Biggles Air Detective (43)

by Captain W E Johns

  "Must be a clever fellow," observed Biggles, mildly sarcastic.

  "He might have been flying all his life," declared the secretary. Biggles nodded. "When you said that you said more than you knew. What's this last test that's holding him up?"

  "The cross-country night flight, solo. He tried it once and failed. Pity."

  "A great pity," agreed Biggles. "But when was this?"

  "About a week ago."

  "What happened?"

  "The run was from Lympne to Croydon, but he got off his track somewhere and was adrift for some time. His tanks were nearly dry when he got in, so he may have been lucky."

  "You lost touch with him, apparently?"

  "Yes."

  "What explanation did he give?"

  "He was quite frank about it. He said he'd run into some ground mist and lost his way."

  "What are instruments for?"

  Tommy shrugged.

  Biggles went on. "I imagine he got a Met. report before he started—or his instructor should have got it for him; and no doubt someone checked his compass course. Was there any sudden change in the weather?"

  "No—but you know how it is," protested Tommy. "Don't be hard on him. We all make mistakes at times."

  "Between you and me he's made several mistakes

  in his time—but don't let him see you know anything about that," returned Biggles. " Have arrangements been made yet for his next test?"

  "As a matter of fact they have. He's trying again tonight, weather permitting."

  "What's the course this time?"

  "He's to fly from here to Lympne."

  "At what time?"

  "He starts at nine o'clock. No big machines are due in from the Continent at that hour so he won't be worried by the risk of anything crossing his track."

  "Thanks, Tommy. That's all I want to know," said Biggles. "Don't be surprised if you see me hanging around about nine o'clock. Take no notice of me if you do, unless I speak to you. And whatever you do don't mention the word police between now and then. See you later."

  "Here! Half a minute!" expostulated the secretary. "What's all this about?"

  "I'll tell you tonight—that is, if I know myself," answered Biggles. "By the way, has Seymour a car?"

  "Yes. He uses it to run between here and Town. Aren't you going to stay to lunch?"

  "No thanks."

  "Well, at least have a drink before you go?" "No thanks." Biggles smiled. "Can't you see I'm working?"

  "Okay," sighed Tommy. "Have it your own way. You always were a queer bird."

  "I'm not the only queer bird in your little aviary," said Biggles smilingly as he went out. At a quarter .to nine the airfield was deserted except for two mechanics in overalls who were running up the engine of a machine that had just been pulled out of a lighted hanger. In the clubhouse itself only one or two members lingered at the bar. Biggles and Ginger stood on the veranda doing nothing in particular, and there, presently, the club secretary joined them.

  "So there you are," he observed. "What are you looking at?"

  "The weather," replied Biggles casually. "Beautiful night for a spot of moonlight aviation."

  "Couldn't be better. Seymour should have no difficulty in getting through this time. He should even be able to make a safe landing should he get lost and run out of petrol."

  "As you say, he should have no difficulty at all," murmured Biggles. "Where is he, by the way?"

  "Getting into his kit. Ah! There he is now. That's Langley, his instructor, with him. Giving him a final word of advice, I imagine. The machine they're making for is the machine detailed for the job."

  "How long has Langley been with you?"

  "Five years. He's got a fine record. Naturally we checked up before we engaged him."

  "I see." Biggles walked slowly along to the tarmac. "It's always interesting to see a fellow take off on a test flight," he observed casually. Pupil and instructor, the former in flying kit, had by this time reached the machine allocated for the test, one of the club's Tiger Moths, and were standing by a wing, talking in cheerful tones. The two mechanics, who had retired a short distance, stood watching or waiting for orders. Biggles, Ginger and the club secretary walked to within a dozen paces and also halted as no watch the machine take off. For two or three minutes the position remained unchanged. Then the instructor looked at his watch and shook hands with his pupil. "Off you go and the best of luck," he said, and backed away.

  Seymour turned to the cockpit as if to climb in; but at this juncture a man in chauffeur's uniform appeared from the direction of the car park and came hurrying across the concrete apron towards the machine. He carried a brown-paper parcel.

