The Circus Train Conspiracy

by Edward Marston

  ‘The matter has been resolved. Mr Bernard Courtney is in custody. He lived in a fantasy world. I had the pleasure of introducing him to the realm of reality.’

  ‘In doing that, sir, you probably saved other young ladies from suffering the same fate at his hands.’

  ‘I never saw you as a beacon of hope for oppressed women, sir,’ said Leeming with a grin. ‘It’s a new side to your character.’

  ‘I’m an upholder of the law, Sergeant,’ boomed Tallis. ‘I make no distinction between the genders of the victims. Well,’ he added, regarding each in turn, ‘you’ve been sorely missed here. I console myself with the thought that you’ve solved some terrible crimes while you’ve been in Northumberland. What is your abiding memory of your time away?’

  ‘Mine was discovering a woman with a passionate interest in railways,’ said Colbeck, sadly. ‘I’m sorry that I didn’t have the opportunity to meet her.’

  Tallis arched an eyebrow. ‘Leeming?’

  ‘That’s easy, sir,’ said the other, taking something from his pocket and holding it up. ‘These are free tickets for Moscardi’s Magnificent Circus whenever it gets close enough for me to take my family along. After all the efforts I made on their behalf, I think I’m entitled to see them in action.’

  ‘There is something else that must be recorded,’ said Colbeck, ‘and that’s the role of Brendan Mulryne. Since he worked for the circus, he was well placed to give us invaluable help.’ Tallis scowled. ‘I know that you had your differences with him, sir, but he proved himself to be an able detective.’

  ‘That’s right,’ said Leeming. ‘And, by the way, he sends his regards to you.’

  Tallis’s eyes began to blaze with fury. It was time to leave.

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  EDWARD MARSTON was born and brought up in South Wales. A full-time writer for over forty years, he has worked in radio, film, television and theatre, and is a former chairman of the Crime Writers’ Association.

  edwardmarston.com

  By Edward Marston

  THE RAILWAY DETECTIVE SERIES

  The Railway Detective • The Excursion Train • The Railway Viaduct

  The Iron Horse • Murder on the Brighton Express

  The Silver Locomotive Mystery • Railway to the Grave • Blood on the Line

  The Stationmaster’s Farewell • Peril on the Royal Train

  A Ticket to Oblivion • Timetable of Death

  Signal for Vengeance • The Circus Train Conspiracy

  Inspector Colbeck’s Casebook:

  Thirteen Tales from the Railway Detective

  The Railway Detective Omnibus:

  The Railway Detective, The Excursion Train, The Railway Viaduct

  THE RESTORATION SERIES

  The King’s Evil • The Amorous Nightingale • The Repentant Rake

  The Frost Fair • The Parliament House • The Painted Lady

  THE CAPTAIN RAWSON SERIES

  Soldier of Fortune • Drums of War • Fire and Sword

  Under Siege • A Very Murdering Battle

  THE BRACEWELL MYSTERIES

  The Queen’s Head • The Merry Devils • The Trip to Jerusalem

  The Nine Giants • The Mad Courtesan • The Silent Woman

  The Roaring Boy • The Laughing Hangman • The Fair Maid of Bohemia

  The Wanton Angel • The Devil’s Apprentice • The Bawdy Basket

  The Vagabond Clown • The Counterfeit Crank

  The Malevolent Comedy • The Princess of Denmark

  THE HOME FRONT DETECTIVE SERIES

  A Bespoke Murder • Instrument of Slaughter • Five Dead Canaries

  Deeds of Darkness • Dance of Death • The Enemy Within • Under Attack

  THE BOW STREET RIVALS SERIES

  Shadow of the Hangman • Steps to the Gallows • Date with the Executioner

  COPYRIGHT

  Allison & Busby Limited

  12 Fitzroy Mews

  London W1T 6DW

  allisonandbusby.com

  First published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby in 2017.

  This ebook edition first published in 2017.

  Copyright © 2017 by EDWARD MARSTON

  The moral right of the author is hereby asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All characters and events in this publication other than those clearly in the public domain are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent buyer.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from

  the British Library.

  ISBN 978–0–7490–2132–0