The Circus Train Conspiracy

by Edward Marston

  ‘Are you all right, Lydia?’

  ‘What?’ She came out of her reverie. ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I was miles away. It’s that name – Daniel Vance.’

  ‘What about it?’

  ‘Perhaps I have heard it before. It’s starting to ring a bell. It’s a very faint bell, admittedly, but it’s tinkling away at the back of my mind.’

  When he got back to Fourstones, Colbeck picked up the trap he’d hired and drove towards the camp. As he got within sight of it, he was astonished to see frantic activity. Tents had been taken down, caravans and wagons had formed themselves into a line and everyone was milling round. Colbeck was shocked that he hadn’t been forewarned about the departure. He cracked the whip and his horse broke into a canter. When he was close enough to pick out individuals, he saw Mulryne giving orders to the men who were piling the circus’s marquee, scenery and heavy equipment beside the railway line. Evidently, it was going to be transported by rail while everything else went by road. In Colbeck’s absence, Mauro Moscardi had been making major decisions.

  Heaving on the reins, Colbeck pulled up beside the owner’s flamboyant caravan. Anne Moscardi came out to greet him. She was shamefaced.

  ‘I said that my husband should have consulted you first,’ she began, ‘but Mauro is given to rash judgements.’

  ‘He has a perfect right to move the circus where and when he likes, Mrs Moscardi. I couldn’t object to that. The courtesy of a warning is all I require.’

  ‘You weren’t here when he set everything in motion.’

  ‘This decision wasn’t made on the spur of the moment,’ said Colbeck. ‘A train must have been hired at least a day in advance. Mr Moscardi probably made all the arrangements yesterday. I could have been told at that stage what your husband had in mind.’

  ‘Yes, you could,’ she confessed.

  ‘So why was I kept in the dark?’

  ‘I can answer that,’ said a booming voice behind him.

  Colbeck turned to see Moscardi striding purposefully towards the trap.

  ‘Good morning, sir.’

  ‘We didn’t inform you because you’re not sufficiently committed to the search for the man who’s caused us all this grief.’

  ‘That’s untrue. I’ve just come from speaking to a potential suspect.’

  ‘Did you make an arrest?’

  ‘No,’ said Colbeck. ‘As yet, I don’t have any evidence.’

  ‘That’s because you haven’t been looking hard enough. You claim that you’re here to help us but your mind is on the killer of that woman.’

  ‘I’m dealing with both crimes at once.’

  ‘In other words,’ said Moscardi, curling a lip, ‘the most we can expect of you is a half-hearted investigation and that’s not good enough for me. You don’t even have someone to help you today. Where’s Inspector Lill? Where’s the sergeant?’

  ‘The inspector is in Newcastle, looking for a man who was dismissed by the railway company and who might therefore have a reason to disrupt it in some way. In other words, he’s another credible suspect.’

  ‘What’s his name?’ asked Anne.

  ‘Jake Goodhart.’

  ‘Do you think he could be the villain?’

  ‘Let me just say that he’ll repay looking at.’

  ‘You’re just spitting in the wind,’ said Moscardi. ‘You know nothing for certain. It’s all wild guesswork. We’ve told you who was responsible for the derailment.’

  ‘And I listened to you,’ said Colbeck, earnestly. ‘It’s why Sergeant Leeming is at present on his way to Bristol. That’s where Sam Greenwood’s Circus is at present. I learned that from a telegraph sent to me earlier. The sergeant has a few tart questions for him.’ He was pleased to see the expressions of astonishment on the faces of Moscardi and his wife. ‘Just because you can’t see us working away in front of your eyes, sir, it doesn’t mean that we’re neglecting you. There are times when we have to be invisible. I’d urge you to remember that.’

  With a flick of the reins, he brought the horse to life and drove off. To a great extent, the complex investigation relied on cooperation from the circus. Colbeck had just served notice that he intended to manage without it.

