She goggled. ‘Who was she?’
‘We don’t as yet know but there’s clearly a link with the murder of your former employer.’
He gave her an outline description of the woman and asked if she had any idea who it might possibly be. Harriet insisted that she did not, adding that Donohoe had very few women in his circle and none who could possibly be the deceased. Marmion began to probe into her background.
‘Your family must be pleased to have you back here.’
‘They are, Inspector.’
‘Did they imagine that you’d ever finish up working directly for one of the city’s most celebrated businessmen?’
‘No, they didn’t. The most they hoped was that I’d get a job I liked that would give me a regular income.’
‘Until the move to London, did you always live at home?’
‘Yes, I did.’
‘How did you keep in touch with your parents?’
‘We corresponded. Since they don’t have a telephone, it was the only way.’
‘You must have exceptional commercial skills.’
‘Mr Donohoe thought so.’
‘So does his son, by the look of it. As soon as you became available, he snapped you up for himself.’ She looked uneasy. ‘Am I simplifying the situation?’
‘I just do what I’m told.’
‘How does your predecessor feel about it? Until you came here, another secretary must have occupied this office. Without warning, you supplanted her. That must have come as a shock.’
‘I suppose that it did.’
‘So why was Adrian Donohoe so keen to have you?’
‘That’s something you’ll have to raise with Mr Donohoe himself.’
‘I could hazard a guess, Miss Kane.’
‘Could you?’
‘Yes,’ said Marmion. ‘I get the strong feeling that he wants you here so that he can keep an eye on you.’ He saw her swallow hard. ‘Now why should he do that?’
Claude Chatfield was preparing his notes for the next press conference when the commissioner tapped on his door and came into his office. Sir Edward Henry was anxious to know if the second murder victim had been identified yet. When he heard that she was still without a name, he was irritated.
‘The killer is not making it easier for us, is he?’
‘No, Sir Edward.’
‘He did the same thing with his first victim.’
‘In that case,’ Chatfield pointed out, ‘we overcame the handicaps he gave us. By dint of visiting the man’s tailor, Inspector Marmion soon identified him. This second victim – the first one, chronologically – will be a more difficult proposition.’
‘Sergeant Keedy felt that she might be a foreigner.’
‘That’s a possibility.’
‘I think that it’s worth mentioning to the press.’
‘I agree.’
‘We may know nothing about the victim but this other murder has given us some additional information about the killer. Donohoe’s death showed that the man was ruthlessly efficient. We’ve learnt that he took a perverted delight in killing that poor woman.’
The commissioner bunched a fist and struck the palm of his other hand.
‘He must be taken off the streets of London, Superintendent.’
‘He will be, in due course.’
‘You’ll have to edit the post-mortem report very carefully.’
‘That’s exactly what I’ve been doing, Sir Edward,’ said Chatfield, indicating the paper in front of him. ‘The first detail I excised from it was that – as in Donohoe’s case – her tongue had been cut out.’
‘Does the killer have some weird fetish regarding tongues?’
‘I don’t know, but the two victims have suffered more than enough indignity as it is. I’m not having a full account of what they endured splashed across the front pages of the newspapers. It would be indecent.’
‘Your judgement in these matters is impeccable.’
‘Thank you, Sir Edward.’
The commissioner was on the verge of leaving when he recalled something.
‘When we spoke earlier, we talked about my initiative in Stepney.’
‘That’s right – is their further news?’
‘There is, indeed. We’ve received word from Detective Constable Burge.’
‘What did he say?’
‘Battle will be joined tonight.’
Thomas Day had always flattered himself that he had the gift of the gab. Combined with his appearance, his articulacy was a potent weapon. He had talked many clients into deals they wouldn’t otherwise have even considered. Faced by Keedy, however, his silver tongue proved ineffective. Every time Day came up with what he thought was a convincing explanation, the sergeant shot it down with ease.
