[Inspector de Silva 09] - High Wire in Nuala

by Harriet Steel

  ‘Is it a man or a woman who answers the door?’

  ‘A woman, but I have seen men in the background and heard their voices.’

  Thanking him, de Silva gave him a few coins for the information. One never knew when he might be useful again.

  ‘I think we’ll come back tonight,’ he said to Prasanna, as the old man disappeared into an adjoining street. ‘Where did you watch from yesterday?’

  ‘From behind that tree, sir.’

  It was the only one in the street and the trunk was not wide. To be on the safe side, maybe he had better come alone. As they retraced their steps, he took careful note of the route. As he did so, he remembered when he had last been interested in the neighbourhood.

  **

  It had been not long after he came to take over in Nuala. The Colombo police had apprehended some members of the Black Lotus gang, the Hong Kong band of criminals who had been trying to extend their operations to Ceylon. There was a rumour that they had a safe house in Nuala where they had stashed some of their loot. He had been given the job of identifying the place and leading some of his old Colombo colleagues to it, but if the gang had ever used the house he had identified, they had already left the area. His mission was a failure.

  What interested him now was that the suspect property had been only a few streets from the house Kumar had visited the previous evening. Before he did anything else, he decided to speak to Inspector Singh at Hatton. The proximity of the houses and Kumar’s visit might be mere coincidence, but it was surprising how often coincidences turned out to be more than that. Nothing in the crime reports had indicated that a reorganised Black Lotus gang were suspected of being behind the recent jewel thefts, but it was not beyond the bounds of possibility, and Singh might by now know more than the reports revealed.

  He had told Prasanna to go home, and Nadar had not arrived yet, so he telephoned the Hatton station himself.

  ‘How are you getting on with your circus case?’ asked Singh.

  ‘If you had asked me that question yesterday, I would have told you that everything has been resolved, and as far as the two deaths go, I think that’s still true, but this morning, thanks to my sergeant, I became aware of a new angle.’

  Singh listened while he explained about Kumar. ‘Has there been any suggestion that the Black Lotus gang might be behind the theft at the de Vere plantation or any of the others?’ he asked.

  ‘I’ve spoken to Colombo several times,’ said Singh. ‘There are similarities in the cases, but no one has mentioned their name. Aren’t they old history?’

  ‘One would like to think so, and I agree the connection is speculative, but I’d like to follow it up.’

  ‘I’ll see what I can do from my end.’

  ‘Excellent.’

  ‘What do you know about this man Kumar?’

  ‘Not a great deal. He didn’t work for the circus when it was in Russia, as is the case with the majority of the members. He joined them in India, but he has travelled with them for some time.’

  ‘Did he say where he joined them in India?’

  ‘At the time, I didn’t see any need to ask. He just mentioned that his family came from Madras. Kumar was friendly with the dead man, Alexei Goncharov, and his brother, who is now the sole owner of the business, appears to trust him. All the same, I’d like to know what he was doing visiting that house.’

  ‘Has it occurred to you that your sergeant may have got the wrong man?’

  ‘I think it’s unlikely, but I hope to be able to verify that tonight.’

  ‘Well, the best of luck to you. I look forward to hearing from you again. At least you have made some progress in your case. It’s more than I can say.’

  Was this progress, wondered de Silva as he put down the receiver. Or was it a dead end? Whatever turned out to be the case, it was probably time he reported to Archie Clutterbuck.

  **

  Archie was at work in his study, and the receptionist put de Silva through straight away.

  ‘Good morning, de Silva.’ Archie’s voice had an edge of impatience to it. ‘What have you got for me? I hope it won’t take long. I have a meeting in ten minutes.’

  ‘I’ll try to be brief, sir.’

  He heard a rumble of assent when he explained that Izabella had been released. Archie also sounded pleased to hear that the circus would not be staying in Nuala for too much longer.

  ‘What about the couple who died?’ he asked.

