11 - Ticket to Oblivion

by Edward Marston

  ‘Why don’t I try to distract Sergeant Cullen while you get away?’

  ‘How can I go anywhere when the door is locked?’ whined Imogen.

  ‘Bang on it until a member of staff comes,’ urged the maid. ‘I’ll keep the sergeant talking in the other room.’

  ‘It’s far too dangerous, Rhoda. In any case, where would I go? I have no money and I have no idea where we are. They’d come after me.’

  ‘Complain to the hotel manager. Ask him to call the police.’

  ‘You saw how far we drove from Oxford,’ said Imogen. ‘This place couldn’t be more isolated. Besides, I couldn’t endanger the manager by getting him involved. The captain and the sergeant both have weapons.’

  ‘At least we can try,’ insisted Rhoda.

  Crossing to the door, she turned the handle and pulled as hard as she could. The door was firmly locked. She tugged away for a long time. All that she did was to produce a loud rattle and to tire herself. There was another consequence. The other door swung open and Sergeant Cullen stepped into the room.

  ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ he demanded. ‘You were ordered to leave that door alone. Captain Whiteside will hear of this.’

  ‘Please don’t tell him,’ said Imogen. ‘We meant no harm.’

  ‘I know exactly what you meant. I’m on guard.’

  ‘We won’t touch the door again, I promise.’

  ‘I’m taking no chances. I’ll stay here with you.’

  ‘Give us some privacy, at least,’ said Rhoda, indignantly.

  ‘You don’t deserve it. If it was left to me, I’d stay in here all night with you.’ He smirked at Rhoda. ‘Wouldn’t you like that?’

  Recoiling from his taunt, she went back to the sofa. Cullen sat on the edge of the bed and regarded them. He was a solid man of medium height with livid battle scars decorating a craggy face. The lilting Irish voice that had appealed to Imogen now grated on her ear. His earlier courtesy had shaded into a military brusqueness.

  ‘What’s to become of us?’ asked Rhoda.

  ‘Wait and see – it will be a nice surprise for you.’

  ‘You can’t hold us against our will.’

  ‘We didn’t need to at first,’ he said with a grin. ‘The captain tricked you into coming along of your own volition, so you did. Now wasn’t that a clever ruse of his? I didn’t have to guard you at all. You liked being here with us.’

  ‘Let us go,’ implored Imogen. ‘I’ll give you money.’

  ‘We can get far more from your father. You’re his only child. That puts a high price on your head. If he doesn’t pay up, of course …’

  He had a smile like a gash in a ripe melon. They drew back as they realised the full implications of the threat that hung over them. Rhoda was frightened of the Irishman. Imogen tried to grasp at a final straw.

  ‘This is no way to treat someone in my position,’ she said with dignity. ‘We should be released forthwith. When the captain returns, I shall appeal to him as an officer and a gentleman.’ Cullen went off into peals of laughter. She was deflated. ‘What is so amusing?’

  ‘It’s your description of Captain Whiteside,’ he replied. ‘First, he’s no longer an officer and second, he was never a gentleman. The both of you will find that out very soon.’

  Their reconnaissance was thorough and it gave the detectives some idea of what was in store for them. From a vantage point on one of the hills, the kidnapper would have an excellent view of the dale and be able to see if anyone was trying to creep up on him. Fringed with trees and dappled by the sun, the location favoured someone who wanted to control the exchange of hostages for money before making a swift departure. On the train journey back to London, they had a compartment to themselves and could therefore consider their options.

  ‘I could get there early and hide in the trees,’ volunteered Leeming.

  ‘You don’t know in which part of the wooded areas he’d be lurking.’

  ‘I could use the telescope to find out, sir.’

  ‘Captain Whiteside will be using a telescope on you, Victor. He’ll scan the whole dale before he makes his move. There’s nothing else for it,’ said Colbeck. ‘We have to follow his instructions. The safety of the hostages is paramount. Once they’ve been returned, we go after Whiteside and this Sergeant Cullen.’

  Leeming blenched. ‘Do we follow them on horseback?’

  ‘Can you think of a quicker way?’

  ‘They’re from a cavalry regiment, sir. They know how to ride.’

