by John Creasey
‘I’m asking myself what he would have done if he knew what his wife and Potter were planning,’ went on Roger. ‘Obviously he would come out far better if he could direct operations without being suspected. Couldn’t he? How often do we suspect a “victim”? I’ve never been able to believe that Potter was acting voluntarily. But Claude Prendergast, having full knowledge of the situation, could easily have given instructions.’ Roger tried not to show his excitement. Potter would have been compelled to act as he did and to make the arrangements, because Claude could incriminate him so easily. Potter needn’t have known who was exerting the influence.’ Roger gave a chuckle, remarkably like one of Chatworth’s.
Lampard said: ‘Claude Prendergast fits in better than Harrington, but how did Claude get this poison?’
‘If Anderson were alive we could ask him,’ said Roger dryly. ‘It looks as if Claude learned of the plot against Harrington and used that to make Potter get rid of the Prendergasts. Think of his position if he then planned to be rid also of the other directors and remain in sole control of Dreem.’
‘Shall we go and see him?’ Lampard asked. ‘I confess I would rather you were right.’
He drove them all to Delaware. Roger and Mark sat in the tonneau in silence. Tenby and Lampard talked animatedly about Prendergast. Neither of them had liked Claude, and both believed he was much more astute than he had made out.
As they were climbing from the car, Lampard asked: ‘Do you think getting control of Dreem and Harringtons was the main motive?’
Roger closed the door with a bang.
‘I doubt it,’ he said. ‘I think the prior motive, the cause for all of this, was in Claude Prendergast’s hatred for his family, which disliked his ways and his habits. He was virtually thrown out with a small allowance and it rankled. From the time of Septimus Prendergast’s death, Claude’s been a possibility, but until I knew he could have drugged himself –’
He didn’t finish.
Claude was in his room, in a gaudy dressing-gown. He was pale, and his saucer-like eyes were very wide open yet tired. His hair was plastered over his bumpy head, and in his manner was a hint of the nervousness which he often showed vividly.
‘Hallo, hallo,’ he said with forced geniality. ‘Hope you gentlemen have come with the news that it’s all over. My God, I don’t feel safe even now. Eh?’
This was Lampard’s moment. Roger watched him, while Mark straddled a chair and Tenby stood by the door.
‘Yes, it’s all over,’ said Lampard. ‘Mr Prendergast, as you know, your wife is under arrest and in hospital.’
‘I just can’t believe Maisie’d do anything so wicked,’ said Claude. ‘I knew she was a bit of a spitfire, but do you think she tried to put me away?’
‘No, I don’t,’ said Lampard. ‘But she has told a peculiar story, Mr Prendergast, Do you remember reporting to Inspector West that she often talked in her sleep?’
Claude said: ‘What about it?’
Lampard smiled. ‘So do you,’ he said.
After a few seconds, when the shock struck, Claude wilted. He began to quiver. Any doubts in Roger’s mind were swept aside at his change of expression, and the positive malignance in his eyes.
‘The bitch!’ he cried. ‘She’s been lying to you! What’s she been saying?’
‘Amongst other things, we want to know why you drugged yourself with this,’ said Lampard. Dr Tenby produced the bottle like a rabbit out of a hat. ‘Why did you?’
‘It’s a damnable lie! My wife’s trying to drag me down with her. She –’
‘Supposing you keep your opinion of your wife to yourself?’ Lampard said coldly. ‘Mr Lessing, you remember seeing Prendergast take the tablets? Out of that bottle?’ He pointed to Tenby and stepped between Claude and Mark, so that the former could not see Mark’s temporary expression of surprise.
Mark had some of his composure back.
‘I did.’
‘If a man wants to drug himself to get some sleep’ began Claude. Then he stopped short as if realizing that any kind of admission might be damning. He drew back, his lips working.
‘Claude Prendergast, I am charging you with being concerned with the murders of your grandfather, your father, and your brother,’ Lampard said. ‘Anything you say may be taken in evidence against you.’ He took a pair of handcuffs from his pocket, and took a step forward.
