The House Of The Bears (21 page)

‘What I will do is tell you when I’m travelling and ask you to arrange for me to be passed from village to village, as it were. A benevolent eye while on the road.’

‘That’s a good idea,’ said Wriggleswade.

‘And if at any time I have to leave my wife alone, you’ll ease my mind by looking after her,’ said Palfrey. ‘And now, if I could have a room with a telephone for half an hour. . . .’

He was soon speaking to Brett. Brett made notes, asked occasional questions, but said nothing until Palfrey had finished.

‘Well, now,’ Brett said. ‘I haven’t been idle. Unhappily, Pettigrew’s story is largely true. He has been in touch with some of our people on Kyle’s behalf. Washington was firmly against Kyle, and that verdict was accepted here. Further inquiries should have been made, of course, but we can’t worry about that, now; the job is to get the thing done. I think you can accept Kyle and Pettigrew at their face value.’

‘Splendid!’ said Palfrey.

‘I’ll inquire into the deaths of Anster and the others,’ said Brett. ‘There is one thing I seem to remember – Anster lost a lot of flesh a little while before he died.’

Palfrey’s heart seemed to contract. ‘Like Garth, you mean?’

‘Yes. What does it convey to you?’

‘Effect of radioactive elements on the human body,’ said Palfrey harshly.
‘Now
I’m beginning to understand.’

He was pale with the shock of the realization. Garth’s emaciated condition could be explained by radioactivity, proof that Garth had been working on atomic power
recently.

‘This gets worse,’ he said, aloud.

‘Could it be worse?’ asked Brett, and, when Palfrey did not immediately answer, he went on; ‘Let me settle your mind about McDonald as far as I can. He has recently returned from Far Eastern submarine service. He had been in attendance at the Admiralty recently. As far as I know, there’s nothing wrong about what he has told you about his movements in London and his opportunities for being concerned in this affair. There are rumours, too, that he was at one time engaged to his cousin, but that Morne put his foot down.’

‘I should be glad to think he was telling me the truth,’ said Palfrey.

‘I suppose so. Now, this is of great importance,’ said Brett, ‘and greater since the explosion. At all costs we must not allow any rumours to be spread about the case. The need for secrecy is greater now than ever. It has been suggested in London that a widespread search be made of the whole of the moor down there. I’m against it, because it will give rise to speculation. What do you think?’

‘I’m with you. We want the thin end of the wedge first.’ Palfrey told Brett about the possibility that one of the mines on Morne’s estate was being used as an experimental station, and went on: ‘If we can find the right mine and get one or two of our fellows into it, we can get busy with a wholesale raid. Until then---’

‘It’s much too dangerous,’ Brett said. ‘We now know what these people can do. For the time being, you will concentrate some of your forces on finding the mines and the others on finding the leaders. Gorringer may be your man.’

‘Yes,’ said Palfrey. ‘Well, what help are you sending me?’

‘Daniel is at
Sea View
with several others,’ said Brett, ‘and will work under your orders. You can have more if you need them. I shouldn’t concentrate too many in one place yet, if I were you. The police are looking after you now, aren’t they?’

‘Yes, very well.’

‘Good! Then I’ll let you get on with it,’ said Brett.

Palfrey next called at
Sea View,
A man with a rather high-pitched voice answered him, that of a Z.5 man named ‘Dan’.

‘How many of you are there?’ Palfrey asked.

‘Seven. Bandigo, Trollop, Carmich—’

‘Leave those three at the house and take the others to Morne House,’ said Palfrey. ‘Go as police; I think Morne won’t object then. Watch him and, if necessary, hold him. You’d better take two cars and keep close together. When you get near the village of Henson, be careful. A police car crashed there yesterday, and the cause isn’t known.’

‘Right-ho,’ said Dan. ‘When will you be along?’

‘Some time this afternoon. If Kyle turns up – you’ve heard about Kyle, I suppose – make him welcome until I come. Is that all clear?’

‘Admirably clear, Doctor!’ Dan laughed and rang off.

Palfrey got up and joined Drusilla and McDonald, who were in the next room.

‘I know you’re going to say that you want me to return to Morne House,’ McDonald said, with a grimace.

‘I do. I’ve reason to think that King Rufus is in greater danger even than we thought before,’ said Palfrey. ‘Watch him carefully, won’t you?’

