by John Creasey
Cars had stopped, a coach was drawn up nearby, more policemen had arrived; but Roger was oblivious of them all.
The girl, with her crash helmet off, answered Helen Osborn’s description beyond any doubt. She was now handcuffed to a uniformed policeman who had come from a car. One line of traffic was being allowed to trickle past, and a few pedestrians were slipping across the road, to add to the confusion, until everyone moved to the wide verge at the side of the road, and more police arrived, to keep the crowd back.
Maddison looked pale and sick as he demanded: “What’s been happening? Where is my baby?”
“Whose baby?” asked Roger coldly.
Evans exclaimed: “Good God!”
“Don’t ask ridiculous questions,” Maddison said. “Are you utterly mad? My own child—”
“Don’t keep it up,” Roger said. “This isn’t your child, and you know it. It’s your nephew’s, I suspect. You probably hated the child from the moment you knew it was on the way, and you hated your nephew enough to try to frame him for murders he didn’t commit. Those things add up nicely. You planned a way of avenging yourself on everyone – killing the child which wasn’t yours, making the mother suffer without knowing that you knew, and damning your nephew. I suppose it’s possible to comprehend how you felt about your wife’s child, but those other babies—”
“You are mad!” Maddison cried. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I can tell you about those other babies,” Helen Osborn said, and it was the first time she had spoken. Her lips were curled tightly, and there was a glitter in her eyes. “He always hated the girls who would have nothing to do with him. He used to tell me so, when I lived with him.” There was a note of deep bitterness in her voice. “I think his wife’s child drove him round the bend. He’s a psychopath – that’s the truth about Ted Maddison. He couldn’t have kids, so no one he had ever cared for must have them either.”
Maddison was glaring at her.
“How long have you known this?” demanded Roger.
“I had an idea after the Kindle baby was killed,” Helen Osborn answered. “Corrissey was behaving in a queer way, too. Corrissey would do whatever Maddison told him to. Did you know that? When I asked Corrissey what was up, he said Cartwright was on the run and the old man wanted him helped. But I wasn’t fooled, and I gave Corrissey the all-clear to let Cartwright out, then took your officer along. I thought that if you had Cartwright, it would tie everything up; but Corrissey killed your man and nearly killed me.”
She was talking in a low-pitched, tense voice.
“When May released you, why didn’t you come straight to us?” demanded Roger.
“Because I hoped to get plenty for keeping quiet,” Helen Osborn said, and her very cynicism made that sound true. “I phoned Maddison, told him what I knew, and said I’d get rid of his wife’s kid and keep quiet if he’d pay me enough. But I warned the wife, didn’t I? I knew you’d look after the kid if I did that. Call me bad,” she added, “even call me heartless, but I wouldn’t have killed the kid. Maddison’s the killer.”
There was nothing she would not say, now, to try to help herself.
After a long pause Roger said: “Edward Ralph Maddison, it is my duty to arrest you on a charge of complicity in the murder of James Gibson, a detective officer, at about—”
Then, as Roger finished, he heard Spendlove’s voice.
“Damned nice work, Handsome. Will you let Cartwright go free now?”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Roger said. “How did you get here?”
“Didn’t you know I had one unfailing recipe for success as a crime reporter?” asked Spendlove. “I find out where you’re going, and follow.”
Roger sat in his office early that afternoon with Evans squatting on a chair near him and Commander Hardy sitting back in the easy chair. The telephones were silent. The pile of reports on Roger’s desk was high, but none had been touched since lunchtime, and then he had hardly glanced through them.
Maddison was at Cannon Row police station, and there would be a special afternoon court to hear the charge against him. Helen Osborn was in a nearby cell, and would be charged at the same time.
“I don’t think we’ll find we’ll be able to fix the Shaw and the Kindle murders on to Maddison,” Roger said. “I’ve checked as far as I can in the time. There isn’t much doubt that Corrissey was the actual killer, and that Maddison put him up to it – he was not only utterly dominated by Maddison, but well paid by him. He was absolutely loyal, and Maddison could safely tell him anything. But after Corrissey died Maddison acted for himself.
“Corrissey probably knew about the quarrel between Cartwright and the Kindle woman, and may actually have waited for such a quarrel. But I don’t think Maddison wanted his nephew caught too quickly; he assumed it would be some time before the police got on to him, and planned the other murders quickly – while Cartwright was free. Maddison was genuinely worried about Cartwright, and wanted him free, remember. An early arrest would have spoiled his plans.”
“What I don’t see yet is how you got on to the truth,” Evans said. He talked quite naturally, none of the sullenness lingering, and Roger doubted whether he would ever again feel that inferiority complex. “What made you think the child wasn’t Maddison’s?”
“An itch to find out what might make Maddison our man, plus an old doctor friend,” Roger said. “There was the coincidence of the mothers having worked at Maddisons, too. It looked like a psychopathic job from the beginning, but psychopaths have motives, remember. Who would have one against these different girls? Not Cartwright; he was too young, that was fairly certain. Maddison? There was at least one pointer to him – the unnatural tension of his wife, who had a guilt obsession, rather like Anne Kindle. She hated Cartwright, and I kept wondering why. His uncle was a lecher, and Cartwright inherited his farmyard habits. Nice enough chap in other ways,” Roger went on. “I don’t doubt that his uncle was watching him closely, and saw a way to frame him – and make him look a psycho. Any man who killed two babies surely must be. Maddison probably knew about Cartwright’s quarrel with Anne Kindle, and struck quickly that night. Then Cartwright realised he was being framed, and guessed why. He made his big mistake in faking a suicide to fool us, and running away to try to get the truth out of Corrissey. At the time that probably looked reasonable. Later, of course, wearing one of Cartwright’s caps, Maddison attacked the Graham child. No woman who had scorned him was safe.”
“Well, I’m damned,” Evans said weakly.
A few days later, the general outline of the report that Roger had made to Hardy was confirmed. By then Hilda Maddison, with her child, was living in a small country hotel. The affairs of Maddison Brothers were under Cartwright’s control, for better or worse, and Bert May had already been promoted to take Corrissey’s place. Edward Maddison had entered a formal ‘not guilty’ plea at the first hearing, but the case against him was rapidly building up.
Knowing all these things and putting the finishing touches to the case, Roger went to see Ledbetter of AS Division the day before the second hearing. Ledbetter looked as tough as ever, but there was a smile in his eyes as he said: “All right, I was wrong and you were right – we all have to have the luck sometimes. I’ve got one piece of news that will please your romantic heart.”
“What’s that?’
“Anne Kindle’s husband is being flown home by his company and is due tomorrow,” Ledbetter answered. “Apparently that’s done the young woman a power of good.”
“That’s one of the things I wanted to hear,” Roger 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 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)