Blood on the Line (19 page)

Two whole days and nights apart from Oxley had left Irene in a state of agitation. They’d arranged to meet on the third day in Liverpool. She spent the intervening time buying a cabin trunk and filling it with all the items she felt that she’d need to begin a new life in America. Without Oxley beside her to offer support, she began to lose heart. Far too many things could go wrong. What if her father made contact with the police, after all? What if Colbeck caught them before they sailed? What if Oxley made another serious mistake? Even if they did get safely away, what if the ship sank in a violent storm? What if they were refused entry to America? What if they were forced to return to England? Worst of all, she kept asking herself, what if Oxley failed to turn up? Supposing that he’d already fled the country on his own?

By the time that the third day dawned, she was convinced that their escape would somehow founder. Having spent the last night in a hotel in Liverpool, she had her trunk sent down to the harbour, more in hope than in certainty. A cab took her to the designated place. It was a windy day and, as she alighted from the vehicle, she had to put a hand to her hat to keep it on. She looked around for Oxley and was horrified to see that he was not there. He’d been very specific about the time and place of their reunion yet he had not turned up. That raised the question of whether he’d ever intended to. Had he waved the possibility of emigration in front of Irene solely to get rid of her? She would not be the first discarded mistress. She was keenly aware of that. Had the others also been tricked into thinking they were starting a new life abroad with him?

The longer she waited, the more she fretted. Standing on a corner near the harbour gates, she was also bothered by a succession of men who offered to carry her valise in order to ingratiate themselves with her. One drunken sailor even tried to steal a kiss. Irene pushed him away but the man lunged at her again. He did not even touch her this time. Oxley grabbed him from behind, spun him round then felled him with a punch to the jaw. As the sailor sagged to the ground, Oxley stepped over him and took Irene in his arms.

‘I’m sorry I’m late,’ he said, holding her close.

She was tearful. ‘I thought you weren’t coming.’

‘Have I ever deserted you before?’

‘No, Jerry, you haven’t.’

‘Then stop having such silly thoughts. I’m here now.’

‘When do we go aboard?’ she asked.

‘Fairly soon – they give us a medical examination.’

‘I sent my luggage on ahead, as you told me.’

‘I did the same.’ Arm around her, he led Irene through the harbour gates. ‘What have you been doing since I last saw you?’

‘I’ve been pining for you most of the time.’

‘That’s very flattering. Did you see your father?’

‘Yes, Jerry.’ She winced at the memory. ‘He knew.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘He knew what you and I had been doing. Inspector Colbeck told him so in person.’

Oxley stopped. ‘Colbeck spoke to your father? How on earth did he find out where he lived?’

‘I don’t know,’ she said, ‘but, then, I don’t know how he
tracked us to Gordon and Susanna’s house. The one thing I do know is that he’s shadowing us wherever we go. We must get away from England for good, Jerry.’

‘We will,’ he promised, hustling her along again. ‘We’ll have three thousand miles between us and Inspector Colbeck. Even he would never try to follow us to America.’

Leeming was dismayed at having to spend two nights in Manchester while the search for Silas Adnam continued. He doubted whether they’d ever find the man in such a populous city. Colbeck insisted that they had to stay, arguing that Irene Adnam’s father might well hold a vital clue as to her whereabouts. Thinking about his wife and children, the sergeant was desperate to get back to London. Colbeck made a telling comment.

‘Do you want to go back empty-handed, Victor?’

‘I just want to go home.’

‘Would you like to admit that we failed? Imagine what the superintendent will say. Would you like to be the one to tell him?’

Leeming shuddered. ‘No, I wouldn’t, sir.’

‘Then we stay until we get a result.’

‘But that could take ages.’

‘Adnam is bound to turn up sooner or later.’

‘I think he’ll be found in a dark corner with his throat cut,’ said Leeming with a vivid gesture. ‘If his daughter gave him money, he’ll start waving it around. It won’t be long before someone seizes his chance. According to you, Adnam wouldn’t be able to defend himself.’

‘He’s too old and weak.’

‘And no use to us when he’s dead.’

‘Don’t be so pessimistic, Victor.’

