by John Creasey
He said: ‘Hallo, sweetheart, I’ve caught up with you at last. I thought I told you to hide that suit-case and do nothing about it.’
Anne didn’t answer.
‘Well, you’ve made your mistake. If you’d done what I told you, you would have lived a long happy life of luxury. Now—’
Lorna had the whisky bottle in her hand.
She raised it, to throw.
Courtney moved the gun round, and fired. The bottle splintered; the shot and the explosion of breaking glass rang out deafeningly. The room was filled with the pungent smell of spirit.
Courtney said: ‘Anne, my pretty, let me tell you something. I killed Allen. Today I killed a stranger on a bicycle, because he was after me, and after that I killed Bryce. Maybe I killed others. Now I’m going to kill you.’
He fired.
The bullet went wide: he meant it to. Anne screamed and backed away. Lorna grabbed another bottle, and Courtney fired at her. The bullet went through the cuff of her sleeve.
Courtney sneered at her.
‘You want to go to heaven too? That suits me. There isn’t a thing you or anyone else can do, I’m just in the mood for making it a hat trick. Three in a row—the maid—you—and my dearest Anne.’
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Head Wound
Mannering heard the second shot; he heard the man talking. He could feel cold sweat on his forehead, neck and lips. The hand holding the tool was moist.
He couldn’t hurry; if he hurried, he would spoil his chance of forcing the lock.
He heard another shot, followed by a cry and, almost immediately, by a fourth shot.
Sweat rolled down his forehead and a drop splashed on to the back of his hand. The tool was holding firm and he began to turn it in the lock. The lock moved. If the tool slipped, he would be back where he started.
The lock clicked back.
He drew away, and turned the handle; and heard only the man’s voice. He didn’t know what had happened, who had been hurt. He opened the door, and Courtney’s voice sounded clearer.
‘In a row—the maid—you—and my dearest Anne.’
Courtney stood with his back to the open door of the sitting-room. Lorna was out of sight, Mannering could just see Anne’s head and the top of her face.
He could see Courtney’s gun.
‘I’ve plenty of ammunition, and another gun,’ Courtney said.
There was a thud downstairs, then a series of thuds. Courtney heard the noise, and said softly: ‘Your friends are arriving, Anne, but they won’t get me. When I’ve finished you, I’ll kill myself.’
He levelled the gun.
Mannering leapt.
He had two yards to cover from a standing start. He saw Anne’s face, transfixed with fear, and caught a glimpse of Lorna’s. Then Courtney sensed or heard him, and swung round. Mannering smashed a fist towards his face, and heard the roar of a shot at the same time. He felt Courtney yield beneath his blow, but otherwise felt nothing. He saw the man sprawl backwards and flung himself on him. Courtney still held the gun and struggled madly, bringing his knee up into Mannering’s groin. There was a loud thudding at the hall door.
‘Open it, Anne!’ cried Lorna. ‘Open it!’
Mannering gasped: ‘Lorna! Get away.’
Courtney’s face was a few inches away from his, lips turned back and teeth showing. The veins and muscles in his neck seemed knotted, and he writhed and twisted – and still held the gun. Mannering tried to force his hand away, but Courtney turned the gun towards him, finger on the trigger. Lorna shouted. He prayed that she would go away.
A short roared out, its flash almost blinding. He felt the heat of it – but no pain. He saw blood on Courtney’s head, near the temple, and felt him go limp. He sprawled forward, on top of the man. For a moment he felt sick, and weak at the knees. It wasn’t until Lorna began to cry his name that he forced himself to struggle up.
He was aware of men running in, and realized that Anne had opened the front door. He dashed a hand in front of his eyes, and saw Courtney clearly, lying with blood oozing from a wound in his head, his eyes closed, his lips slack, and the gun close to his outflung hand.
‘Not bad,’ said Chittering, an hour later. ‘Not bad at all, John. You’re learning.’
He tried to be flippant and it was a miserable failure: he might be flippant with Anne, but never about her. She was with Lorna in the spare room, where Ethel was being attended by a doctor. A bullet had gone through her shoulder but she was in no danger.
Courtney was dead.
A message had been telephoned to Bristow, but he hadn’t yet turned up. The Yard men who had been on duty outside were over-anxious to be helpful. So were two who had arrived as reinforcements at the same time as a squad car had reached Green Street. Within ten minutes of that call the house had been surrounded – and, as the sergeant in charge said gloomily, that was several minutes too late.