‘No!’ shrieked Claude. ‘You can’t know that. You can’t do that! They died by accident. Anyhow, Potter did it, Potter arranged it all.’
‘You will have a chance to prove that in court,’ Lampard said.
Claude turned and ran towards the window. Roger and Mark were there ahead of him, holding his writhing figure while he mouthed and shouted and blasphemed; and damned himself.
‘If Potter were handling this case,’ Roger said a little later, ‘he’d get away with an insanity plea. We couldn’t have made a thorough job of Prendergast if you hadn’t handled Potter, Mark.’
Lampard chuckled.
‘Congratulations, Mr Lessing,’ he said.
‘I’ll buy you both a dinner when we’ve got this case over,’ Roger said. ‘Meanwhile I’m going to report to the AC.’
A large tabby cat strolled thoughtfully into the lounge of the Wests’ Bell Street house. It peered at Janet and Roger, and Mark, and then at the fireplace. There was no fire, for it was in the middle of a heat wave which made the Assize Court hot and stuffy for the five days of Claude’s and Potter’s trial. The cat jumped out of the window at a single bound. They watched it strolling into the street, disdainful of passers by.
Roger rubbed his chin.
‘When I first fell over Lamp, I cursed him,’ he said. ‘Bless his heart, if he only knew what he had started. Well, it’s all over at last. All the convictions we wanted. Harrington gave his evidence well this afternoon,’ he added thoughtfully. ‘He tells me he’s buying up Dreem shares as fast as they come on the market. He’ll be one of our industrial giants of the future.’ He looked at the window as the cat jumped into the room again, and chuckled. ‘Hallo, Lamp,’ he said. ‘Aren’t they any more sociable out of doors?’
‘Why the Lamp?’ asked Mark. ‘I haven’t heard this one. The cat that lighted the way, I suppose?’
‘Certainly not,’ said Roger. ‘The name’s short for Lampard, who turned out to be much nicer than he seemed at first.’ He watched the tabby jump on to Janet’s knee. Janet buried her fingers in his fur.
Mark coughed.
‘This is no place for me,’ he said. He crossed to the piano, his fingers beginning to caress the keys. He was playing a haunting thing from Brahms when two people entered the garden a man and a woman.
Janet jumped up. ‘Good gracious, the Harringtons! Open the door, darling, and give me a chance to tidy my hair.’ She put her fingers to her hair to straighten it, tucking and coiling.
Garielle and Harrington came in.
‘We simply want to give these to Mark,’ said Harrington, and handed Mark a neatly-wrapped package.
‘We’ve decided to open Delaware again,’ declared Garielle. ‘Mrs West, you will come for a long weekend as soon as the Yard lets your husband off, won’t you?’
‘We’d love to,’ said Janet.
‘Love to,’ echoed Roger.
‘Me too?’ asked Mark, cutting the string, and then opening the cardboard box inside the paper. There was a packing of straw, and his fingers explored until he drew out one of the le Fleur masks from Harrington’s flat, then a second, then a third.
‘Just in case you decide to go back to collecting china,’ said Harrington. ‘By the way, give me Pep Morgan’s address, will you? The man with the big nose, I mean. I can’t risk offering you people a wad of Dreem shares, but Morgan deserves to be in on the ground floor. Garry, we’ll have to fly or we’ll miss that train.’