  "Hi! Just a minute, sir," he called. "You forgot your pyjamas. You'll want them if you stay the night at Lympne."

  "Who's that?" asked Biggles, in a low but terse voice.

  "That's Seymour's driver," answered the secretary. By this time Seymour had turned. "Oh, thank you, James—how careless of me," he said nonchalantly, as he reached for the parcel.

  But Biggles, who had already started forward, intercepted it before either Seymour or his man could have realised what he was going to do. "I'd like to have a look at this if you don't mind," he said quietly.

  There was a brief silence, the result, presumably, of surprise. Then Seymour said, in a voice brittle with resentment: "Give me that. What do you think you're doing?"

  "You heard what I said," said Biggles imperturbably.

  "You've got a nerve," cried Seymour indignantly. "That's my property. What's it got to do with you? Are you looking for trouble?"

  "Possibly," returned Biggles.

  Tension was now perceptible in the atmosphere. "Who are you?" demanded Seymour in a curious voice.

  "We're police officers," Biggles told him. "I'm sorry to trouble you, but—stop that man!" The chauffeur had decided not to wait. He turned to run, but Ginger put out a foot and tripped him so that he fell heavily, cursing. There was a quick scuffle, which ended when the two mechanics, on Biggles's instructions, went to Ginger's assistance. The chauffeur, muttering, was pulled to his feet.

  Biggles, who had remained near Seymour, spoke quietly to him. "Don't let's have any more trouble."

  "But what's all this about?" cried Seymour. "I'm on a test flight and I'm due off the ground." He made a grab at the parcel.

  Biggles held him off. "All right, take it easy," he said shortly.

  "I'll sue you for wrongful arrest," declared Seymour hotly.

  "You haven't been arrested yet," Biggles pointed out. "Why are you getting so upset? I merely want to see what's in this parcel."

  "You heard what my man said. It's my pyjamas."

  "In that case you've nothing to worry about," averred Biggles. "Come over to the clubhouse and we'll make sure there hasn't been a mistake. It won't take a minute." Seymour hesitated. "All ,right, I'll go without them," he decided at last.

  "There's no need to do that," argued Biggles. "A couple of minutes one way or the other is neither here nor there."

  "Well, let me get out of this flying kit," requested Seymour.

  "No, no. Don't trouble," returned Biggles.

  Ginger, who was following the argument, smiled as he realised the purpose of the request. Encumbered by heavy flying clothes Seymour could neither run nor fight, had either been his intention.

  "Come on!" ordered Biggles crisply. "There's been enough bickering." The whole party, which included the secretary and the instructor—looking more than slightly bewildered—moved slowly towards the clubhouse. Reaching it, Biggles led the way across the veranda into the lounge. He went no farther than the nearest table. On it he put the parcel. In a silence that was oppressive he took out his penknife, cut the string and pulled it off.

  The silence was broken only by the rustle of paper as he stripped it off to disclose what appeared to be a small bale of white muslin. With slow deliberation he unrolled it, and then turned accusing eyes on Seymour as he held up a miniature parac
hute. "Do you normally throw your pyjamas overboard before you land?" he enquired coldly. Seymour's face was bloodless, his lips a thin hard line.

  Biggles continued to unwrap the parcel, and presently there came to light a canvas bag to which the parachute was attached. Again the penknife came into action. A swift tear and the bag fell open, so that its contents were strewn on the table. They were bundles of one-pound notes, tightly packed as they are issued to banks. Biggles looked up. His eyes came to rest on Seymour's face. "This doesn't look like a suit of pyjamas to me," he said softly.

  "All right, smart guy," sneered Seymour. "So what? It's my money."

  "This money," corrected Biggles, "is the property of Barclay's Bank. It was stolen last week between Euston and Crewe. I happen to know the serial numbers. If you say it's yours perhaps you'll tell us how it got into your possession. We needn't ask what you were going to do with it. It isn't far from Lympne to the other side of the Channel." Seymour swallowed. "I can explain," he blurted hoarsely.

