Negative Exposure by Jackson Marsh

Author:Jackson Marsh [Marsh, Jackson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-02-23T18:30:00+00:00

Unable to comprehend the strange message, he returned to the hall and gave the reply to Andrew along with the payment.

‘Andrew, he said,’ leading the messenger to the door. ‘If anything else comes for the house, can you bring it to the back?’

‘Of course, Sir.’

‘There’s a post box,’ Billy piped up, now on his knees by the front door. ‘I fixed one to the outside wall, mate,’ he explained. ‘Around the corner. You'll see it. I told the postman to deliver there, Mr Wright. While we’re… In case there was no-one to answer the bell.’

‘Good idea,’ James said, pocketing Archer’s note and seeing Andrew back onto the street.

Once the door was closed, Billy stood and jerked his head for James to come nearer.

‘Didn't want people knowing we’re all away,’ he whispered as if there were enemies lurking. ‘He’s trustworthy, but you know how slippery them messenger boys can be.’

‘I was one of them messenger boys,’ James said.

‘Ah, yeah, but you're a gent now, Boss.’ Billy nudged him as if had been responsible. ‘So, I done the lights.’

He threw his head to the clock and clicked his tongue.

‘What is it?’

‘Been a bit crafty.’ Billy touched the side of his nose, something Silas did when pleased with himself. ‘I know this is Riverside, right, and we don’t get much burgling, but you never know. So, I’ve fixed this old clock to the switch. I’ve taken off the minute hand, see, so there’s only the hour, and when that gets to six, it pulls that wire…’ Pointing with his screwdriver, he showed James an arrangement of wires and cobbled-together components. ‘That metal plate touches this one, and the current from that battery sends a shock which charges that motor. A quick pulse, like what telegraph machines use. The motor pulls the switch. The porch light comes on, and stays on until the hour hand gets ’round to six again and everything works in reverse.’

‘Bloody hell. That’s ingenious.’

‘Yeah. Buggers up the clocks, mind, and Mr Payne’ll shit his pants, but…’ Billy wiped a finger under his nose and coughed. ‘Same happens in the drawing room at five, but that one was a bit more tricky. The chandelier in there’ll light up until midnight, then it’ll go off, but it’ll come back on again from five to twelve in the morning. Nothing I can do about that, and I ain't had time to do the other rooms, but I reckon this’ll be enough to put off any tea leaf.’

‘Thief?’

‘You got it, Boss.’

Mrs Norwood’s head appeared around the baize. ‘Billy? Your family is here. We are leaving in fifteen minutes.’

‘Better get on,’ Billy said, collecting his tools. ‘You using the front door, Boss, or will I bolt it?’

‘Bolt it.’

There was no time to consider Billy’s ingenuity, and James made for the library to search for the music Archer wanted. For what purpose was outside of his current sea of jumbled clues and problems, and no doubt Jasper would understand. Like the other rooms, the library was shrouded against dust, and only James’ desk lay exposed among the weird shapes of white cloths.

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