Read Online The Railway Viaduct by Edward Marston - Free Book Online
Authors: Edward Marston
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another?’
Hannah was suspicious. ‘Who are you?’
‘I told you. I’m a friend of the inspector. If I explained how he and I came to meet, you’ll understand why I’m here.’
Hannah Marklew hesitated. She was unsettled by the fact that her disguise had been so easily pierced and she knew that she could be severely reproached for misleading a detective.At the same time, she found Madeleine personable and unthreatening. There was another telling factor. Her visitor had a sympathetic manner. She was on Hannah’s side.
‘You’d better come in, Miss Andrews. It is “Miss”, I presume?’
‘Yes, Mrs Marklew.’
Madeleine went into the room and the other woman shut the door behind them. Hannah indicated a chair but she remained standing when Madeleine sat down.
‘What did Inspector Colbeck tell you about me?’ said Hannah.
‘That you had provided the name of the murder victim and thereby moved the investigation on to another stage. He also told me how eager you were to see the killer brought to justice.’
‘I am, Miss Andrews.’
‘Then he needs all the help he can get in order to do that.’
Hannah was still wary. ‘How do you know the inspector?’
‘The same way that you do,’ replied Madeleine. ‘As a result of a crime. Somebody I know was attacked on the railway in the course of a robbery and Inspector Colbeck was put in charge of the case. Luckily, the injured man survived but it took him months to recover and he still carries the scars from that assault. Because of Inspector Colbeck’s efforts, the villain responsible was eventually apprehended with his accomplices.’
‘And who exactly was the victim?’
‘My father. He almost died.’
Madeleine spoke with quiet intensity. She explained that her father had been in a deep coma and was not expected tolive. More suffering had followed. In a desperate attempt to impede the police investigation, she had been abducted and held in captivity until rescued by Robert Colbeck.
‘You can see why I have such faith in the inspector,’ she said.
‘Yes, Miss Andrews.’
‘It’s the reason I’m so willing to help him now.’
‘But I have nothing else to add.’
‘I believe that you do, Mrs Marklew. You came all the way from Liverpool to see Inspector Colbeck in person. That suggests it was a matter of importance to you. Otherwise,’ Madeleine pointed out, ‘you could simply have informed the local police, or even made contact with Scotland Yard by anonymous letter. The inspector believes that you have a personal reason to see this crime solved.’
Hannah studied her carefully as if weighing her in the balance. It was certainly easier talking to a woman in the confines of a hotel room than discussing the case with a detective inspector in an office. Madeleine, she sensed, was discreet. Also, there was a bond between them. Both had endured great pain as a result of a crime committed on the London and North-West Railway. Hannah wondered if she could ease her pain by talking about it.
‘Inspector Colbeck is very perceptive,’ she said. ‘I did know Gaston Chabal rather better than I indicated, but I did not wish to admit that. It might have caused complications.’
‘With your husband?’
‘Yes, Miss Andrews.’ Hannah sat down. ‘I love him very much and I do not want to hurt him in any way. The simple fact is that Alexander – my husband – is somewhat older than me and is always preoccupied with business affairs.’
‘The inspector thought that he had a connection with railways.’
‘It’s more than a connection. He’s one of the directors of the London and North-West Railway. That’s what seems so cruel. Gaston was murdered on a railway in which my husband is so closely involved.’ She hunched her shoulders. ‘I suppose that some might see that as an example of poetic justice.’
‘How did you first meet M. Chabal?’ asked Madeleine.
‘It was at a reception in Paris. A major rail link was planned between Mantes
Hannah was suspicious. ‘Who are you?’
‘I told you. I’m a friend of the inspector. If I explained how he and I came to meet, you’ll understand why I’m here.’
Hannah Marklew hesitated. She was unsettled by the fact that her disguise had been so easily pierced and she knew that she could be severely reproached for misleading a detective.At the same time, she found Madeleine personable and unthreatening. There was another telling factor. Her visitor had a sympathetic manner. She was on Hannah’s side.
‘You’d better come in, Miss Andrews. It is “Miss”, I presume?’
‘Yes, Mrs Marklew.’
Madeleine went into the room and the other woman shut the door behind them. Hannah indicated a chair but she remained standing when Madeleine sat down.
‘What did Inspector Colbeck tell you about me?’ said Hannah.
‘That you had provided the name of the murder victim and thereby moved the investigation on to another stage. He also told me how eager you were to see the killer brought to justice.’
‘I am, Miss Andrews.’
‘Then he needs all the help he can get in order to do that.’
Hannah was still wary. ‘How do you know the inspector?’
‘The same way that you do,’ replied Madeleine. ‘As a result of a crime. Somebody I know was attacked on the railway in the course of a robbery and Inspector Colbeck was put in charge of the case. Luckily, the injured man survived but it took him months to recover and he still carries the scars from that assault. Because of Inspector Colbeck’s efforts, the villain responsible was eventually apprehended with his accomplices.’
‘And who exactly was the victim?’
‘My father. He almost died.’
Madeleine spoke with quiet intensity. She explained that her father had been in a deep coma and was not expected tolive. More suffering had followed. In a desperate attempt to impede the police investigation, she had been abducted and held in captivity until rescued by Robert Colbeck.
‘You can see why I have such faith in the inspector,’ she said.
‘Yes, Miss Andrews.’
‘It’s the reason I’m so willing to help him now.’
‘But I have nothing else to add.’
‘I believe that you do, Mrs Marklew. You came all the way from Liverpool to see Inspector Colbeck in person. That suggests it was a matter of importance to you. Otherwise,’ Madeleine pointed out, ‘you could simply have informed the local police, or even made contact with Scotland Yard by anonymous letter. The inspector believes that you have a personal reason to see this crime solved.’
Hannah studied her carefully as if weighing her in the balance. It was certainly easier talking to a woman in the confines of a hotel room than discussing the case with a detective inspector in an office. Madeleine, she sensed, was discreet. Also, there was a bond between them. Both had endured great pain as a result of a crime committed on the London and North-West Railway. Hannah wondered if she could ease her pain by talking about it.
‘Inspector Colbeck is very perceptive,’ she said. ‘I did know Gaston Chabal rather better than I indicated, but I did not wish to admit that. It might have caused complications.’
‘With your husband?’
‘Yes, Miss Andrews.’ Hannah sat down. ‘I love him very much and I do not want to hurt him in any way. The simple fact is that Alexander – my husband – is somewhat older than me and is always preoccupied with business affairs.’
‘The inspector thought that he had a connection with railways.’
‘It’s more than a connection. He’s one of the directors of the London and North-West Railway. That’s what seems so cruel. Gaston was murdered on a railway in which my husband is so closely involved.’ She hunched her shoulders. ‘I suppose that some might see that as an example of poetic justice.’
‘How did you first meet M. Chabal?’ asked Madeleine.
‘It was at a reception in Paris. A major rail link was planned between Mantes