Last Laugh for the Baron Read online

  “Josh,” he said, “I think you’re the most remarkable man I’ve ever known.”

  “Not even remotely as remarkable as you, sir,” Larraby assured him. “You were quite prepared to face this out, weren’t you? And quite prepared to take risks with your own future, for Mr. Bristow. All I have done I have learned from you, and you yourself did a similar switch of jewels, years and years ago.” Larraby raised his glass. “Your very good health, sir.”

  He drank; and Mannering drank; and then he began to laugh. He had to exert great self-control to stop himself from laughing, and it was largely because he recalled how Bernard Yenn had laughed so hysterically that he finally checked himself.

  “Josh,” he said, “I was laughing at myself.”

  “Indeed, sir. Why?”

  “Because it was only yesterday that I felt you were past this kind of exertion! Yet it was you on whom the whole affair turned.” He chuckled again. “I do believe that if I’d have known what Aristide was up to I would have simply fired him, and he and his precious friends would still be plotting against parents and collectors. Josh, you’ll outlive us all.”

  Larraby finished his drink and put his glass down.

  “I hope I’ve a few more years, sir, but—” he hesitated—”well, now you’ve brought the matter up, I really don’t think I should continue in the business.” He smiled gently at Mannering’s horrified exclamation. “Let me finish, sir, and I believe you will understand. I have had twenty very happy years with you, and I am now nearly eighty. Thanks to your generosity I can look back on my life without shame. Also thanks to you, I can afford to retire. I am sure it is time I did, sir, and I cannot think of a more appropriate occasion. I really cannot. I shall forever be able to look back on this as – may I use the phrase, sir? – as my day of triumph.”

  After a long pause, Mannering said quietly: “You’re quite right, Josh. All this has been a day of triumph indeed. Your triumph. Let’s talk about it tomorrow.”

  He stood up; and they shook hands.

  “Oh dear,” said Lorna. “It was inevitable I suppose, but it’s hard to realise Josh won’t be at Quinns. He’s almost part of it.” They had finished a light supper and were sitting in the study, she on a pouffe with her head on Mannering’s knees. “You’ll never find a man half as trustworthy.” Neither of them spoke for a while, and when at last she did, she changed the subject. “What a lovely picture you drew of Bill Bristow and his wife! It looks as if he’ll have a thoroughly happy retirement, too. How old is he?”

  “Sixty-ish,” Mannering said, “but this afternoon he looked in his middle forties. He—”

  Mannering went absolutely still, and the word ‘he’ seemed to hover about the room. The easy, lazy mood was broken. Lorna shifted her position to look round. There was not so much tension as concentration on Mannering’s face. She did not question him, knowing at last that thoughts were racing through his mind.

  “Lorna,” he said at last.

  “Yes, darling?”

  “I’ve just had an idea.”

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “We need someone to replace Josh. Someone wholly trustworthy, who will take risks, who is familiar with precious stones and objets d’art, whom we know, who—”

  “Bill Bristow!” cried Lorna in a sudden trill of excitement. “Oh darling, do you think he would?”

  “I think he might,” Mannering said. “Darling, you really should have seen him this afternoon. He’d no idea what had happened at Quinns, as far as he knew he’d be facing a charge of accepting bribes before the day was out – and he was defying Yenn and the whole wide world. If he had to go down then he’d go down fighting.” Mannering shifted his position and stretched out for the telephone, dialling Bristow’s number. Lorna looked up at him, her chin on her hands, and the buzz of Bristow’s telephone bell echoed clearly back across the wire.

  It stopped.

  “Bristow,” Bristow said.

  “Bill,” said Mannering, “you were magnificent this afternoon.”

  Bristow chuckled.

  “I felt pretty good,” he said. “And everything went off perfectly. Your Aristide Smith and his friends are all charged with robbery, and we’ve picked up the elusive Mr. James Smith – it seems he’s Aristide’s brother – and charged him with the murder of Miss Kitt. After running the girl down he panicked and left his car with Miss Devon – damned sharp of you to recognise that M.G., John. It’s the one that Bruce Danizon used when he was watching my flat, by the way – just to make things even more confusing. Never mind, we seem to have got it all sorted out at last. And we’ll get a lot more sorted out, too. Yenn swears he wasn’t involved, but it’s pretty obvious that both he and Aristide know a hell of a lot more than they say – and they’ll admit it in the end. Yenn’s already admitted that his tape-recording was a frame-up. Incidentally, two of the parents have now told us that they were blackmailed into silence because their own children were involved. It’s nearly over, John.”

  “And you’ll go out in a blaze of glory,” Mannering observed.

  “I suppose I will, in a way,” agreed Bristow, and for the first time he sounded rueful. “I don’t know that I’m going to like it, though. Neither my wife nor I really want to leave London, as I told you. We’re used to it, and it suits us.” When Mannering didn’t answer, he went on: “I suppose I’ll settle for a security officer’s job in one of the big business corporations.”