‘Facts are facts, Mr Day. You were seen in the bar at the Devonian, chatting amicably to Mr Donohoe.’
‘Yes, I admit it freely. Gilbert and I did meet up in the bar. What’s wrong with that? Have you never had a drink with a friend, Sergeant?’
‘Of course, but none of them went off to be murdered soon afterwards.’
‘What’s the point of me telling you the truth if you don’t believe it?’ said Day, angrily. ‘You really are the most exasperating man.’
Keedy was irritatingly calm. ‘Why don’t we wipe the slate clean of all your lies and start again?’ he asked.
‘I’ve nothing else to say.’
‘Then it’s my turn. You’ve never been involved in a murder investigation before so let me tell you what always happens. We interview suspects and get the most extraordinary claims from them. At the end of it all,’ Keedy stressed, ‘the facts eventually come out and the people, like you, who thought they could pull the wool over our eyes end up with red faces.’ He smiled. ‘Can you understand what I’m telling you, Mr Day?’
‘I think so.’
‘If you’re not completely honest now, you’ll be made to look a fool when we have the full picture. That will hardly be good for business, will it? Do you wish to be quoted in national newspapers telling us brazen lies?’
Day was worried. ‘My name won’t be in the papers, will it?’
‘We might even arrange for a photograph.’
‘That could be damaging for me.’
‘It’s self-inflicted damage, sir.’
‘Listen, Sergeant,’ said Day, getting to his feet, ‘I will swear on the Holy Bible that I didn’t kill Gilbert Donohoe and was not party to his murder in any way. What could I possibly stand to gain from it?’
‘You’d gain a lucrative partnership with Norris Sprake.’
Day gasped. ‘That’s absurd.’
‘You’ve been in contact with his right-hand man, Mr Peebles, haven’t you?’
‘Why on earth should I do that?’
‘I’d be obliged if you’d tell me.’
‘Peebles is only a chauffeur. I’ve no reason to talk to him.’
‘Oh, I suspect that you have, Mr Day. It may interest you to know that I called on him earlier today. Peebles is a clever man but he doesn’t have your talent for deception. When I mentioned your name, he gave himself away. You know each other well.’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘Am I right?’
Day sank back into his chair with an air of defeat.
When he questioned a woman, Marmion didn’t like putting her under any real pressure. It felt wrong to him. In the present case, however, he believed that it was necessary. Harriet Kane knew things that were relevant to the investigation so they had to be drawn out of her one way or the other. He’d always felt that his daughter would be good at interviewing women. Alice had the patience, persistence and mental clarity that was essential. She might well be able to get things out of another woman that a man could not. Unfortunately, there were no female detectives as yet and policewomen, with their limited roles, were not involved in murder cases. Scotland Yard was a male bastion. Harriet Kane could only be interrogated by a man.
‘I think that Mr Donohoe is hiding s
omething from me,’ said Marmion.
‘Then you ought to speak to him, Inspector.’
‘I need to learn a few things from you first.’
‘There’s nothing more I can tell you.’
‘There are lots of things, Miss Kane. You may regard them as useless bits of information but they could be valuable to us. Let’s start with a name you’re bound to recognise – Thomas Day.’
‘What about him?’
‘He and Gilbert Donohoe broke up their partnership but we’ve reason to believe that it was about to be renewed. Is that true?’
‘Yes, it is.’
‘Did Mr Day ever ring your former employer?’
‘Yes, Inspector.’
‘And did he ring him when you were both at the offices in Barnes?’
‘Now and then.’
‘Was Mr Sprake aware of those phone calls?’
‘They were private.’
‘Did Mr Donohoe deliberately conceal them from him?’
‘He saw no reason to mention them,’ she said, cagily. ‘I daresay that Mr Sprake had private calls of his own that he didn’t discuss with Mr Donohoe. They each had separate contacts. Most of Mr Donohoe’s calls were to his wife. He hardly needed to give Mr Sprake details of those.’
