Peril on the Royal Train Read Online Free PDF

outstretched arms of the policemen before sprinting off down the embankment. His friend was too slow. By the time he made his dash for freedom, a strong hand was already on his shoulder. He was grabbed, overpowered and held tight. McTurk came out from behind the consignment of leatherware to confront the prisoner.
    ‘Hungry, are you, lad?’ he asked, curling a lip. ‘Take a good look at all this meat. It’s the last you’ll be seeing for a while. Prison food is like sawdust, only not as tasty. You’ll be lucky to get enough grub to keep you alive.’
    ‘We didnae mean to tek it,’ said the thief, piteously. ‘We only wanted to see what was going on, I swear it.’
    ‘Is that so? Sightseers, were you?’ He addressed his men. ‘Do you hear that? He and his friend didn’t come to steal. They just wanted to see what was happening here – and whether or not our backs were turned. They’re as innocent as the driven snow.’ There was derisive laughter from the policemen. ‘What’s the name of your accomplice?’
    The thief was defiant. ‘I’ll no’ tell ye.’
    ‘He was a wee bit younger than you and faster on his feet.’
    ‘Ye’ve got me and it’s all ye’ll get.’
    ‘Forgotten his name, have you? Then I’ll have to jog your memory, won’t I?’ He took the thief by the scruff of his neck and hurled him against a wagon. It knocked all the breath out of him. ‘I can always get people to talk – it’s so simple. All I have to do is to kick seven barrels of shit out of them and they sing their heads off.’ He lumbered forward and punched the thief full in the face, drawing blood from his nose. ‘Has that helped you to remember his name?’ he taunted.
    Before he could administer further punishment, McTurk heard someone call his name and he saw the general manager waddling towards him. He was annoyed at having to suspend his interrogation but he’d already done enough. Recognising the hopelessness of his position, the thief willingly surrendered the name and address of his accomplice. The superintendent nodded to his men and they hustled the prisoner out of sight. Nairn Craig was panting by the time he finally reached McTurk.
    ‘What’s going on, Superintendent?’ he asked.
    ‘We caught a thief, sir. His accomplice managed to get away but he won’t go far. I persuaded the lad to tell us who he is. When we pick him up at his home, I daresay we’ll find a lot of stolen property that disappeared during the night.’
    ‘Good work!’
    ‘We know our job, sir.’
    ‘Our freight customers are already demanding compensation for any losses. They’ll be heartened to learn that you’re catching some of the thieves. But that’s not what I came to tell you,’ he went on. ‘There’s some cheering news. A telegraph arrived at our Glasgow office earlier today. It confirmed that Inspector Colbeck is definitely on his way.’ McTurk growled silently into his beard. ‘Indeed, he could be here at any time.’
    ‘You know my view. We can sort everything out ourselves.’
    ‘Be realistic, man. You’ve never led a complex investigation before. That’s why we need professional assistance.’
    ‘We already have it,’ asserted McTurk. ‘Inspector Rae is here at the behest of the procurator fiscal. I’ve been able to give him the benefit of my opinion.’
    ‘Then you can do the same to the Railway Detective,’ said Craig, tartly. ‘The other piece of news is that we’re offering a reward of four hundred pounds for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for this outrage. Posters are already being printed.’
    McTurk was impressed by the size of the reward. To a man on his wage, it was an absolute fortune. A new element was suddenly brought into play. There was pecuniary gain as well as kudos to be had. McTurk wanted both. He now had an even greater incentive to solve the crime himself and to keep any Scotland Yard detectives in the dark. Supremely confident of his