Biggles Takes a Hand by W E Johns

Author:W E Johns [Johns, W E]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Adventure
Published: 2012-06-12T19:59:30+00:00

* * *

1 See Biggles Buries a Hatchet.

CHAPTER II

DEAD END?

WHEN Biggles left the Adlon Restaurant he walked to the High Street, called a taxi and went straight to Scotland Yard. In his office he found his assistants waiting with some impatience for the explanation of the mysterious letter. This they had to contain, for all Biggles said as he hung up his cap and walked to the intercom, telephone on his desk was this: “I’ll talk to you presently. I shall have to speak to the Chief right away, if he’s in.” He pressed the appropriate button.

“Bigglesworth here, sir,” he said. “May I have a word with you? Yes, sir, it’s urgent. Good. I’m on my way down.” As he made for the door he said briefly to the others: “I’ll be back.”

In the Air Commodore’s office he began without preamble. “Is there, to your knowledge, anyone in this country whose death would be a desirable event for a hostile power?”

The Air Commodore sat back, his eyes slowly opening wide. “What an extraordinary question!”

“Let’s put it another way. Is there anyone here, or on his way here, possibly an important figure in world politics, whose assassination would embarrass the British Government?”

The Air Commodore studied Biggles’ face carefully before he answered. “I couldn’t say offhand. You must have a very good reason for such a question. May I know what it is?”

“I expected you to ask that and obviously I can’t decline to give you an answer. It is this. There has arrived in this country a party of three mercenary killers whose job it is to liquidate persons named by those who employ them.”

“You mean—political murders.”

“I have no definite information about that but I imagine so.”

“How do you know these men are here?”

“I’ve seen them.”

“When?”

“About an hour ago.”

“Do you know their names?”

“I do—unless they are working under assumed ones while on their mission to England.”

“As you know so much you might also know where they are living.”

“Yes, I know that, too.”

“You have been busy.”

“No, sir. The information came to me through a friend.”

“You’re sure this is not a cock-and-bull story?”

“Quite sure. The man who put me on the trail doesn’t invent things, or imagine them. He’s too busy to waste his time, or mine.”

“I see you take this matter seriously.”

“Don’t you?”

“I’d like to know more about it before I commit myself.”

“While we’re waiting for that the mischief might be done. Should that happen there would be no point in doing anything. You wouldn’t even get the murderers.”

“Why not?”

“Because they would be secure under cover of diplomatic immunity.”

The Air Commodore frowned. “Really, Bigglesworth, you’re beginning to alarm me.”

“I came here prepared for that. I would have been disappointed had I failed to do so.”

“Very well. What do you suggest I do about it?”

“Provide the answer to my original question. You should be able to get it. I can’t. Until we know who it is these people are after we shall be working in the dark.”

The Air Commodore considered the problem. “You know, Bigglesworth, this doesn’t really come within our province.

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