  ‘We can’t expect to overtake them, Victor. We just need to pick up their trail and follow them. When they’re well clear, they’ll think that their mission was a great success and they’ll relax. They won’t expect us to be so close behind them.’

  ‘Where will they go?’

  ‘Oh, they’ll have an escape plan worked out,’ Colbeck told him. ‘The chances are that the horses are hired from somewhere near a railway station, enabling them to hop onto a train and – as they think – make off with the ransom money.’

  ‘I’m still not happy about riding a horse, sir.’

  ‘We’ll find you a quiet mount this time.’

  ‘Where do you think they are at the moment?’

  ‘Well, as I told you, my feeling is that they’ve been somewhere in Oxfordshire all the time. The further they travelled with the two ladies, the more chance they had of being seen. They’d have prepared a hiding place well in advance,’ said Colbeck. ‘They needed to keep Sir Marcus’s daughter and her maid completely out of sight.’

  The discussion continued all the way back to London and it distracted Leeming from the incessant din of the train and the rocking of their carriage. Though the evening was drawing on, they caught a cab and went straight to Scotland Yard. Tallis had departed but he’d left a message for them. It was waiting on Colbeck’s desk. Picking it up, the inspector read the letter with an approving smile.

  ‘The superintendent has been as good as his word,’ he said. ‘He made enquiries about our two suspects. Captain Terence Whiteside and Sergeant Manus Cullen did both serve in a cavalry regiment but neither of them has been anywhere near

  the Crimea. The heroics with which the captain left Mrs Greenfield spellbound were pure invention. No doubt he told the same stirring tales to Sir Marcus’s daughter.’ He folded the letter to put in his pocket. ‘I thought it was Irishmen who were supposed to have the gift of the gab.’

  ‘Perhaps the captain has Irish blood, sir.’

  ‘He has the cheek of the devil, I know that.’

  ‘Women are so easily taken in.’

  ‘Don’t tell that to your wife or she’ll box your ears,’ said Colbeck. ‘In my experience, women have far more intuition than we do. Madeleine senses things that completely elude me. How easy is it to bamboozle Estelle?’

  ‘It’s near impossible, sir,’ replied Leeming with pride. ‘She’d have seen through all the nonsense that he fed to Sir Marcus’s daughter.’

  ‘Your wife doesn’t have the slightest intention of running away from home to some phantom paradise. Estelle is very happy with her husband and children. Imogen Burnhope, by contrast,’ said Colbeck, pointedly, ‘was not happy with her lot. She wanted to believe there was something better for her and that made her credulous. When she learns the truth, it will be a heart-rending moment.’

  ‘That’s all the more reason to catch this lying cavalry officer and his friend.’

  ‘They’ll be caught and roundly punished, Victor.’

  ‘Did the letter give you any idea where they’ve been living, sir?’

  ‘No – but if you find out, please inform the army.’

  ‘Why is that?’

  ‘They’re both deserters.’

  Edward Tallis accompanied him to the bank then travelled back to Worcestershire with him in order to act as a bodyguard. Sir Marcus was carrying an immense amount of money in his bag and it never left his side throughout the two train journeys. In case of trouble, the superintendent
had an old army pistol concealed in his valise. The other reason he went back to Burnhope Manor was to remind himself that he was still theoretically in charge of the investigation. Having telegraphed ahead to Shrub Hill, they arrived to find that a message had been taken out to the house. Vernon Tolley was waiting to drive them there.

  The coachman did not have to guess what had happened this time. Sir Marcus and Tallis talked openly about the latest development in the case. All that Tolley did was to keep his ears pricked.

  ‘What if they don’t hand Imogen over?’ asked Sir Marcus, beset by anxiety. ‘What if she’s no longer alive?’

  ‘I feel certain that she is,’ said Tallis, confidently. ‘Without a live hostage, he has no bargaining tool. If we don’t see your daughter, no money will be given.’

  ‘He and his accomplice can live in luxury for the rest of their lives on the amount in this bag. Are you sure that Colbeck will be able to retrieve it?’

  ‘I am, Sir Marcus.’

  ‘It’s galling to be compelled to buy my own daughter back like this.’

