“But who’s gonna be our chief?”
“That’s one of the things I wanted to talk toyou about, man to man.”
“I can’t see any of us takin’ over,” Cobbsaid quickly. The very thought of having to sit in an office mostof the waking hours, of hobnobbing with Magistrate Thorpe or theAttorney-General or the Aldermen who continually butted into policeaffairs, or of supervising laggards like Ewan Wilkie or bullieslike Bob Brown – such thoughts caused him to break out inhives.
“Well, before we get anywheres near thattopic, there are other, bigger changes comin’ to the Torontoconstabulary.”
It was Cobb’s turn to lean forward. “Whatkinda changes?” he said, barely breathing the words.
“Nothin’ lasts forever, my friend, and notall change is fer the worse, though I know it usually works outthat way.”
“But the force is workin’ well, ain’t it? Isthe mayor unhappy with us?”
“No, no, no. It’s because things areworkin’ out well that the City Council is plannin’ to make theforce bigger and better.”
“But they’ve already made it bigger.”
Last year five part-time constables had beenadded to the five permanent ones (including the chief constable) sothat certain sensitive parts of the city could be policedtwenty-four hours a day. The old night watchmen were graduallybeing phased out.
“True, and as you can see fer yerself everyday on yer patrol, this city is growin’ by leaps and bounds. We’readdin’ a thousand people a year. Our wharves are teemin’ withimmigrants from Britain. The shanties up in Irishtown are spreadin’like pigweed. There’s talk of the army movin’ in and ejectin’ allthem squatters ‘cause the property is needed fer respectablecitizens.”
“Well, I’ll admit we don’t go inta Irishtownalone no more. But still – ”
“The decision’s already been made,” Sturgessaid, leaning back with elaborate care. “It’ll be official at thenext council meetin’.”
Cobb wished he were somewhere else – in his“office” at the Cock and Bull, for example, with a frothy flagon ofale in his right hand.
“First of all,” Sturges continued, “startin’in the new year, we’ll have ten full-time constables withtwenty-four-hour foot-patrols throughout the town.”
“We ain’t got room fer an extra midget as itis!”
“New quarters will be found or built. It’spossible that a second quarters or station will be set up here inthe east end.”
“I see,” Cobb said, though he was having ahard time imagining such sweeping change. “But they’ll still need anew chief, won’t they?”
“They will. And believe me, Cobb, if Ithought there was the slightest chance you would consider it, I’drecommend you.”
Cobb looked at Sturges long and hard enoughfor him to realize that he was deeply touched by the offer but wasnot tempted, even now, to change his mind on the question. “Youknow I can’t,” he said at last.
“I do. And I didn’t bring you up here tobrowbeat or sweet-talk you into takin’ on the job. As it turns out,the Council is lookin’ to London again fer another chief, as theydid fer me.”
“Another – ”
“Limey? Yes, I’m afraid so.” Sturges chuckledfor the second time, tickled at Cobb’s embarrassment, whichinevitably reddened his already scarlet nose. “Alderman MacArthuris headin’ to England this week, and he’s been asked to interviewcandidates and bring back a recommendation when he returns inDecember.”
“So I’m off the hook?”
“Not entirely. For there’s a second changecomin’, a very interestin’ one.”
Cobb waited, wary and apprehensive.
“I’ve been in correspondence with colleaguesin London, old pals of mine, and it seems like the police overthere are plannin’ to create a new class of investigator, someonewho will not be on patrol or even in uniform.”
“Sounds crazy to me. What would they dowithout a truncheon or a helmet to protect their noggins?”
“These men would be called detectives. Theirsole purpose would be to investigate serious crimes – gatherevidence and question suspicious people and witnesses. The idea ofhavin’ them in plain, gentleman’s attire is to allow them to moveabout at will without scarin’ people and without havin’ to be stuckon regular patrol. They’d need more brains than brawn.”
“But me and the Major’ve been investigatin’quite nicely on our own, ain’t we?”
