McDonald stood up and waited for Palfrey. He was smiling; his long face seemed to reflect genuine amusement, and the broodiness which he had shown at the house that morning had gone.
‘Hallo, bloodhound,’ said Palfrey.
McDonald laughed. ‘Don’t remind me of those brutes!’
Then don’t be one,’ said Palfrey. ‘How’s Loretta?’
‘I think she’s making progress,’ McDonald said, seriously. ‘I didn’t stay for long. She recognized me for the first time.’
‘How did you find me here?’
McDonald said: ‘I once followed Kyle to this place. I saw him talk to Pettigrew. I came along to see Pettigrew today, and was told he had a visitor. I described you and learned I’d got it in one.’
They walked along the road towards the car. Drusilla was sitting at the wheel.
‘Why did you come to see Pettigrew?’ demanded Palfrey.
‘I’m curious about Kyle.’
‘I’m curious about you,’ said Palfrey. They reached the car and he beamed upon Drusilla. ‘Look what’s blown up,’ he said.
‘It does appear in unexpected places, doesn’t it?’ murmured Drusilla.
‘That’s exactly the point,’ said Palfrey. ‘Will you drive while Mac and I sit in the back?’ He opened the door, trying to decide what attitude to take. Someone at Morne House was involved. For the first time it occurred to him that he had never checked McDonald’s story of having arrived in England only recently. Glancing sideways at the man, he found it hard to distrust him, but
‘Well, what about it?’ asked McDonald.
Palfrey said: ‘I am going to make one or two inquiries about you, Mac. It’s time they were made. You haven’t an alternative story for me, I suppose?’
‘I’m afraid not.’
‘All your past reticence has been to make sure that Loretta wasn’t caught out in some discreditable business?’
‘All.’ McDonald was emphatic.
‘And you once told me that you had little regard for family tradition!’
‘None,’ said McDonald, ‘but I also told you that I have a great deal of regard for Loretta.’ He laughed, and there was a bitter note in his voice. ‘Would you like to know why I so dislike King Rufus?’
‘Yes.’
‘I want to marry Loretta,’ said McDonald, ‘and His Majesty won’t hear of it.’
‘Oh,’ said Palfrey, and added, after a pause: ‘Is Loretta a girl to allow her father to dictate to her?’
‘In that one matter, yes.’ McDonald stirred restlessly. ‘At one time I thought she would defy him. Then something happened and she changed her mind.’
‘Someone was blackmailing her, you know.’
McDonald snapped: ‘Are you suggesting that I was?’
‘No. Suggesting that she thought you were.’
‘Oh,’ said McDonald, and then shook his head. ‘I doubt that very much, but you may be right. Where are we going now?’
‘To temporary police headquarters,’ said Palfrey.
‘With me as prisoner?’
‘Not yet,’ said Palfrey.
Drusilla pulled up outside the police building. Cartwright was resting, but Wriggleswade was there. He was still pompous, but treated Palfrey with some deference. The reason soon materialized; special instructions had been received from Scotland Yard concerning the facilities to be offered to Palfrey.
‘Oh, splendid,’ said Palfrey. ‘First, if you don’t mind, tell the Bristol Police that I might look in on them, and would be grateful for help. Then, if Kyle is caught, I’d like him to go to Sea View, Corbin. Under escort, if you prefer it, but there and not here or to a police station. You’re being very good, you know.’
‘We’ve got to find these devils,’ Wriggleswade said. ‘There is one thing I meant to say to you. Dr. Palfrey. You oughtn’t to go out anywhere without an escort.’
‘What I will do is tell you when I’m travelling and ask you to arrange for me to be passed from village to village, as it were. A benevolent eye while on the road.’
‘That’s a good idea,’ said Wriggleswade.
‘And if at any time I have to leave my wife alone, you’ll ease my mind by looking after her,’ said Palfrey. ‘And now, if I could have a room with a telephone for half an hour. . . .’
He was soon speaking to Brett. Brett made notes, asked occasional questions, but said nothing until Palfrey had finished.
‘Well, now,’ Brett said. ‘I haven’t been idle. Unhappily, Pettigrew’s story is largely true. He has been in touch with some of our people on Kyle’s behalf. Washington was firmly against Kyle, and that verdict was accepted here. Further inquiries should have been made, of course, but we can’t worry about that, now; the job is to get the thing done. I think you can accept Kyle and Pettigrew at their face value.’
‘Splendid!’ said Palfrey.
‘I’ll inquire into the deaths of Anster and the others,’ said Brett. ‘There is one thing I seem to remember – Anster lost a lot of flesh a little while before he died.’
Palfrey’s heart seemed to contract. ‘Like Garth, you mean?’
‘Yes. What does it convey to you?’
‘Effect of radioactive elements on the human body,’ said Palfrey harshly. ‘Now I’m beginning to understand.’
He was pale with the shock of the realization. Garth’s emaciated condition could be explained by radioactivity, proof that Garth had been working on atomic power recently.
‘This gets worse,’ he said, aloud.
‘Could it be worse?’ asked Brett, and, when Palfrey did not immediately answer, he went on; ‘Let me settle your mind about McDonald as far as I can. He has recently returned from Far Eastern submarine service. He had been in attendance at the Admiralty recently. As far as I know, there’s nothing wrong about what he has told you about his movements in London and his opportunities for being concerned in this affair. There are rumours, too, that he was at one time engaged to his cousin, but that Morne put his foot down.’
