Murder on Charing Cross Road Read Online Free PDF

that ain’t why I’m here this time, nor the table cloth neither. There’s big news. Prance was beat up and robbed by footpads last night.”
    “Good gracious! Is he all right?”Corinne asked. “I wondered why he wasn’t at Lady Jergen’s party.”
    “His nose looks like a squashed beet and his face is all pink and purple. He’s hobbling about with a walking stick and I don’t think it’s just play-acting either. He didn’t even bother to shave this morning. Daresay his whole face hurts. And that’s just the start of it.”
    “How awful,”Corinne said. “He must be miserable.”
    Even Luten looked alarmed. “You mean there’s more! I hope he isn’t involved in a duel.”
    “Reg? He’s a fool but not that big a fool. No, his house was broken into last night, and mine as well. I see yours wasn’t hit. Odd the ken smashers wouldn’t come here, the richest house in the square.”
    Luten blinked in astonishment, then said, “I’m sure Evans would have mentioned it if we had been robbed.”
    “And that’s another odd thing,”Coffen continued. “We weren’t robbed, except the footpads got Reggie’s watch and purse, but nothing was taken from either house. Just broken into, the place messed up, and not a single thing stolen, with all the valuable pictures and what not Prance has littering his walls.”
    “Did you call Bow Street?”Luten asked.
    “Not yet. We weren’t sure it was worthwhile. Mean to say, not a hope of catching the footpads after all this time, and nothing actually stolen from either house.”
    “I’d let Townsend know all the same,”Luten said. “It may be some new rig being run.”After a frowning pause, he added, “Though I can’t see what it would be with nothing taken.”
    “Me neither,”Coffen said, shaking his head in confusion.
    “Would they have been looking for some specific thing which they may or may not have found?”Luten asked.
    "There's an idea! Come on over to Prance’s place. We’ll all talk it over together. He can’t come here. He’s a mess.”
    "Yes, certainly. I was about to suggest it,”Luten said, and set down his cup.
    Corrine had no intention of being left out of these interesting doings and joined them without donning her pelisse and bonnet. Prance lived one house down from Luten’s on the same side of the street. They went together and didn't bother knocking but just went inside. Prance was sitting in his drawing room with one leg propped up on a footstool and a journal in his hands, which he was scanning to see if his name appeared in any of the social reports.
    Corrine rushed forward when she saw him. “Reggie! We’re so sorry to hear about your troubles,”she said. “Oh my, you look dreadful! Have you seen a doctor? Were you hurt very badly?”
    “Knighton is attending me. My ribs are broken —it’s agony to even breathe. I was positively pummeled, even after they’d taken my purse and watch. And incidentally made a total wreck of my carriage. I shall require a new one."
    “You didn’t tell me about the carriage,”Coffen muttered.
    “Tell us the whole thing, from the beginning,”Luten said, and they all drew up chairs to listen to the sad tale.
    “Odd you didn’t notice it wasn’t Pelkey on the box,”Coffen said, when he was finished.
    “He was wearing Pelkey’s coat and hat. In the dark, you know, and with other things on my mind,”Prance said vaguely. “One sees what one expects to see.”
    “Did Pelkey get a look at the fellows?”Luten asked.
    “No, I questioned him this morning. All he saw was their general size. One large man, one smaller. They wore masks, as I mentioned.”
    “The oddest thing is your two houses being broken into and nothing taken,”Luten said, rubbing his chin and frowning.
    “I have an idea there,”Prance said, and gave them his theory that they were after the outline to his new novel. “Some writer manquétrying to steal my latest plot, you see.”When he saw Luten wasn’t convinced,