Shadow of Murder Page 21
A young boy was lying on the road, moaning. Chloe had pulled that stunt in the past, but this was certainly not Chloe. It was just a tow-headed little boy of five or six. The occupants of the carriage, an older lady and younger man, were bending over the boy, asking him if he was all right. Unlike Chloe’s stunt, no one rushed forward to snatch the lady’s necklace. And she was wearing something that sparkled around her throat too. What the devil was happening?
A little throng was gathering around the scene. Looking up, he saw Vance Corbett, bending over the boy on the ground. Their eyes met, Corbett stared, then jumped up and took to his heels. Black had to decide in a second whether to go after him or go back to see to Lady Clare’s carriage. He realized now that it was some new kind of a trick. His job was to catch whoever went after the paste necklace. He drew his pistol and ran back to Lady Clare’s carriage.
He stared in chagrin at the two attackers. The bigger one had dismounted and was pointing a gun into the carriage. The smaller one turned a pistol on him and said, “On the ground, face down.” He reached out and took Black’s pistol, while Black gulped and tried to think what he could do.
With the carriage door open, he could see the shambles within, with Roger rubbing his arm and Coffen just looking stunned. He saw their pistols on the ground. If he could snatch one of them ... Even as the thought occurred to him, the smaller fellow kicked the pistols under the carriage where he couldn’t get at them.
“Down!” the robber repeated, and Black dropped to the road.
The smaller robber took hold of the mount’s lead and said, “Come on,” in a hard voice to the other. Seemed they were going to double up on the mount. As the bigger man passed Black, lying on the ground, Black reached out and grabbed his ankle. He went sprawling. The smaller one let out a curse, hopped up on the mount and rode off, towards Hyde Park. A mounted rider seemed to come out of nowhere and went thundering down the road after him. Good! One of Townsend’s men would get him, and with the goods on him, unless he had the sense to toss them.
Black arose, went to the figure sprawled on the ground and pulled the mask down. Sean Everett’s sulky face stared at him. “The bitch!” he growled. So the little “fellow” was Chloe, as he suspected.
Coffen and Roger clambered out of the carriage and came limping forward, hanging their heads in shame. “I’ve broke me arm,” Roger said, getting in his excuse before he could be castigated. Black just sneered.
“T’other one was Chloe,” Black said, pulling Sean up by his collar and yanking his hands behind his back to attach the manacles. “Their friend Corbett was in on it. He took off as well,” he said, hoping to goad Sean into revelation.
“It was all his idea,” Sean said.
“You can tell it to Bow Street.”
“Did he say Corbett?” Coffen asked. “I didn’t see Corbett.”
“I did. He ran off. Ah, here’s Townsend’s boys come to help us, after it’s all over.” Two Runners had joined them, one from either direction. Black remembered that one of them was chasing Chloe and said, “Let’s hope your man has caught her. You want to stop that first carriage. It’s part of the stunt.”
“Them? Why they’ve left,” the Runner said. “They’re taking the little lad to a doctor.” The carriage in front was indeed flying down the road.
“Go after them!” Black ordered, and the Runners left.
“You’d best get your pistols out from under the rig,” Black said to his helpers. He was in no mood to go scrambling in the dirt for them.
“Me arm,” Roger said. Coffen reached under the carriage and with a deal of stretching and grunting, retrieved the two pistols.
“This isn’t all my doing!” Sean said.
Coffen pointed one of the pistols at him and said, “Shut up, and start talking.”
“We’ll be off to Bow Street to lay a charge against this one,” Black said, giving Sean a poke. “Let’s hope the Runner catches Corbett. Sean here says he’s the ring leader.”
“There’s a shocker,” Coffen said.
Sean was pushed into the carriage, the others took their places and Black drove to Bow Street. Within the carriage, Coffen tried to question Sean, but he kept a sulky silence, except for repeating once or twice that it was all Corbett’s idea.
* * *
Chapter 32
“It’s Townsend we ought to report to,” Coffen said, as Black mounted the box. “Since he hasn’t shown up, he must be at Elgin Hall.”