It was nearly half-past two before McDonald left for Morne House in a hired car. The Palfreys saw him off, then started for Corbin. They reached
Sea View
a little after four o’clock. The house stood in small grounds not far from the sea, and it was rightly named, for they could see the Cor Estuary from the front windows. Two cars were standing in the carriageway.

‘Did Dan get off at once?’ asked Palfrey, when they were sitting in a pleasant front room.

‘Five minutes after you’d called.’ said Bandigo. Two cars as instructed.’

‘Now,’ said Palfrey, ‘when we’ve seen Kyle and discussed his story, here’s the plan of action. Check on all the mines on Morne’s estate. Get plans of them. Find out which one is like the plan which I’ve already obtained. Having found it; put it out of action.’

‘Ah,’ murmured Bandigo.
‘Very
simple. Especially the last part.’

Palfrey said: ‘They are experimenting somewhere on that estate with new forms of atomic energy, and they’ve got to stop experimenting. A large-scale raid will probably mean that they’ll blow the place up. The risk is too great. We’ve got to find a way of getting inside that mine, and you fellows must do it, because I’m already too well known. Sorry, but there it is.’

Carmichael laughed. ‘Why apologize, Sap?’

‘The job is elementary,’ declared Trollop. He had dark hair and a pale face, and his little finger was missing. ‘What about Dan and the others?’

‘Who will take over at Morne House?’

‘I will,’ said Palfrey. ‘I can work there without too much trouble, I think.’

‘When do we start?’ asked Carmichael.

‘Tonight,’ said Palfrey. ‘After Kyle’s been here; and I’m expecting him soon after seven o’clock.’

‘What are you going to do while you’re waiting?’ asked Trollop.

‘First have tea and then a nap,’ said Palfrey. ‘I can hardly keep my eyes open. Then the gathering of friends, and after that the dispersal of forces. Which reminds me,’ he added, thoughtfully, ‘someone will have to go to Bristol, but we’ll know more about that when Kyle reports.’

‘Do we look on him as one of ourselves?’ asked Trollop.

‘Yes.’

Palfrey went upstairs to rest. He felt he must have a couple of hours’ sleep if he were to be fresh enough for the coming session.

It was dark when he woke up, and only a faint light came into the room from the passage. ‘Hallo,’ he said, and sat up. Drusilla, who had been asleep on the bed next to him, stirred.

‘Telephone, Sap,’ said Bandigo, from the door.

It was Susan; she’ did not beat about the bush, but, once sure that she was speaking to Palfrey, said abruptly: ‘Nick’s disappeared, Palfrey. He was all set to come to see you tonight. We had one last look round Bristol. He went to the Theatre Royal – and didn’t come out again. Pettigrew was watching and was injured – not badly, but enough to put him out of action. He gave me your number.’

‘Oh,’ said Palfrey. ‘Anything else?’ ‘Yes,’ said Susan. ‘Gerald Markham was also near the theatre. I thought you were going to keep him at Morne House.’

WELL, what was it?’ asked Bandigo. He was still standing by the door, and his head was bent a little because he could not pass through when standing upright. Behind him were Trollop and Carmichael.

Palfrey explained and added thoughtfully: ‘One night shouldn’t make much difference in the hunt for the mines, but if you fellows try Bristol and we don’t pull anything off, you’ll be recognized afterwards. You’d better carry on, I think. ‘Silla and I will go to Bristol. I’ll ask Brett to send some more men down there.’

Carmichael asked: ‘What about Morne House?’

‘Dan will have to look after it,’ said Palfrey. ‘It’s odd that Gerald Markham got away and Dan didn’t ring through to report it.’

Brett immediately promised to send men to Bristol, and Palfrey had finished speaking to him before Carmichael managed to get through to Morne House; Corbin Exchange was working under pressure because so much damage had been done in Wenlock. At last, Daniel Fayre came on the line to say that all of them had reached the house after an uneventful journey.

‘No,’ said Dan. ‘I haven’t seen Gerald Markham. This man Hardy told me that, as far as he knew, everyone except McDonald was still here. McDonald came in about three hours ago. But anyone can get out of this place without being seen.’

Palfrey and Drusilla started out a little after half past seven. Palfrey was low-spirited, almost hopeless. He felt that he had to go to Bristol, and yet it seemed such a waste of time. If Kyle had been outmanœuvred, it meant they were up against clever people. It was even possible that Susan Lee had been impersonated over the telephone.