  "Not now," murmured Biggles. "Wait till you get to headquarters. Gestner, you're under arrest, and I think you'll find it hard to prove there's anything wrongful about it. All right, you can get out of that flying kit. You won't be needing it. Inspector Gaskin is in the office. You can talk to him on the way to London. Ginger, you might call him." The following day Biggles was explaining the case to the Air Commodore. "It was a bit difficult," he pointed out. "Of course, I knew he was up to something, but I hadn't a clue as to what it was, so I had to take a chance. I daren't let him, or the parcel, out of my sight. I couldn't follow him; I should have lost him in the dark. He'd have gone straight to France, dropped the parcel to a pal waiting for it, and then landed at Lympne with another excuse

  about losing his way to account for being overdue. It wouldn't have taken him long to slip across the Channel, anyway. Once the notes were over the other side they would have disappeared for good. The chauffeur was in it, too. I suppose Gestner didn't want to walk about with all that money on him so he got his chauffeur to sit in the car until he was ready to take off. In the ordinary way there was no reason why it shouldn't have worked."

  "The chauffeur happens to be Tod Mills," stated Inspector Gaskin, who was present. " We've been looking for him for months. One thing with another we can call it a good night's work."

  THE CASE OF THE MURDERED

  APPRENTICE

  "'MORNING, Bigglesworth. You seem to be busy here." Air Commodore Raymond made the remark as he strolled into the Operations Room of the Special Air Police.

  "Good morning, sir. Not so busy as we shall be, I'm afraid," replied Biggles, pulling up a chair for his chief.

  "That's a gloomy outlook," stated the Air Commodore. "Have you a reason for taking such a depressing view?"

  "I don't see how it can be otherwise," answered Biggles. He smiled wanly. "In fact, I'm thinking of making an application for more men and more machines." The Air Commodore looked startled. "Would you mind explaining this sudden burst ofpessimism?"

  "Not at all," returned Biggles, without enthusiasm. "It rests on the fact that the preoccupation of almost everyone today is how to get more spending money with the least possible effort. Some people are still prepared to get it honestly or not at all, but there's an increasing number who are

  determined to get it, anyway. The trouble is, those who are only slightly crooked don't seem to realize that they are potential criminals. They reckon they're just the wise guys. The worst aspect of it is that their children see what's going on, and imagining it's smart, start little rackets on their own which lands them in Borstal. That's the simple answer to the spate of juvenile crime which is giving magistrates a headache, and will, when the little crooks grow into big ones, keep me working overtime. You won't cure that by making more laws or building more prisons. Keep the home clean and you keep the kids clean. That's the answer. Am I right?"

  "So far," conceded the Air Commodore. "Go on."

  "All right. Unfortunately it so happens that government regulations, intended to make life easier for the majority, have also had the effect of making things easier for those who aren't particular about how they get their money. For example: the value of a thing should depend on the law of supply and demand; but values are now fixed by officials, and as no two governments think alike the result is a tangle of false values. An article costing half a crown in France may be worth a pound over here. And vice versa. Consequently, in order to make money fast all you have to do is buy in one country and sell in another. In other words, the road to

  Easy Street is merely a matter of transportation. You'll say steps have been taken to prevent such trading, and up to a point I'd agree with you. The illegal movement of merchandise, commonly called smuggling, is pretty well under control where ordinary surface transport is concerned; but there's still one vehicle which is difficult to stop, and that's the aeroplane, which is fast, independent of tides and timetables, and has all the space between heaven and earth in which to operate. The possibilities offered by aircraft are now being realized by the smart guys—and you ask me why I'm depressed! With machines able to cover fifty miles in five minutes it's now possible, for all practical purposes, for a man to be in two places at once. To keep pace I shall soon have to travel so fast that I shall meet myself coming back. The ground Force can't help. It takes an airman to catch an airman. Sorry to be so long-winded, but you asked for it." The Air Commodore tapped the ash off his cigarette. "It's funny you should say that, because it's just such a case of a fellow being in two places at once that brought me here today."

  Biggles shook his head sadly. "I should have known there was a trick in it. What's the latest miracle?"

