The two men stood and faced each other for what seemed like ages, but was probably no more than a few moments. Ralph could plainly see that those were not hubcaps on the table. The platters were almost identical to the ones Doctor Franks had shown him at the British Museum. Ralph faced a dilemma. Should he confront Joe about Seth’s death or the stolen treasure? Now that he saw the silver platters and glimpsed the other pieces in the safe, it confirmed his suspicions that Minton and his pal had deliberately held back a large amount of what was Crown property. Ralph realised that Seth’s death was the key. Minton might wriggle out of the fraud charge with just a rap on the knuckles, but it would not be so easy to explain away Seth’s murder, and Ralph had no doubt now that Joe had killed the old man, plain and simple.
Ralph made his move.
“I know those platters on the table are from Sherracombe. You must think I’m some sort of damn fool if you expect me to believe they’re hubcaps,” Ralph said quietly.
He deliberately leant against the wall and took up a nonchalant stance and chuckled. Just as he had hoped, Minton appeared confused. Ralph waited patiently as he watched Joe try furiously to figure a way out.
“I can see you’re a man of the world, Mr Chalmers. I knew you were alright.” He gave an unconvincing laugh. “Got to look after yourself ‘aven’t you. Tax man gets enough from the working man.” He grinned as he pulled back the cloth. Ralph almost gasped as he surveyed the hoard. A box filled with gold coins spilled out onto the table and mingled with silver plates, long handled spoons and smaller bowls.
“More in the safe,” Minton said gesturing over to the side. “I ‘spect we need to come to some sort of gentleman’s agreement, Mr. Chalmers. I ‘spect I can fix you up with one or two pretty nice motors if you can pretend you didn’ see none a this and keep quiet like; nice little windfall for you. I do all the work an’ you get that Rolls or a Maserati or whatever you want; an’ more if the gold and silver prices stay up. Might take a week or two, but you can rely on Joe Minton to make it right by you.”
“And what if I decide your offer’s not enough?” Ralph asked.
“I’d see you right,” Joe said as a fleeting look of fear crossed his face.
“I don’t think so, Joe. That’s what you told old Seth Raines, and look where it got him; six feet under. No I’m not falling for your tricks.”
“No, no tricks, Mr Chalmers,” Joe said in his most placating voice.
He had congratulated himself on having wriggled out of a difficult situation and outsmarting someone who he reckoned was upper class. This Chalmers with all his fancy talk and smart clothes was no better than Seth Raines. He had no intentions of going to prison for that little blackmailer’s death and now this fancy London type had all but ruined his scheme. He had no choice but to get rid of Chalmers, and fast. The last thing he needed was for that damn wife of his to come walking in. Then he’d have to get rid of both of them. A red mist swam before his eyes as he thought of his friend Bruce, and how everything seemed to be slipping through his fingers. If only this bloody man had not turned up.
Ralph could practically see what Joe was thinking and was ready when Joe picked up a spanner and threw it at him. It bounced off his arm and clattered to the floor. Joe was quicker than Ralph had anticipated. Before he recovered enough to duck, Joe grabbed a fire extinguisher. Ralph’s first thought was to shield his eyes from the toxic foam, but he felt the blow as it struck him and he crashed to the floor. What seemed like minutes later he came to and rolled over. He instinctively touched his head and felt where the blood had started to mat his hair. He looked around; Joe had fled. The safe still brimmed with shinny objects, but the table was bare. He pulled himself up as he heard an engine start. As he stumbled through the door, he saw a truck career down the busy street; Joe was making a run for it.
Ralph ran outside to his car and saw that the keys were missing. The bugger must have thrown them on the back seat or something, he cursed. But there was no time to waste looking for them. He set off running down the street. The adrenaline had taken over. Up ahead he saw that a single decker yellow and blue bus making its way up the High Street had stopped where Joe’s truck had blocked the road. Ralph glimpsed Joe with an army style rucksack over his shoulder running towards the cliff railway. Ralph pushed people out of the way as he ran down the road. Drivers shouted at him and several pedestrians tried to grab him, but he evaded them. He saw the entrance gate to the cliff railway up ahead and realised that Joe would get away unless he could get there before it left. When Joe turned to see if anyone had pursued him, Ralph saw that he held a revolver in his hand.
The first shot hit Ralph and the force spun him round. People screamed, and as Ralph clutched his shoulder and looked up, he saw Joe take aim. He had two hands on the revolver now and slowly levelled it. Just then a young mother ran between them to grab her child. Ralph heard Joe curse as he lowered the gun and sprinted towards the now closed
