Read Online 11 - Ticket to Oblivion by Edward Marston - Free Book Online
Authors: Edward Marston
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Tunnadine saw that he was outnumbered. Since nobody took his explanation seriously, he began to have his first niggling doubts about it. Too wily to admit defeat, he tried to turn the tables on Colbeck.
‘What progress have
you
made, Inspector?’ he demanded.
‘We’re still harvesting information, sir.’
‘You must have reached a conclusion.’
‘I never do that on insufficient evidence,’ said Colbeck.
‘So, in effect, your investigation has yielded nothing of consequence.’
‘I wouldn’t put it like that, Mr Tunnadine.’
‘Then how would you put it?’ pressed the other.
‘Possibilities are beginning to emerge.’
‘I’m not interested in possibilities,’ said Tunnadine with vehemence. ‘The dear lady I intend to marry may bein some kind of danger. She must be found quickly and returned safely to me. The culprit – and I still name him as George Vaughan – must be subjected to the full rigour of the law.’ After draining his glass, he rose to his feet, set the glass on the desk, then plucked a card from his waistcoat pocket. ‘This is where I may be reached in London,’ he said, thrusting the card at Colbeck. ‘I’ll be spending the night at Brasenose before returning there.’
‘As you wish, sir,’ said Colbeck, getting up to see him off.
‘Good day to you all!’
After snatching up his hat, Clive Tunnadine let himself out and slammed the door behind him to indicate his displeasure. Colbeck resumed his seat.
‘We can now begin to have a less fraught discussion,’ he observed.
‘I’m sorry that you came when you did, gentlemen,’ said Vaughan. ‘He was in a foul mood when he barged in here. We’ve only met Mr Tunnadine twice before and he doesn’t improve on acquaintance.’
‘He was obnoxious,’ said Cassandra. ‘I loathe the fellow.’
‘What he said about our younger son was quite scandalous.’
‘We must make allowances for his natural apprehension,’ said Colbeck, easily. ‘Anyone told that his future bride has just disappeared is bound to be at the mercy of wild fantasies. Mr Tunnadine was casting around for someone to blame and he happened to alight on your younger son.’
‘George can be a clown at times but he’s not
that
irresponsible.’
‘At heart,’ said Cassandra, fondly, ‘he’s the soul of kindness.’
‘Leaving him aside for the moment,’ said Colbeck, ‘let’s turn to the moment when the train from Worcester actually arrived at the station here. What did you and your daughter see, Mrs Vaughan?’
‘Everything but what we wanted to see – namely, Imogen and her maid.’
‘Could you be more specific?’
‘I don’t follow.’
‘Well, when Sergeant Leeming and I arrived at the station earlier, we were part of a swirling crowd, yet we could pick out some of its constituent members.’
‘Yes,’ said Leeming, taking his cue. ‘There was a priest, an old lady with a walking stick, another with a small dog under each arm, a group of giggling young girls and an elderly gentleman with a monocle. Then there was a—’
‘Thank you, Sergeant,’ said Colbeck, cutting him off. ‘The point has been made, I fancy. Even though we were not looking for those individuals, they impinged on our consciousness. Did something similar happen to you, Mrs Vaughan?’
‘Why, yes – as a matter of fact, it did.’
‘Please go on.’
‘I remember the woman with her arm in a sling and a man with a violin case. Emma will certainly recall the four children who got off the train with their parents because one of the boys bumped into her. Both of us spotted the soldier, of course.’
Colbeck’s ears pricked up. ‘What soldier was that?’
‘He was waiting on the platform with us, Inspector. He was tall and rather resplendent. When the train pulled in, he welcomed another soldier who had bandaging over oneeye. The wounded man was travelling with a woman. I only caught a fleeting glimpse of them because I was too busy keeping my eyes peeled
‘What progress have
you
made, Inspector?’ he demanded.
‘We’re still harvesting information, sir.’
‘You must have reached a conclusion.’
‘I never do that on insufficient evidence,’ said Colbeck.
‘So, in effect, your investigation has yielded nothing of consequence.’
‘I wouldn’t put it like that, Mr Tunnadine.’
‘Then how would you put it?’ pressed the other.
‘Possibilities are beginning to emerge.’
‘I’m not interested in possibilities,’ said Tunnadine with vehemence. ‘The dear lady I intend to marry may bein some kind of danger. She must be found quickly and returned safely to me. The culprit – and I still name him as George Vaughan – must be subjected to the full rigour of the law.’ After draining his glass, he rose to his feet, set the glass on the desk, then plucked a card from his waistcoat pocket. ‘This is where I may be reached in London,’ he said, thrusting the card at Colbeck. ‘I’ll be spending the night at Brasenose before returning there.’
‘As you wish, sir,’ said Colbeck, getting up to see him off.
‘Good day to you all!’
After snatching up his hat, Clive Tunnadine let himself out and slammed the door behind him to indicate his displeasure. Colbeck resumed his seat.
‘We can now begin to have a less fraught discussion,’ he observed.
‘I’m sorry that you came when you did, gentlemen,’ said Vaughan. ‘He was in a foul mood when he barged in here. We’ve only met Mr Tunnadine twice before and he doesn’t improve on acquaintance.’
‘He was obnoxious,’ said Cassandra. ‘I loathe the fellow.’
‘What he said about our younger son was quite scandalous.’
‘We must make allowances for his natural apprehension,’ said Colbeck, easily. ‘Anyone told that his future bride has just disappeared is bound to be at the mercy of wild fantasies. Mr Tunnadine was casting around for someone to blame and he happened to alight on your younger son.’
‘George can be a clown at times but he’s not
that
irresponsible.’
‘At heart,’ said Cassandra, fondly, ‘he’s the soul of kindness.’
‘Leaving him aside for the moment,’ said Colbeck, ‘let’s turn to the moment when the train from Worcester actually arrived at the station here. What did you and your daughter see, Mrs Vaughan?’
‘Everything but what we wanted to see – namely, Imogen and her maid.’
‘Could you be more specific?’
‘I don’t follow.’
‘Well, when Sergeant Leeming and I arrived at the station earlier, we were part of a swirling crowd, yet we could pick out some of its constituent members.’
‘Yes,’ said Leeming, taking his cue. ‘There was a priest, an old lady with a walking stick, another with a small dog under each arm, a group of giggling young girls and an elderly gentleman with a monocle. Then there was a—’
‘Thank you, Sergeant,’ said Colbeck, cutting him off. ‘The point has been made, I fancy. Even though we were not looking for those individuals, they impinged on our consciousness. Did something similar happen to you, Mrs Vaughan?’
‘Why, yes – as a matter of fact, it did.’
‘Please go on.’
‘I remember the woman with her arm in a sling and a man with a violin case. Emma will certainly recall the four children who got off the train with their parents because one of the boys bumped into her. Both of us spotted the soldier, of course.’
Colbeck’s ears pricked up. ‘What soldier was that?’
‘He was waiting on the platform with us, Inspector. He was tall and rather resplendent. When the train pulled in, he welcomed another soldier who had bandaging over oneeye. The wounded man was travelling with a woman. I only caught a fleeting glimpse of them because I was too busy keeping my eyes peeled
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