The Toff and the Kidnapped Child by John Creasey Read Free Book Online Page B

what the Yard could do, Hapley could do as well if not better. “See you later, sir.”
    â€œFine,” said Rollison. “Er – just one thing.”
    â€œYes, sir?”
    â€œExcept for your chief, don’t tell anyone I’m here, will you?”
    â€œMum’s the word, sir!”
    The man went off, and Jeff stood by Rollison, who said: “Come and introduce me to this man Smart, will you?” and they crossed the uneven cobbled yard. The C.I.D. man got into a car and the engine roared. A small figure loomed out of the gloom of the station booking-office, and Rollison saw a perky man, peaked hat on one side, who seemed to be wearing a uniform a little too large for him.
    â€œI’m a friend of one of the mistresses at the girls’ school,” Rollison said.
    â€œOh, Miss Ellerby’s.”
    â€œThat’s right. I—”
    â€œTold the school porter all I know when he rang up to find out if I’d noticed anything. Can’t do more than that,” Smart said, as if he were tired of the whole business.
    â€œDid you see these two people from the Snipe?”
    â€œCourse I saw them.”
    â€œWhat were they like?”
    â€œThe man was a proper Teddy boy type but a bit older, that’s all,” Smart answered. “And the girl – phew!” He made exaggerated curvaceous shapes in the air. “More like an egg-timer, she was; haven’t seen one with a bigger pair for a long time! Couldn’t mistake her. Hasn’t this kid turned up?”
    â€œShe will,’’ Rollison said. He knew that the C.I.D. man was within earshot, and must be wondering about the talk of a ‘kid’. “What else did you notice about the girl?”
    â€œShe was a blonde, like I told Miss Abbott on the phone. If you ask me, I did pretty well. Only had a look now and again. I had passengers to look after and a dozen things to do at once. Haven’t got eyes out of the back of my head, have I? I—” He broke off startled, when Rollison held out his hand, and a pound note was neatly transferred; the feel and the rustle of paper created a great change in the manner of Smart the porter. “Always do the best I can, especially for anyone up at the girls’ school.”
    Two minutes later, walking along the alley to his car, Rollison said to Jeff: “The father of one of the girls at the College seems to have wanted to get care of his daughter before the marriage broke up. That’s why we want to keep this as quiet as we can.” The story would serve for the Hapley police for a while, at least. At the back of Rollison’s mind was the thought of that curt message on the card still in his pocket: the card which was more likely to have fingerprints than the envelope.
    â€œ This yours, sir?” said Jeff, as they reached the Rolls-Bentley. “What a beauty! After you, sir.”
    He stood back, holding open Rollison’s door; and Rollison saw two things at the same moment. On his seat was something small and white, like a visiting card; and not far along the road a small car was parked, without lights, so that he could not read the registration number. He did not think Jeff saw the white thing. He got in, touching the card, which seemed about the same size as the one which had been delivered to Miss Ellerby. He switched on the reading light, and glanced down. It said: “Get £20,000 ready, in cash. They must be old notes.”
    Well, that didn’t surprise him, and was not desperately urgent. He slid it into his pocket, and a moment later, eased off the brake and began to move along. The parked car didn’t move. He purred past, glancing towards it as Jeff said: “Our chaps will get him all right; crazy place to park without lights. Not so bad under a lamp.” He seemed to take no more interest in the little car, but Rollison saw its side lights go on, and realised that they were drawing nearer as