Read Online The Firebird Mystery by Darrell Pitt - Free Book Online Page B

don’t think...’
    â€˜There’s only one way to find out.’ Once again Mr Doyle produced his trusty blade and started to work at the top edge of one of the boxes. ‘Help me to ease this up, Jack.’
    They raised the lid. Scarlet stifled a cry of horror. A man lay within a solid block of ice in the box. He was well dressed, clean-shaven and very dead.
    â€˜Who is he?’ Jack asked.
    â€˜I can answer that,’ Mr Doyle said. ‘But I would first like to test a theory. Please help me with the other box.’
    A minute later they had the lid off the second crate. Inside another dead man lay encased in ice. Mr Doyle lit a lantern and held it over the ice tombs to inspect both bodies.
    â€˜Who are they?’ Jack asked.
    â€˜Two very famous men. May I introduce you to Douglas Milverton, the creator of Terrafirma, one of the most astounding inventions of our age.’
    Scarlet peered at the man’s face. ‘My goodness,’ she said. ‘He looks absolutely terrified.’
    Jack stared at the face. Scarlet was right. Milverton’s face was contorted into an expression of absolute horror. His eyes were wide and his mouth twisted into an eternal scream. It was ghastly.
    Mr Doyle pointed to the other man. ‘This other gentleman is James Partington. You may recall his most famous creation.’
    â€˜The amazing submersible!’ Scarlet exclaimed.
    â€˜The amazing…what?’ Jack asked.
    â€˜A submersible,’ Mr Doyle said. ‘A vessel constructed to travel under the water. A number of these have been commissioned, in the last year, by the Department of Defence. Their inventor is one James Partington, the gentleman who now lies before us. The government believes these may have made a real difference in the war if they had been developed earlier.’
    Once again a cloud seemed to pass over Mr Doyle’s face. He shook his head as if to clear it.
    â€˜He looks like he’s asleep,’ Jack said. ‘I wonder why Milverton looks so different.’
    â€˜I’m not sure,’ Mr Doyle said. ‘Both men went missing in the last year. Now we know what happened to them. The question is why?’
    â€˜Who were those men who delivered the bodies?’ Scarlet asked. ‘And are they responsible for the disappearance of my father?’
    â€˜I would only be guessing,’ Mr Doyle said.
    Jack was looking past Mr Doyle. Beyond his mentor lay the door through which they had entered. A face filled the glass panel set into it—the man who had been snapping orders at his companions. He held a gun at the ready, his eyes blazing with fury.
    â€˜Watch out!’ Jack yelled. He threw himself at Mr Doyle. A gunshot rang out, exploding the glass as Jack knocked the detective to the ground. Scarlet pulled out her gun and fired a single shot. The bullet hit the doorframe.
    â€˜Run!’ Mr Doyle cried.
    They sprinted to the rear of the building. All three men piled through the door and started shooting. More shots whizzed past as Jack and the others took refuge behind a stack of crates. Jack glanced around the corner and saw that the lantern had tipped over in the confusion and was now smouldering in the hay. Flames spread to the nearby shelves.
    â€˜We’ve got to get out of here,’ Scarlet said.
    Jack peered around. A bullet slammed into the crates stacked beside him. He cried out in alarm.
    â€˜My boy!’ Mr Doyle started.
    â€˜I’m all right,’ Jack said.
    Mr Doyle leaned around the corner and fired off a few shots. He looked about and then at the ceiling. ‘We’ll have to climb,’ he said. ‘You two go first.’
    Scarlet lifted her skirt and started up the shelving. A moment later Jack followed. The girl impressed him. There had been some rough and tumble girls at Sunnyside, but none had Scarlet’s abundant pluck.
    When they reached the top, Scarlet lay flat and fired her weapon at the