Read Online A Bespoke Murder by Edward Marston - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Edward Marston
Ads: Link
sir. Oliver is not that common a name. I’ll use a process of elimination.As for his accomplice, Gatty must be a diminutive of some sort. A thorough search will uncover his real name.’ He rose to his feet. ‘Thank you, Mrs Stein. I’ll intrude no longer. What you’ve told me has been extremely useful. We’ll have to see if it’s related in any way to the other crimes that took place or if it was a separate incident.’
‘What can we tell Ruth?’ asked Miriam.
‘Tell her that her attackers made a fatal mistake in mentioning that they’re in the army. I know where to look for them now. Being a member of the British Expeditionary Force doesn’t make them immune from arrest – as they’ll find out in due course. Goodbye to both of you.’
‘Goodbye, Inspector,’ said Miriam.
‘I’ll show you out,’ said Stone, getting up and opening the door. ‘And I want to thank you,’ he added when they were alone in the passageway. ‘Miriam’s emotions are very fragile at the moment, as you can well understand. You handled that interview with sensitivity.’
It was unexpected praise from an unlikely source. Marmion had the feeling that he might win over Herbert Stone after all. But he knew that there was a long way to go before he did that.
Dorothy Holdstock was peeling potatoes in the kitchen when she heard a knock at her front door. After running her hands under the tap for a moment, she dried them on her pinafore and went out. When she opened the door, she was taken completely by surprise. Standing in the porch with a suitcase in her hand was her sister.
‘Irene!’ she exclaimed. ‘You’re still alive!’
Throwing their arms around each other, they cried with joy.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Joe Keedy enjoyed questioning suspects. The process was a battle of wills that he usually won. Marmion had taught him a valuable lesson. Divide and rule. When more than one person was involved, it was important to split them up to avoid collusion. As a result of the names gleaned from Brian Coley, three men from Shoreditch were arrested at their places of work and brought in separately. Keedy interrogated each of them in turn. The first was the easiest to break. After an initial denial, he soon buckled and confessed that he had been in Jermyn Street the night before. A chimney sweep by trade, he claimed that he was accidentally caught up in the attack and had not actually entered the shop. When Keedy pointed out that items stolen from the property had been found at his home, he wilted completely.
The second man was a street trader, a fast-talking cockney who swore that he’d been nowhere near the West End at the time. His girlfriend would vouch for him. After ten minutes of verbal jousting, Keedyexposed his claim as an arrant lie and charged him. It was the third man who gave the sergeant the most trouble. Sidney Timpson was a wily character in his twenties who worked as a glazier. Keedy seized on the man’s occupation.
‘So you came to the West End touting for trade, did you?’
Timpson frowned. ‘What you on about?’
‘That shop window you smashed in Jermyn Street,’ said Keedy. ‘It’s a clever way to get business, Sidney. You break someone’s window then offer to mend it.’
‘Is that supposed to be a joke, Sergeant?’
‘I was never more serious. You were seen outside the premises of Jacob Stein yesterday evening.’
‘I’ve never even heard of the bloke.’
‘Do you deny it, then?’
‘Of course I bloody well do. I was out with friends in Shoreditch. You ask the landlord of the Lamb & Flag. He’ll tell you that we were drinking there until closing time.’
‘That was well after the incident in Jermyn Street.’
‘We were there all evening.’
‘Do you know a man named Brian Coley?’
Timpson became defensive. ‘Not really – why do you ask?’
‘What about Tommy Rudge, the barrow boy?’
‘Yes, I know old Tommy. He was boozing with me at the Lamb & Flag. Tommy will speak up for
‘What can we tell Ruth?’ asked Miriam.
‘Tell her that her attackers made a fatal mistake in mentioning that they’re in the army. I know where to look for them now. Being a member of the British Expeditionary Force doesn’t make them immune from arrest – as they’ll find out in due course. Goodbye to both of you.’
‘Goodbye, Inspector,’ said Miriam.
‘I’ll show you out,’ said Stone, getting up and opening the door. ‘And I want to thank you,’ he added when they were alone in the passageway. ‘Miriam’s emotions are very fragile at the moment, as you can well understand. You handled that interview with sensitivity.’
It was unexpected praise from an unlikely source. Marmion had the feeling that he might win over Herbert Stone after all. But he knew that there was a long way to go before he did that.
Dorothy Holdstock was peeling potatoes in the kitchen when she heard a knock at her front door. After running her hands under the tap for a moment, she dried them on her pinafore and went out. When she opened the door, she was taken completely by surprise. Standing in the porch with a suitcase in her hand was her sister.
‘Irene!’ she exclaimed. ‘You’re still alive!’
Throwing their arms around each other, they cried with joy.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Joe Keedy enjoyed questioning suspects. The process was a battle of wills that he usually won. Marmion had taught him a valuable lesson. Divide and rule. When more than one person was involved, it was important to split them up to avoid collusion. As a result of the names gleaned from Brian Coley, three men from Shoreditch were arrested at their places of work and brought in separately. Keedy interrogated each of them in turn. The first was the easiest to break. After an initial denial, he soon buckled and confessed that he had been in Jermyn Street the night before. A chimney sweep by trade, he claimed that he was accidentally caught up in the attack and had not actually entered the shop. When Keedy pointed out that items stolen from the property had been found at his home, he wilted completely.
The second man was a street trader, a fast-talking cockney who swore that he’d been nowhere near the West End at the time. His girlfriend would vouch for him. After ten minutes of verbal jousting, Keedyexposed his claim as an arrant lie and charged him. It was the third man who gave the sergeant the most trouble. Sidney Timpson was a wily character in his twenties who worked as a glazier. Keedy seized on the man’s occupation.
‘So you came to the West End touting for trade, did you?’
Timpson frowned. ‘What you on about?’
‘That shop window you smashed in Jermyn Street,’ said Keedy. ‘It’s a clever way to get business, Sidney. You break someone’s window then offer to mend it.’
‘Is that supposed to be a joke, Sergeant?’
‘I was never more serious. You were seen outside the premises of Jacob Stein yesterday evening.’
‘I’ve never even heard of the bloke.’
‘Do you deny it, then?’
‘Of course I bloody well do. I was out with friends in Shoreditch. You ask the landlord of the Lamb & Flag. He’ll tell you that we were drinking there until closing time.’
‘That was well after the incident in Jermyn Street.’
‘We were there all evening.’
‘Do you know a man named Brian Coley?’
Timpson became defensive. ‘Not really – why do you ask?’
‘What about Tommy Rudge, the barrow boy?’
‘Yes, I know old Tommy. He was boozing with me at the Lamb & Flag. Tommy will speak up for
Similar Books
