The Mayfair Mystery: A Colonel Bainbridge Mystery by Evelyn James

Author:Evelyn James [James, Evelyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Raven Publications
Published: 2022-11-01T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

They returned home again as they were not entirely sure what to do next. Bainbridge was complaining that he was hungry and could never think properly on an empty stomach. Victoria did not have the energy to argue with him for once.

They had barely walked in the door when Mrs Huggins rushed from the kitchen.

“Inspector Dougal sent a constable around with a message for you. He said it was very important and I must give it to you at once.”

She handed over a piece of folded paper for them to read.

“I have not examined the contents myself,” Mrs Huggins said firmly. “I have principles.”

She stalked off back to her domain. Bainbridge turned the paper over in his fingers.

“That means she most certainly has read it,” he remarked before he unfolded the slip.

A frown formed on his brow as he read the contents.

“We need to go out again at once. There has been another fire.”

Victoria was alarmed.

“Another? And they are sure it is connected?”

“It occurred in Mr Cookman’s shop,” Bainbridge explained. “The poor man is dead.”

Victoria was stunned by this news, but she did not waste time and hurried back out to her car with Bainbridge right behind. They were soon heading in the direction they had not long ago come from.

“Why would Mr Cookman be targeted?” Victoria said as they travelled. “He said he knew nothing.”

“He lied,” Bainbridge sighed. “He did not dare tell us the truth, of course, that he had known all along about the planned fire. He thought it would put him in danger. As it was, someone decided he was too great a risk to leave alive.”

Victoria grimaced.

“Do you suppose they saw us entering the shop and feared he was going to say something?”

“I think that very likely,” Bainbridge nodded. “How ever Cookman came upon the information concerning the fire, his knowledge of it was dangerous. He forewarned a friend, for a start. He was a weak link.”

Victoria swallowed; her mouth dry as dust. Only hours before they had been talking to Cookman. He had been very alive and there had seemed no immediate danger of that changing. Now he was dead, and she was not looking forward to seeing the circumstances of his demise. Not when you considered how the previous victim in this case had been dispatched.

They reached the shop which was now a smouldering ruin. It had burned fiercely with so much alcohol inside it and had nearly consumed the whole of the street. As it was, one of the neighbours had been swift to fetch the fire brigade and the blaze had been brought under control quickly.

Firemen were still damping down the remains with their hoses and using iron hooks to sort through the debris for any stray sparks that could strike up the inferno again.

Inspector Dougal was stood nearby, watching solemnly. He lifted his head at the sound of the car and walked over to greet Bainbridge and Victoria.

“This is dreadful, Inspector. We were here not so long ago,” Bainbridge said to him.

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