  "It won't take long to tell," asserted the Air Commodore. "Today is Monday. Yesterday, at twelve noon, an aircraft apprentice named Edmund Teale proceeded on leave from Halton Camp to his home near Buckbury, in Essex, where his father is a gamekeeper. Teale caught his train and arrived at Buckbury station last night at ten minutes to eleven, where he ascertained from the station-master that, as the train was late, he had missed the last bus to Stanfield Corner, which would have passed near his home. He did the natural thing. Leaving his kitbag with the station-master, saying he would call for it next day, he took his haversack and started to walk. The distance by road to his home is six miles, but as there's a short cut across the fields that does it in four he took it. The, station-master at Buckbury has confirmed that he last saw Teale on the footpath at eleven o'clock. The boy should have been home by midnight. He didn't arrive; and he never will, because at dawn this morning his dead body was picked up on the Dutch coast. An early bather saw a body on a sandbank. He fetched the coastguard who brought it in. The uniform and identity disc told the police who it was. They phoned the Air Ministry, who have asked me to investigate."

  "And now you're asking me?"

  "Exactly."

  "Then let's make sure I've got my facts right. The boy was at Buckbury at eleven o'clock last night —that's definite?"

  "Yes."

  "And at what time was the body found?" "Five o'clock this morning."

  "Which means that, alive or dead, he had been transported from a footpath in Essex to Holland in six hours. That, in turn, means that he was carried in an aircraft."

  "Obviously. The time factor rules out anything else."

  "What was the cause of death—drowning?"

  "No. The boy must have been dead when he was put in the water. There was no water in his lungs. He had been shot in the heart, from close range, by a bullet fired from a Luger automatic pistol. The bullet is now on its way to us by air."

  "So we have a plain case of murder."

  "There's no doubt about that," agreed the Air Commodore. "If we can find the owner of the Luger that fired the bullet that killed the boy we should have enough evidence for a conviction; but in the absence of any motive I'm afraid that's going to be difficult."

  "I can't altogether agree with you there," said Biggles quietly. "There's
always a motive for murder although it may not be instantly apparent."

  "But what possible reason could anyone have for killing this unfortunate, harmless boy?"

  "Unfortunate, yes, but not necessarily harmless," disputed Biggles. "But let us not argue about it. As

  far as material to work on is concerned I've enough to keep us busy for the rest of the day."

  "I'm glad to hear you say it," murmured the Air Commodore, rising. "I'll leave you to it."

  "Have Teale's parents been told yet?"

  "They've had a wire to say the boy died in an accident. .An officer is now on the way down to tell them as much as we know."

  "Nobody else knows the details?"

  "Not yet."

  "What about the boy's haversack. Has it been found?"

  "No."

  Biggles stubbed his cigarette. "All right, sir. That's all I want to know. Believe you me, I shall try very hard to find the skunk who shot an unarmed boy. If I do find him we'll see what happens when he meets someone who also carries a pistol." The Air Commodore nodded. "Let me know how you get on," were his last words. The brief silence that followed the Air Commodore's departure was broken by Ginger, who had listened to the conversation from the map table where he had been working with Algy and Bertie. "From the way you spoke anyone would think the case bristled with clues," he observed. "I can't see one."

  "That's because you don't look hard enough," bantered Biggles, reaching for another cigarette.

  "Suppose you tell us, and save time," suggested Ginger.

  "All right," agreed Biggles. "Let's start with the motive. There must be one. When that boy set out to walk home he was perfectly normal. The tragedy therefore occurred or began during the walk. He was shot. The person who shot him didn't do it for fun. He had a reason. What could it have been? Considering the circumstances there could only have been one, or possibly two. He wanted the boy out of the way or he wanted to silence a witness. The two things go together, because having silenced the boy he would have to get rid of the body, anyway. Why did this person find it necessary to silence the boy?

  Obviously because the boy had seen something, or learned something, during the course of his walk. For the sake of argument we can say that as Teale walked home he saw or heard something which engaged his attention. We might even say, his professional attention. After all, he was a budding airman, and, as we know, an aircraft comes into the picture. He investigated, and was killed—not by an ordinary weapon, mark you, but by a Luger pistol, which is something a man carries for just such a purpose for which it was used. Exactly where Teale was killed we don't know—yet. What we do know is, the murderer decided to dispose