Chapter 38

The Superintendent, still dusting his breeches, said, “Sir Percy, you and Mr. Duff come into the office, please.” By the time I got to the office, the policeman was finishing the second of two notes. “Cruncher, get in here.”

The door opened and a head poked in. “I be Bucket, sir.”

“Well get me Cruncher right away.”

“I will, sir. Right away, sir.”

A few minutes later, young Jerry Cruncher burst through the door. “Does ya wants ta see me, sir?”

“Cruncher, your coat is only half on. Where were you when I needed you?”

“I be in the loo, sir.”

“Oh! Well, do you see these two envelopes?”

“I does, sir.”

“The first is to my wife. Take it to her at my home. It explains why I cannot keep my appointment with her this afternoon. The second is to the Duke of Wellington. He is at the palace, so take it there. You see that I have written “Urgent” on the envelope.”

“I do sees that, sir.”

“Do you know what urgent means, Jerry?”

“I does, sir. It means quite impotent.”

“Important, Jerry, important. Now, for blazes’ sake, button up your trousers and get these delivered.”

Jerry put the envelopes on the Superintendent’s desk and started for the door, grasping at his buttons with both hands.

“Jerry, don’t forget the envelopes.” Jerry reached for the envelopes and in doing so let go of his pants. The pants slid to the floor. He rescued the trousers, but the messages landed at my feet.

I bent at the waist and scooped them from the floor. “Here, young Jerry, I’ll hold these until you’re ready. Now, take your time. Be sure you have all the buttons in the right place. You need to look decent when you deliver these. You might see the Queen, you know.”

When Cruncher was finally on his way, the Superintendent sat back in his chair. He crossed his legs in a relaxed fashion and said, “Well, Sir Percy, what in blazes happened out there?”

Percy Wesley smiled, a satisfied smile. “I, the Queen’s Minister of Public Safety, just saved your life. Now I am going to arrest this man, as I have information he was part of the assassination plot.” He pointed his pistol at me.