  ‘Boris Goncharov wants them buried here. I had hoped to speak to Reverend Peters about it yesterday. I left a message with his wife, but he didn’t call me back.’

  ‘You’d better telephone him again. It’s not for me to meddle in church affairs, but you might like to mention that I’d be grateful if the matter was dealt with, and with the minimum of fuss.’

  ‘I will, sir.’

  De Silva hesitated; he almost heard Archie looking at his watch, but he couldn’t afford a delay.

  ‘There’s one more thing.’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘My sergeant recognised one of the circus people, Kumar the snake charmer, in town yesterday evening. He was behaving as if he didn’t want to be noticed. Prasanna followed him and thought he would have to go to his aid when Kumar was accosted by two men, but as it turned out, he was perfectly capable of defending himself.’

  When he had described the incident in more detail as Prasanna had recounted it, Archie grunted approvingly. ‘I’m glad to hear the ruffians got their comeuppance. What happened after that?’

  ‘Kumar carried on to the rough part of town to the north of the bazaar and went into a house there.’

  ‘Odd, I agree,’ said Archie after a short pause. ‘But there might be all kinds of reasons. We’re aware there are gambling dens in that area, and for all we know, he might have been looking for female company, if you take my meaning. Do you have a particular reason for being interested in his activities?’

  ‘I do; the house was close to one that I remember raiding many years ago. It was suspected of being a safe house for the Black Lotus gang.’

  ‘Hmm. If I remember rightly, your part in eventually apprehending them was an early feather in your cap up here.’

  ‘It’s good of you to say so, sir.’

  ‘But why that gang in particular?’

  A local man who goes around the streets offering to sharpen knives told me the current occupants are Chinese. That’s out of the ordinary in Nuala.’

  ‘I suppose it is. So, I take it you’re making the connection between them and the recent burglaries.’

  ‘I believe it’s an angle worth exploring.’

  ‘What do you propose to do?’

  ‘For a start, I want to watch the house this evening. If I’m lucky and Kumar returns, it would be interesting to know where he goes afterwards.’

  ‘Well, by all means do as you propose. It would certainly increase our standing with the powers that be in Colombo if we managed to lead them to the criminals.’

  From Archie’s tone, de Silva was not sure that his boss was sanguine about the chances of that, but at least he had not dismissed the idea out of hand. He thanked him and rang off. Now all he had to do was pass the time until nightfall.

  Chapter 11

  ‘Hello, dear,’ said Jane breaking off from the note she was writing in the drawing room. ‘I wasn’t expecting you back so early.’

  De Silva went over and kissed her cheek then stroked Billy and Bella, who had come out from under the desk to greet him. ‘I wasn’t expecting it myself. I presume I’m too late for lunch.’

  ‘I’ve eaten, but I’ll tell cook to make something for you.’

  ‘Anything light will be fine.’

  Jane went to the mantelpiece and rang the bell to summon one of the servants. When they came, she gave orders for a light lunch to be served as soon as possible.

  ‘I suppose it was quiet at the station this morning,’ she said, returning to her desk. She signed the note, put it in an
envelope with another piece of paper and started to write the address. ‘I just want to finish this to catch the post. It’s a knitting pattern I promised one of the ladies at the sewing circle.’ She finished addressing the envelope and stamped it. ‘There. Now you can tell me what Archie had to say about your letting Izabella go.’

  ‘Oh, he was perfectly happy about it, and pleased to hear that the circus is likely to be leaving Nuala soon.’

  ‘That’s the end of the story, I suppose.’

  ‘Maybe; maybe not.’

  ‘You’re sounding very mysterious, dear. Why do you say that?’

  He explained about Prasanna’s sighting of Kumar and what they had learnt that morning from the knife grinder.

  ‘Did you tell Archie about it?’

  ‘Yes. His reaction was not as dismissive as I thought it might be. He made the connection with the jewel thefts for himself and agreed it would be worth going back tonight in the hope that Kumar returns. But I doubt that he will support me in a further investigation if I draw a blank there. And I must admit, I’m not at all sure how I would proceed if that was the case. I’ve not much to go on, and as Archie said, Kumar might have had various reasons for visiting the house, gambling being one of them.’

