Read Online The Toff and the Kidnapped Child by John Creasey - Free Book Online Page A

Kane, I think you ought to go to bed with a hot drink and a sedative. My spare room—”
    â€œRolly, are we going to help at all by staying here?” Eve asked, and Rollison, noticing how easily and naturally she used the ‘Rolly’, had a moment of real satisfaction.
    â€œI don’t see how we could help,” he answered.
    â€œHave you enough energy to drive me back to London?”
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œI think it is ridiculous to return,” declared Miss Ellerby, “but I suppose you’ll do what you want.” She glanced at the door, and then jumped up as if in alarm. A girl who looked very young appeared, and by her side was Miss Abbott. The child was dressed in washed-out pink pyjamas and a cotton dressing-gown of the same colour. Her eyes looked huge, and her face was pale.
    â€œWhat on earth are you doing up at this hour?” demanded Miss Ellerby.
    â€œShe woke, and discovered that Caroline was missing, and I found her outside,” Miss Abbott said. “I thought you’d better have a word with her.”
    â€œYes,” agreed Miss Ellerby quietly. “Yes. Patricia, you are not to say a word about this, do you understand? Not a word.”
    â€œI—I won’t, Miss Ellerby,” the girl promised, “but—but is Caroline going to be all right?”
    â€œOf course she is,” the headmistress replied, and became quite mellow while reassuring the girl, before Miss Abbott took her off.
    Twenty minutes later, Dawson was back, admitting that he had found nothing to help. Rollison took Eve out to the car. Miss Abbott had gone, yawning, to bed; there was no sign of Higgs, but outside there were at least a dozen men, half of them in uniform, and a lamp had been rigged up to light up the spot where Jeff had been run down. Dawson came out with Rollison, and asked a man: “Any news from the hospital?”
    â€œNo, sir.”
    â€œTerrible business,” Dawson said. “Terrible.” He stepped with Rollison and Eve to the car, and shook hands and said sententiously: “I meant every word I said, Mrs Kane. We will protect your and your daughter’s interests in every way we can.”
    â€œI’m sure you will,” Eve said.
    The clock on the instrument panel said ten minutes to four when Rollison moved off. The bright light behind him fell away, and he turned the corner which the small Hillman had turned a few hours ago. Almost immediately beyond it was a set of road signs, and he did not need Eve’s directions. He turned left, for the London road, and soon they were in the starlit countryside, with the car moving very fast.
    â€œIf it were left to that awful man Dawson, I don’t think I’d feel there was any hope at all,” Eve said.
    â€œI shouldn’t underrate the Dawsons or the police in general,” Rollison advised.
    â€œThey’ll be so anxious to catch that driver that they’ll tell the newspapers everything.”
    â€œThey can handle the running down job simply as a case of hit-and-run,” Rollison answered, “and they probably will. Eve, did you and the others recall anything which might help to tell what is behind all this?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œHave you any idea at all where we might find your husband?”
    â€œNo. I would have told you.”
    â€œDo you know of anyone else who might know? This Leah, with whom he had trouble, for instance.”
    â€œI haven’t any idea who he might be with or where he might be, but it looks as if he’s taken Caroline out of the country, doesn’t it?” Dread sounded in every word.
    â€œNot on your life!” Rollison startled her by his vehemence.
    â€œBut, surely, the car at the airport—”
    â€œThat was the obvious place to leave it if anyone wanted to create the impression that Ralph had taken Caroline out of the country. Think of all the arguments against doing that. It’s just