Beforeleaving I’d changed into a more practical leather bodice andtrousers, with a white blouse. In order to hide my weaponry I’dalso brought a long leather coat. My hair contrasted gorgeouslywith it. Even though I say it myself I did look ratherspiffing.
SirPercival handed me a long wooden container that contained my gun.Over the time I’d been working in the laboratory I’d mademodifications to it among which were Tesla coils, some rather niceengraving, and other knick-knacks. Quickly I opened the box andflicked a switch to charge the coils, then slid the box out ofsight under my long coat into a long pocket made specially toaccommodate it.
Yet morechildish laughter reached my ears when the hirsute Sir Percivalmade his appearance. He’d informed me of his dislike for wearinghats (some traumatic childhood incident he hadn’t divulged to me),so his hair was frequently the centre of attention. Making sure hispistols were decently secreted about his tweed country-gentleman’sattire he joined me in following the liaison to thegate.
Due tothe Department’s query we were met at the entrance by the short,stout zoo manager. Eyeing us suspiciously (especially our hair) andprobably wondering who we were he carefully shook ourhands.
“Welcome, may I ask if there was any special animals youwished to visit?”
“The penguins,” replied Sir Percival.
Themanager smiled, probably thinking we were just visiting dignitariesbent on enjoying ourselves. “A fine sight. Please followme.”
Turninghe led the way past a uniformed worker who held the gate open forus and then securely locked it behind.
Happychattering from the fellow visitors mixed with strange sounds fromthe animal exhibits met us as we walked along. Sir Percival walkedwith the manager chatting about the animals we passed. TheDepartment liaison, looking like a grumpy hippo, followed behindkeeping an eye on everyone that he could, and I walked in themiddle my long coat flapping around my legs feeling somewhat likeone of those penny-dreadful fictional cowboys - armed and goingafter the black-hatted bad guy.
Wearrived at the penguin enclosure and I had a nasty flashback to theprevious evening when I saw the yellow eyebrows. These thoughweren’t wearing bespoke black frock coats, and their eyes didn’thave a strange purplish tinge. In fact they were rathersweet.
“How many staff have worked with these?” asked SirPercival.
“Since we obtained them? Many. They do rather grow onone.”
“Any strange occurrences you know about?” I asked.
“Er, with any large group of staff there are bound to be…shenanigans. Do you wish to feed them?” he very quicklyadded.
My eyesmet with Sir Percival’s. Shenanigans, indeed. I left it to him topursue the matter further.
“Would you like a fish, Miss?”
Lookinground I saw one of the staff, a youngish fellow with the merestbeginnings of a beard starting to grow, with a bucket. His uniformseemed to have strange stains on it.
“Er, no thank you. I’ve barely finished breakfast.”
“For the penguins, Miss.”
Luckilyhis voice only had the barest trace of ‘she’s an idiot’ init.
“I apologise. No, thank you.” Then a thought occurred to meand I gently touched his arm to pull him away from the higher-leveldialogue Sir Percival was having with the manager.
“Do you have any trouble with the penguins?” I askedquietly.
“Oh, no, Miss. Lovely creatures. Daft as hatters,though.”
“Any staff overly fond of them?”
“You mean… ?” His innocent blue eyes looked intomine.
How toword this? “Do you know of anyone that was dismissed in strangecircumstances?”
Helooked around in case of being overheard. We were surrounded bysmall over-excited children and a few harried adults trying to keepthem under control. He drew me into an emptier space. “I heard ofone chap. Nothing to do with me,” he added hastily.
“Oh, no,” I assured him. “I’m sure a fine upstanding fellowlike yourself would do nothing amiss. Tell me about thisfellow.”
I movedcloser and discovered an unfortunate fishy smell. Hopefully it wasjust the bucket he still carried.
“Well,” his eyes darted around again, “I heard like he triedto take one back home with him.”
“Never!” I quietly exclaimed, wide-eyed. “However did hemanage that?”
“Wrapped it up in blankets like a baby. Only found out when ittried to peck the bus conductor’s behind!”
I hid agenteel laugh behind my hand. “And the police werecalled?”
“Oh, no. The conductor he calls the zoo. He,” indicating withhis head the gentleman Sir Percival was speaking with, “managed tohush it up. Bad for business, he said. Nothing in the papers oranything official-like.”
What hewas planning to do with the penguin once he’d arrived home was amystery to me. And I was determined to leave it thatway.
“It’s very important…?” I looked enquiringly athim.
“Oh, Neville, Miss. Neville Evans.”
I gave him my most winning smile. “Well, Mr Evans, it’s veryimportant that you tell us the gentleman’s name and where helives.” I purposefully neglected to enquire his thoughts on thereason for this shenanigan.
Luckily,as it was quite the common knowledge among the staff, I gained therequired information (and felt he was possibly hoping to get morefrom myself in doing so).
While hehid from the manager’s view, perhaps informing us more than themanager would have wished, I hurried back to Sir Percival andmeaningfully looked at him from above the manager’s short stature.Their conversation that the manager seemed to be steering was aboutfunding and what other animal exhibits the manager was hoping toacquire. Dry stuff.
Lookinginordinately relieved at my arrival Sir Percival profusely thankedthe manager for his help and we speedily headed towards the exit,shadowed by the liaison. In the safety of the carriage and headingback down the Broadway I told both of them of my conversation withNeville. The liaison, with his back to the driver, banged on apanel behind him. It slid open and he conveyed our new destinationto Wilkins for the unfortunate penguin-smuggler.
Six
Our destination was a boarding house that had seen betterdays. To my mind it looked rather like adecayed tooth between newer fresher buildings. Wilkins drove thecarriage past on a roundish circuit so we’d come back to it afterchecking out its general vicinity. I noticed that it was on thesame block as the Science and Natural History museums and notedtheir newest exhibits for possible viewing later (Departmentpermitting).
Wilkins
