Murder (1964)
Murder, London - Australia (1965)
Murder, London - South Africa (1966)
The Executioners (1967)
So Young to Burn (1968)
Murder, London - Miami (1969)
A Part for a Policeman (1970)
Alibi for Inspector West (1971)
A Splinter of Glass (1972)
The Theft of Magna Carta (1973)
The Extortioners (1974)
A Sharp Rise in Crime (1978)
‘The Toff’ Series
These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels
Introducing the Toff (It’s the Toff!) (1938)
The Toff Goes On (1939)
The Toff Steps Out (1939)
Here Comes the Toff (1940)
The Toff Breaks In (1940)
Salute the Toff (1941)
The Toff Proceeds (1941)
The Toff Goes to Market (1942)
The Toff Is Back (1942)
The Toff on the Trail (short stories) (1942)
The Toff among the Millions (1943)
Accuse the Toff (1943)
The Toff and the Deadly Priest (The Toff and the Curate) (1944)
The Toff and the Great Illusion (1944)
Feathers for the Toff (1945)
The Toff and the Lady (1946)
Poison for the Toff (The Toff on Ice) (1946)
Hammer the Toff (1947)
The Toff in Town (1948)
The Toff Takes Shares (1948)
The Toff and Old Harry (1949)
The Toff on Board (1949)
Fool the Toff (1950)
Kill the Toff (1950)
A Knife for the Toff (1951)
A Mask for the Toff (The Toff Goes Gay) (1951)
Hunt the Toff (1952)
Call the Toff (1953)
The Toff Down Under (Break the Toff) (1953)
Murder Out of the Past (short stories) (1953)
The Toff at Camp (The Toff at Butlins) (1954)
The Toff at the Fair (1954)
A Six for the Toff (A Score for the Toff) (1955)
The Toff and the Deep Blue Sea (1955)
Kiss the Toff (Make-Up for the Toff) (1956)
The Toff in New York (1956)
Model for the Toff (1957)
The Toff on Fire (1957)
The Toff and the Stolen Tresses (1958)
Terror for the Toff (The Toff on the Farm) (1958)
Double for the Toff (1959)
The Toff and the Runaway Bride (1959)
A Rocket for the Toff (1960)
The Toff and the Kidnapped (The Kidnapped Child) (1960)
Follow the Toff (1961)
The Toff and the Toughs (The Toff and the Teds) (1961)
A Doll for the Toff (1963)
Leave It to the Toff (1963)
The Toff and the Spider (1965)
The Toff in Wax (1966)
A Bundle for the Toff (1967)
Stars for the Toff (1968)
The Toff and the Golden Boy (1969)
The Toff and the Fallen Angels (1970)
Vote for the Toff (1971)
The Toff and the Trip-Trip-Triplets (1972)
The Toff and the Terrified Taxman (1973)
The Toff and the Sleepy Cowboy (1975)
The Toff and the Crooked Copper (1977)
Select Synopses
Gideon’s Day
Gideon’s day is a busy one. He balances family commitments with solving a series of seemingly unrelated crimes from which a plot nonetheless evolves and a mystery is solved. One of the most senior officers within Scotland Yard, George Gideon’s crime solving abilities are in the finest traditions of London’s world famous police headquarters. His analytical brain and sense of fairness is respected by colleagues and villains alike.