The Stationmaster's farewell

this to me.’

‘Superintendent Steel has already organised a manhunt, sir,’ said Colbeck. ‘All off-duty policemen have been recalled to take part in it.’

‘I wish that more of them had been there at the police station.’

‘Browne must have known that numbers would have been depleted.’

‘What news of the duty sergeant?’

‘According to the superintendent, there’s no permanent damage but the man has a bad headache. Browne must have felled him with his walking stick.’

Tallis felt a stab of pain. ‘Don’t mention that stick to me, Inspector.’

‘It was lucky that you happened to be there, sir,’ said Leeming.

‘I don’t feel lucky, I can tell you.’

‘But you were able to delay the escape. That will have helped.’

‘Nevertheless, they managed to get away.’

‘They won’t get far, sir. There must be dozens of witnesses who saw a horse and cart careering through the streets. And where will they hide?’ asked Leeming. ‘They can hardly go back to the woman’s room in Rockfield Place.’

Tallis’s familiar growl resurfaced. ‘Leeming.’

‘Yes, sir?’

‘Oblige me by holding that irritating appendage known as your tongue. At a time like this, I don’t need your mindless speculation.’

‘Victor was making a reasonable point, sir,’ said Colbeck in support of his friend, ‘but I can see that you need to be left alone to rest.’

‘I do feel weak,’ admitted the other.

‘Then we’ll disappear. Our rooms are only down the passageway. If you need us this evening, you only have to call.’

‘Thank you, Colbeck,’ said Tallis. ‘All that I need at the moment is peace and quiet. Tomorrow, I’ll be fit enough to take up the reins of this investigation once again. Next time I meet Browne, he won’t get away so easily.’

‘Oh, I don’t think you should tackle him again, sir,’ said Leeming.

‘Your opinion is redundant.’

‘I happen to share it,’ said Colbeck, becoming more assertive. ‘You heard what the doctor advised, sir. He was talking about days of bed rest. I don’t think that’s necessary for someone as resilient as you but it’s clear that you shouldn’t continue to take charge of the case when you must be in constant pain and discomfort.’

‘My arm is on fire,’ conceded Tallis, touching it gingerly with his other hand. ‘It’s almost as if the dagger is still in there.’

‘That settles it. Tomorrow morning, I’ll put you on a train back to London so that you can return home and rest in more comfortable surroundings. Since you won’t be able to carry any luggage,’ said Colbeck with a sly wink at Leeming, ‘the sergeant will accompany you and make sure that you are not jostled in the course of your journey. I daresay that you’d like your own doctor to examine the wound. He’s far and away the best person to give you advice about convalescence.’

‘I’m not an invalid, man. I need no convalescence.’

It was a half-hearted protest. Tallis knew that Colbeck was right and that it would be an effort for him to remain in Exeter. While he hated having to quit the field, he was confident that the Railway Detective would ultimately bring the case to a satisfactory conclusion. For his part, Leeming was delighted that Colbeck had devised a way to get him back to London where — if only for a short time — he could see his family. In a sense, Colbeck had killed two birds with one stone. He was getting rid of Tallis and doing his sergeant a favour at the same time. The inspector would be able to control the investigation more effectively with his superior out of the way and he would soon be rejoined by someone refreshed by a visit to his wife and children.

‘We’ll leave you alone now, sir,’ said Colbeck.

‘Thank you,’ said Tallis, wearily.

‘Don’t worry, sir,’ Leeming put in. ‘I’ll get you safely back to London.’

‘Please do so in total silence.’

‘Yes, yes, I’ll be as quiet as the grave.’ He opened the door. ‘Goodbye, sir.’

‘Wait a moment,’ said Tallis, adjusting the sling on his arm. ‘Before you go, could one of you do me a favour?’

‘I’ll be happy to do so,’ offered Colbeck.

‘Then you can light me a cigar.’

The mood had changed in the little house in Camden. Since tea with the two ladies, Caleb Andrews had lost some of the wind from his sails. He was not moping but he was markedly less enthusiastic about his friendship with Binnie Langton. Meeting her sister had suddenly applied a brake to a relationship that he had planned to pursue at speed until now. Ivy Young was a troubling new factor in the equation.

Madeleine found it distracting to have her father sitting in the parlour while she was trying to paint. Instead of his usual jovial patter, all that he was contributing was a vague sense of discontent. He didn’t even feel able to take his daily walk.

‘The weather is brighter today,’ she observed.

‘I hadn’t noticed.’

‘The sun is out. It’s a good time for a stroll.’

‘Are you trying to get rid of me, Maddy?’

‘Frankly, I am,’ she said. ‘Fresh air will do you good. There’s no point in simply brooding in here.’

‘It’s only what you’ve been doing,’ he argued. ‘Ever since he left, you’ve done nothing but think about my future son-in-law.’

‘But they’ve mostly been happy thoughts about the wedding.’

‘Mine were happy thoughts until Mrs Young turned up.’

‘She really upset you, didn’t she?’

‘Yes, Maddy. Everything has been turned upside down.’

‘When are you going to invite Mrs Langton to tea?’

‘I’m having second thoughts about that.’

‘It’s only polite to ask her here,’ said Madeleine. ‘It’s a way of thanking her for her hospitality — and you’ll see her on her own this time.’

Andrews cheered up. ‘That will be good.’

Before he could say why, they were diverted by the sound of a cab rattling down the street and slowing to a halt outside the door. Madeleine moved quickly. In the hope that it might be Colbeck, she put down her brush, wiped her hands on a cloth and scuttled to the door. Flinging it open, she saw Leeming descending from the cab.

‘Oh,’ she said, saddened, ‘it’s you, Sergeant.’

‘I was asked by the inspector to deliver this,’ said Leeming, giving her a letter. ‘It will explain why I’m in such a rush. Superintendent Tallis and I caught the early train from Exeter and I have to return there this afternoon. Before then, I’m keen to snatch a little time with my family.’

‘Then I won’t hold you up. Thank you so much for this,’ she went on, holding up the letter. ‘Please give Robert my love.’

‘I will,’ said Leeming as he climbed back into the cab. ‘He’ll be very glad to receive it because it won’t have been a pleasant day for him.’

‘Oh — why is that?’

‘At this very moment, Inspector Colbeck is attending a funeral.’

He signalled to the driver and the cab drew away from the kerb.

The funeral of Joel Heygate was a sombre affair. While he had few close relatives, he’d acquired a wide extended family of friends. Those who were able to get off work had joined the throng at St Olave’s Church in Fore Street. It was the place where Heygate had been christened, then married, so his life had come full circle. The little Saxon church was really no more than a chapel, so many of those there would be unable to get inside for the