Series Information
Published or to be published by
House of Stratus
Dates given are those of first publica
tion
Inspector West Series
These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels
Title Also Published as:
1 Inspector West Takes Charge 1942
2 Go Away to Murder Inspector West Leaves Town 1943
3 Inspector West at Home 1944
4 Inspector West Regrets 1945
5 Holiday for Inspector West 1946
6 Battle for Inspector West 1948
7 The Case Against Paul Raeburn Triumph for Inspector West 1948
8 Inspector West Kicks Off Sport for Inspector West 1949
9 Inspector West Alone 1950
10 Inspector West Cries Wolf The Creepers 1950
11 The Figure in the Dusk A Case for Inspector West 1951
12 The Dissemblers Puzzle for Inspector West 1951
13 The Case of the Acid Throwers The Blind Spot; Inspector West at Bay 1952
14 Give a Man a Gun A Gun for Inspector West 1953
15 Send Inspector West 1953
16 So Young, So Cold, So Fair A Beauty for Inspector West; The Beauty Queen Killer 1954
17 Murder Makes Haste Inspector West Makes Haste; The Gelignite Gang; Night of the Watchman 1955
18 Murder: One, Two, Three Two for Inspector West 1955
19 Death of a Postman Parcels for Inspector West 1956
20 Death of an Assassin A Prince for Inspector West 1956
21 Hit and Run Accident for Inspector West 1957
22 The Trouble at Saxby’s Find Inspector West; Doorway to Death 1957
23 Murder, London - New York 1958
24 Strike for Death The Killing Strike 1958
25 Death of a Racehorse 1959
26 The Case of the Innocent Victims 1959
27 Murder on the Line 1960
28 Death in Cold Print 1961
29 The Scene of the Crime 1961
30 Policeman’s Dread 1962
31 Hang the Little Man 1963
32 Look Three Ways at Murder 1964
33 Murder, London - Australia 1965
34 Murder, London - South Africa 1966
35 The Executioners 1967
36 So Young to Burn 1968
37 Murder, London - Miami 1969
38 A Part for a Policeman 1970
39 Alibi for Inspector West 1971
40 A Splinter of Glass 1972
41 The Theft of Magna Carta 1973
42 The Extortioners 1974
43 A Sharp Rise in Crime 1978
Other Series by John Creasey
Published by House of Stratus
‘Department ‘Z’’ (28 titles)
‘Dr. Palfrey Novels’ (34 titles)
‘Inspector West’ (43 titles)
‘Sexton Blake’ (5 titles)
‘The Baron’ (47 titles) (writing as Anthony Morton)
‘The Toff’ (59 titles)
along with:
The Masters of Bow Street
This epic novel embraces the story of the Bow Street Runners and the Marine Police, forerunners of the modern police force, who were founded by novelist Henry Fielding in 1748. They were the earliest detective force operating from the courts to enforce the decisions of magistrates. John Creasey’s account also gives a fascinating insight into family life of the time and the struggle between crime and justice, and ends with the establishment of the Metropolitan Police after the passing of Peel’s Act in 1829.
Select Synopses
Gideon’s Day
Gideon’s day is a busy one. He balances family commitments with solving a series of seemingly unrelated crimes from which a plot nonetheless evolves and a mystery is solved. One of the most senior officers within Scotland Yard, George Gideon’s crime solving abilities are in the finest traditions of London’s world famous police headquarters. His analytical brain and sense of fairness is respected by colleagues and villains alike.
Meet the Baron
John Mannering (The Baron) makes his first appearance in this volume. Lord Fauntley cannot help showing off both his daughter and the security under which his precious jewels are kept. Mannering finds himself attracted to both .... Money is tight and so he plans a burglary, but this fails and unexpected consequnces result. The relationship with Lorna Fauntley flourishes, and a series of high profile thefts and adventures ensure Mannering’s future, so he believes, until Lorna equates him with The Baron. One of the many further twists in this award winning novel occurs when the police appear to seek Mannering’s help, only to have everything turned upside down as the plot develops . . .
The House of the Bears
Standing alone in the bleak Yorkshire Moors is Sir Rufus Marne’s ‘House of the Bears’. Dr. Palfrey is asked to journey there to examine an invalid - whom he finds has disappeared. Moreover, Marne’s daughter lies terribly injured after a fall from the minstrel’s gallery, which Dr. Palfrey discovers was no accident. He sets out to look into both matters, but the discoveries he makes are truly fantastic. A deserted mine, powerful explosive and a submarine all feature in this powerful mystery. The results are even capable of surprising him ...
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