Read Online Trouble on the Thames by Victor Bridges - Free Book Online Page A

any sleep over it.” Casey shrugged. “It’s a longish step from Dartmoor to Grosvenor Street, and—”
    â€œI’m quite aware of that fact, and I’m not in the least worried. The odds are that he’ll be inside again within forty-eight hours. Still, there’s just the bare chance he might give them the slip; and that being the case, it’s only common sense to keep our eyes open. How about Johnson? D’you suppose he’d recognise the fool if he spotted him hanging around here?”
    â€œBound to, I should think. Shall I give him the tip?”
    â€œNo, I’ll speak to him myself, that will be best. Don’t start talking about it in the Club, but if you should happen to hear any of them airing their views to-night I’d be interested to know what they’ve got to say.” Craig looked at his watch. “Well, it’s just on the half-hour, so I suppose this fellow Sutton will be showing up in a minute. No idea what he wants, but he was by way of being a friend of Medlicot, so he may need a bit of careful handling. I’d like you to bring him up yourself and wait in the other room. If I switch on the light it will mean that I’ve had enough of him and you can come in with a telephone message or something.”
    â€œRight you are. I’ll go down to the hall and collect him there.”
    With an understanding nod Casey took his departure, and picking up the discarded paper, Craig settled down again to his interrupted research into the results of the Epsom meeting. The discovery that one of the two horses which he had coupled together in a highly promising double had been beaten in the last stride by a short head was scarcely calculated to improve his temper. Fate at the moment was obviously in a malicious mood; and when the muffled clang of the lift gate suddenly reached his ears, it was with a singularly inhospitable expression that he swung round to face the door.
    By contrast, the man who entered in company with Casey seemed to be remarkably at his ease. About thirty years of age, good-looking and faultlessly dressed, he carried himself with that air of slightly insolent confidence which in the case of a large number of women appears to invest its owner with an immediate and almost irresistible attraction. The only blemish to which a captious critic might have drawn attention was the undeniable fact that his eyes were set a shade too closely together.
    â€œHappened to run across Mr. Sutton down in the hall,” announced Casey blandly. “He reminded me that he had an appointment for six-thirty, so I’ve brought him up straight away.”
    â€œAh yes, I’ve got a note of it here.” Without any visible sign of enthusiasm Craig pushed forward a chair. “Won’t you sit down and help yourself to a cigarette? I seem to know your name, but I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you before.”
    â€œNot that I can remember, though, as a matter of fact, we are fairly close neighbours.” In a lazily assured fashion the visitor took possession of the proffered seat. “I have a bungalow at Playford, about a couple of miles above Otter’s Holt.”
    â€œIndeed, is that so?” Craig’s voice suggested a certain lack of interest.
    â€œWell, I’ve plenty to do, so I dare say you’ll excuse me.” With what was presumably intended to be an affable smile Casey faded out on to the landing. The next instant the door closed softly behind him, and the other two occupants of the room were left facing each other in silence. Craig had resumed his seat and was tapping his leg with an ivory paper-knife which he had picked up off the desk.
    â€œI presume that you wished to see me on a matter of business,” he observed. “I haven’t a great deal of time at my disposal, so perhaps it would be as well if we came to the point.”
    â€œBy all means.” Sutton took a