‘I hate all this waiting, Inspector.’

The sergeant’s gloom was soon dispelled. He and Colbeck were sharing a room above an inn. They were on the point of leaving when a policeman came looking for them with an urgent summons from Inspector Boone. They hailed a cab and set off. When they reached the police station, they were shown straight into the inspector’s office. Hoping to find Silas Adnam there, Colbeck was disappointed.

‘Where is he, Zachary?’

‘Sleeping off his stupor,’ said Boone.

‘You found him, then?’

‘Yes, Robert. That was a good guess of yours. His daughter gave him a substantial amount of money and he decided to enjoy it while he still had the strength. Adnam cleaned himself up, went off to a better part of the city, bought some decent clothes for a change, then moved into a hotel and drank his way through bottle after bottle.’ Boone grinned. ‘I wish I had enough money to do that. Anyway,’ he went on, ‘Adnam caused so much disruption this morning that the hotel manager called in the police.’

‘Where is he now?’ asked Leeming.

‘He’s snoring to high heaven in one of our cells.’

‘We must speak to him,’ said Colbeck.

‘There’s no need, Robert,’ said Boone. ‘I discovered what you wanted to know. I caught Adnam in a lucid moment and shook the truth out of him. Oxley and his daughter are fleeing the country.’

‘From which port are they embarking?’

‘Liverpool.’

‘On which day are they sailing?’

‘He didn’t know that.’

‘Thank you, Zachary,’ said Colbeck, shaking his hand in gratitude. ‘You’ll have to excuse us. We need to get to Liverpool and hope that they haven’t left yet.’

After days of inertia, there was a burst of activity. The detectives made a frantic dash to the station, bought two tickets to Liverpool and spent the journey speculating on which country the fugitives had chosen as their new home. Jerked out of his pessimism, Leeming was exhilarated at the thought of finally catching up with Oxley and his accomplice. It was the tragic death of Ian Peebles that he was eager to avenge. Colbeck, too, nursed sad thoughts of the fallen detective but it was Helen Millington who remained uppermost in his mind. He was desperate to meet Irene Adnam to see just how closely she resembled the young woman to whom he’d once grown so close.

Arriving at the station, they ran to the cab rank and ordered a driver to take them to the harbour. Crowds of people were drifting away, suggesting that a ship had not long sailed and that friends and well-wishers were now dispersing. It was a bad omen. When they got to the pier, they saw a vessel gliding off down the Mersey. They were told that it was the
Arethusa
and that it was bound for New York. They both prayed that the fugitives were not aboard. While Colbeck went off to check on other recent sailings, Leeming stood on the pier with the wind plucking at his clothing and trying to dislodge his hat.
He felt cheated. Something told him that Oxley and Irene Adnam were on the ship, sailing away from justice across the Atlantic Ocean. It was unfair. Leeming kicked a stone into the water out of frustration. After all the time and energy they’d put into the investigation, it was galling to see it collapse around them.

Colbeck eventually returned with a look of grim resignation.

‘What’s happened?’ asked Leeming.

‘They sailed on the
Arethusa
.’

‘Are you certain of that, sir?’

‘I’m absolutely certain.’

‘But they wouldn’t have used their own names, surely? That would have been far too dangerous.’

‘They appreciated that,’ said Colbeck, staring at the receding vessel. ‘They’re travelling as man and wife under a false name.’

‘And what name would that be, sir?’

‘It’s one that convinces me that it must be them, Victor.’

‘Oh?’

‘They are calling themselves Mr and Mrs Robert Colbeck.’

‘This is a meagre reward for three days in Manchester,’ said Tallis, gnashing his teeth in disappointment. ‘All that you’ve brought back is the information that the suspects have fled to America.’

‘I don’t call that a meagre reward, sir,’ said Colbeck.

‘You were too late, man. They’ve flown the coop.’

‘We only just missed catching them, sir,’ Leeming pointed out. ‘It was the inspector who guessed that they’d flee the country and that Miss Adnam would be sure to visit her father beforehand. His theory was proved right even though, when he first put it forward, you had doubts about it.’

‘That’s beside the point, Sergeant,’ said Tallis.

