A Blind Goddess by James R. Benn

Author:James R. Benn [Benn, James R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
ISBN: 978-1-61695-193-1
Publisher: Soho Press
Published: 2013-09-02T18:15:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“WHAT THE HELL are you going on about, Boyle?” Payne demanded. “I had to sit through three versions of that intolerable man’s tirade before you showed up. What I want is an explanation, not questions about madness.”

“He’s a big shot with MI5, likes to throw his weight around. I don’t get why he cares so much about the Millers, but then I don’t get a lot of what MI5 does. But tell me more about the pleasure men,” I said to Inspector Payne, eager to get off the topic of Major Cosgrove and his motives.

“I’d say Cosgrove fits the bill,” Cook said with a chuckle, lighting his pipe and leaning against the whitewashed wall of the station. He, Payne, and Tree had been waiting out front, soaking up the waning rays of the late afternoon sun. The weather had turned away from winter’s last grasp, the skies were clear, and the ground damp and smelling of green.

“He’s under a lot of pressure,” I said, feeling the need to defend him. “There’s a lot he can’t tell us. I know he comes across as heavy-handed, but he can be a stand-up guy.”

“From what these fellows tell me, he’s not standing up much for your investigation,” Tree said. “I hope he won’t get in the way of proving Angry innocent.”

“That’s why I want to know about the pleasure men,” I said. “Now.” All I wanted to do was get back to Diana and pass on Cosgrove’s warning. I didn’t like the look on his face; it wasn’t the usual bluster, it was dead serious. Frightened.

“What are you talking about? Pimps?” Tree asked. Cook gave him the background about inmates serving at the pleasure of the King in the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum.

“You said you checked all of Sam Eastman’s arrests,” I said to Cook.

“I did. All dead or in prison, the serious offenders anyway. Might be a poacher or the like we missed, but I doubt that sort would be a threat.”

“Any in Broadmoor?”

“Yes, there were two sent there. One way back when Sam was new on the force, and another from nineteen thirty-five. One is still inside, and the other died there. Same with Tom Eastman: no recent releases.”

“Why the sudden interest, Boyle?” Payne asked.

“I was thinking how crazy Cosgrove sounded myself, and then I looked at the elder Eastman’s photograph. That made me wonder if we weren’t being too logical about this case.”

“You mean Tom Eastman being found on his father’s grave,” Tree said.

“Exactly. That’s nothing Angry would have done if he were the killer. There’s no point to it. It’s as if someone was delusional enough to think Sam Eastman would know his son had been killed. We may well be looking for a lunatic.”

“I’ll inquire with Broadmoor again,” Cook said. “Perhaps they overlooked someone. I’ll go through the files and make sure none of the chaps who received lesser charges went on to more serious offenses. They might blame their first brush with the law for everything that followed.

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