‘What about his son? When he was in London, was he in touch with Adrian?’
‘No, Inspector.’
‘Why was that?’
‘There was no need.’
‘Could you enlarge on that?’
‘Adrian had a job to do and he did it well. His father preferred to let him get on with it quietly.’
‘Did they spend any time at all together?’
‘Only when there was a special event in the family,’ she replied.
‘So Adrian had to wait for birthdays and anniversaries before he actually got to see his father – is that what you’re saying?’
‘They were both extremely busy.’
‘Do you know what I think?’
‘No, Inspector.’
‘I think that Mr Donohoe arranged his life in such a way that he barely set eyes on his son. He certainly didn’t promote him in the way you’d expect. Instead of being a major figure with a full range of responsibilities, Adrian is a factory manager with a grudge against his father.’
‘Running this factory is an important job,’ she said, chin jutting out.
‘It’s a small, offshore island in an international empire.’
‘Adrian doesn’t quite have his father’s flair.’
‘That’s because he’s not encouraged to have it,’ argued Marmion. ‘He’s been held back on purpose and I’d like to know why. What was Adrian’s crime? What did he do – or not do – to upset his father?’
‘I can’t tell you that, Inspector.’
‘Does that mean you don’t know – or are you holding something back?’
‘Speak to Adrian.’
‘I’m speaking to you, Miss Kane, because I was hoping for a measure of honesty. I can’t get that out of Adrian. It’s almost as if he’s afraid of the truth.’ He put his face closer to hers. ‘Are you afraid of it as well?’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she murmured.
‘Family secrets.’
‘You’ll have to look somewhere else for those.’
‘I’d rather concentrate on you because you’re not part of the family.’
‘My loyalty is to them, Inspector.’
‘Why did Adrian make you his secretary?’
‘You’ve asked me that already.’
‘I’m hoping for a better answer this time.’
‘It will be the same as before.’
‘Then I’ll have to provide my own answer, won’t I?’ said Marmion. ‘On the day when I informed him of his father’s murder, Adrian Donohoe jumped on a train to London to sort various things out. Your position was one of them. You were told to clear your office so that you could return to Birmingham with him and take up a post as his secretary. And why did he make that decision?’
‘He valued my experience.’
‘He wanted to keep you quiet, Miss Kane.’
‘I didn’t have to take the job.’
‘Oh, I think you did. If you’d refused, he could have made it very difficult for you to get another job with the same status. The Donohoe name packs a big punch around here. Where else could you expect to work alongside someone with such enormous power in the business world?’
‘I like it here.’
‘You have no choice.’
‘It’s not fair of you to question me like this, Inspector,’ she said, voice cracking. ‘I’ve done nothing wrong. I can’t see why you’re doing it.’
‘You know something, Miss Kane. Because of that, Adrian Donohoe took you from that office in Barnes and brought you straight here. I’m sure you’re well paid and that may be a consolation to you.’
‘I didn’t accept the post because of the money.’
‘No,’ said Marmion, looking deep into her eyes, ‘you accepted it because you had no choice. There’s only one reason why he wanted you here: Adrian needs to ensure that you keep your mouth shut.’
Harriet Kane promptly burst into tears.
Alice Marmion sat opposite her mother and read the paper they’d bought at Euston. It contained an article on the murder of Gilbert Donohoe and criticised the apparent inability of the police to solve the crime. Her mother had been reading a novel but, when Alice lowered the paper, she saw that Ellen had fallen fast asleep. In repose, her face looked old and anguished. The book lay open in her lap. Sympathy welled up inside Alice. Her mother was having a hard time of it. She was married to a man she rarely saw and was the mother of a son who’d brought her untold grief. Whether he was at home or in some unknown part of the country, Paul was causing her pain and heartache. Alice, too, made a contribution. Having come home ostensibly to support her mother, she’d only added to her general distress by moping about Joe Keedy.