  ‘Is it possible to find out more about the place?’

  ‘That’s the problem; only by asking neighbours. And if whoever occupies it has criminal connections and gets wind that someone is asking, they will be off in two shakes of a sheep’s tail.’

  ‘A lamb’s tail, dear.’

  A servant appeared announcing that lunch was ready in the dining room. Sitting down to it, for a few minutes, de Silva concentrated on eating. ‘Ah, that was good,’ he said when he had polished off a plateful of vegetable and tofu curry with rice. ‘I can think better now.’

  Jane laughed. ‘I’m sure cook would be flattered to hear it.’

  He paused a moment, then helped himself to another spoonful of curry. ‘But regrettably, my conclusion at present is that if Kumar doesn’t show up tonight, I still have no idea what to do next.’

  **

  By the time he had finished lunch, there were still a few hours left until sunset. He wanted it to be dark when he went back to the house, so he decided to spend those hours at home. One of the servants brought tea and he and Jane drank it on the verandah. He had recently told Anif, their gardener, to replant some of the large pots there, and he admired the luxuriant ferns and oleanders the gardener had chosen. The sweet apricot fragrance of their deep-pink flowers was very pleasing.

  ‘Will you take Prasanna with you this evening?’ asked Jane.

  He shook his head. ‘If two of us are there, it might make it too obvious that the house is being watched. I’ll go alone this time. That way, it will be easier to stay out of sight.’

  Jane frowned. ‘You will take care, won’t you?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Are you sure it wouldn’t be safer to have Prasanna with you?’

  ‘Absolutely sure. You mustn’t worry.’

  ‘I can’t help it. If this is something to do with the Black Lotus gang, they are such violent people.’

  De Silva stroked Bella who was sitting on his lap; she purred.

  ‘Perhaps I should take you with me, oh vanquisher of crows,’ he said with a smile. ‘Seriously, I will be careful. I’ve not forgotten how dangerous the Black Lotus gang are.’

  ‘You must wear old clothes so that you don’t stand out. I’ll look out something for you. I think I have a few of the servants’ old clothes waiting to go to charity.’

  ‘No need. I have a suitable sarong and shirt in the shed.’

  Jane pulled a face. ‘Not those dreadful tattered gardening clothes you won’t let me throw away. You’ll look like a tramp.’

  He grinned. ‘Isn’t that what you want? They will fit the bill perfectly.’

  Putting Bella down, he stood up. ‘I think I’ll take a walk around the garden while it’s still light.’

  In the vegetable garden, rows of runner beans flaunted scarlet flowers; bees buzzed in the herb garden where marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and sage were grown for use in the kitchen, as well as lavender for the muslin sachets that Jane liked to make to perfume drawers and cupboards. De Silva stopped briefly to enjoy the many scents then went on to the shed where tools and gardening equipment were kept.

  The old clothes he was looking for hung on a peg by the door. He found a small sack and stuffed them into it then took a trowel from another hook and went outside. Bending down, he scooped a little earth into the sack. After that he tied it up, returned the trowel to its hook and walked around to the front of the house to put the sack in the Morris’s boot. Dusting off his hands, he went back into the house to find Jane.

  **

  They ate supper early then he drove to the police station. There, he changed into the gardening clothes. At the last minute, Jane had provided a pair of worn-out sandals and he slipped them on.

  The soil he’d collected had fallen to the bottom of the sack. In the washroom at the back of the station, he scooped some out and rubbed it on his legs, arms, and face, then looked in the mirror above the sink to gauge the effect. Some dirt in his hair would be a good idea too. After another handful, he studied his reflection again. Much better. It was a pity that he looked rather too well fed, but in a dark street he should pass for a man with no home to go to.

  Leaving the Morris parked at the station, he set off for the house. The street was quiet when he reached it. He squatted down against the wall, close to Prasanna’s tree, and began his vigil.

