Doctor Who by Mark Gatiss

Author:Mark Gatiss
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ebury Publishing

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

RETURNS

Sergeant Benton was driving the Brigadier and Captain Yates along a narrow road lined with box-hedge. The big car hummed steadily. The Brigadier pressed the receiver of his car-phone closer to his ear and nodded.

‘All right. Very well,’ he rapped, passing the receiver to Yates.

‘Trouble, sir?’ asked Yates, replacing the telephone in its compartment below the seat.

‘Not sure, Yates,’ said the Brigadier with a frown. ‘That was the defence secretary. It seems that our passes into Legion International come with one or two qualifications.’

‘Qualifications?’

Lethbridge-Stewart nodded. ‘We have precisely one hour to complete our inspection and then we have to be off the premises.’

‘But why, sir?’

The Brigadier sank back against the red upholstery. ‘To – and I quote – “enable the facility to go about its important work undisturbed”.’

Yates shook his head. ‘Somebody up there likes them.’

‘Indeed,’ said the Brigadier grimly. ‘Let’s hope the Doctor’s got something to go on. See if you can raise Miss Grant, would you?’

He peered through the window. A road sign flashed past.

‘Culverton, two miles,’ he announced.

The parp of a car horn sounded and the Brigadier craned his neck to see. A big, black limousine was directly behind them, seemingly anxious to pass on the narrow country road. The horn blared again. The Brigadier leant forward and tapped Benton on the shoulder.

‘Better let him pass, Benton.’

‘Righto, sir.’

Benton twisted the wheel and the car moved to the left giving the limousine space to pass.

It roared by in a dark flash, without so much as a pip-pip of thanks. Benton watched it until it disappeared into the distance.

The Doctor was halfway through a plate of scrambled eggs which he’d rustled up when Ted Bishop came downstairs, looking refreshed and better than he had in a long while, except for his hair which was sticking up at the back in a cowlick.

He greeted the Doctor with a half-smile.

‘Noah’s sleeping fine now. I’m grateful, Doctor.’

The Doctor waved away his thanks. ‘Don’t mention it. Now, your brother hasn’t returned, Mr Bishop. You say he went to find the local constable?’

Ted nodded. ‘What do you think could have happened to him, Doctor?’

The Doctor shrugged. ‘I’ve no idea. Let’s hope he’s all right. The most important thing is we have evidence that things aren’t quite right in Culverton. That should help the Brigadier get official wheels moving. If he ever gets here.’

He glanced at his watch.

‘In the meantime, I’d better get over there and see how Miss Grant –’

The Doctor broke off suddenly as they both heard the front door open and then quietly shut.

Ted Bishop looked up. There was muffled rush of water as someone turned on a tap.

‘Max?’ called Ted. ‘Max, is that you?’

The Doctor indicated that they should go through into the kitchen. He pushed back the door and looked through. Max Bishop was standing at the sink, filling the kettle and laying out the tea things.

‘Morning!’ he said brightly. ‘I didn’t know we had company, Ted.’ He shovelled tea from the caddy into the big brown pot.

Ted frowned. ‘Where’ve you been?’

Max just smiled and hummed a little tune to himself.

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