Much as Black disliked to go to the party in a groom’s outfit, he said, “You’re right.” Coffen scuttled into the carriage and Black drove along Oxford Street to the Hall.
He had to draw to a stop before he reached it. Two carriages were lined up, awaiting entrance. Coffen stuck his head out the window and called up, “It’ll be faster on foot. I’ll go. You wait for me here.” He opened the door, hopped out and hurried along towards the Hall, while Black sat, writhing in anguish at his failure, and trying to figure out what the devil had happened.
The three of them were in it together — Corbett, Sean and Chloe, with Corbett the ring leader, if Sean was telling the truth. Yes, and there was more than the three of them. That first carriage was part of the stunt as well. It must have been waiting along the road and darted out in front of him when Clare’s rig was recognized. Likely the whole Maccles gang were in on it. It wasn’t by accident that that carriage in front of them ran over a tot. Nossir, that was one of Chloe’s old stunts. Corbett had got the Maccles gang to help out.
P’raps he was a Maccles himself, despite the certificate from that orphanage. Easy enough to get a piece of paper making you whoever you wanted to be. Townsend didn’t think a Maccles would have the brains or gall to pull off a jewel robbery, but p’raps Mother had had a bit of a fling with some fellow with brains. Now there was an idea! Had the kid during one of Father’s vacations in gaol, and put him into an orphanage. Made sure it was far from London so Father wouldn’t learn of it. Who was to say the father wasn’t Diamond Dan? And that would make him Chloe’s half-brother.
Before long Coffen and Townsend came pelting forward. “So you let them get away with it,” Townsend said to Roger, as he had to shout at someone and didn’t like to chastize Luten’s friends.
“I busted me arm,” Roger said in a pitiful whine.
“I’ll bust your head, you fool. Drive along to Bow Street, Black, and we’ll hash out what’s to be done. No, make it Berkeley Square. It’s more private. I should have been in the rig with you.”
“Did you tell the Lutens?” Black asked.
“They have enough on their minds. Well, thank God I had the wits to put a paste necklace in the carriage. They’ll not hold up Prinney’s rig.”
He hopped in with Roger and Coffen. Black was on nettles to hear what was said in the carriage. He called to Phillips. “Can you drive?”
“Certainly,” Phillips said.
“Then get up here and take us to Berkeley Square.” He joined the others in the carriage. Phillips turned the rig around and drove to Luten’s house. “Keep the rig standing by till we decide what’s to be done,” he ordered Phillips.
Evans stared to see the unlikely group at the door. A policeman, a felon in manacles, a man dressed like a woman and an ex-butler, Mr. Pattle was the only gentleman amongst them, and even he was dressed in extremely soiled livery.
“We’ll use the rose salon,” Black said, as if it were his house. In the salon, Townsend pushed Sean on to a chair. Sean was half a foot taller than Townsend. He could be intimidated more easily if he were seated. He stood in front of him, wearing a wicked scowl.
“Now, start talking, Everett, or it’s the gibbet for you.”
“It was all Corbett’s idea,” he said.
“But it was your girlfriend that got away with the ice. Where do I find Corbett?”
“I don’t know,” he said in a voice that implied he not only didn’t know, but didn’t care.
“He’s not living at home. Is he staying
with you?”
“No.”
“Where is he staying these days?”
“I don’t know.” Townsend gave a glare that caused Sean to reconsider his blasé attitude. “He never lets us go to his place. We meet him in a cafe,” he added.
“How does he get in touch with you?”
“He sends a note.”
“Who brings it?”
“I don’t know. It’s just waiting for us when we go home at night or get up in the morning.”
“Where is young Chloe off to with the ice?”
“I don’t know!” he said, louder, becoming either frightened or angry.
“You don’t know much, do you?”
“It didn’t turn out the way we planned. I don’t know where she’s gone. Not to our flat anyhow. She wouldn’t go there.”
“Where does Mother Maccles live?”
“Who?”
“Your mama, sonny.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The questioning continued for half an hour, without their learning anything new. At that time Townsend said he’d drive Sean to Bow Street, lock him up and go for a word with Luten. “I’ll take him in the rig out front and send it back, if that’s all right with you. You come along with me, Roger.”
