Blood on the Line

‘That’s why I’m so anxious to make his acquaintance, brief as it’s destined to be. This man is the difference between freedom and arrest, Irene. I can’t stress that enough. When he’s been disposed of, we can breathe easily once more.’

‘I can’t breathe at all at the moment,’ she confessed.

‘All you have to do is to stay here and keep quiet.’

They stiffened again as two figures appeared at the end of the road. Oxley took a long, hard look at both of them before making his decision. One of them had to be Colbeck. He had come, after all.

Tallis and Peebles had walked in step side by side. Not long after turning the corner, however, they came to a halt so that they could survey the scene. They were looking along a tree-lined road with houses on both sides. If an ambush had been set, an attacker could be hiding in a variety of places. Yet Tallis sensed no immediate danger. It was unlikely that Oxley had access to any of the houses and, in any case, the trees would impede any shots that were fired. With a steady stride, they walked on, eyes darting from one side of the road to another. They’d gone fifty yards before Tallis spoke.

‘Where the blazes is the fellow?’ he asked.

‘Perhaps he changed his mind, sir.’

‘He nominated this place and this time. Oxley must be here somewhere yet I can see neither hide nor hair of him.’

‘Neither can I, Superintendent,’ said Peebles as they walked on. ‘But I’m starting to get the feeling that we’re being watched.’

Tallis looked around. ‘From which direction?’

‘I’m not sure.’

‘I don’t see anyone.’

‘The feeling is getting stronger. He’s definitely here.’

‘Then why doesn’t he show himself?’

‘Stop there!’ yelled a voice and they came to a dead halt.

‘Is that you, Oxley?’ shouted Tallis. ‘Come out into the open.’

‘Be quiet! I’ll only talk to Inspector Colbeck.’

‘I’m his superior.’

‘I don’t care. Tell the inspector to come forward.’

‘He’s mistaken you for Colbeck,’ whispered Tallis.

‘What am I to do?’ asked Peebles.

‘Pretend that you are. We can’t miss an opportunity like this.’

‘Are you coming or are you not?’ taunted Oxley.

‘He’s coming,’ returned Tallis aloud. Out of the side of his mouth, he spoke to Peebles. ‘Beware of tricks, Constable.’

‘Yes, sir,’ said the other.

Straightening his shoulders, he walked forward towards the trees at the end of the road, scanning the houses as he did so. Oxley’s voice seemed to have come from ahead of him rather than from either side but he was taking no chances. Tallis was now thirty yards behind him and in no position to offer help. Peebles was entirely alone. Yet he showed no alarm. He did what he imagined Colbeck would do in the same circumstances. He remained alert and moved calmly on. When he got close to the end of the road, he was stopped by a command.

‘That’s far enough!’ yelled Oxley.

‘Show yourself.’

‘I’ll give the orders, Inspector. I’ve come to strike a bargain.’

‘What kind of bargain?’

‘I want to ensure my continued freedom.’

‘That’s something I can’t guarantee, Mr Oxley. You are Jeremy Oxley, aren’t you?’ he went on. ‘I’m beginning to have doubts about that, you see. I heard that you were a brave and daring man and not someone too scared to show his face. Come back when you pluck up more courage.’

Turning on his heel, Peebles made as if to walk away.

‘Stay where you are!’ bellowed Oxley, coming into view. Peebles stopped again and turned to face him. ‘I’m afraid of nobody on this earth, Inspector.’

‘Not even the hangman?’

Oxley laughed. ‘He’ll have no appointment with me. My bargain is this. Call off your dogs and I undertake to leave the country. That way you get rid of Jeremy Oxley for good.’

‘That’s quite unacceptable,’ said Peebles, evenly. ‘The time has come for you to answer for your crimes. I’d advise you to surrender quietly while you still may.’

‘I never surrender,’ said Oxley, moving slowly forward. ‘You should know that by now, Inspector. You’ve chased me long enough.’

Peebles kept his composure and waited for the moment to pounce. The army had taught him how to overpower an assailant and he had every confidence that he could subdue Oxley even if the man pulled a knife on him. He could see a hand hovering to grab something from under his coat. Peebles knew that he had to strike first. When Oxley was only five yards away, therefore, the constable suddenly came to life and flung himself at the man with his arms outstretched. Oxley was ready for him. Whipping out the pistol, he fired it at the detective’s heart from close range. Peebles got hands around him but they had no strength in them now. The wound was fatal. His body shuddered, his eyes were glassy and his mouth was wide open in disbelief. Life slipping away, he slumped to the ground with his waistcoat sodden with blood. His top hat rolled into the gutter. His impersonation of Colbeck was over.

Watching from a distance, Tallis was horror-struck. Torn between rage and grief, he lumbered forward as fast as he could but he was far too slow. By the time he reached the lifeless body of Ian Peebles, he saw that there was nothing he could do. Oxley had disappeared into the trees and, as he bent over his fallen colleague, Tallis heard the distant sound of a cab being driven away. He was in an absolute torment of remorse. In taking Peebles with him, he had effectively signed the young detective’s death warrant.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The shot had reverberated along the road and many curious heads appeared at windows. Once they’d established that the danger was past, a few people came out of their houses to run towards the prostrate figure. Tallis was bent penitently over Peebles, offering up a silent prayer for the salvation of the dead man’s soul. It had been a quick death but that gave the superintendent no solace. By a rash action on his part, he’d lost a brave man with a promising future ahead of him. Ian Peebles was everything he could have asked for in a recruit. Tallis felt an even sharper stab of guilt when he remembered the forthcoming marriage. It would never take place now and it would be his job to inform the prospective bride that her future husband had been murdered in broad daylight. Overwhelmed with the implications of it all, he did not realise that more and more people were coming to view the corpse. When he finally looked up, therefore, he saw that there was a ring of faces around him. Tallis got angrily to his feet.

‘Stand back!’ he ordered. ‘This is not a peep show.’

‘What happened?’ asked someone.

‘Isn’t it obvious? He’s been shot dead. Show him some respect and stop staring like that.’ Taking off his coat, he used it to cover Peebles’ chest and face. ‘Someone call a cab.’

As a man ran off down the road, a woman stepped forward.

‘It’s a policeman we need to call,’ she suggested.

‘We are policemen, madam,’ said Tallis with rasping authority. ‘We are detectives from Scotland Yard in pursuit of a wanted man named Jeremy Oxley. It was he who just fired a gun.’

‘Oh, I read about someone called Oxley in this morning’s newspaper,’ she said.