Read Online The Mummy Snatcher of Memphis by Natasha Narayan - Free Book Online Page B

fashionable park in London. Luckily my purse only contained a couple of shillings, I’d left my remaining two guineas at home. “I’ve been robbed,” I blurted.
    Everything seemed to slow down. “Robbery’s a very grave matter,” the policeman said, pulling out his notebook. “Greener did it, you think?”
    â€œNO, I DO NOT THINK!” I snapped, in total exasperation. “FORGET ABOUT THE ROBBERY. PLEASE, JUST GET THIS MAN TO HOSPITAL.”
    Rachel, who was kneeling by Baruch, looked the police constable in the eye. Her face was very grave under her halo of dark curls. “You don’t want this man’s death on your conscience,” she said softly. “He is a good fellow.”
    Something in her tone seemed to finally pierce the bobby’s thick hide. He shuffled awkwardly, while Waldo pulled out his wallet: “Here’s three shillings,” Waldo said.“Should be enough to get Baruch to the hospital and pay for a doctor.”
    The sight of the money spurred the bobby and the cabby into action. The cabby lifted Baruch under the shoulders and the policeman took his feet. The body looked limp, lifeless. But as they picked him up Baruch’s feet thrashed about. He groaned, a sound that was both heart-rending and hopeful. In a matter of seconds he was loaded into the carriage. I wanted to go with him, but there was only room for one more and everyone insisted it should be Waldo.
    â€œI’ll make sure he’s looked after!” Waldo shouted out of the hansom as it clipped away down Park Lane at a terrific pace.
    As I know from numerous schoolroom spats, Waldo is nothing if not stubborn. I was confident that Baruch was in safe hands and prayed that he would recover.
    â€œNow, miss, let’s have everything you can recall about the robbery,” the policeman had got his inevitable notebook back out.
    â€œYou’re not interested in the attack on the greener? Baruch is lying at death’s door!”
    â€œEr, might as well give us some stuff on the attack while you’re at it.”
    We did as he asked. I couldn’t help feeling, though, that this policeman’s shiny uniform was more impressivethan his detecting skills. In fact, if he caught either Baruch’s attacker or the thief who had stolen my purse I would eat his hat—felt, board, metal badge and all! The policeman kept us talking for what seemed like a never-ending time, as we trawled through the events of our day: why we were meeting Baruch, what we were doing in the East End and on and on. I had to think up some stories pretty fast. He even seemed disposed to question Ahmed and find out who he was, which frightened our Egyptian stowaway unnecessarily. In the end, when his questions were skirting a little too near the truth, I only managed to get rid of him by saying that my aunt “the countess” was expecting us to lunch. At the mention of gentry he turned bright red and put away his notebook.
    After he had finally left I turned to the others. “Isaac, you’ll have to go to the shop. Tell Moses Zwingler, Baruch has been attacked.”
    Rachel hesitated. “That might not be the best thing for Baruch,” she said.
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œWell, how is Moses going to react when he finds out Baruch was talking to us?”
    She was right.
    â€œWell, you better go with Isaac then, Rachel. See if you can get to the niece, what’s her name again?”
    â€œSara.”
    â€œSee if you can get Sara alone. Tell her what’s happened. She can make out she heard about the attack on Baruch in some other way. I’ll take Ahmed and I’ll go to the Norfolk place Baruch mentioned.”
    â€œWhat on earth are you saying, Kit? You can’t tramp all over Norfolk looking for a Punch and Judy show. It will take you several days to get there for a start and—”
    â€œYou’ve got it wrong,” I said.