The Posing Playwright: Oscar Wilde's trial is the scandal of the century... (Esther & Jack Enright Mystery Book 5) by David Field

Author:David Field [Field, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2018-09-13T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Percy slipped the cabman five pounds and instructed him to await his return. Glad of the high collar on his overcoat, which he turned up against the strong Spring westerly that was howling around his ears, he walked up to the level crossing, then turned left down the cinder path alongside the double rail track, towards the signal box located by the side of the line that led back towards Crewe.

He climbed the steps to the box and knocked on the glass panel set into the upper half of the door. A red-faced man in his fifties, dressed in a blue serge uniform, turned when he heard the knock and beckoned for Percy to enter. As he did so, the heat from the coal-fired stove in the near corner of the box hit him like a hot flannel and he lowered his coat collar before reaching inside his jacket pocket and producing his police badge.

‘Detective Inspector Enright, Scotland Yard. And you are?’

‘Surprised that I’ve done owt bad enough ter attract the Yard.’ The man grinned as he threw down the rag which he’d been using while pulling down a set of levers set into the frame in front of the windows that overlooked the lines. He indicated for Percy to take one of the two available chairs and continued to look out of a set of side windows to his left while conducting the conversation that followed. ‘What can I do fer yer? Pardon the back o’ me ’ead, only I’m expectin’ the two forty-seven ter Llandudno any minute now on the “down” line. That’s the one furthest away from us.’

‘Could we start with your name?’ Percy said. ‘Clearly your occupation is that of signalman?’

‘That’s me. Ted ’Olmes, Leading Signalman these five years past. I’m responsible fer this section o’ line what runs from a few miles back terwards Calverley, then onter Crewe down ter the left there an’ terwards Tattenhall Box an’ Chester ter the right.’

‘Does your section of line include the sidings that serve the salt workings?’

‘It does now,’ Holmes replied as he continued squinting into the distance off to the left of the box. ‘That’s outta sight along the “down” side there,’ he added as he continued squinting to his left. ‘The “up” trains go in the direction o’ London an’ the “down” come from London. Like that express what’s about ter come past — she’s just cleared them sidin’s yer was talkin’ about. Can yer see ’er?’

‘Only just,’ Percy admitted. ‘My eyes aren’t what they used to be.’

‘Well yer’ll see ’er soon enough,’ Holmes assured him. ‘It’s just a blob in the distance right now, but give it ’alf a minute an’ she’ll be rattlin’ the winders in ’ere on ’er way ter Chester.’

‘There seems to be a curve in the line back towards Crewe,’ Percy observed as he narrowed his eyes to focus on the rapidly approaching train.

‘That’s right,’ Holmes confirmed. ‘That’s where me “Home Signal” is, just past where the bend starts. Then beyond that, well round the bend, yer’ll find me “Distant Signal”.

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