‘Our journey was not in vain. We established the facts.’

‘I wanted arrests and you failed to make them.’

They’d returned to Scotland Yard to account for their absence and to inform the superintendent that the fugitives were no longer on British soil. Tallis was appalled by the news. Instead of reaching for a cigar, however, he heaped criticism on his detectives for what he described as their lack of urgency. The attack was unjust and Leeming smarted under its severity. Colbeck, however, remained unruffled. That served to inflame Tallis even more.

‘I don’t know how you can stay so calm, Inspector,’ he said. ‘At this very moment, someone is crossing the Atlantic with your name on his passport. If that fact became known to the press, we’d be held up to ridicule. The department would be pilloried in every newspaper.’

‘The situation is not irretrievable, sir.’

‘Don’t talk such drivel.’

‘We can still capture them.’

‘How?’ asked Leeming, goggling. ‘They’re out of our jurisdiction.’

‘I think we can overcome that obstacle, Victor.’

Tallis descended into sarcasm. ‘What did you have in mind?’ he asked. ‘Are you planning to swim after the vessel and catch it up?’

‘I’ve a much better idea than that, Superintendent.’

‘May we know what it is?’

‘You will have to, sir,’ said Colbeck, ‘because you’ll need to give the sergeant and I your seal of approval.’

‘What sort of approval?’

‘We’re going on a voyage to America.’

Leeming gasped. ‘I can’t go sailing across an ocean. I have obligations.’

‘We both have an obligation to catch felons responsible for the deaths of three policemen as well as for a multitude of other crimes. Yes, I know it’s a long way,’ said Colbeck, ‘but the effort will be well worth it.’

‘You can’t be serious about this,’ said Tallis.

‘I was never more so, Superintendent. We may have no jurisdiction in New York but there’s such a thing as extradition. If it’s handled correctly, the authorities will comply with our request. Well,’ he added, ‘would
you
want to allow two brutal killers to walk into your country without even being challenged?’

‘But think of the time involved,’ said Leeming, anxiously.

Tallis was practical. ‘I’m thinking of the cost involved.’

‘Your budget is not at risk, sir,’ said Colbeck. ‘I’m so committed to the notion that I’ll volunteer to pay for the tickets myself. Victor and I will sail from Liverpool on the next available vessel.’

‘What about my wife and family?’ wailed Leeming.

‘I’m afraid that they can’t come with us.’

‘They’ll miss me, Inspector.’

‘It’s all in a good cause. Try to think of it as an adventure.’

‘Where’s the adventure in being away for weeks on end?’

Colbeck lowered his voice. ‘Do you want the killers of Constable Peebles to get away scot-free?’

‘No, sir – of course, I don’t.’

‘I second that,’ said Tallis, wholeheartedly. ‘They must pay the ultimate penalty somehow.’ He reached for a cigar
then changed his mind and withdrew his hand. ‘It’s a bold plan, Colbeck, but it has a fatal flaw in it.’

‘I’ve yet to detect one,’ said Colbeck.

‘They have a head start on you. They’re already on their way. Mr and Mrs Robert Colbeck will get to New York long before you.’

‘That’s true,’ said Leeming, relieved. ‘We’d never catch them. Good as it is, I’m afraid that the idea will have to be abandoned.’

Tallis nodded. ‘Sadly, I have to agree.’

‘Then neither of you is familiar with the shipping lines,’ said Colbeck. ‘I’m surprised at you, Victor. You actually saw the
Arethusa
slowly disappearing down the Mersey. Didn’t you notice something about her?’

‘Only that she was out of our reach,’ said Leeming.

‘The
Arethusa
is a sailing ship. She relies entirely on wind power. That means the crossing will take time. If we book passages on a steamship – driven by propeller
and
wind – the chances are that we’ll arrive in New York at least a fortnight before them.’ He was amused by their startled reaction. ‘A tall ship may look more graceful as it rides the ocean waves but a steamship is more efficient. I checked the approximate crossing times for both vessels when I was in Liverpool. We can wait over a week and still get to New York ahead of the
Arethusa
. What do you say, Superintendent?’

