by John Creasey
‘Can you hear me?’ Curly’s voice was harsher.
‘Loud and clear, but—’
‘Let me go!’ Clara cried, and the sob in her voice almost convinced West that she was speaking with desperation. ‘For God’s sake let me go – I wouldn’t have come near the place if I’d known.’ Her voice changed, she began to sob, and she actually clung to West. ‘Mr West, please, I can’t stand it anymore. Let me go, let me—’
Her voice faded away into sobs.
‘What’s that I was saying about you?’ called Curly. ‘Quite the ladies’ man, eh?’
Heavily, as if he hated making the concession, Roger said: ‘All right, Curly, let her go. Out of the house, mind you, not just out of the room. I want her to telephone me when she’s in the street – when I’ve got her message, I’ll come out without a fight.’
‘Why sure, sure!’ Curly’s voice was warm with assurance.
‘Only to talk!’ Roger barked. ‘I’m not promising anything.’
‘Why sure, Handsome, just to talk,’ Curly soothed. But it can be a big deal – it can mean a hundred thousand pounds a year for you, free of tax. We’ll let her go, and we’ll talk.’
‘Oh, thank God, thank God!’ gasped Clara.
Roger cupped his hands about her ear. ‘They’ll follow and shoot you down as soon as you’ve telephoned. Get to a phone in a main street, dial 999 and just say: ‘Handsome West says urgent an immediate raid on 413 Lowndes Square.’ Then hang up as if you’d had a wrong number, and call here.’
She whispered: ‘Right.’
‘West,’ called Curly, ‘the door can be opened. You keep away from it or you’ll both be hurt – badly.’
Slowly, very slowly, Clara went to the door and pulled – and it opened and there was no sound. She opened it wide enough to get through. Roger, standing back, two pistols at the ready, was prepared for the door to be flung wide open and to be shot down; but – nothing happened. He could hear Clara breathing. He heard her footsteps – and he saw the door begin to close.
Curly meant what he said.
Roger sat against the wall, thinking it out. There was no sound now – Pilaski seemed to be more dead than alive. Every second dragged. He could not be sure they had let her go. He was sure that if they did, they would give her only the chance to talk to him and then kill her. Even if she got her message through to 999 there was no certainty that whoever followed her to the call box wouldn’t shoot her.
Ten minutes … twelve minutes … fourteen minutes …
They might be torturing her to make her talk; might be doing to her what had been done to Maria Consuela. My God what a pair of women!
Sixteen minutes …
Brrr-brrr. Brrr-brrr, Brrr—
He snatched off the receiver but he could hardly find words, his mouth and his tongue were so dry. But he said: ‘Is that you, Clara?’
‘Yes, yes, they let me go, I’m all right. I—I hated running out on you, I just hated it, but they would have killed me, and—and you don’t know what they will do to women, they—’
‘It’s all right, Clara,’ Roger said. Every second, police cars were converging on the house in Lowndes Square, by now there could be no doubt that everyone concerned was alerted, every available car was heading for this spot. And Clara was fighting desperately for her own life. ‘It’s all right,’ he repeated, ‘I got you into this and I’m glad I got you out of it. Now I’ve got to—’
‘Whatever you do don’t trust Curly, whatever you do don’t trust him!’
And then he heard the wail of a police siren and knew that a police car was on the way to her, and he banged down the receiver and crouched behind the desk, Pilaski’s gun in his hand.
For a few seconds, nothing happened.
Then the door was drawn back and two men flung themselves in, diving for the floor so as to make themselves more difficult targets. Calmly, and with deadly aim, Roger shot them; one of them was Curly.
Roger waited, fairly sure that no one else would take a chance, but not prepared to take one himself until, in less than ten minutes, he heard a man call out in a familiar voice: ‘Handsome! Are you there, Handsome?’
Roger raised his voice. He saw Curly looking at him, saw the pain reflected in Curly’s eyes. He spoke not in his own but in a passable imitation of Curly’s voice, and he sounded full of alarm: ‘Get away, Partridge – he knows we’ve been working together! Get away, you haven’t a chance!’
There was another silence, falling like a heavy cloak.