  Time passed. A few people walked by, but they all ignored him. Sadly, he reflected that it was a taste of what life must be like for those unfortunate enough to live like this all the time. Eventually a few coins dropped on the ground beside him, and looking up, his eyes met the kindly ones of an elderly man. He muttered a thank you, not sure whether to be glad that his disguise was working or sorry that the elderly man’s charity had been wrongly bestowed.

  The moon rose, bathing the street in a wan light. Warmer lights glowed in the windows of some of the houses, including the one he hoped Kumar would visit. Through open windows, he heard conversation and laughter, enticing smells of cooking mingled with the odour of drains. Every time he heard footsteps he thought that it might be Kumar, but the hours went by and still there was no sign of him. No matter how many times he shifted position, de Silva’s muscles ached ferociously. No longer enticing, the cooking smells were stale, and the odour of drains increasingly pungent.

  At last, when he was almost ready to give up, a man walked into the street. He was the right height and build for Kumar. Tensing, de Silva watched him as he approached. He seemed to be in no hurry, stopping at one point to lean against a wall. A match flared, then the tip of a cigarette glowed in the darkness. The snatch of light had confirmed that it was definitely Kumar. He stood and smoked for a minute or two before throwing down the cigarette and grinding it out with his heel. De Silva guessed that he had paused to see if he was being followed. As he reached the Chinese house, Silva thought he would pass it by, but then he stopped. Briskly, he walked up the steps and knocked at the door. It was answered quickly, and he went inside.

  The waiting resumed, but this time it was over much sooner. De Silva estimated that Kumar had been in the house for less than ten minutes when he emerged. Now, he had a small bag slung over his shoulder. De Silva waited for a few moments to give him a head start, then followed.

  The road that Kumar took was the one leading to the racecourse. It took almost an hour to walk there. The walk loosened up de Silva’s stiff muscles, but by the time the circus tents came into view his feet were sore, and a blister was coming up on the side of his big toe where the old sandal had rubbed it.

  Once inside the racecourse, he hung back. If he followed Kumar’s route over the open ground between the main buildings and the circus tents, the fellow only needed to glance back to see that he was being followed. He would
also have to walk through the tented camp where, from the glow of small fires, people still appeared to be awake. Instead, he turned left along the course, planning to arrive at the back of the tented area. Hopefully, he would be in time to creep through and see where Kumar was going.

  Luck was on his side. Kumar speedily covered the distance from the racecourse buildings to the tented camp but then slowed down to talk to some of the stayers-up who hailed him. Satisfied that he was far enough away not to be noticed, de Silva quickened his step and reached the back of the tent where Boris had his quarters. Nadia’s tent was next to it; from it came the rhythmic sound of her snoring.

  He was debating where to go next, when the faint sound of someone whistling attracted his attention. He remembered the tune; it had been the one Kumar had been whistling on Sunday afternoon when he found him shoeing the horse. The sound died, and de Silva grimaced. Kumar might have gone in another direction, or worse still, suspected he was being watched. Holding his breath, he edged forward then stopped abruptly whilst a dark figure crossed the narrow gap between the two tents. There was a soft sound of canvas moving as the flap of Nadia’s was lifted.

  Whoever had opened it, presumably Kumar, must have left it open allowing the moonlight to penetrate the interior, for de Silva detected movement inside the tent. As the intruder passed close to the place where he stood, with only the canvas wall separating them, he heard breathing – a muffled counterpoint to Nadia’s stentorian tones. Soon, this new sound of breathing faded, and he could no longer be sure of the intruder’s whereabouts. A slight breeze stirred the air. The canvas walls of the tents flapped sluggishly like the sails of a becalmed ship. De Silva counted the minutes and had reached three before he saw renewed movement, this time back towards the entrance to Nadia’s tent. He heard the entrance flap close, then the rustle of footsteps on the coarse sandy grass. Counting another minute before he took the last few steps to the end of the gap, he peered out. There was no one in sight.