“I’d oughter see a doctor,” Roger said, massaging his arm.
“Plenty of time for that. Your arm ain’t going to fall off.”
“It might. Drop me off at the mews where Lady Clare keeps her carriage. I ain’t showing my phiz in public wearing skirts. I’ll make my own way to the sawbones from there.”
“Make sure you hold on to your arm,” Townsend said with awful irony. “We wouldn’t want you to lose it along the way.”
When they were alone, Black said to Coffen, “We’ll go home and change before we go to the party.”
Coffen rose and they went home. Evans was smiling as he closed the door on them. He hadn’t missed much from his listening post outside the rose salon. This would teach the mighty Black a lesson. Let the thieves get clean away. Gudgeon!
* * *
The ball was in full swing when Black and Coffen, suitably attired, arrived at Elgin Hall. Mrs. Ballard had found a way to make herself useful. She was at the door with another lady, taking tickets. She had not been required to stand up with the Prince of Wales, but he had looked right at her and smiled when he came in. Coffen stared at her a moment, thinking she looked familiar, but he couldn’t put a name to her. Black, whom she was rather looking forward to surprising, didn’t so much as glance at her as he handed her his ticket. He was too busy scouring the hall for Luten.
The Lutens were taking part in a cotillion. He and Coffen went to the refreshment parlour, where they found Prance and Lady Mary with a group of young people. They signaled to Prance, who excused himself and went to join them.
“How did it go?” he asked eagerly.
“Awful,” Coffen said. “They tricked us. Chloe and Corbett got away, but we got Sean. He’s at Bow Street now.”
“Corbett?” Prance cried. “You don’t mean he was in on it?”
“The ring leader, according to Sean.”
Prance stood stunned into silence for a moment, then said, “Actually he’s the only one of the three that would have the brains to plan it.”
“There was more than three in on it,” Coffen said. “I’m dry as the desert. Let me get something to wet my whistle and we’ll tell you all about it.”
“Bring your drink back here. I don’t want Lady Mary to hear this.”
Coffen brought wine for Black as well, and they retired to a quiet corner to tell Prance all about their evening. Corinne had spotted them and as soon as the cotillion was over, she and Luten joined them. Black gave a succinct account of all that had happened.
“Thank goodness it was only paste jewelry they got,” Corinne said. “Prinney brought the diamonds here. Lady Clare spent the day at Carlton House and came with him tonight. He’s with Lady Hertford now, telling her all about his small part in it, I expect.”
Luten listened, then said, “I believe I’ll take a run down to Bow Street.”
“I’ll go with you,” Coffen said. Black was torn. He wanted to go with them, but he also wanted to stay at the party in his new suit. It was the pinnacle of his social success thus far. Wouldn’t it be something if he could meet the Prince of Wales! There might be a chance for some private time with Lady Luten as well.
Black gave up any idea of going to Bow Street when Lady Luten said, “Would you mind staying here and telling me more about it, Black? Do you think the little boy was really hurt? Did they take him to a hospital?”
He was sorry later, when he discovered what he had missed at Bow Street. Luten and Coffen were surprised and delighted to see Townsend sitting in his office talking to Corbett.
“So you caught the scoundrel,” Coffen said. “Good work, Townsend.”
Townsend pointed at a couple of hard chairs against the wall. The gentlemen drew them forward, seated themselves and Townsend said, “You’ve got the wrong end of the stick entirely, Pattle. This gentleman saved our bacon. He brought in Missy Dumbrille.”
“Chloe?” Coffen said.
“The very same. I’d say the love affair between her and Sean is over. The wench rode off and left him high and dry. I’ve put them in the same cell to watch the feathers fly. They were squawking loud as a pair of macaws, each blaming the other, once Corbett brought her in.”
“So the story of Corbett being behind it is all lies,” Luten said,
“That was Sean’s idea, trying to lighten his sentence,” Townsend explained. “It seems Black mentioned Corbett being on the scene, and Sean was sharp enough to leap on it.”
Luten turned to Corbett. “But how did you happen to be there, at the scene of the robbery?”
