Inspector Hadley the Foreign Office Murders by Peter Child

Author:Peter Child
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Peter Child

CHAPTER 13

Hadley arrived back at The Yard and went straight to his office, before reporting to the chief, in the vague hope that his colleagues had found Nancy Miller. He was not surprised at their failure, however, but he was pleased that Blatchford had been brought in, for further questioning. Hanson briefed him on what the impresario had told the detectives.

‘I’ll talk to him, after I’ve reported to the chief,’ said Hadley, Hanson nodded and replied, ‘right, Jim… I’ll get George organised, to take notes.’

‘Thanks.’

Bell was pacing up and down, on his threadbare carpet, when Hadley entered the office. The chief stopped, immediately, and asked, ‘so, what happened at the Coroner’s hearing?’

‘It all went well, sir… Doctor Evans gave his post mortem report, and I followed with my statement… the Coroner directed the jury, to return a verdict of unlawful murder, by person or persons unknown, and they did… so, he released the body for burial.’

‘Good… were the Russians there?’

‘Yes, they were, sir… after the hearing, Chovenski said they would find the killer and deal with him… I told him not to take the law into their own hands.’

‘Well done, Hadley… these troublesome foreigners must learn to obey our laws, otherwise they will face very serious consequences!’

‘Indeed, sir… of course, the press were also there, asking questions…’

‘Damned Fleet Street mongrels… in medieval times we had the rack… now we’ve got the bloody press!’ interrupted Bell.

‘I’m afraid so, sir.’

‘Well, no matter…now we have another development… I received a telephone call from the Foreign Office, informing me that a young man called, at lunchtime, asking to see Barrington.’

‘Did he give his name, sir?’

‘No he didn’t… and, when he was told of the murder, he refused to give any details and ran out into Whitehall… where he was seen boarding a cab,’ replied the chief.

‘Have we a description, sir?’

‘Only a vague one, I’m afraid… medium height and build… clean-shaven, except for a moustache… and, wearing a Bowler hat.’

‘I wonder if it was Miller, sir.’

‘What makes you say that, Hadley?’

‘Hanson has just told me, that Blatchford claims, he and Miller spent the night together, at his lodgings….’

‘All these theatricals are disgusting and immoral creatures!’ interrupted the chief.

‘Indeed, sir… Miller also told Blatchford, that she was going to see a friend, after she left him, this morning.’

‘Well, if it was Miller, at the Foreign Office… she obviously didn’t know about Barrington’s murder… then, it is unlikely that she is the killer.’

‘That may be true, sir… but, there is another possibility…’

‘And, what is that?’

‘She is the killer and pretended to be shocked, at the news of his death, to throw us off the inquiry, and drop her from our list of suspects,’ replied Hadley.

‘That is far too clever, for a woman to have devised, Hadley.’

‘Sir, some women, who murder, are very clever indeed… they plan their terrible deeds, in a way, that we fail to understand… and, that is why so many women kill and escape justice.’

‘Do you really believe that?’

‘Indeed I do, sir… women are

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