Sean finished printing the sign that said the shop would be closed until further notice and hung it in the window. Then, picking up the package that he had been wrapping, he closed the door and hurried off to the post office. It had been very much on his mind, for the customer to whom it was addressed was a very good customer and he was sure that Sara and Andrew would not mind if he took a few minutes to send it off to him.
As it happened, the post office was crowded and it took more than the few minutes he had thought it would. Then he went back to the chemist’s. Dr. Reeves’ prescription wasn’t quite ready, and he had to wait there, too, but it was still only ten to five and even though the fog had gotten quite thick—the kind they called a London Particular because you couldn’t find one like it anywhere else—he thought he should be back at the house by five as he had promised.
He hurried back up Portobello Road, avoiding the rare pedestrian more by instinct than sight, for by now he couldn’t see more than three or four feet ahead of him in the yellowish murk that obscured everything, turning the glow of the gaslights into faintly seen, watery moons.
As he turned north and walked on, his footsteps echoing hollowly in the damp air, he marveled at how much better he felt than he had that morning, principally because of the arrival of Sara and Andrew. Until they came, he had been completely alone, not only for the physical care of Beasley, but alone in his concern about him, too. But now, that was all changed. Sara and Andrew were almost as fond of Beasley as he was. Not only that, but they had been able to do something he hadn’t—bring in a doctor who could tell them if what was wrong with Beasley was physical as Beasley claimed or something else.
Sean had reached the builder’s yard by now and was walking along the board fence that enclosed it. The yard was closed. It had been closed for several weeks; but as he reached the gate, he had the impression that it was slightly ajar. Had a watchman opened it? He didn’t recall having seen a watchman there before, but he hadn’t really paid much attention to it. He glanced across the street at the house, noticing that there was a light on in the parlor. He hoped that he wasn’t too late—that Sara and Andrew weren’t getting impatient—then, as he started across the street, he heard sudden light footsteps behind him. He turned, caught a glimpse of a crouching figure coming toward him out of the fog. As he peered at it, trying to make out who or what it was, footsteps approached him from the other side. Something struck the back of his head, his knees buckled, and he pitched forward and lay still, half on the pavement and half in the gutter.
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About the Author
Born in New York City, Robert Newman (1909–1988) was among the pioneers of early radio and was chief writer for the Inner Sanctum Mysteries and Murder at Midnight—forerunners of The Twilight Zone that remain cult favorites to this day. In 1944 Newman was put in charge of the radio campaign to reelect Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was also one of the founding members of the Radio Writers Guild, which became the Writers Guild of America.
In 1973 Newman began writing books for children, most notably the Andrew Tillet, Sara Wiggins & Inspector Wyatt mysteries. The series takes place in Victorian London and follows the adventures of two teenage amateur detectives who begin as Baker Street Irregulars. Newman has also written books of fantasy, among them Merlin’s Mistake and The Testing of Tertius. His books based on myths and folklore include Grettir the Strong, and he has published two adult novels.
Newman was married to the writer Dorothy Crayder. Their daughter, Hila Feil, has also published novels for children and young adults. Newman lived his last days in Stonington, Connecticut.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author᾿s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 1985 by Robert Newman
Cover design by Jason Gabbert
ISBN: 978-1-4976-8688-5
This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
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ANDREW TILLET, SARA WIGGINS & INSPECTOR WYATT EBOOKS
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The Case of the Murdered Players (Andrew Tillet, Sara Wiggins & Inspector Wyatt Book 7) Page 14