Mannering, not hurt at all, felt pleasantly tired.
Lorna said: ‘I think it was the worse few minutes I’ve ever had. He looked—’ she broke off, and glanced towards the door. ‘He was mad.’
‘We’ll say mad, out of charity,’ Chittering said, ‘but if you ask me, he was mostly bad. I’ve discovered one or two things about him, John. My editor told me to dig as deep as I could, and did I dig!’
‘What did you unearth?’ inquired Mannering.
Chittering shrugged. ‘Everything in the way of muck, blackmail and extortion. There’s one little thing that will interest you. Remember you were attacked when you were in Courtney’s flat the first time you really stuck your neck out?’
‘I do!’
‘It was George Renway,’ said Chittering, ‘a chap he’d been blackmailing. Courtney had been putting the pressure on Winifred Cartwright, a young married woman who’d once made a fool of herself. Renway decided to go and try to get the evidence, in the form of letters. I told him he needn’t worry about them any more. You’ll put him and the girl out of their misery, won’t you?’
‘The first chance I get, yes,’ promised Mannering. ‘Well, that seems to tie up most of the ends, until Bristow comes.’
‘And when he does, it’ll probably mean an all-night sitting,’ said Chittering. ‘Er—seeing how things are, and knowing you’re overcrowded, suppose I take Anne out to dinner, as promised. I only need twenty minutes to turn in my story, and less than five to ask her if she’ll marry me—’
‘Blessings on you both,’ said Lorna gently.
Twenty minutes later, a brisk and youthful-looking Bristow, was shaking Mannering’s hand with unaccustomed vigour.
‘You can rate this as the best job you’ve done,’ he declared. ‘And the cleanest.’
‘Perhaps,’ murmured Mannering nostalgically, ‘but I’ve enjoyed others a lot more.’ He glanced at Lorna; he had seldom seen her look so free from strain. ‘Mean of me to say that Bill,’ he added impulsively. ‘What’ll you drink?’
‘What do we drink to?’ asked Lorna.
Bristow said: ‘To the new leaf, and may it never wither.’
Rather solemnly, the three raised their glasses to their lips.
Bristow was the last to put his down. ‘Well, I had a word with Chittering downstairs, I gather he’s told you something. The rest of it doesn’t need much telling. We’ve held Morris, and he’s made a complete statement. He was in it with Bryce from the beginning. He blames Bryce for all the violence, of course, and says he himself was just the channel through which stolen jewels were bought and sold. Bryce went into this with Larmont soon after he sold you the Fesinas, John—and he’d been planning it for some time. It started some years ago when a client of Bryce’s died intestate, and proved to have a few jewels he’d no right to. Bryce sounded Larmont, who bought them. After that Bryce kept up supplies pretty regularly. They used Reginald Allen and Courtney as strong-arm men.’
Mannering said: ‘Where does Lady Larmont come in?’
‘As far as I can gather, she
told you the truth. She started to blackmail them but was very amateur in some ways. The men planned to raid Quinns. Then she came along, said she could get duplicate keys of Larmont’s strong-room, and suggested a raid there, telling Bryce where the electric control could be switched off. It meant throwing Larmont over, but according to Morris, Bryce was ready to do that. He got her to give him the keys, and passed them on to Courtney. All would have gone well for them if you hadn’t been at the house.’
Lorna said slowly: ‘What about Larmont?’
‘I don’t think there’s much hope, either for us or for him,’ said Bristow. ‘We’ve had a good brain man to have a look at him. He was always on the borderline of sanity, victims of jewel-mania usually are!’ Bristow gave Mannering a sly look, which finished up as a broad grin.
‘So we can call it a day,’ Mannering said, with deep relief.
Bristow said a little awkwardly: ‘I’m just a policeman, and I know my limitations. They aren’t all because of rules and regulations, but a lot of them are. Given a man who will take a few chances but keep me advised all along the line, I think we could get many results more quickly than we do now, and perhaps get some we wouldn’t otherwise get at all. That’s almost heresy for a policeman, but you heard me!’ He stood up. ‘You’re going to keep the new method up, aren’t you?’
Mannering was smiling, a long, but happy smile,
‘I’ll try,’ he said.
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 Mask!) (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 A
way 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)