  CHAPTER NINE

  For once in his life, Leeming boarded a train with something akin to pleasure. It was taking him to Bristol, a city that held special memories for him and for Colbeck. They’d been in pursuit of two men who’d organised an audacious train robbery then fled to Bristol with the intention of making their escape by sea. By way of insurance against arrest, they’d taken a hostage with them by the name of Madeleine Andrews, the daughter of the driver of the train they’d stopped and robbed. In a dangerous situation, Colbeck and Leeming had acquitted themselves well, capturing the two villains and releasing the woman they’d abducted. It was an occasion when the sergeant had earned rare praise for his bravery from Tallis but the real beneficiary was Robert Colbeck. From the moment they rescued Madeleine, his relationship with her slowly developed into a close friendship that eventually blossomed into marriage.

  Arriving at Temple Meads Station, Leeming didn’t need to ask where the circus was performing. Garish posters greeted him the moment he alighted. Among the images on display was one of a shapely young woman in pink tights standing on one leg on the back of a white horse. It verged on indecency in his opinion and was certainly not the sort of thing he’d want his children to see in reality. Circus people, it seemed to him, were allowed to get away with things that would arouse a storm of protest in another context. He’d discovered that from his observation of Moscardi’s Magnificent Circus. Watching some of the female artistes rehearsing their routines, he’d been close to blushing.

  There was another reason for enjoying the trip to the West Country. He was on his own and relished the freedom. Had he been with Colbeck, he’d have had to listen to a lecture on the value of the Great Western Railway’s broad gauge and stand quietly by as Colbeck listed the individual features of Brunel’s famous station. While nobody admired the Railway Detective as much as he did, there were times when it was a relief to be operating in a solo capacity. Still feeling a glow after a night with his wife and family, he made his way to the cab rank. Leeming was buoyant. He’d been given the opportunity of meeting the man who’d been named as the architect of the derailment. The task of calling him to account had fallen to him.

  When he reached the amphitheatre, he was told that Sam Greenwood was in the office that had been set aside for his use. Leeming already had some idea of what the man he was about to meet looked like because Greenwood’s head had appeared on the circus posters. Wearing a top hat, he was baring his teeth in a manic grin. It was no longer in place. Shown into the office, the visitor found himself facing a man of middle years and generous proportions. Greenwood’s red face was distorted by a dark scowl. Seated behind the desk, he’d been counting the takings from the performance on the previous evening. They were disappointing.

  ‘Who are you?’ he growled.

  ‘I’m Sergeant Leeming from Scotland Yard.’

  ‘We allow no discounts for policemen.’

  ‘That’s not why I’m here, Mr Greenwood.’

  ‘Then you’re an exception to the general rule. I’ve never met a city with so many scroungers. Everybody wants a free ticket. The Lord Mayor – believe it or not – asked for ten. The brazen cheek of it! We’re supposed to let in ten civic worthies for nothing? How are we supposed to make a living? Doesn’t he realise that circus folk need to be paid for their services? Entertainment of such quality doesn’t come gratis.’

  ‘I need to ask you some questions, sir.’

  ‘They’ll be asking for free rides on our horses next.’

  ‘It concerns a rival of yours – Moscardi’s Magnificent Circus.’

  ‘Ha!’ cried the other with a sneer of contempt. ‘The only magnificent thing about Mauro Moscardi is the length of his cigar. I loathe the man.’

  ‘I can’t say that he speaks too kindly o
f you, sir.’

  ‘So he’s sent you here – is that it?’

  ‘Not exactly, Mr Greenwood. I suppose the best way to describe it is that I’m acting on information supplied to me by Mr Moscardi. I could be here for some time.’ Leeming indicated the chair in front of him. ‘May I sit down, please?’

  Lydia Quayle had made the mistake of thinking that all her troubles were over. After the assurances from Victor Leeming that he’d visit the hotel where she’d been staying and challenge her stalker, she’d slept soundly for the first time in weeks. When the sergeant came, she believed, he’d bring news of an arrest and would be able to return her silk dress to its rightful owner. The fact that he did neither of these things was devastating. Before Leeming got to the hotel, the man had left altogether and melted back into obscurity. Lydia was still under threat.

  ‘Would you like a cup of tea?’