  “Bill,” Mannering said.

  “Yes?”

  “Josh Larraby is retiring.”

  There was a pause.

  “Do you see what I mean?” asked Mannering.

  “Do you mean—you’re offering me the job?” Bristow’s voice sounded shrill in unbelief.

  “I’m wondering if you would take it,” Mannering said.

  “You mean—manager of Quinns?”

  “Yes, Bill. Nothing would please me more.”

  There was another pause, and then Bristow’s voice sounded, further away. He was saying: “He’s—he’s offering me the management of Quinns. I can’t—I can’t believe—” After a moment or two his voice grew louder. “John.”

  “Yes?”

  “You—you wouldn’t like to sleep on the offer?”

  “No, Bill,” Mannering said. “The job is yours if you’d like it.”

  “If I’d like it!” Bristow said, chokily. “It’s—it’s—John. John, I—er—I’d like to ring off. I’ll call you back. I—er— I’ve got something in my throat. I won’t—I won’t be long.”

  Lorna looked anxiously at Mannering as he put down the receiver.

  “Didn’t he like the idea?”

  “Oh, he liked it,” Mannering said, smiling gently. “And he’s going to take it,” he said reassuringly. “He’s ringing back, but—he’s going to take it. Just at the moment he has a lump in his throat.”

  Series Information

  Published or to be published by

  House of Stratus

  Dates given are those of first publication

  Alternative titles in brackets

  'The Baron' (47 titles) (writing as Anthony Morton)

  'Department 'Z'' (28 titles)

  'Dr. Palfrey Novels' (34 titles)

  'Gideon of Scotland Yard' (22 titles)

  'Inspector West' (43 titles)

  'Sexton Blake' (5 titles)

  'The Toff' (59 titles)

  along with:

  The Masters of Bow Street

  This epic novel embraces the story of the Bow Street Runners and the Marine Police, forerunners of the modern police force, who were founded by novelist Henry Fielding in 1748. They were the earliest detective force operating from the courts to enforce the decisions of magistrates. John Creasey's account also gives a fascinating insight into family life of the time and the struggle bet
ween crime and justice, and ends with the establishment of the Metropolitan Police after the passing of Peel's Act in 1829.

  'The Baron' Series

  These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

  Meet the Baron (The Man in the Blue Mask) (1937)

  The Baron Returns (The Return of the Blue Mask) (1937)

  The Baron Again (Salute Blue Mask) (1938)

  The Baron at Bay (Blue Mask at Bay) (1938)

  Alias the Baron (Alias Blue Mask) (1939)

  The Baron at Large (Challenge Blue Mask!) (1939)

  Versus the Baron (Blue Mask Strikes Again) (1940)

  Call for the Baron (Blue Mask Victorious) (1940)

  The Baron Comes Back (1943)

  A Case for the Baron (1945)

  Reward for the Baron (1945)

  Career for the Baron (1946)

  Blood Diamond (The Baron and the Beggar) (1947)

  Blame the Baron (1948)

  A Rope for the Baron (1948)

  Books for the Baron (1949)

  Cry for the Baron (1950)

  Trap the Baron (1950)

  Attack the Baron (1951)

  Shadow the Baron (1951)

  Warn the Baron (1952)

  The Baron Goes East (1953)

  The Baron in France (1953)

  Danger for the Baron (1953)

  The Baron Goes Fast (1954)

  Nest-Egg for the Baron (Deaf, Dumb and Blonde) (1954)

  Help from the Baron (1955)

  Hide the Baron (1956)

  The Double Frame (Frame the Baron) (1957)

  Blood Red (Red Eye for the Baron) (1958)

  If Anything Happens to Hester (Black for the Baron) (1959)

  Salute for the Baron (1960)

  The Baron Branches Out (A Branch for the Baron) (1961)

  The Baron and the Stolen Legacy (Bad for the Baron) (1962)

  A Sword for the Baron (The Baron and the Mogul Swords) (1963)

  The Baron on Board (The Mask of Sumi) (1964)

  The Baron and the Chinese Puzzle (1964)

  Sport for the Baron (1966)

  Affair for the Baron (1967)

  The Baron and the Missing Old Masters (1968)

  The Baron and the Unfinished Portrait (1969)

  Last Laugh for the Baron (1970)

  The Baron Goes A-Buying (1971)

  The Baron and the Arrogant Artist (1972)

  Burgle the Baron (1973)

  The Baron - King Maker (1975)

  Love for the Baron (1979)

  'Department Z' Novels

  These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

  The Death Miser (1932)

  Redhead (1934)

  First Came a Murder (1934)

  Death Round the Corner (1935)

  The Mark of the Crescent (1935)

  Thunder in Europe (1936)

  The Terror Trap (1936)

  Carriers of Death (1937)

  Days of Danger (1937)

  Death Stands By (1938)