  ‘Look at it another way,’ advised Tallis. ‘We’ve had hostages killed before now because their parents were either unable to afford the ransom or because they couldn’t pay it in time. Captain Whiteside will get his money on time.’

  ‘I look forward to his getting his just desserts.’

  ‘So do I, Sir Marcus. As an army man, I’m horrified that this whole affair is the work of two deserters. They were a disgrace to the uniforms they wore. If they’d been under my command,’ said Tallis, ‘I’d have had them tied securely to a cannon and given two hundred lashes apiece.’ He gave a grunt of satisfaction. ‘It was a punishment that had a tendency to discourage others from similar disobedience.’

  Though they talked freely about the treatment that Whiteside and Cullen should receive, they never once introduced Tunnadine into the conversation because they’d agreed to differ on the subject of his punishment. Each man had his own position and neither would be shifted from it. Where they did side with each other was on the decision to keep him unaware of the second ransom demand. If he was not at the exchange, he couldn’t make another disastrous intervention.

  When they reached Burnhope Manor, they waited until the coachman had put down the step and they alighted. Sir Marcus hugged the bag protectively as if it were a baby rescued from a house fire. The butler admitted them and they entered the hall to be welcomed by Cassandra and Emma Vaughan. A third member of the family had joined them. He darted forward to shake Sir Marcus’s hand.

  ‘Good evening, Uncle,’ said the curate.

  ‘What, in God’s name, are you doing here, Percy?’

  ‘I’m doing exactly what you just said. I’m here in God’s name.’

  ‘Percy wanted to offer his assistance,’ explained Cassandra. ‘I wish that I could say the same of my other son but he disappeared off to London.’

  ‘George would have helped,’ said Emma, loyally. ‘He’s very brave.’

  ‘I’d prefer to put my trust in Percy.’

  ‘Why?’ asked Sir Marcus. ‘What does he intend to do?’

  ‘I intend to appeal to the kidnapper,’ said the curate. ‘When he sees that I’m a man of the cloth, he’ll know I pose no threat to him. I’ll reason with him. I’ll remind him of Christian teaching. I’ll talk to him so persuasively that he’ll hand over Imogen and her maid without asking for anything in return.’

  Cassandra beamed. ‘Isn’t that a splendid idea?’

  ‘No, Mother,’ said Emma. ‘It isn’t. Percy will be in great jeopardy.’

  ‘He won’t be allowed anywhere near the kidnapper,’ said Tallis. ‘As soon as he sees that his instructions have been defied, the man will probably turn tail and run, taking the hostages with him. All that you’ll have done, Reverend, is to imperil your cousin and her maid. I can’t let you do that.’

  ‘Neither can I,’ said Sir Marcus.

  ‘But I’m the ideal person,’ argued Percy.

  ‘You heard the superintendent. You will not be involved.’

  ‘The exchange must be left in the hands of Inspector Colbeck,’ said Tallis. ‘He became Sir Marcus on the first occasion and will do so again.’

  ‘No, he will not,’ asserted Sir Marcus. ‘The kidnapper specified that I should reclaim my daughter and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Inspector Colbeck will not be required this time. I will take the responsibility myself.’

  Tallis quailed at the prospect but his authority had been overridden.

  Clive Tunnadine congratulated himself on making two wise decisions. He’d hired Alban Kee and he’d told nobody else about the ransom demand. There had been some difficulty in raising the money at such short notice but he’d browbeaten the bank manager and eventually got his way. The politician had declined Kee’s offer to act as a bodyguard, feeling that he could look after the money quite well on his own. He therefore dispatched the private detective to Crewe to get the lie of the land, intending to join him on the morrow. Tunnadine still felt vestigial guilt over the way that he’d assaulted Lucinda Graham. The flowers had acted as a balm and his apology had been accepted by her. Yet he knew it was not enough. Lucinda deserved to be wooed and cosseted. It would be the perfect way to take his mind off the tricky negotiations with the kidnapper that lay ahead.

  Though she was pleased to see him, her wariness was evident. He called for a decanter of wine. When the servant had poured two glasses, Tunnadine and his mistress were left alone to drink, relax and enjoy each other’s company. The bruises on her arms had been covered by her dress but, in spite of the cosmetics, he could see the telltale marks on her face. The main thing was that he’d now been forgiven.

