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Authors: Edward Marston
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darkly. ‘That’s enough for me.’
He pulled on his cigar then exhaled a cloud of thick smoke. It was one more problem with which Colbeck had to contend as he stood before the superintendent’s desk. He was not merely hampered by the other man’s prejudices against the French, he was forced to conceal both the source and extent of the information that he had received. In using Madeleine Andrews as his unauthorised assistant, Colbeck had risked dismissalbut he felt that it had been worth it. What she had discovered from Hannah Marklew had been extraordinary. Once the older woman had started talking about her relationship with Gaston Chabal, she had not stopped. When she reported back to him, Madeleine was able to tell Colbeck a great deal about the character and career of the Frenchman.
‘In the first instance, sir,’ said Colbeck, ‘we do not have to deal with the French police at all. It would be a preliminary inquiry.’
‘To what end?’
‘Establishing if there were any clear motives why someone would seek the life of the victim.’
‘How could you hope to do that in a country full of foreigners?’
‘I have a fair command of the language, Superintendent, so I would not be at a disadvantage. In any case, most of the people to whom I intend to speak are English.’
‘Really?’ said Tallis in surprise.
‘You are obviously not familiar with French railways.’
‘I regard that as a virtue, Inspector.’
‘Their system is far less developed than ours,’ said Colbeck, ‘so it was natural that they looked to us for expertise. Many of the locomotives they use over there were designed by Thomas Crampton and three-quarters of the mileage of all French railways so far constructed was the work of Thomas Brassey and his partners.’
‘What relevance does this have to the case in hand?’
‘Gaston Chabal worked for Mr Brassey.’
‘Then you do not have to go haring off to France,’ said Tallis, flicking cigar ash into a metal tray. ‘If this contractor is English, you can call on him at his office.’
‘He is not in this country at the moment.’
‘How do you know?’
‘Because he always supervises major projects in person. This line will run for well over a hundred miles, sir, so it will take a long time to build. Until it’s finished, Mr Brassey has moved to France.’
‘What about his family?’
‘They’ve gone with him, sir. His wife, Maria, I believe, speaks tolerable French and acts as his interpreter. It’s a language that her husband cannot bring himself to learn.’
‘Then he’s a man after my own heart. Dreadful lingo!’
‘Perhaps you can understand now why I need to go there,’ said Colbeck. ‘Mr Brassey will be wondering what’s happened to one of his senior engineers and Chabal’s family need to be informed of his death so that they can reclaim the body.’
Edward Tallis thrust the cigar between his teeth. He was loath to send Colbeck abroad on what he believed might be an expensive and unproductive visit. At the same time, he could appreciate the logic of the inspector’s argument. Unless the crime was solved, the railway company would keep hounding him. Worse, in his view, was the intensive scrutiny of the press. Newspapers were very willing to trumpet any success the Detective Department achieved but they were equally ready to condemn any failures. Having christened Colbeck as the Railway Detective, they would have no qualms about finding a more derisive nickname for him.
‘How long would you be away?’ growled Tallis.
‘Impossible to say, sir, but we’d be as quick as possible.’
‘Would you take Sergeant Leeming with you?’
‘With your permission.’
‘It’s his wife’s permission you need to seek, by the soundof it.’
‘Victor will do what he’s told,’ said Colbeck. ‘While I’m talking to Mr Brassey, he can question some of the men who work for him.’
Tallis was astounded. ‘Are you telling me that the sergeant speaks
He pulled on his cigar then exhaled a cloud of thick smoke. It was one more problem with which Colbeck had to contend as he stood before the superintendent’s desk. He was not merely hampered by the other man’s prejudices against the French, he was forced to conceal both the source and extent of the information that he had received. In using Madeleine Andrews as his unauthorised assistant, Colbeck had risked dismissalbut he felt that it had been worth it. What she had discovered from Hannah Marklew had been extraordinary. Once the older woman had started talking about her relationship with Gaston Chabal, she had not stopped. When she reported back to him, Madeleine was able to tell Colbeck a great deal about the character and career of the Frenchman.
‘In the first instance, sir,’ said Colbeck, ‘we do not have to deal with the French police at all. It would be a preliminary inquiry.’
‘To what end?’
‘Establishing if there were any clear motives why someone would seek the life of the victim.’
‘How could you hope to do that in a country full of foreigners?’
‘I have a fair command of the language, Superintendent, so I would not be at a disadvantage. In any case, most of the people to whom I intend to speak are English.’
‘Really?’ said Tallis in surprise.
‘You are obviously not familiar with French railways.’
‘I regard that as a virtue, Inspector.’
‘Their system is far less developed than ours,’ said Colbeck, ‘so it was natural that they looked to us for expertise. Many of the locomotives they use over there were designed by Thomas Crampton and three-quarters of the mileage of all French railways so far constructed was the work of Thomas Brassey and his partners.’
‘What relevance does this have to the case in hand?’
‘Gaston Chabal worked for Mr Brassey.’
‘Then you do not have to go haring off to France,’ said Tallis, flicking cigar ash into a metal tray. ‘If this contractor is English, you can call on him at his office.’
‘He is not in this country at the moment.’
‘How do you know?’
‘Because he always supervises major projects in person. This line will run for well over a hundred miles, sir, so it will take a long time to build. Until it’s finished, Mr Brassey has moved to France.’
‘What about his family?’
‘They’ve gone with him, sir. His wife, Maria, I believe, speaks tolerable French and acts as his interpreter. It’s a language that her husband cannot bring himself to learn.’
‘Then he’s a man after my own heart. Dreadful lingo!’
‘Perhaps you can understand now why I need to go there,’ said Colbeck. ‘Mr Brassey will be wondering what’s happened to one of his senior engineers and Chabal’s family need to be informed of his death so that they can reclaim the body.’
Edward Tallis thrust the cigar between his teeth. He was loath to send Colbeck abroad on what he believed might be an expensive and unproductive visit. At the same time, he could appreciate the logic of the inspector’s argument. Unless the crime was solved, the railway company would keep hounding him. Worse, in his view, was the intensive scrutiny of the press. Newspapers were very willing to trumpet any success the Detective Department achieved but they were equally ready to condemn any failures. Having christened Colbeck as the Railway Detective, they would have no qualms about finding a more derisive nickname for him.
‘How long would you be away?’ growled Tallis.
‘Impossible to say, sir, but we’d be as quick as possible.’
‘Would you take Sergeant Leeming with you?’
‘With your permission.’
‘It’s his wife’s permission you need to seek, by the soundof it.’
‘Victor will do what he’s told,’ said Colbeck. ‘While I’m talking to Mr Brassey, he can question some of the men who work for him.’
Tallis was astounded. ‘Are you telling me that the sergeant speaks
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