When at last they saw the city in the distance, lights twinkling on the Severn hills and deep in the great valleys, it was barely eleven o’clock, so they had made good speed, but the Theatre Royal would be closed. They drove straight to the Grand Hotel, and hurried through the swing doors and into the large, bare reception hall. Susan Lee jumped up from a chair near the grillroom.

‘Hallo,’ said Palfrey. It was a relief to see her safe and unhurt. ‘Situation unchanged?’

‘Yes.’

Palfrey glanced at the tiny cubicle where the night porter was standing at his desk.

‘Let’s get upstairs,’ he said, and they walked up the stairs to the lounge, which was dimly lit and nearly empty.

‘Everything that has happened has been near the Theatre Royal, and Nick went in. I’m sure he went in.’

‘During a performance?’

‘Yes, and he didn’t come out when it was over. I was watching. Even had he wanted to avoid me, he would have made sure that I saw him. Palfrey, in all the time that I’ve worked with Nick, this has never happened. I almost went to the police.’

‘Yes,’ said Palfrey. ‘We can now. They’ll do what we want without asking us questions. First job, police, to get the place surrounded. That shouldn’t be difficult, except that it might be noticed. We’d better impress on them that we don’t want to attract attention. Then I’ll go in.’

He was not surprised that the police were prepared for his call; and when he got back to the hotel from the police station three men were sitting with Drusilla and Susan in the lounge. They were men of the same character as Carmichael, Bandigo and Trollop. Susan had already explained the situation, and they got up as Palfrey entered.

Palfrey said: ‘It’s all set. ‘Silla, you and Susan will stay here.’

‘But –’ protested Susan.

‘Sorry,’ said Palfrey. ‘Stay, please.’

He drove with the others towards the Theatre Royal, but stopped at the end of the street. Few people were about, but there was the sound of traffic on the main road. A man came out of the shadows of a doorway.

‘Is that Dr. Palfrey?’ The man was in uniform, Palfrey had already seen him at the police station. ‘Everything set?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Thanks,’ said Palfrey. ‘Bill, come along with me, will you?’

He and Bill walked quietly along the street. A few yards from the theatre, he turned and looked round. No one was in sight; the street was dark and empty. It was not likely that anyone watching had observed the police.

They reached the door.

Palfrey’s companion shone a torch on it, made a quick examination, and said: This shouldn’t take long.’ Palfrey had chosen him for the first sortie, for Bill Wyatt was reputed to be able to force any lock and open any door. He used a small tool, working swiftly, with little sound. Soon they stepped into the foyer and closed the door behind them.

The foyer was pitch dark. They stood listening to their own breathing, and then Palfrey shone his torch. The beam travelled down the long passage towards the auditorium. Near them were the electric light switches. Palfrey pressed one down, and by good chance a light at the far end of the hall came on, one that would not be noticeable from the street.

They walked along the passage. A staircase led up on the right, and there was a closed door marked ‘Gallery’. Together they went up the stairs. The wood creaked under their footsteps, and Wyatt whispered: ‘How old is this place?’

‘Early eighteenth century, isn’t it?’ asked Palfrey.

‘They do say it’s the oldest in England.’

They looked into several offices, all tidy and clean, then found themselves outside a door marked ‘Circle’. They put out the light in the office, crept into the circle and stood listening. There was no sound, nothing at all to suggest that anyone else was there. The dark void of the auditorium was immediately in front of them; they might have been standing on the edge of a black chasm. Palfrey shone the torch backwards, saw a light switch and pressed it. Several lights came on at the back of the circle, showing the array of green plush seats. The stage looked tiny; the scenery, a drawing-room, looked like a large doll’s house.

Above them was the gallery, and they could just see the ceiling there, but not the ceiling of the auditorium, which was lost in the darkness.

‘I think we ought to have more light,’ said Palfrey.

They walked back up the steps, pressing down all the light switches they could see as they went along. The upstairs passage and the stairway were well lighted now and they went downstairs, putting on more lights.

They looked into the auditorium again; the perspective was different from the stalls. The stage seemed very high; no stage lights were on, but they could see the set much more clearly.

‘Let’s go back-stage,’ said Palfrey.