‘It’s certainly worth exploring,’ said Tallis. I’d have to speak to the commissioner, of course, but I can’t see that he’d object.’

‘Well, I object,’ said Leeming. ‘It’s simply too far to go.’

‘We should be prepared to go to the ends of the earth in pursuit of murderers,’ asserted Colbeck. ‘Think what it will do for us, Victor. If we can show that there’s no escape from justice, the publicity will be priceless. Criminals will think twice about fleeing abroad.’

‘Yes,’ said Tallis. ‘If you succeed, reporters might actually say something nice about me in their newspapers for a change. And since Leeming is so unhappy about keeping you company, Inspector, I’m tempted to do so myself.’

Colbeck was alarmed. ‘No, no, sir, that won’t be necessary.’

‘It will help me to atone for my part in Constable Peebles’ death.’

‘You’ll do that by sanctioning the plan.’

‘Scotland Yard can manage without me for a few weeks.’

‘It will be over a month, sir – perhaps more. You can’t be spared from your desk for that long,’ said Colbeck, baulking at the notion that he’d have to travel with Tallis. ‘It would be wrong to tear away a senior officer from a job that he does so well. The sergeant will come with me, I’m sure. Victor knows where his duty lies.’

‘It’s with my family,’ said Leeming, disconsolately.

‘Don’t mention that word to me,’ said Tallis, treating him to a withering glare. ‘When you’re inside this building, you don’t
have
a family. Your first duty is to obey orders.’

‘Yes, sir, I know that.’

‘If I tell you to sail to America, you’ll do so without complaint.’

‘That’s what you think,’ said Leeming to himself.

‘In fact, all three of us can go together. Oxley is armed. He has nothing to lose, so he’s bound to resist arrest. It may need three of us to overpower him.’ He slapped his desk. ‘The matter is decided. I shall speak to the commissioner at once.’

Jumping to his feet, he marched out of the office. Leeming was in despair at the thought of being away from his wife and family for so long. Glad that his plan had the superintendent’s approval, Colbeck was sobered by the threat of having to share the voyage with Tallis. It was not an alluring prospect.

‘It was your own fault, Inspector,’ said Leeming. ‘You should never have persuaded him to return to work. You should have left him in retirement with his portrait of the Duke of Wellington.’

Irene had never expected it to be so noisy. The bellowed commands at the point of departure, the bustle of the crew, the whistle of the wind, the flapping of the sails, the creaking of the timbers, the smack of the water against the hull and the strident cries of the gulls all combined to buffet her ears. With the deafening new sounds came a collection of new sights and sensations. Irene had never been on a ship before and its design intrigued her. When it left the mouth of the river and hit the open sea, she was staggered at the vast expanse of water ahead of them. Covered in white-capped waves, it seemed to stretch to infinity. Sailors were climbing the rigging or hauling up other sails. Passengers were standing at the bulwark to give a farewell wave to the mainland.

Like them, Irene felt the salty spray on her face, the wind on her hair and the rocking-horse rhythm of the deck beneath her feet as the
Arethusa
rose and fell through the surging tide. She was gripped by a fear that was only partly allayed by a sense of adventure. A ship so small would be no more than a splinter of wood on a huge and turbulent ocean like the Atlantic. The excitement of leaving dry land had now been replaced by the uncertainty of ever arriving at their destination. Irene had no means of control over what was happening to her. All that she could do was to pray.

She felt a comforting arm being wrapped around her shoulder.

‘Welcome to America, Mrs Colbeck,’ said Oxley.

‘There’s a long way to go yet,’ she reminded him.

‘Yes, but the most important part of the voyage is over. We’re clear of the coast now. We’ve escaped from the clutches of the law.’

‘They have policemen in New York, Jerry.’

‘Granted – but they don’t
know
us, do they? We’ll be looked upon as ideal emigrants. We’re young, respectable, intelligent and financially stable. That’s all they’ll see.’

‘I’ll just be grateful to get there safely.’

‘The
Arethusa
has crossed the ocean dozens of times.’

‘You keep telling me that but it doesn’t stop me from worrying. Now we’re at sea, the ship feels so small and fragile.’