Was she looking at her own future? The thought made Alice sit up in alarm. If she married a detective, would she have to stay at home for interminable hours while he was involved in a complex case? If they had children, would she have to cope with a fractious son and a daughter whose relationships with the opposite sex were never untroubled? It was a daunting prospect.
Having achieved what he thought was a minor triumph against the estate agent, Keedy caught a taxi and gave the driver the Edgbaston address of the Donohoe family. He and Marmion had arranged to meet there. As luck would have it, Keedy arrived in time to see the inspector paying the driver of his own taxi. The detectives were able to have a brief discussion about what they’d learnt from their respective visits. Both felt that they’d made progress. They approached the house. Knowing that the family was preoccupied with the funeral arrangements, they felt that it was a bad time to call but their arrival was, in fact, welcomed by Clara Donohoe. She was keen to speak to Marmion, so Keedy was left to talk to her son.
Adrian Donohoe was in the office, studying the preliminary draft they’d made of the order of service for the funeral. Until he was told about the second murder, he was rather offhand. The news concentrated his mind.
‘And you’re certain it’s the work of the same killer?’
‘The pathologist had no doubt about that, sir.’
‘Where was the body found?’
‘It was over a mile upriver from where your father was discovered. Had she not been entangled in some driftwood, she might have stayed underwater even longer. I just wish that we had a name to go with the body.’
‘Yes, I’d be interested to know who she was.’
‘I’m more interested to know who the killer might be,’ said Keedy. ‘That’s why we’re following every possible line of enquiry.’
Adrian frowned. ‘Is that what I am – a line of enquiry?’
‘The inspector feels you have valuable information to give us.’
‘I’ve already told you everything I know
, Sergeant.’
‘That’s not strictly true. I’ve just spent a testing hour or so with Thomas Day. He pretended that he’d told us everything as well. It was only when I pointed out that he’d simply given us a tissue of lies that he provided some real help. And no,’ he added, quashing the other man’s attempt at interrupting him, ‘I’m not saying that you told us any lies, sir. Because your father was a murder victim, it was in your interest to tell the truth. We just feel that we didn’t hear enough of it.’
‘What is it you wish to know?’
‘Well, it would help if we knew why there was such tension between you and your father. There’s no denying it, Mr Donohoe. It’s too blatant.’
Adrian looked at him with mingled resentment and curiosity, annoyed to be questioned about something he regarded as a private matter yet wondering how far the sergeant could be trusted. Keedy could see that he was being weighed up.
‘We’re not here to pry into family affairs, sir. Our only interest is in finding the brutal killer of two victims. You can help us and, as we’ve said before, we treat everything you tell us in confidence with respect.’
‘You won’t pass it on to the papers?’
‘I give you my word.’
‘What proof do I have that you’ll keep it?’
‘Your father’s death was, mercifully, quite swift. That’s not the case with the other victim. She was stripped naked, tied up and raped.’
Adrian grimaced. ‘That’s disgusting!’
‘Before she was tossed into the river, her tongue was cut out. Open a newspaper tomorrow and you won’t find a single one of those details there because we’ve kept them back. In other words, we exercise discretion, Mr Donohoe. That’s what I’ll do with whatever you tell me,’ promised Keedy. ‘I’ll protect you and your family from embarrassment.’
Adrian looked at him for a long time before he made his decision.
‘I could do with a cup of tea,’ he said, pressing a button in the wall. ‘Would you care to join me, Sergeant?’
Keedy grinned. ‘Is there any chance of a biscuit, sir? I’m hungry.’
In preparation for the battle between the two gangs, Clifford was making a final tour of the area. He’d already picked out a number of houses where he felt he could hide the men who’d be detailed to help him. Since it would be close to the centre of the action, the junk shop was another place where his reinforcements could lie in wait. Pausing on a corner, he was surprised to see Everitt White strolling towards him. The older man was not in uniform.
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