He saw Curly’s lips twisting – whether in hate or in admiration he would never really know. A gasp of sound came from the other side of the door, and then Partridge said in a thin voice: ‘It’s—it’s nonsense!’
‘It’s the truth,’ Roger called. ‘Curly’s still alive and he has confirmed it.’
‘I can’t believe he’d talk!’ Partridge said.
Another man spoke sharply, saying: ‘I shouldn’t go in there, Mr Partridge. Sergeant, fetch Mr Coppell or Mr Trannion quickly, will you. Mr Partridge!’ There was the sound of a struggle and then the thud as of a body falling, followed by the man who had spoken, saying; ‘Oh, my God, he’s killed himself.’
‘So,’ said Sir Joseph Trevillion, ‘you pulled it off again.’
‘I helped,’ Roger said. ‘I’ll want to recommend those two women officers for the highest recognition we can give them.’
‘Yes, yes, all in good time,’ Trevillion replied. ‘Through the proper channels, eh, Commander?’
‘Yes, sir,’ Coppell said. ‘But my oath, this place is a treasure house.’
‘Lots of grieving owners and a lot of insurance companies should be very glad. Yes indeed. Well, West. You ought to go home. Your wife’s been told, by the way, no need to worry about that. Overjoyed. Shall we send you back in a car? Of course, best thing. Find wagon loads of newspapermen outside, of course, cope if you can but better to give them a prepared statement on your part in this. Want to make sure they really know what a hero you are!’ He gave a roguish grin and gripped Roger’s hand.
‘Handsome,’ Coppell said.
‘Yes, sir?’
‘Best bloody copper we’ve ever had at the Yard and the one with most guts. And I shall say so when I leave here tonight.’
Later, Roger fought his way through the crowd of newspapermen and, helped by police, reached his car. He was leaning back with his eyes closed when by devious routes they reached Bell Street. Lights were blazing at his house and twenty or more newspapermen were there, but they did not over-press for news, wanting only a little confirmation, and the chance to show their approval. Janet and the boys were already in the hall, their faces showing just how deadly the past few hours had been. Halfway down the stairs was Anne Claire, looking sweet and appealing in a pale blue dressing-gown, her hair as feathery as a child’s.
‘Mr West, I couldn’t possibly rest until I had told you how glad I am,’ she said.
To Janet’s surprise, to Richard’s, to Martin’s, Roger simply looked at her, his face impassive. He took in the enormous eyes, the innocence, the halo of spun hair against the landing light above her.
‘Couldn’t you, Anne?’ he asked at last, and noted the whitening of her knuckles as she gripped the banister rail. ‘I don’t suppose you knew just how deadly this affair was, but you listened – in as much as you could, and passed on all the information you picked up to Superintendent Partridge.’
The colour was dying from her cheeks.
‘It was on Partridge’s recommendation that you came here, and I thought it a good idea because Janet gets too lonely sometimes.’ He took Janet’s hand. ‘And even, sometimes, lets out little pieces of information which you were able to pass on. These things are true, aren’t they?’
Quite suddenly, she crumpled. Martin rushed to pick her up, a distraught Martin, his face a battleground of loyalty, love and shock.
Soon, police from the Division came and charged her with divulging secret information, and took her a
way.
Roger went, escorted by legions of newspapermen, to the Yard. Everyone greeted him warmly, he had never known such goodwill. He went into his own office and immediately saw signs that Detective Sergeant Hadley was back on duty. He was about to ring for him when the telephone bell rang, and with his normal briskness he said: ‘Roger West.’
‘The handsome, heroic, Roger West,’ a woman’s voice said, and at the sound of that particular lilt he would never forget, he felt as if the whole world were standing still.
‘Maria,’ he said. ‘Where are you?’
‘At London Airport,’ she answered. ‘I’m flying back on the next flight.’ When he made a sound as if to protest, she went on gently: ‘It’s the only possible thing to do, Roger, and you know it as well as I. I thank God you’re alive and I thank you that I’ve no feeling of bitterness left and I don’t think it will come back. Thank you, darling.’
‘Maria,’ he said, ‘if—if I could just see you off.’
She said quietly: ‘No goodbyes, Roger, but if sometime you find yourself in New York – who knows?’
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)
Insp
ector 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)