He stamped hard on the deck. ‘It’s as solid as a rock,’ he said. ‘That’s seasoned English oak beneath our feet, Irene. Nobody could build ships the way that we did. If you still
feel nervous about sailing, remember Nelson. He won all those naval battles because he had complete faith in the shipbuilders.’

She gave a pale smile. ‘I wish I could share it.’

‘You’ll come to trust the
Arethusa
in time.’

For his part, Oxley was in a state of quiet jubilation. After a successful criminal career in England, he’d reached the point where it was about to be terminated on the gallows. Recent events had taught him that there was nowhere safe to hide from Colbeck. The inspector’s pursuit of them was unrelenting. It was only a matter of time before he finally caught up with them. There was no danger of that now. Oxley had severed his ties with England and was embarking on an adventure that, he felt sure, would yield endless opportunities for a man with his well-honed skills. He just wished that Irene could relish the same jubilation.

‘Are you still thinking about your father?’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ she confessed. ‘I’m bound to, Jerry.’

‘You gave him far too much money.’

‘I had to bribe him into silence.’

‘Twenty pounds would have done that. There was no need to give him the best part of a hundred.’

‘I could afford it and I felt guilty about him.’

‘He’ll be dead before he has time to spend it. That money came from the robbery in Birmingham. We could have used it in America. It was wasted on him.’

‘We have plenty of money, Jerry. My father has none. Giving it to him made me feel good and stopped him from going to the police.’

‘You’ll never see the old fool again.’

‘I know that.’

‘Does that trouble you?’

She pursed her lips in thought. ‘No,’ she said, eventually. ‘I don’t think it does.’

‘I’m taking
you
to America and not your father.’

She kissed him. ‘I couldn’t be more grateful.’

‘You have to let go of the past, Irene. When we get to New York, I don’t ever want to hear you talking about your family.’

‘You won’t, I promise you.’

‘How can I be certain of that?’

‘I’m not Irene Adnam anymore,’ she said with conviction. ‘I’m Mrs Robert Colbeck and I no longer have any family in England. What’s more,’ she added, gazing across the undulating waves, ‘I’m going to put my trust in the
Arethusa
and enjoy every second of this voyage.’

Madeleine Andrews felt as if she’d just been hit over the head. For a moment, she was too dazed even to speak. She’d been overjoyed when Colbeck turned up unexpectedly at the house. They’d kissed and held each other in silence for a long time. When he released her and told her his news, however, it made her stagger back as if from a blow. He steadied her quickly with a hand. She had to shake her head to clear her brain.

‘You’re going to
America
?’ she cried.

‘They have to be caught, Madeleine.’

‘But it’s so far away and the ocean is so treacherous.’

‘In the interest of arresting the fugitives,’ he said,
stoutly, ‘we’re prepared to take any risks involved. At least,’ he went on, ‘I certainly am. Victor is less committed to the enterprise. He hates being away from his family for any length of time.’

‘How long will it all take, Robert?’

‘That depends on the speed of the
Arethusa
. We’ll be sailing in an iron-hulled steamship that’s much faster. Some of the Cunard fleet have been known to reach New York in as little as ten or eleven days. In fact, the Blue Riband is held by a vessel that went even faster.’

‘What’s the Blue Riband?’

‘It’s a notional award for the fastest crossing between Liverpool and New York. It’s currently held by
Persia
, an iron ship powered by paddles, launched two years ago. It crossed the Atlantic in nine days and sixteen hours.’

‘It’s not the speed I care about,’ she said, ‘it’s the lack of safety. Remember that I’ve been reading that copy of
American Notes
you loaned me. Charles Dickens describes the voyage he made in a steamship as a nightmare from start to finish. He feared for his life a number of times.’

‘That was several years ago, Madeleine. He sailed in the steam packet,
Britannia
. Maritime engineering has made big strides since then. Steamships are faster and safer.’

‘Are they?’ she questioned. ‘I thought the SS
Great
Britain
ran aground. Father had a good laugh when that happened because it was designed by Mr Brunel and Father despises anything connected with him. Yes,’ she continued, ‘and other steamships have been badly damaged in storms. A few have even been lost at sea.’