  ‘No, thank you.’

  ‘Can I tempt you into a walk, then?’

  ‘I’m afraid to leave the house, Madeleine.’

  ‘He wouldn’t dare to approach you while I’m with you. In any case, he doesn’t know that you’re here. You mustn’t let him dominate your life, Lydia.’

  ‘If you were in my place, you’d realise that you couldn’t help it.’

  ‘Well,’ said Madeleine, ‘I can’t claim that I’ve been in an identical position but I did once have the experience of being followed. I haven’t told you before because it wasn’t as serious as the situation you’re in but … it’s the reason my heart goes out to you. The worst thing is that you don’t know who the man is.’

  ‘That’s right. It’s unnerving.’

  ‘Shall I tell you what happened to me?’

  ‘Please do, Madeleine.’

  ‘It was almost ten years ago …’

  She went on to tell Lydia about a time when her life consisted very largely of looking after her father who’d been so shattered by the death of his wife that he needed constant support. Madeleine had provided it, acting more like a mother than a daughter. Keeping him afloat had been a burden for her. She’d had no social life at all. When she went shopping in the market one day, she was conscious that someone was watching her and she felt him dogging her footsteps on the way home.

  ‘Did you actually see him?’ asked Lydia.

  ‘No, I didn’t. I tried lots of times, but whenever I spun round, he wasn’t there. If I had seen him, I’d have realised that there was nothing to worry about.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘It was someone I knew, Lydia. He worked for the LNWR with my father. I liked Gideon but not in the way that he liked me. He was very possessive.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘Ironically, he may have saved my life. He just happened to be watching my house when two men knocked on the door, grabbed hold of me and bundled me into a cab. It was over in a flash.’

  Lydia was aghast. ‘Do you mean that you were kidnapped?’

  ‘Yes, and it was terrifying.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘Because he’d witnessed it, Gideon was able to get word to Scotland Yard. That alerted Robert and – after a period of time I’d rather forget – he rescued me from a ship in Bristol. I was reminded of it all when Victor told me that he was going back there today.’

  ‘Why have you never mentioned this before?’

  ‘It turned out to have a happy ending – a very happy one, in fact,’ she went on, crossing to the crib and bending over it to kiss the baby. ‘It’s how I met Robert and how, in due course, this little darling came into the world.’

  ‘My story is different, Madeleine. I don’t expect a happy ending at all.’

  ‘Have you remembered where you heard the name of Daniel Vance before?’

  ‘No – it’s maddening.’

  ‘It will come back in time, Lydia.’

  ‘I don’t believe it’s his name. It’s a false one he gave to the hotel. Sergeant Leeming agreed on that. This man worries me at a deep level,’ she went on. ‘He came into my hotel room and took something. Why on earth should he want my dress?’

  Wearing only shirt and trousers, he was propped up on the bed as he gazed at the silk dress on the tailor’s dummy. In his mind’s eye, he could see Lydia and longed for the day when he’d share a bedroom with her in person. He got up, crossed the room and put his arms gently around the dummy. The feel of the silk was exquisite.

  ‘You’re mine now,’ he purred. ‘You’re all mine …’

  Though there were marked physical differences between them, Samuel Greenwood had the same character traits as Mauro Moscardi. Both were peppery, dogmatic and authoritarian. They had the battle-hardened look of men who’d survived in a highly precarious profession. Each of them was convinced of his own innate superiority. As he sat in front of the desk, Leeming was forced to hear a litany of Greenwood’s triumphs as a circus owner. Only when he finally ran out of boasts did the sergeant have a proper chance to question him.

  ‘Did you know that Mr Moscardi was in Northumberland?’

  ‘Yes,’ replied Greenwood. ‘I saw mention of it in the newspaper.’

  ‘I’m asking if you knew about it beforehand?’

  ‘How could I?’

  ‘Circuses have been known to spy on each other.’

  ‘It’s not as sinister as you make it sound, Sergeant. We all have scouts in search of new talent. Fresh blood is a necessary part of our existence. We have to inject it regularly to increase our appeal. A few years ago, Mauro sent a scout to watch us. Do you know the result?’