‘I should be glad to think he was telling me the truth,’ said Palfrey.
‘I suppose so. Now, this is of great importance,’ said Brett, ‘and greater since the explosion. At all costs we must not allow any rumours to be spread about the case. The need for secrecy is greater now than ever. It has been suggested in London that a widespread search be made of the whole of the moor down there. I’m against it, because it will give rise to speculation. What do you think?’
‘I’m with you. We want the thin end of the wedge first.’ Palfrey told Brett about the possibility that one of the mines on Morne’s estate was being used as an experimental station, and went on: ‘If we can find the right mine and get one or two of our fellows into it, we can get busy with a wholesale raid. Until then---’
‘It’s much too dangerous,’ Brett said. ‘We now know what these people can do. For the time being, you will concentrate some of your forces on finding the mines and the others on finding the leaders. Gorringer may be your man.’
‘Yes,’ said Palfrey. ‘Well, what help are you sending me?’
‘Daniel is at Sea View with several others,’ said Brett, ‘and will work under your orders. You can have more if you need them. I shouldn’t concentrate too many in one place yet, if I were you. The police are looking after you now, aren’t they?’
‘Yes, very well.’
‘Good! Then I’ll let you get on with it,’ said Brett.
Palfrey next called at Sea View, A man with a rather high-pitched voice answered him, that of a Z.5 man named ‘Dan’.
‘How many of you are there?’ Palfrey asked.
‘Seven. Bandigo, Trollop, Carmich—’
‘Leave those three at the house and take the others to Morne House,’ said Palfrey. ‘Go as police; I think Morne won’t object then. Watch him and, if necessary, hold him. You’d better take two cars and keep close together. When you get near the village of Henson, be careful. A police car crashed there yesterday, and the cause isn’t known.’
‘Right-ho,’ said Dan. ‘When will you be along?’
‘Some time this afternoon. If Kyle turns up – you’ve heard about Kyle, I suppose – make him welcome until I come. Is that all clear?’
‘Admirably clear, Doctor!’ Dan laughed and rang off.
Palfrey got up and joined Drusilla and McDonald, who were in the next room.
‘I know you’re going to say that you want me to return to Morne House,’ McDonald said, with a grimace.
‘I do. I’ve reason to think that King Rufus is in greater danger even than we thought before,’ said Palfrey. ‘Watch him carefully, won’t you?’
It was nearly half-past two before McDonald left for Morne House in a hired car. The Palfreys saw him off, then started for Corbin. They reached Sea View a little after four o’clock. The house stood in small grounds not far from the sea, and it was rightly named, for they could see the Cor Estuary from the front windows. Two cars were standing in the carriageway.
‘Did Dan get off at once?’ asked Palfrey, when they were sitting in a pleasant front room.
‘Five minutes after you’d called.’ said Bandigo. Two cars as instructed.’
‘Now,’ said Palfrey, ‘when we’ve seen Kyle and discussed his story, here’s the plan of action. Check on all the mines on Morne’s estate. Get plans of them. Find out which one is like the plan which I’ve already obtained. Having found it; put it out of action.’
‘Ah,’ murmured Bandigo. ‘Very simple. Especially the last part.’
Palfrey said: ‘They are experimenting somewhere on that estate with new forms of atomic energy, and they’ve got to stop experimenting. A large-scale raid will probably mean that they’ll blow the place up. The risk is too great. We’ve got to find a way of getting inside that mine, and you fellows must do it, because I’m already too well known. Sorry, but there it is.’
Carmichael laughed. ‘Why apologize, Sap?’
‘The job is elementary,’ declared Trollop. He had dark hair and a pale face, and his little finger was missing. ‘What about Dan and the others?’
‘Who will take over at Morne House?’
‘I will,’ said Palfrey. ‘I can work there without too much trouble, I think.’
‘When do we start?’ asked Carmichael.
‘Tonight,’ said Palfrey. ‘After Kyle’s been here; and I’m expecting him soon after seven o’clock.’
‘What are you going to do while you’re waiting?’ asked Trollop.
‘First have tea and then a nap,’ said Palfrey. ‘I can hardly keep my eyes open. Then the gathering of friends, and after that the dispersal of forces. Which reminds me,’ he added, thoughtfully, ‘someone will have to go to Bristol, but we’ll know more about that when Kyle reports.’
‘Do we look on him as one of ourselves?’ asked Trollop.
‘Yes.’
Palfrey went upstairs to rest. He felt he must have a couple of hours’ sleep if he were to be fresh enough for the coming session.
It was dark when he woke up, and only a faint light came into the room from the passage. ‘Hallo,’ he said, and sat up. Drusilla, who had been asleep on the bed next to him, stirred.
‘Telephone, Sap,’ said Bandigo, from the door.
It was Susan; she’ did not beat about the bush, but, once sure that she was speaking to Palfrey, said abruptly: ‘Nick’s disappeared, Palfrey. He was all set to come to see you tonight. We had one last look round Bristol. He went to the Theatre Royal – and didn’t come out again. Pettigrew was watching and was injured – not badly, but enough to put him out of action. He gave me your number.’
‘Oh,’ said Palfrey. ‘Anything else?’ ‘Yes,’ said Susan. ‘Gerald Markham was also near the theatre. I thought you were going to keep him at Morne House.’