The Monster Within by Darrell Pitt Read Free Book Online

drinks, Mr Doyle told Fleming what he
knew, but it was not much.
    The agent nodded. ‘So Tick-Tock is behind this,’ he said. ‘We suspected as much.’
    ‘It’s interesting that MI5 is taking such an interest in the Valkyrie Circle,’ Mr
Doyle said. ‘You said the agency is unhappy with Scotland Yard running this investigation?’
    ‘Terrorism is best handled by MI5. Getting Scotland Yard involved is one thing, but
now there’s this new Wolf Pack.’
    ‘We were told a little about it.’
    ‘Getting amateurs involved is a bad thing,’ Fleming said. ‘And most of the Wolf Pack
couldn’t tell the difference between a dragonfly and a dragon.’
    ‘What do you know about the Valkyrie Circle, Mr Fleming?’ Scarlet asked.
    ‘Only that it has become more radicalised since Lady Death took over. We’ve tried
infiltrating the suffragette organisations in England, but with little success.’
    Scarlet bristled. ‘It’s probably difficult when you don’t have female agents,’ she
said. ‘But why are you investigating peaceful organisations such as the Primrose
Society? They haven’t done anything.’
    Jack wanted to get the conversation back on track. ‘So what do you know about Joe
Tockly?’ he asked. ‘Do you know where he’s gone?’
    ‘Not exactly.’
    ‘But you have an idea,’ Mr Doyle said. ‘I assume you’re the person who broke into
his apartment before us.’
    ‘I may have been there on a reconnaissance mission,’ he admitted. ‘Look, there wasn’t
much to find, but there was a map under a rug.’
    ‘Showing what?’
    ‘Alhambra.’
    Mr Doyle turned to Jack and Scarlet. ‘Do you know where that is?’ he asked.
    ‘Uh,’ Jack said. ‘Is it near Abracadabra?’
    ‘It is not. No, Alhambra is an ancient palace first built in the ninth century, with
extensions added over the last millennia. A masterpiece of Islamic construction,
it is required visiting for any tourist.’ He turned to Fleming. ‘And why do you think
Tockly had an interest in Alhambra?’
    ‘I don’t know. Maybe he just visited there, but he may have had another agenda.’
    ‘Hmm, I suggest we take a trip ourselves,’ Mr Doyle said.
    Fleming agreed, and they arranged to meet again the next morning.
    Jack, Scarlet and Mr Doyle found a steamcab and returned to their hotel. Scarlet
cornered Jack before he climbed into bed.
    ‘There is something I want to suggest,’ she said.
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘You remember I mentioned the model to you?’
    ‘Model?’
    ‘Of Brinkie’s home.’
    ‘Oh, that .’
    ‘I must confess to not having had much success with model-making,’ Scarlet said,
blushing. ‘You remember my Eiffel Tower?’
    Jack remembered it all too well. He had offered to help Scarlet put the three foot
high structure together, but she had refused. Several days into construction, she
had emerged from her bedroom with the tower super-glued to her head. Apparently she
had leant over at the wrong moment and it had become attached. It had taken Jack,
Gloria and Mr Doyle more than an hour to find a solvent to unstick her.
    ‘How can I forget?’ he said. ‘But I thought you wanted to keep it in pristine condition.
You know, as a collector’s item.’
    She shrugged. ‘Looking at the completed model would be far more interesting,’ she
said. I was thinking you could help me. I could describe each of the floors in detail
and slowly go through every single adventure as we build it. It would be great fun.’
    ‘What part of that would be great fun?’
    Rolling her eyes, Scarlet left without saying another word. Jack tried reading a
guidebook about Spain before climbing into bed, but it didn’t take long for his mind
to return to Scarlet. Not only was she the most beautiful girl he had ever seen,
but she had fast become his best friend.
    Best friends can get married, can’t they?
    The next morning they returned to the Lion’s Mane to find John Fleming waiting for
them.
    ‘I don’t recall mentioning where our airship was