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Authors: Edward Marston
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aback. The last thing he expected to do amid
piles of building materials was to excite the interest of an attractive young
woman. A pleasing sensation surged through him and produced an involuntary smile
of his own. It was a thrilling moment but it soon passed.
Without
quite knowing why, he suddenly sensed danger.
Chapter Five
The
pilfering began almost immediately. Because only small quantities were stolen
each time, the theft went unnoticed at first but it eventually became too
obvious to ignore. Stone suffered the least. Bricks were taken in dozens and
timber, reserved for joists, floorboards, window frames and roof trusses, was
spirited away in slightly larger consignments. Expensive lead, destined for the
roof, also vanished mysteriously in the night. When the losses came to the
attention of Solomon Creech, he howled with rage.
'I
blame you for this, Mr Littlejohn,' he accused.
'Why,
sir?' said the builder. 'I did not steal it.'
'It
is your duty to protect the property.'
'I
have tried to do so, Mr Creech, but it still seems to trickle away. We had a
nightwatchman on guard last night and even his presence did not deter these
villains. Somehow they managed to strike again.'
'Then
your nightwatchman is their confederate,' argued the lawyer, waving a scrawny
hand. 'Did that not occur to you as a possibility?'
'It
was my first thought. I questioned him closely about it but he pleaded
innocence.'
'He
is innocent of abetting the thefts,' said Christopher. 'I am sure of that. But
I suspect he may be guilty of something else.'
'Keep
out of this, Mr Redmayne,' snapped Creech.
'I
am directly involved in the matter, sir.'
'You
only muddy the waters of this discussion.'
'I
am trying to help, Mr Creech.'
'Your
help is merely a hindrance.'
'Mr
Redmayne has the right to an opinion,' said Littlejohn, coming to his defence.
'If there is a delay in the building of the house - or if costs rise sharply
because of these thefts - then Sir Ambrose is likely to swinge both me and Mr
Redmayne.'
'He
will have you hanged, drawn and quartered!' wailed Creech. 'And I will not
escape his displeasure. That is why this crime must be solved forthwith and the
stolen property recovered.' The scrawny hand fluttered again. 'I hold you responsible
for this, Mr Littlejohn. Until you resolve the matter, I will not release any
further monies to you.'
'But
I need the capital to replace what we have lost.'
'Pay
for it out of your own purse.'
'We
have a contract, sir.'
'It
has been abrogated by your incompetence. Before he left,' said Creech
imperiously, 'Sir Ambrose entrusted all his affairs to me. I have discretionary
powers with regard to the release of funds and you will not see another penny
until my demand is met.'
Christopher
had to resist the urge to punch the lawyer and even the builder's geniality was
put under severe strain. The two men traded a knowing glance. Neither of them
liked Solomon Creech. He was a tall, angular, pigeon- chested man in a crumpled
black coat and a misshapen hat. His shoulders had been rounded so much by
thirty years in the service of the law that he was almost hunchbacked.
Protruding front teeth were the main feature in an unprepossessing face and
they were bared in a snarl that morning. By the time he arrived on site to
chastise the two men, he had worked himself up into a real fury. Christopher
Redmayne and Samuel Littlejohn had to call on their last reserves of patience
and tolerance.
The
laywer stamped his foot and sent up a small cloud of dust.
'So?'
he demanded. 'What do you intend to do about it?'
'The
first thing I will do,' said Littlejohn firmly, 'is to invite a comment from Mr
Redmayne.'
'His
comments are irrelevant.'
'Nevertheless,'
insisted Christopher, squaring up to him. 'I will give them. Were he here, I am
sure that Sir Ambrose would want to hear what I have to say. If you do not,
close your ears while I speak to Mr Littlejohn.'
'Well?'
encouraged the builder. 'You said earlier that
piles of building materials was to excite the interest of an attractive young
woman. A pleasing sensation surged through him and produced an involuntary smile
of his own. It was a thrilling moment but it soon passed.
Without
quite knowing why, he suddenly sensed danger.
Chapter Five
The
pilfering began almost immediately. Because only small quantities were stolen
each time, the theft went unnoticed at first but it eventually became too
obvious to ignore. Stone suffered the least. Bricks were taken in dozens and
timber, reserved for joists, floorboards, window frames and roof trusses, was
spirited away in slightly larger consignments. Expensive lead, destined for the
roof, also vanished mysteriously in the night. When the losses came to the
attention of Solomon Creech, he howled with rage.
'I
blame you for this, Mr Littlejohn,' he accused.
'Why,
sir?' said the builder. 'I did not steal it.'
'It
is your duty to protect the property.'
'I
have tried to do so, Mr Creech, but it still seems to trickle away. We had a
nightwatchman on guard last night and even his presence did not deter these
villains. Somehow they managed to strike again.'
'Then
your nightwatchman is their confederate,' argued the lawyer, waving a scrawny
hand. 'Did that not occur to you as a possibility?'
'It
was my first thought. I questioned him closely about it but he pleaded
innocence.'
'He
is innocent of abetting the thefts,' said Christopher. 'I am sure of that. But
I suspect he may be guilty of something else.'
'Keep
out of this, Mr Redmayne,' snapped Creech.
'I
am directly involved in the matter, sir.'
'You
only muddy the waters of this discussion.'
'I
am trying to help, Mr Creech.'
'Your
help is merely a hindrance.'
'Mr
Redmayne has the right to an opinion,' said Littlejohn, coming to his defence.
'If there is a delay in the building of the house - or if costs rise sharply
because of these thefts - then Sir Ambrose is likely to swinge both me and Mr
Redmayne.'
'He
will have you hanged, drawn and quartered!' wailed Creech. 'And I will not
escape his displeasure. That is why this crime must be solved forthwith and the
stolen property recovered.' The scrawny hand fluttered again. 'I hold you responsible
for this, Mr Littlejohn. Until you resolve the matter, I will not release any
further monies to you.'
'But
I need the capital to replace what we have lost.'
'Pay
for it out of your own purse.'
'We
have a contract, sir.'
'It
has been abrogated by your incompetence. Before he left,' said Creech
imperiously, 'Sir Ambrose entrusted all his affairs to me. I have discretionary
powers with regard to the release of funds and you will not see another penny
until my demand is met.'
Christopher
had to resist the urge to punch the lawyer and even the builder's geniality was
put under severe strain. The two men traded a knowing glance. Neither of them
liked Solomon Creech. He was a tall, angular, pigeon- chested man in a crumpled
black coat and a misshapen hat. His shoulders had been rounded so much by
thirty years in the service of the law that he was almost hunchbacked.
Protruding front teeth were the main feature in an unprepossessing face and
they were bared in a snarl that morning. By the time he arrived on site to
chastise the two men, he had worked himself up into a real fury. Christopher
Redmayne and Samuel Littlejohn had to call on their last reserves of patience
and tolerance.
The
laywer stamped his foot and sent up a small cloud of dust.
'So?'
he demanded. 'What do you intend to do about it?'
'The
first thing I will do,' said Littlejohn firmly, 'is to invite a comment from Mr
Redmayne.'
'His
comments are irrelevant.'
'Nevertheless,'
insisted Christopher, squaring up to him. 'I will give them. Were he here, I am
sure that Sir Ambrose would want to hear what I have to say. If you do not,
close your ears while I speak to Mr Littlejohn.'
'Well?'
encouraged the builder. 'You said earlier that
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