  ‘No, I don’t.’

  ‘When he saw the report of our brilliant young acrobat, Karl Liebermann, he dangled more money in front of him than we could afford to pay and lured him away. That still hurts. I discovered Karl in Germany and brought him to England at my expense. I put time and effort into that lad. He was stolen by Mauro.’

  ‘I’m sure you’d have done the same in his place.’

  ‘No, I wouldn’t – I have moral standards.’

  ‘Have you had a scout watching his circus recently?’

  ‘I don’t need to do that. I know that he’ll never be able to compare with us.’

  ‘You’re much smaller than he is.’

  ‘But we have greater quality. That’s what audiences appreciate. They want the very best and only Greenwood’s Circus can provide it for them.’

  ‘You can’t provide Karl Liebermann.’

  ‘He betrayed us. We’re better off without him.’

  ‘How did you react when you heard about the train crash?’

  Greenwood beamed. ‘I laughed for a long time.’

  ‘That’s rather cruel, sir.’

  ‘I’m being honest. I detest Mauro and he hates me.’

  ‘He thinks that you may have engineered the derailment.’

  ‘Then he’d better watch that big Italian mouth of his,’ said Greenwood, blustering. ‘There’s such a thing as slander.’

  ‘It’s only slander if it’s untrue, sir.’

  ‘Nobody is going to blacken my name. You can tell that to Mauro.’ He regarded Leeming for a few seconds. ‘Why are you here, Sergeant?’

  ‘If someone makes an allegation, I’m bound to follow it up.’

  ‘Mauro is a liar. Surely, you’ve realised that by now.’

  ‘The inspector and I are in the process of eliminating possible suspects, sir. That’s all you are. Given the long-standing feud between you and Mr Moscardi, we were bound to add your name to the list.’

  ‘Then you can take it off again and get back to Northumberland. Hey,’ he added, reaching for the newspaper on the desk. ‘It isn’t just the derailment you’re investigating, is it? There’s a mention in the report of a dead body that was found.’ Opening the paper, he jabbed a finger at it. ‘Yes, here’s the article. It says that two detectives from Scotland Yard have been dispatched to investigate both cases. I’m sorry for the poor woman who was murdered but I’m delighted at what happened to Moscardi’s Mouldy Old
Circus. Tell that to Mauro. Say that when I first heard the news, I had a drink to celebrate.’

  His derisive cackle filled the room.

  Colbeck had left the circus with mixed feelings. He was annoyed that he’d been given no hint at all of its imminent departure but, at the same time, he was glad that it had recovered so quickly from the shock of the derailment. Having seen many passengers who’d been involved in rail accidents, he knew how long it took for their confidence to return. Circus people were obviously more resilient. They coveted an audience. The overpowering urge to perform enabled them to forget their aches and pains and soldier on. What concerned Colbeck most, however, was that they might be exposing themselves to further danger. As long as it was camped near the site of the crash, the circus was safe. It was well protected day and night. Once on the move, it was much more vulnerable.

  Having returned to the Station Inn, Colbeck pored over his map of the county and searched for the most likely places of ambush. The man who’d brought about the derailment had not achieved his ambition. He’d only managed to inflict punishment on the circus whereas Colbeck believed the intention was to disable it enough to stop it in its tracks. Providence – divine or otherwise – had come to its aid. Though the train had left the rails, the locomotive and rolling stock had not overturned. Passengers and animals were badly shaken rather than seriously incapacitated. Colbeck was certain that their enemy had watched the derailment and would have been disappointed that the damage was so limited. If he wanted to prevent it from reaching Newcastle-on-Tyne, he would have to strike again.

  Colbeck was still studying the map when Tapper Darlow came into the inn.

  ‘I was hoping you’d still be here,’ he said. ‘Good morning to you.’

  Colbeck looked up. ‘Good morning, sir.’

  ‘The stationmaster here just told me that he’s expecting another circus train to go through in due course. I thought it would be a week at least before Mr Moscardi was able to get everyone on the move.’