A Fool and His Money by Marina Pascoe

Author:Marina Pascoe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Accent Press

Chapter Ten

Again, Boase couldn’t sleep. He had so much on his mind. Irene, the wedding, Bartlett. Yes, Bartlett. Boase didn’t like to see him so upset. As Boase lay on his pillow turning over the recent events in his head, he thought he heard a shout from below his window. Was that someone calling his name? Surely not? He listened again.

‘Boase. Boase!’

Glancing at the clock, he threw back the covers and ran to the window. Opening it he looked down into the garden.

‘That you, sir? It’s half past one!’

‘I know – you need to get dressed and come down!’

Boase hurriedly threw on his clothes and, moving quietly, went across the landing, down the stairs and out through the front door. Bartlett was waiting at the gate.

‘What’s going on, sir?’

‘I left messages with everyone about Howard Smith – that they must let me know if he appeared. Well, Coad just came round to my house, as I asked him, I did say day or night – I guessed Smith’d appear at some ridiculous hour, under cover.’

‘Was he at the caravan?’

‘No. Coad and Rabone were patrolling about an hour ago when they saw him. They recognised him from when we were at the recreation ground before.’

‘So where was he – and where is he now?’

‘They said they saw him at Greenbank – come on, we’re going there now. I walked here but I sent Coad back for a car – he’s left Rabone waiting near Smith to make sure he stays put.’

‘What? Smith will see him for sure – especially Rabone.’

‘But they didn’t expect to see him there.’

‘Well, you told them to be alert – they should have been prepared.’

‘It was Rabone who found him – then Coad just happened to be coming along and he sent him to fetch me. They did the right thing; there didn’t seem to be any urgency – apparently he’s holed up in that little nightwatchman’s shed by the Greenbank Laundry – you know the one. Rabone saw him come out for a smoke, sitting on the wall, bold as you please. In this moonlight he was easy to spot. They couldn’t have taken him in on their own without a car – look at the size of him. Here we are, here’s the car.’

The car was driven swiftly from Melvill Road and towards Greenbank, arriving a few minutes later. Bartlett and Boase got out and walked towards Constable Rabone, who was standing by the wall and looking down on the laundry.

‘Is he still here?’

‘Yes, sir. He’s inside that little shed. Look – down by the side of the laundry.’

‘Yes, I know it. Right, Boase, you and Coad go down on this side, I’ll go on the other. Rabone, you wait here in case he gets away. He can only come up past you – unless he jumps into the sea!’

The men took their places. The moon disappeared behind a cloud and the bay was lit only by a few twinkling lights from ships. Boase and

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