A Good Read

by John Creasey

  “You haven’t a strong right arm.”

  “I was in a hurry,” growled Higby. “Then I went out, and that damned dog was waiting in the thicket. He wasn’t easy to control, and Abel was near. So I killed him. I never did like the brute.”

  “You took a lot of chances.”

  Higby said: “You forced the pace too much. But the prize was worth it. When I’ve got those papers, Mannering, I’ve got something worth a million! Fenner can get that any time he wants—he might find a higher bidder. Know what’s in them?”

  “Does it matter? Haven’t you gloated enough?”

  “Nothing like enough,” sneered Higby. “I like gloating over your type—the way I gloated over Lithom when I told him who I was. And the way I gloated over my dear mother. And my precious sister. Those papers, Mannering, contain priceless secrets which the great Earl of Lithom was allowed to have in his possession when he was this country’s accredited representative to certain nations. Trusted! Proper swine, Lithom, wasn’t he? He had a hatred of Communism that turned him into a Fascist. He thought that one day he might find these secrets useful. Armament secrets. Atomic bomb information. Bacteria warfare details—oh, a fine lot, carefully and cleverly collected by the great earl, and put in the backs of those books. But he made a mistake. He trusted a secretary who knew a lot about book-binding, and Fenner got the secretary and extorted a confession. So he learned the titles of some of the books and where the papers were hidden. Beginning to see, Mannering?”

  Mannering said: “Yes, I see.” He put aside another book – the second with a slip of paper in, and this time Higby saw it.

  Higby said softly: “Mannering, don’t try to fool me. Take that paper out.”

  Mannering smiled faintly.

  “What’s the hurry? Fenner’s had the books since Wilberforce died, he had plenty of time before.”

  “Don’t talk so much!”

  “But why didn’t he open the books?” Mannering sounded curious – no more. “The papers would have been easier to handle.”

  Higby said. “We didn’t know that the papers were in the spines; Fenner had a look through them himself—he wouldn’t trust anyone else. Then you got the books away but you left one behind. He found the paper in the spine. Satisfied?”

  “You don’t think you’re going to get away with this, do you?”

  “I’ll get away with it, with you helping. Get on with the job. And—”

  Then Mannering thought he heard a footfall, outside.

  It was soft but distinct enough – and Higby heard it too. He moved away from the table and backed to the book-lined wall, from where he could cover both the door and Mannering,

  “Keep quiet! If you call out, I’ll drill you.”

  Mannering went on with his task as if nothing had happened. The sound wasn’t repeated. Higby relaxed, but looked more often at the door than at Mannering. Mannering might now be able to get at his own gun, to shoot the weapon out of Higby’s hand. But Higby kept glancing at him, he was at point-blank range and couldn’t miss.

  Lady Bream kept shifting in her chair and sniffing. Mannering didn’t look towards her.

  Abel hadn’t moved.

  Mannering said: “Where’s Mary Scott, Higby? You haven’t hurt her, have you?”

  “She’ll be all right, if you get the papers out of the grounds,” said Higby. “If you don’t—I’ll see that her throat’s cut. You needn’t think you can double-cross me, I’ve got the girl as a trump card. You’re a fine gentleman, aren’t you, Mannering?” he sneered. “Gentlemen can’t allow sweet young things to die, can they? But if you don’t get those papers out, she’s had it. No half measures about Fenner and me.”

  He seemed reassured about the noise outside.

  Mannering said: “He lets you take the risk.”

  “He takes plenty,” said Higby. “Fenner wouldn’t put anything across me—I know too much, and he knows I could give him away even if I were dead. When you have the kind of upbringing I had, Mannering, you learn to take care of yourself. But Fenner’s all right. He’s got a little band of playmates with him. Not Communists—just mercenaries. He pays high and looks after all who work for him, and they do exactly what he wants them to do. He’s got a dozen houses up and down the country. You’ve driven him out of two, but it won’t make any difference to him.”

  “I—see,” said Mannering.

  He had found three pieces of paper now; and only twenty-two or -three books were done. The job would take another hour – and Lorna’s time was up. He couldn’t be sure whether he had heard a footfall, whether she had come to listen at the door and gone off again, or whether the police had been warned. Not knowing was the worst part of it all – and the fact that if Higby thought he had been trapped, he would shoot to kill.

  Why had he brought Lady Bream here?

  Why—

  No, he mustn’t let his mind run on that, it wasn’t relevant. So much was easy to understand, including the warped mind of the man who still covered him with the gun, and was still wary.

  The whole story was out; there were really two – Fenner’s greed, Higby’s passionate hatred. That hatred had done much evil but served one good purpose. It had driven Higby to tormenting Gloria, to gloat over her agony of mind; but for that, he could have stolen the books, one at a time.

  And now?

  Mannering saw the handle of the door turn.

  He spoke quickly.

  “Higby, how do I know you’re going to let me go? What guarantee have I got—”

  It wasn’t any use.

  Higby looked at the door, saw the handle moving, then swivelled his gun round. Mannering flung himself backwards in his chair. The shot rang out, the bullet passed between his waving legs. He saw nothing, but heard the door burst open, heard three ringing shots. He didn’t know whether Higby had been hurt or not; didn’t even know whether the police had come. It might be Lorna, she might be—

  “He’s not here!” cried Lorna.

