The Iron Horse

‘I’ve just spoken to him at the stables. He struck me as an honest, straightforward person. Would you agree?’

‘Oh, I would. Ned is a good man. He never causes trouble.’

‘Does that mean some of the others do?’

‘They get a bit excited, that’s all,’ said Bonny nervously.

‘What about John Feeny?’

She brightened immediately. ‘John?’

‘Was he rather boisterous at times?’

‘No, sir,’ she replied, ‘he’s always quiet, is John. He likes his beer, mind you – they all do – but he doesn’t have the money to drink too much. That’ll change when he becomes a jockey, though. He might even earn as much as Ned.’

Colbeck felt a surge of pity for her. She was talking as if John Feeny were still alive and about to fulfil his ambitions. When he had spoken to Ned Kyle at the stables, the inspector had learnt two things. The first was that Kyle was completely unaware of his friend’s link with Brian Dowd and the second concerned Bonny Rimmer. During his visits to the inn, John Feeny and the barmaid had developed a close friendship.

From the way she talked about him, it was clear that she was in love with the Irishman. It was equally clear that she believed she would soon see him again. Colbeck had not bought the drink for himself. He moved it across to her before he spoke.

‘I have some sad news to pass on, Miss Rimmer,’ he said.

‘What about?’

‘John Feeny.’

She tensed. ‘Has he been arrested?’

‘It’s rather more serious than that, I’m afraid.’

‘He’s been injured?’

‘John Feeny is dead,’ said Colbeck gently, steadying her with a hand as she reeled from the news. ‘He was murdered.’

Bonny Rimmer was stunned. Her mouth fell open, her eyes darted wildly and her whole body trembled. When she began to sob convulsively, Colbeck provided her with a handkerchief and a consoling arm. Since she was in no state to hear the full details of the crime, he decided to keep them from her. He waited until she was over the worst of the shock, then he held the brandy to her lips.

‘Drink some of this,’ he coaxed. ‘It might help you.’

Bonny consented to take a sip. She pulled a face at the sharp taste of the brandy but it helped to bring her to her senses. Of her own volition, she took a second, longer sip before turning her watery eyes on Colbeck.

‘Who could possibly want to harm John?’ she asked.

‘That’s what I’m trying to find out, Miss Rimmer, and I’m hoping that you might be able to assist me.’ She shrugged hopelessly. ‘Ned Kyle told me that you and John were good friends. Is that true?’ She nodded. ‘According to him, John was always talking about you at the stables.’

‘Was he?’ The information brought a modicum of comfort and she managed a pale smile. ‘We liked each other.’

‘When did you last see him?’

‘It must have been over a week ago.’

‘How did he seem?’

‘John was very happy,’ she said. ‘He was always happy when we were together. But he did warn me that he wouldn’t be able to see me for a while because of Derby Week. Mr Stenton wanted the grooms on duty all the time to guard the horses. John said he’d try to sneak off but he never turned up.’ She burst into tears again. ‘Now I know why.’

Colbeck offered her the brandy once more and she had another sip.

‘Did he tell you anything about his work?’ he said.

‘He told me lots, Inspector. Riding was everything to John. He wanted to be a jockey like Ned. He worked somewhere in Ireland but they wouldn’t let him ride. They said he’d never make a jockey and it really hurt John. He came to England to prove himself.’

‘Do you know the name of the stables in Ireland?’

‘Oh, yes,’ she said. ‘I wrote letters to a friend of his there.’

‘Jerry Doyle?’

She blinked in surprise. ‘How do you know that?’

‘I spoke to him while I was in Dublin,’ said Colbeck. ‘He showed me the letters – you have nice handwriting, Miss Rimmer.’

‘Thank you, sir – I was taught to read and write proper.’

‘In one of the letters, John said that he’d met someone very special but he didn’t give your name.’ She blushed visibly. ‘You did him a great favour in writing on his behalf.’

‘John wanted to learn to do it himself. I said I’d teach him.’

‘That was very kind of you.’

‘I’d do anything for John,’ she affirmed.

‘Did he have any enemies at the stables?’

‘No, he got on very well with everyone, Inspector.’

‘That was the impression I got when I spoke to some of the other grooms. John Feeny had fitted in very well. He had prospects.’

‘He did,’ she said, ‘and he was about to come into some money.’

‘Really?’

‘I was the only person he told. He wouldn’t even tell people like his uncle or Ned Kyle about it. But he told me,’ she went on. ‘We had no secrets from each other, you see.’

‘And where was this money to come from?’

‘A man he’d met.’

‘What did John have to do to get it?’

‘He had to give him as much information as he could about Limerick Lad – that’s the Irish horse in the Derby.’

‘Yes, I know.’

‘John was to see this man somewhere and be paid to talk about the stables where he’d worked. He owed no loyalty to Mr Dowd, the trainer,’ she insisted. ‘He only held John back. Besides, John was working for Mr Stenton and wanted Merry Legs to win the Derby.’

‘Did John say when and where he’d meet this man?’

‘No, Inspector.’

‘Did he give you the man’s name?’

‘John didn’t know it.’

‘What did he tell you about him?’ Colbeck pressed.

‘Only that he was a gentleman and offered a lot of money.’

‘Was he English or Irish?’

‘Oh, English,’ she said, ‘and he knew a lot about racing. John told me he was very nice at first but he did threaten him once.’

‘Really?’

‘When he gave John a job, Mr Stenton warned him that he wasn’t to speak to anyone – anyone at all – outside the stables about what went on there. People are always trying to bribe the grooms and jockeys for information. John swore that he’d say nothing,’ she said. ‘When this man first got in touch with him, John thought it might be best if he said nothing at all to him – not even about a rival stables. It was then the man made his threat.’

‘What did he threaten?’

‘He told John he had a choice,’ she recalled. ‘He could either talk about Limerick Lad and earn his reward, or, if he refused, then he’d lose his job because Mr Stenton would be told where John used to work in Ireland. John had to agree, Inspector,’ she said fervently. ‘He was afraid that if he lost his job, he’d