BIGGLES IN THE UNDERWORLD

by Captain W. E. Johns

12. THE TRUTH COMES OUT (Pages 125 – 134)

Biggles tells Thompson that for the moment he is going to do nothing about it. “What I do in the future will depend on how far you’ve got yourself involved in the improper practices that have been going on from this airfield. That is something I shall learn in due course, with or without your help. That happens to be my job”. Biggles says his advice to Thompson is to come clean. Thompson asks “And if I refuse to talk?” Biggles shrugged. “That’s up to you. Please yourself. Send for your lawyer if you like. You’re under no compulsion to incriminate yourself. But I’ll tell you this. I know enough already to have this place closed down and cancel your pilot’s licence”. When Biggles tells Thompson that Lazor has escaped from Dartmoor, Thompson says “I certainly did not know that”. “When Lazor first came to stay in the village he told me his name was Grey”. Thompson met him in the village pub, they got talking as Lazor wore an R.A.F. tie. He asked about joining the club and had to produce his logbook, which was in the name of Lazor. He said he was calling himself Grey as he had left his wife and didn’t want her to find him. “And you accepted that?” asks Biggles. “Why not? It sounded reasonable. His domestic troubles were no concern of mine”. Lazor has asked Thompson to drop a message for him, in France. It’s a birthday greeting for his girl friend and it is a package with a streamer attached. Thompson hasn’t done it yet due to the weather. The package is in the safe and Thompson gives it to Biggles. Ginger suddenly runs out of the room and returns to say that he thought he saw a face at the window, but he could find no one outside. “Biggles did not comment. He was looking at the package which Thompson had handed to him”. Said Thompson: “As you know so much perhaps you know what’s in it”. There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Biggles says he could make a guess and says it’s some jewellery, possibly a string of pearls. Then adding “Let’s see if I’m right” he opens the package, ignoring Thompson’s protests. The package contains a long pearl necklace. Biggles says “I’m taking charge of this” adding “It’s stolen property”. Thompson asks if he is under arrest, but Biggles says not for the moment. He wants to know Thompson’s address, which is the pub in the village, the Green Man, where he lives with his wife. Biggles asks Thompson where he can find Lazor and Thompson tells him that Lazor is there on the aerodrome, or he was half an hour ago. Thompson was going to go back to the pub with him when Biggles arrived. “Was it to speak to him that you went out shortly after we came in?” Biggles asks. Thompson confirms he had to give Lazor a reason for the delay and said he had two detectives from Scotland Yard there. Lazor had told Thompson to go back and refuse to say anything. “At this moment there came from outside a sound which was familiar to everyone in the office. It was the hiss and burst of noise made by an aero engine being started”. Biggles looks out of the window and sees the Gipsy Moth taxing out to the runway. Biggles asks how much fuel was in the tank and Thompson says “Not much. Half an hour at the outside. I had her up this morning, testing. She was running low in fuel when I came in. That’s why I left her out, to be topped up later”. “I’ll see which way he goes” says Ginger, running to the Auster. Biggles tell him to wait but he either ignores the order or doesn’t hear it. Biggles runs after him but stops when he sees Ginger already in the cockpit with the engine running. The Auster takes off. Biggles returns to Thompson and says the machine is fitted with short wave radio, that can be received by his pilots at Scotland Yard. They can phone news to Biggles. Biggles asks Thompson if he will co-operate with him or take sides with Lazor. “I haven’t much choice, have I?” replied Thompson lugubriously. Biggles rings Algy to tell him what is happening. “Biggles hung up. “All we can do now is wait,” he told Thompson, lighting a cigarette. “I’ve been a fool,” Thompson said bitterly. “I thought you might arrive at that conclusion” returned Biggles. “It’s a bit late in the day, but better later then never,” he concluded cheerfully. They sit and wait. “Silence fell”.