Sturges smiled as if he had at long lastreached the target he had been aiming at all along. “Verynicely, Cobb. That’s my point. And that’s why I’m goin’ torecommend to Council that when the new chief arrives and the forcegets reorganized, you be made our first plainclothesdetective.”
Cobb was speechless. He wasn’t even sure howhe ought to feel.
“Don’t look so surprised or worried. Thechanges’ll not be that severe. I know the Council will resist theidea – they’re all stuck in the Dark Ages – so I intend to suggestthat we begin the experiment by havin’ you keep yer patrol -day-patrol only, I might add – until a major crime occurs, one thatrequires real investigation. Then you will be relieved of yerpatrol, remove yer uniform, and carry out the investigation asyou see fit. Subject to the chief’s guidance, you will beallowed to direct one or more patrolmen to assist you, asrequired.”
“Like I done with the Major, except I get towear my Sunday suit?”
“Except you won’t have Marc Edwards at yerside.”
Cobb thought about that. Marc had taught himmuch about interrogation and evidence-gathering. They had workedwell as a team. Could he work alone? More to the point, would theMajor be available in any case now that he had two children, abarrister’s career, and a consuming passion for politics? Notlikely.
“It would mean a substantial increase in yersalary,” Sturges said, seeing that Cobb had sniffed at the bait andwas now mouthing it.
That offer was welcome news, for Cobb hadschool fees to pay for Delia’s winter term at Miss Tyson’s Academyand, by next autumn, similar fees for Fabian at the grammar school.Fabian was already the brightest pupil in the common school anddestined for something better than the life of a policeconstable.
“You’d be willin’ to suggest all this to theCouncil?” he said when he felt confident enough to speak.
“I would.”
“But with a new chief and all these newconstables, aren’t they likely to balk at extra expenses? They’retoo cheap to cobble or macadam the main streets, for God’ssake.”
“They are. But I’ve got a long list of yersuccessful investigations to regale them with. Besides, seriouscrime is on the increase. Toronto would like to be the capital ofthe united provinces when Kingston drops the ball, so they’re muchaware of our town’s safety and the success of our constabulary.Anyway, as long as you approve of the idea, I’m goin’ to push it ashard as I can.”
Cobb nodded his assent slowly. Then he said,“You sure that gout of yers ain’t gonna get better?”
***
Beth dropped Marc off at Baldwin House and continuedon up Bay Street towards Smallman’s. Marc watched herawhile, marvelling yet again how competent she was around horsesand most things practical, and at how content they both were at thelife they had begun making together. Like many people in thiscolony, they had suffered the loss of those they had loved andthemselves had had brushes with death. But they had survived andfound each other. They had brought a daughter and a son into thisworld. They could do nothing to alter the whims of Fate or avengeful God, but they could do all in their power to make the newCanada a place fit to live and prosper in. Politics was a humanenterprise and, if possible, they would make sure it was humane aswell. Beth had worked for the Reform cause – the redress oflong-time grievances and the establishment of a responsible,cabinet form of government – all her adult life. It was she who hadwon him over to the cause, along with his heart. He watched hernow, and marvelled anew until the buggy wheeled east onto KingStreet.
Marc turned back towards Baldwin House, whichfaced Front Street at Bay. Half of the splendid, two-storey brickbuilding provided living quarters for Robert, his four children,their governess Diana Ramsay, and their servants. The other halfcontained the law chambers of Baldwin and Sullivan, the firm thatMarc, as a barrister, assisted from time to time but one that hehad so far resisted joining, as he had still not decided theprecise direction his future would take. His assistance thismorning, and for the next several weeks, would consist of writingletters on Robert’s behalf while offering guidance to and keeping aclose watch on Seamus Baldwin as he settled in “to be of help.”Uncle Seamus had come into town yesterday evening, and was to makehis inaugural appearance in chambers at nine this morning. Marcwent immediately to his office, a small but comfortable room nextto the suite of rooms occupied by Clement Peachey and his clerks -the place where the conveyancing and other fee-paying business wascarried out. At the end of the hall lay two large andwell-appointed chambers reserved for the firm’s partners.