“It’s a long story,” Vance said. “You know about the man found dead in my cottage — Diamond Dan Dumbrille. If I did kill him, and I’m not sure I did, it was self-defence. I had no idea who he was when he showed up at my door that night. He said George Edwards, the producer of Sir Reginald’s play, had sent him to ask me a few questions. He was dressed more or less like a gentleman, and with that introduction naturally I was eager to speak to him. No sooner was he sitting down than he began rambling in a way I couldn’t make head or tails of. Kept saying that he had to protect his girl. I thought he’d been drinking, though he wasn’t foxed by any means.
“He said he was sorry, but there was no other way. Then he pulled out a pistol and pointed it dead at me. I had no idea till that minute that he meant to shoot me. I made a lunge for the pistol. He was a strong brute. He nearly overcame me. I got a hold of his hand and tried to get the gun. We were wrestling on the sofa. I’m still not sure which of us pulled the trigger, but it was him that was lying dead after it went off.
“I was trying to decide what to do. I was expecting Miss Lipman at any moment. She was coming to call that evening. I couldn’t let her come in and find Dumbrille there, and I didn’t have time to move him. I was terrified. I wanted to rush out and meet her, take her somewhere else, but when I peeked out the window, I saw a cab had pulled up and she was running to the door. I figured she must have heard the shot. I lost my head, decided to run, but I didn’t know where to go. I didn’t have any money to speak of. I snatched his purse — it was a heavy one — then I grabbed up the pistol — I thought I might need it for protection — and ran out the back door while she came in the front. I had the pistol with me tonight. I gave it to Townsend.”
“Where did you go? We’ve been looking for you,” Luten said.
“I have a friend who’s doing well in the acting line. He put me up. I was afraid to leave the house at first, in case I’d be arrested, so I had plenty of time to think, to try to figure out what it was all about. Of course I read all the journals and knew then that my caller was Diamond Dan. He had mentioned having to save his girl.”
“From what?” Coffen asked.
“He must have decided not to go for the Clare diamonds at that point, for it was clear a dead man hadn’t nabbed them,” Townsend said aside to Luten, “though I wager he had the plan worked out and Missy knew all about it.”
Corbett listened, then continued, “I had no idea Chloe was his daughter, but the only two girls I’d had anything to do with recently were Miss Lipman and Chloe. Of those two, I knew Chloe was the more likely one to be involved in something illegal, so I began to sneak out and watch her flat.
“She had some pretty strange callers — one older woman and four young men. On two occasions Sean went out with the men, but Chloe wasn’t with them. I followed as closely as I dared and heard them mention sparklers and ‘getting them.’ They all seemed pretty friendly. I knew Dan’s game was stealing jewelry, and I knew the Clare diamond necklace was going to be auctioned off tonight. I figured they were planning to try to steal it, so I began watching her more closely.
“My friend, the actor, had various disguises. I changed my appearance and started watching Chloe and Sean as closely as I dared. This afternoon I followed them to a stable, and saw them hiring a mount to be delivered to them tonight. I figured they meant to make a go for the necklace. So I hired the finest mount I could find and rode around close to their place right after dark. When she and Sean left, leading the mount, I followed them. She was wearing trousers, but I recognized her all right. They stopped and took cover on Portman street, quite close to Elgin Hall, where the auction was to take place. I figured the necklace must be coming down Oxford Street.
“I just waited in the shadows on Oxford Street, and when I saw a little boy run out in front of a carriage, I was afraid he was hurt, and ran to him. Then Black spotted me and I ran. But when Black went back to the carriage he was driving, I followed him. I saw Lady Clare – I thought at the time it was Lady Clare — hand over the necklace to Chloe, saw her take off on the mount, leaving Sean behind. So I followed her. I overtook her a few yards into Hyde Park. Used her own father’s gun to stop her. There’s poetic justice for you. She tried to bribe me with the necklace, offered it to me if I’d let her go. She didn’t realize at the time it was paste, nor did I. I brought her in, and Townsend tells me they got Sean as well, so it seems I’m clear of that robbery.”