BIGGLES IN THE UNDERWORLD

by Captain W. E. Johns

6. A SHOCKING DISCOVERY (Pages 63 – 74)

“Biggles had the same difficulty in finding the village that was his objective as had Bertie earlier in the day”. Biggles eventually gets directions from a solitary pedestrian with a lurcher dog. “His manner was gruff to the point of being rude, but at least he obliged with the necessary information”. Biggles thinks he is a poacher. As they drive carefully up the narrow lane to the farm, a car comes rushing down at a speed that would be highly dangerous in daylight. “Any sane driver, seeing a car in front of him, would have braked hard and crept past. But not this one”. He tore past them and there could not have been an inch between the two vehicles. “The fool,” Ginger blurted wrathfully when he could get his breath. “He ought to be shot”. “The crazy idiot,” grated Biggles, between his teeth. “He’ll kill somebody presently”. They think the car was a Jaguar. They drive on up the lane and come to a dead end, seeing Bertie’s car parked there. Biggles opens the car and looks inside. “He isn’t here, anyway,” he went on with a hint of relief in his voice. They see the house, without any lights showing and close by it two leafless trees stood still and stark. Biggles says they better have a look round. Ginger gets a heavy torch, rubber-coated to protect the bulb and they set off towards the house, stopping when they hear the growl of a dog. Biggles calls out “Anyone at home there?” and “Will you call off your dog?” There is no answer. Said Biggles, grimly: “I hate hurting a dog when it’s doing its job; but somethings with this breed a tough line works when kind words fail”. Biggles advances on the dog and when it springs at him he hits it hard on the nose with the heavy torch. “The animal let out a yelp of pain, and making a peculiar noise, shaking its head, backed away. Biggles advanced. The dog retreated”. “That was taking a chance,” accused Ginger. “I caught it on its tender spot, its nose. It takes a touch breed to stand that. Don’t ever try it on a bulldog”. Biggles goes to the house, intending to say that have broken down and asking if they can use the phone. The door is open and a light is on. Biggles knocks and when there is no answer he calls out “Anyone in?” He walks to the door at the far end of the hall and knocks and says “May I come in?” Still there is no answer. Biggles opens the door and the scene is a bloodbath. “Biggles’ hand went to his pocket and came out holding his automatic. “Watch out! he breathed. “There’s been murder done here”. His eyes flashed round the room”. There was blood everywhere, even spattered on the table and the remains of a half-eaten meal, also a half-empty bottle of champagne. Touching the blood, Biggles is able to say “This happened within the last hour”. Biggles searches upstairs whilst Ginger stays downstairs but there is no one there. Biggles returns and they follow the trail of blood down the hall to the door. Biggles deduces “There was trouble in the house. Blows were struck. Someone was shot, or knifed. A stab would cause more blood than a shot”. Adding that “the man was bleeding like a stuck pig” they conclude he must have got in a car. They then realise it must have been the car that nearly hit them. “I thought it was a Jan. Caine has a Jag,” said Ginger. Biggles and Ginger discuss possibilities and timings and conclude that Caine came to the farm and for some reason went back to London, then went out to the farm again. Obviously worried about Bertie, Biggles uses the house phone to ring Algy to ask if there has been any word from him, but the answer was “no”. Biggles asks Algy to get the Yard to check all hospitals within twenty miles of Winchester to find out if a badly injured man has come in, probably suffering from knife wounds. Biggles also wants a general call to pick up a sports car, probably a Jaguar, with bloodstains on the floor. They leave the house and find the dog outside, ordering it in, it obeys. They search outside and hear voices near a barn. They both make a complete circuit of the barn but there is no way in. Again, voices can be heard. Biggles says “There’s something phoney about this. I’m going to have a look. Give me a leg up” and he starts to climb up.