  Lucinda was even beginning to tantalise him a little. The compact had been made. He would spend the night in her bed and drive away the hideous memories of his earlier visit. Lucinda needed to be indulged.

  ‘Did you mean what you said when you brought those flowers?’ she asked.

  ‘I’m a man of honour, Lucinda. Of course, I meant it.’ He sipped his wine. ‘What exactly was it that I said?’

  ‘To be honest, you didn’t exactly put it into words. You hinted.’

  ‘And what was the import of my hint?’

  She waved an arm. ‘I could look to remain here for a while.’

  ‘You can stay for longer than that, Lucinda. You’ve earned this house. My visits may be less regular in future but you won’t be ignored, I guarantee. I think you know by now that I’m a man who enjoys the pleasures of life.’

  ‘It’s a joy to share them with you,’ she said, nestling against his shoulder. ‘You’ve taught me so much.’

  ‘And you, conversely, have been an excellent tutor to me.’

  ‘I am always at your command.’

  ‘That’s what I like to hear.’

  They emptied their glasses, refilled them and got steadily more excited about the night of abandon that beckoned them. Tunnadine slipped an arm around her shoulders and took a first, lingering kiss. Lucinda stroked his thigh gently. When he put his glass aside, he stood up so that she could remove his frock coat for him. As she hung it carefully over a chair, she gave a teasing smile.

  ‘Are you going to be nice to me tonight?’ she asked.

  ‘I’m going to be extremely nice and extravagantly attentive.’

  ‘Make sure that you are, Clive.’

  ‘Why do you say that?’

  ‘Because you’ve given me a power over you,’ she taunted. ‘When a man gets married, he puts a dangerous weapon into the hands of his mistress.’ She plucked at his cravat. ‘If you don’t behave exactly as I want you to, then I’ll turn blackmailer and threaten to tell your wife.’

  It was a disastrous comment to make. Blind rage seized Tunnadine and he lashed out violently. His first punch knocked her against the wall where he continued to belabour her with both fists. Blood gushed from her nose. He knocked out her two front teeth with a fearsome blow. When she fell to the floor i
n agony, he kicked her in the stomach then grabbed his coat.

  ‘Get out of this house!’ he shouted. ‘If you dare to approach my wife, I swear that I’ll kill you with my bare hands.’

  It was over.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Early departures were a feature of the Colbeck household and Madeleine had learnt to accept them. A criminal investigation had an irregular timetable. Detectives had to respond to the turn of events and fit any domestic arrangements around them. Because he’d had the pleasure of spending another night at home, Colbeck did not complain when he had to leave shortly after dawn. Madeleine helped him on with his coat, then inspected him. He was as immaculate as ever.

  ‘When you left Oxford all those years ago,’ she said, ‘I’ll wager that you never thought you’d return there one day to investigate a crime.’

  ‘That’s true, Madeleine. In my undergraduate days, my vision of the future centred on prosecuting dangerous felons in a court of law. Now, I simply catch them.’

  ‘Do you expect to catch this Captain Whiteside and his accomplice?’

  ‘I have every hope of doing so.’

  ‘He sounds like a worthy adversary.’

  ‘Having been a soldier,’ he said, ‘he knows about strategy. It was the same with one of those men we apprehended in Scotland earlier this year. His military experience taught him to plan carefully ahead.’

  ‘What will happen to the two ladies?’ she asked.

  ‘With luck, they’ll be returned safely to Burnhope Manor.’

  ‘It will be a fraught homecoming.’

  ‘Our task is to take some of the anguish out of it.’

  ‘The fact is that they ran away from the house and all that it represented. Imogen Burnhope’s parents will have been horrified to learn that. There could be some serious repercussions.’

  ‘Only if the parents are told the truth,’ he pointed out, ‘and I’ve done my best to disguise it from them. You’re right, Madeleine. The two of them will chafe at being held as hostages but they will also dread the reception they’ll get when they’re released. Rhoda Wills, I daresay, will expect to be summarily dismissed for her part in the escapade. I want to save her reputation and that of her mistress. The only way to do that is to deceive their parents.’