With Intent to Deceive by Manning Coles

Author:Manning Coles [by, A Tommy Hambledon novel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rare Treasure Editions
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve. G.P.O. in Paradise

James Hyde made his will in the simplest terms possible, writing it out with his own hand and using the big green fountain pen he always carried. “It will help to convince Nairn,” he said, “if I write with this pen. He knows it so well. He calls it Robespierre.”

“Eh?” said Adam. “Oh, I’ve got it. The ‘sea-green incorruptible.’ “

“Yes. It’s a gold nib,” said James simply. “Now, what?”

“Now we go and see two friends of ours. Their names are Forgan and Campbell. Forgan keeps a model shop in the Clerkenwell Road, but I think we’ll start by going to South Kensington.”

Adam took Hyde for an extensive but rapid tour of London by underground, bus, and taxi in turns. They went into shops by one entrance and out by another, sometimes they loitered and sometimes hurried. When at last they alighted at Aldersgate Street Station, the only passengers to do so, Adam hustled James out of sight before the train pulled out.

“That’s all right,” he said. “We’ve lost them.”

“Have we been followed all this way?” asked James.

“Not quite. The last time I actually saw our friends was at Baker Street; I think they went to Pinner by mistake. I’m sorry to have taken you for such a trip, but I didn’t want to lead them to Forgan. We can go straight ahead now.”

Forgan’s shop at once appealed strongly to the indestructible small boy in James Hyde. While Adam explained what was wanted of the modelmakers, Hyde listened with only half of his attention, his eyes roaming round the shop.

“The only point of importance is the date,” said Adam. “Friday, March the twenty-ninth, will do quite well.”

“Friday, March the twenty-ninth,” repeated Forgan, and Campbell nodded. “It is simple. If we are asked, we shall remember. How well do we know this gentleman?”

“Not too well, just as a customer. He is a retired businessman who lives at

Putney. He is a bachelor. I think that’s all you need know when you are asked.” “He has been in here,” said Forgan gravely, “perhaps a dozen times in the last four months. We were shocked to read in the paper of his tragic death.” “That’s right, that’ll do nicely.”

They signed, not on the shop counter in full view of the public passing the open door, but at a desk in the workshop behind.

“Thank you very much,” said Hyde shyly. “It is very good of you to do this for a stranger.”

“From what Adam has told us,” said Campbell, “you won’t be a stranger very long.”

“I should like to come here often,” said Hyde, “and inflict myself upon you for hours. But I think that would be unwise at the moment.”

“Wait till we have killed off these vermin,” said Forgan, “and you shall come every day and stay as long as you please.”

“In the meantime,” said Campbell, “no doubt we shall meet elsewhere. And have lots of fun,” he added savagely. “Rat-hunting, you know.”

“Before that actually begins,” said Adam, “I should be glad if you’d drive a car for us one night, Campbell.

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