BIGGLES IN THE UNDERWORLD

by Captain W. E. Johns

9. A SLENDER CLUE? (Pages 95 – 105)

“The morning following the dramatic events at Twotrees Farm saw Biggles in the private office of his Chief, waiting to report and ask for instructions in respect of the local police in whose county they had been operating. They were entitled to an explanation. (Later it was learned that they had found the car in which the Sheikh had made his getaway less than five miles from the scene of the fire)”. Raymond listens to Biggles story and his only remark is “So you lost him. Pity”. “I’m afraid so, sir,” answered Biggles sadly. “Short of shooting him, I couldn’t stop him”. Raymond asks Biggles what he intends to do and he says he will go and see Caine in the hospital. He may give them a clue as to where the Sheikh has gone. Raymond suggests he goes on to the farm afterwards to see if he can pick up anything there. Raymond will speak to the Divisional Inspector for the local police and just say they had a tip off that the Sheikh, on the run from Dartmoor was there. Back in the office “Biggles selected Bertie to go with him, first to the hospital at Repford and then on to the farm, about which, as a result of his overnight reconnaissance, he knew more than any of them”. By mid-morning, they are with Caine, now fully conscious and out of danger, although still weak and suffering from shock. The doctor tells Biggles, it looks like he intended to cut his throat with a razor and lost his nerve. Biggles goes to see the injured man. “Hello, Caine,” began Biggles cheerfully, taking a chair beside the bed. “I thought I’d look in to see how you were getting on. I shan’t worry you to talk much if it hurts”. Biggles says that “Bertie Lissie here, one of my chaps, was watching the farm when you came out in a hurry. I was coming up the hill in a car. I imagine it was you who nearly knocked me off the road”. Caine nodded. “Sorry. Couldn’t stop. Did you – get him?” Biggles says they didn’t. He tells Caine that Lazor set fire to the barn and the plane went with it. Caine confirms it was his and it was uninsured. “Bad luck” says Biggles. Caine confirms he owns the farm. “It was – Lazor’s suggestion. He said he could show me how to make some easy money”. Biggles asks why Lazor turned on Caine and Caine says “I told him what you said. That he was a crook. He didn’t like it. Lost his temper”. Caine asks “What does he carry – that ghastly – weapon?” Biggles smiled wanly. “There are different theories about that. Some say it’s to mark anyone who lets him down so that the underworld will know the victim isn’t to be trusted. The scar is known to crooks as Nick’s mark. Personally I think it’s a form of vanity. He thinks it’s smart. It’s the oriental streak in him coming out. The point it, who do you feel about him now you know what sort of rat he really is?” Caine replies “I’ll kill the little swine for what he’s done to me – after all I did for him”. Biggles says he would be better letting them deal with him. Caine confirms that he used to run errands for Lazor, such as flying to France. Caine explains he first met Lazor in Aden, when he joined his squadron there. Then they met at the club he owns in Soho – the Icarian Club. Nestos, the manager is Lazor’s friend. Caine knows nothing about the theft of the pearl necklace from Barchester Hotel. Caine says he thinks Lazor might go aboard. Lazor knows someone else with a plane. “One day not long ago a fellow landed on my private patch at Twotrees Farm. He brought Lazor down”. Lazor simply referred to him as Tommy and the plane was “one of the early type Moths”. The doctor comes in and says that must be enough for now as Caine shouldn’t be talking at all until his wound heals. Biggles and Bertie leave and Biggles says to Bertie “I think he told us as much as he knows. At all events, I think he’s now in the mood to co-operate”. Half an hour later they were at Twotrees Farm. There is a police car there and Biggles goes in to meet an inspector and a sergeant in the farm. Biggles explains they are from Scotland Yard. Biggles says they had a tip off Lazor, alias Nick the Sheikh, who got away from Dartmoor two years ago, might have been there. He was and he got away. “You should have left it to us,” the inspector said shortly. “Had I known what I know now I’d have been only too delighted,” returned Biggles with a touch of asperity. The inspector asks about all the blood and Biggles tells him the man they were following had a row with the Sheikh and got the edge of Lazor’s razor. “If you ever meet the Sheikh, Inspector, you’d do well to remember that razor”. “I’d like to see him try that one me,” growled the inspector. Biggles asks about the Alsatian dog and the inspector says they packed it off to their kennels. Biggles says they’ll just have a look around “and push off”. As they walk to the burned out barn, Biggles tells Bertie he had noticed a telephone number scribbled on the cover of a telephone directory and he has memorized it. Finding nothing else of interest, Biggles says he wants to see Caine again as he may be able to tell them something about the telephone number.