  She meant Mannering.

  He was behind the desk; they couldn’t see him from the door.

  “Bill!” She cried Bristow’s name.

  “All right,” called Mannering, and struggled up to a sitting position. “Careful with Higby, he—”

  “He’s all right,” said Bristow. “We’ve got him in the arm, and have taken his gun. All over, John.”

  Lorna rounded the desk.

  Mannering could see Higby reeling back against the bookcases. Gadden was here, too, and the room was filling up with detectives. Higby was between two of them, and holding up his right wrist; blood dripped from it. His face held a wild, venomous look and his eyes were blazing.

  “Have you found out where the girl is?” Bristow asked Mannering.

  Higby shouted: “No, damn him, and he never will! I warned him if he wanted to see her alive he shouldn’t try any tricks. He won’t see her again, none of you’ll see her—you won’t find Fenner, either!” His voice was rasping on a high-pitched note and his eyes still blazed. Once he put out his tongue and licked his lips. “But Fenner will find him. Fenner won’t take this lying down, you haven’t much longer to live, Mannering. Understand?” He was shrieking now. “You think you’ve been clever but you’ll pay for it.” He threw back his head and laughed, and they let him go on. Suddenly he broke off and thrust his head forward. He seemed only able to look at Mannering, behaved as if no one else were in the room. “You interfering, blue-blooded fool! You wouldn’t have left here alive. I’d have killed the three of you, made it look as if you’d committed suicide, I’d have ‘discovered’ you and sent for the police, and I would have got the papers clear. But I couldn’t get the papers and keep watch. I—”

  “Now that’s enough—” Bristow began.

  “Enough?” screeched Higby. “I haven’t properly started yet. You—”

  “John, keep him quiet and listen to me,” said Lady Bream.

  Her voice startled everyone.

  Mannering hadn’t even
noticed that a man had released her and helped her to her feet, and that another was kneeling over Abel. Now all looked towards her, and her voice was quiet although it carried well.

  “You keep your mouth shut, you—” snarled Higby.

  “I shall do nothing of the kind,” said Lady Bream. “John, it’s true, I am his mother. God forgive me for bringing such a creature into the world. I’ve known who he is ever since he came here. I’ve watched him. Of late, I’ve told him that I knew, that I wanted to help him, and to make amends. But I didn’t trust him, John—”

  “You slut!” screamed Higby. “You’re no better than—”

  A detective shook him. “Quiet!”

  Lady Bream went on: “I wasn’t sure until yesterday that he was responsible for much that has happened here. Had I known, I would have told the police. But because I’ve been watching him, I know several things he didn’t realize anyone knew. For instance, where his friend Fenner is now.”

  Higby cried: “You don’t know, no one knows!”

  “When Dr. Halsted was here, I heard him speak to you,” said Lady Bream. “I didn’t understand what you meant at the time—I realize it now. He said that if there were trouble here, you should go to the nursing-home where Gloria was to have been taken. It is in Putney.”

  The Flying Squad raided several Putney nursing-homes, and found the right one at the third attempt. Halsted, Fenner and seven men were taken to Cannon Row, and Bristow was informed by telephone. Mary was quite safe. At Lithom Hall, Abel wasn’t badly hurt.

  The trial of Fenner, Halsted, Higby and their accomplices was over.

  Mannering’s part in the affair had been prominent in the Press, and Bristow had delivered what amounted to a little homily. Gadden was reconciled. Longley who had been about to tell Bristow why he suspected that Mannering knew something about Mary’s disappearance, when he was attacked, had fully recovered.

  Mary had been back at Jeremiah Caldecott’s shop for five months. Gloria was quite herself again – younger and gayer and with many young friends. Sunlight, on a Spring day.

  Mannering learned other things.

  That Lithom, for instance, had been asked to resign when it was known that he had strong Fascist sympathies. That Fenner was in the pay of a foreign government. That none of the really valuable books at Lithom Hall had been damaged, and that a capable librarian was now installed there.

  Derek Peacock sat by the side of Mannering in the big car, surfeited with delight, ice-cream and speed. Mannering turned the corner of his street, saw Mrs. Peacock waiting and chuckled as Derek climbed out of the car.

  “Had a good time, old chap?”

  “Wonderful!” breathed Derek.

  “You’ve been ever so good,” said Mrs. Peacock. “Fancy you thinking of it.”

  “I’ll remember Derek for a long time,” said Mannering. He took a box out of the back of the car. “Here’s a souvenir, old chap—not a real one, but an exact model.”

  With unsteady hands, Derek drew out a shiny automatic from the box.

  “Darling,” called Lorna, from the kitchen, as Mannering went in that evening.

  “Yes, sweet.”

  “Longley and Mary Scott are getting married.”

  “Nice work!”

  “We’ll have to get a really good wedding present,” said Lorna. “Oh—and Stella’s been told she ought to have her voice trained professionally.”

  “Oh, lor’,” groaned Mannering.

  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)