‘I can’t thank you enough,’ said Steel, exchanging a handshake with each of them in turn. ‘Without you, we’d have hanged the wrong man and Dr Swift would have been able to carry on seducing defenceless women at the asylum.’
‘Before I go,’ said Colbeck, ‘may I remind you of a wager we made?’
‘You may indeed, Inspector. I’m more than willing to pay you the five pounds I owe you,’ said Steel, opening a drawer and taking out money. ‘I’m also returning the sovereign I won unfairly from you earlier. It’s quite obvious that Bagsy was at the funeral, as you said.’ He handed the money over. ‘Forgive me for doubting you.’ He drained his glass. ‘Well, the murder might be solved and Exeter may soon be ridding itself of some despicable people but I do still have a serious regret.’
‘What’s that, sir?’ asked Leeming.
‘It’s related to that information you discovered, Sergeant,’ said Steel. ‘I often used to go to the Crown Inn for a drink but you won’t get me across the threshold if it’s owned by Michael and Lavinia Heygate.’
‘Oh, there’s no possibility of that happening,’ said Colbeck, confidently.
‘How do you know?’
‘I spoke to Joel Heygate’s solicitor. He wasn’t prepared to divulge details of the man’s will, of course, but he did give me a broad hint. Very little of the estate has been bequeathed to Heygate’s brother.’
‘Then who is the main beneficiary?’
‘She’s the person who really deserves the money — Miss Dorcas Hope.’
Dorcas laughed as Peter flew around the parlour before landing playfully on top of her head. The canary then flew down to Maud Hope’s knee. In the short time he’d been there, Peter had made a difference to their lives. He needed very little care, yet rewarded them with endless amusement. Peter had accepted that he would be a permanent guest in his new home and was happy with the arrangement. Hopping on to the table, he jumped back into his cage and stood on his perch, singing at the top of his voice. Dorcas was pleased.
‘It’s almost as if he knows that they caught Mr Heygate’s killers,’ she said. ‘That’s a song of celebration.’
Colbeck and Madeleine had really been able to talk properly for the first when they had breakfast together at the Acland Tavern. Thanks to Leeming and Andrews, who sat at a separate table, they shared precious moments alone. It was different on the train journey back to London. Though they sat side by side, they had their travelling companions directly opposite them in the compartment. It was only when Leeming and Andrews became embroiled in a long argument about the atmospheric railway that Colbeck felt able to speak more freely to Madeleine.
‘Are you glad that you came?’ he asked, squeezing her hand.
‘Oh, yes,’ she replied, ‘and so is Father. He claims that the only reason you solved the crime is that we arrived in Exeter.’
Colbeck grinned. ‘There may be some truth in that, Madeleine. When I caught sight of you in the refreshment room at the station, I had a real stimulus to press on with the investigation.’
‘Why didn’t you take me to Totnes? I’ve helped you in earlier cases.’
‘I needed to speak to that witness alone,’ he explained, careful to say nothing more about Christina Goss. ‘In the event, her testimony was not needed.’
‘It seems to have been a very difficult investigation.’
‘I’m trying to put it at the back of my mind for a while, Madeleine, so that I can concentrate on the more appealing prospect of the wedding.’
‘There’s not long to go now, Robert,’ she said, excitedly.
‘I’ve been counting the days.’
‘When you get involved in future cases, I won’t have to mope at home with Father any longer. I’ll be able to discuss an investigation with you.’
‘I’m hoping that you’ll do rather more than that.’
‘So do I — it will be wonderful to work together.’
‘It will have to be covert assistance,’ he told her. ‘Superintendent Tallis would never sanction the employment of a woman in the process of detection. It’s in defiance of everything that he believes. I take a more practical view. Women are more than capable of committing crime — look at May Gurney, for instance — so why shouldn’t they be able to solve it?’
‘Is the superintendent still unhappy about your getting married?’
‘It’s not so much unhappiness as disapproval. That’s why I won’t be giving him a full report of our activities in Exeter.’ He glanced across at Leeming, still quarrelling with Andrews. ‘Victor can have that dubious privilege.’
Edward Tallis didn’t believe in staying away from his desk simply because his arm had been wounded. He could still bark commands at his underlings and supervise the never-ending stream of investigations that were referred to the Detective Department. Pleased that the case in Exeter had finally been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, he was sorry that he hadn’t been there in person to take charge and to grab some of the glory. Local newspapers would no doubt lavish their praise on the Railway Detective without even mentioning the person who assigned the case to him. Because of its sensational nature, details of the stationmaster’s murder would be carried in national newspapers, so Tallis would be compelled to watch his detectives being feted while he was ignored. It made the wound in his arm smart.
All that he knew so far was what had been contained in a telegraph from Colbeck. The prime suspect, Bernard Browne, had been absolved of the murder and three further arrests had been made. Tallis longed to hear a fuller explanation. When he heard someone tapping on his door that afternoon, he hoped that it would be Colbeck, coming to give him a detailed account. Instead, it was Victor Leeming who opened the door with his usual feeling of dread.
‘Good afternoon, sir,’ he said. ‘We’ve just returned from Exeter.’
‘I’ve been waiting for you. Where’s Inspector Colbeck?’
‘He has an appointment with his tailor.’
‘His tailor!’ roared Tallis. ‘I want him here so that I can question him. What on earth is he doing at his tailor’s?’
‘He’ll be wearing a new suit at the wedding, sir.’
‘I’m not interested in his private life, Sergeant.’
‘The inspector sent me to deliver the report, sir,’ said Leeming, taking a pad from his pocket. ‘He was kind enough to make some notes for me.’
‘I’m sorry that his kindness didn’t extend to me,’ said Tallis, mordantly. ‘I want to hear from the man who was in charge, not from his assistant.’
The sergeant was sufficiently hurt to forget his fear of the superintendent.
‘I played my part, sir,’ he said, stoutly. ‘I was the one who overpowered Howard Gurney after he tried to choke me to death and I was involved in the arrest of Dr Swift as well. Inspector Colbeck was instrumental in solving the crime but it’s unfair to dismiss me as if I just stood on the sidelines and watched. The inspector is always ready to pay tribute to what I’m able to do and I think it’s time that you followed his example.’
Startled by Leeming’s spirited retort, Tallis was chastened. He pointed to a seat and his visitor sat down, pad in hand. Tallis spoke kindly to him for once.
‘You’ve earned your share of praise, Sergeant,’ he said, benevolently, ‘and I’ll be the first to acknowledge it. Now tell me what really happened in Exeter.’
Involving only family and a small number of friends, the wedding was far too small an affair for such a large church. Those clustered at the front of the nave took up only a tiny proportion of the seats available. Colbeck and Madeleine were untroubled by that. They didn’t notice anyone apart from the vicar who married them. They were both so elated that the only things they would later remember of the service were the exchange of vows and the pronouncement that they were man and wife. Madeleine was radiant in her wedding dress and Colbeck was at his most elegant. They were a striking couple. The two of them floated happily through the whole event, forgetting horrors in the recent past and thinking only of their future together. As they came down the aisle arm in arm, they distributed smiles among the congregation.