  Menace! (1938)

  Murder Must Wait (1939)

  Panic! (1939)

  Death by Night (1940)

  The Island of Peril (1940)

  Sabotage (1941)

  Go Away Death (1941)

  The Day of Disaster (1942)

  Prepare for Action (1942)

  No Darker Crime (1943)

  Dark Peril (1944)

  The Peril Ahead (1946)

  The League of Dark Men (1947)

  The Department of Death (1949)

  The Enemy Within (1950)

  Dead or Alive (1951)

  A Kind of Prisoner (1954)

  The Black Spiders (1957)

  Doctor Palfrey Novels

  These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

  Traitor's Doom (1942)

  The Legion of the Lost (1943)

  The Valley of Fear (The Perilous Country) (1943)

  Dangerous Quest (1944)

  Death in the Rising Sun (1945)

  The Hounds of Vengeance (1945)

  Shadow of Doom (1946)

  The House of the Bears (1946)

  Dark Harvest (1947)

  The Wings of Peace (1948)

  The Sons of Satan (1948)

  The Dawn of Darkness (1949)

  The League of Light (1949)

  The Man Who Shook the World (1950)

  The Prophet of Fire (1951)

  The Children of Hate (The Killers of Innocence; The Children of Despair) (1952)

  The Touch of Death (1954)

  The Mists of Fear (1955)

  The Flood (1956)

  The Plague of Silence (1958)

  Dry Spell (The Drought) (1959)

  The Terror (1962)

  The Depths (1963)

  The Sleep (1964)

  The Inferno (1965)

  The Famine (1967)

  The Blight (1968)

  The Oasis (1970)

  The Smog (1970)

  The Unbegotten (1971)

  The Insulators (1972)

  The Voiceless Ones (1973)

  The Thunder-Maker (1976)

  The Whirlwind (1979)

  Gideon Series

  (Writing as JJ Marric)

  These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

  Gideon's Day (Gideon of Scotland Yard) (1955)

  Seven Days to Death (Gideon's Week) (1956)

  Gideon's Night (1957)

  A Backwards Jump (Gideon's Month) (1958)

  Thugs and Economies (Gideon's Staff) (1959)

  Gideon Combats Influence (Gideon's Risk) (1960)

  Gideon's Fire (1961)

  A Conference for Assassins (Gideon's March) (1962)

  Travelling Crimes (Gideon's Ride) (1963)

  An Uncivilised Election (Gideon's Vote) (1964)

  Criminal Imports (Gideon's Lot) (1965)

  To Nail a Serial Killer (Gideon's Badge) (1966)

  From Murder to a Cathedral (Gideon's Wrath) (1967)

  Gideon's River (1968)

  Darkness and Confusion (Gideon's Power) (1969)

  Sport, Heat & Scotland Yard (Gideon's Sport) (1970)

  Gideon's Art (1971)

  No Relaxation at Scotland Yard (Gideon's Men) (1972)

  Impartiality Against the Mob (Gideon's Press) (1973)

  Not Hidden by the Fog (Gideon's Fog) (1975)

  Good and Justice (Gideon's Drive) (1976)

  Vigilantes & Biscuits (Gideon's Force) (1978)

  Inspector West Series

  These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

  Inspector West Takes Charge (1942)

  Go Away to Murder (Inspector West Leaves Town) (1943)

  An Apostle of Gloom (Inspector West At Home) (1944)

  Inspector West Regrets (1945)

  Holiday for Inspector West (1946)

  Battle for Inspector West (1948)

  The Case Against Paul Raeburn (Triumph for Inspector West) (1948)

  Inspector West Kicks Off (Sport for Inspector West) (1949)

  Inspector West Alone (1950)

  Inspector West Cries Wolf (The Creepers) (1950)

  The Figure in the Dusk (A Case for Inspector West) (1951)

  The Dissemblers (Puzzle for Inspector West) (1951)

  The Case of the Acid Throwers (The Blind Spot; Inspector West at Bay) (1952)

  Give a Man a Gun (A Gun for Inspector West) (1953)

  Send Inspector West (1953)

  So Young, So Cold, So Fair (A Beauty for Inspector West; The Beauty Queen Killer) (1954)

  Murder Makes Haste (Inspector West Makes Haste; The Gelignite Gang; Night of the Watchman) (1955)

  Murder: One, Two, Three (Two for Inspector West) (1955)

  Death of a Postman (Parcels for Inspector West) (1956)

  Death of an Assassin (A Prince for Inspector West) (1956)

  Hit and Run (Accident for Inspector West) (1957)

  T
he Trouble at Saxby's (Find Inspector West; Doorway to Death) (1957)

  Murder, London - New York (1958)

  Strike for Death (The Killing Strike) (1958)

  Death of a Racehorse (1959)

  The Case of the Innocent Victims (1959)

  Murder on the Line (1960)

  Death in Cold Print (1961)

  The Scene of the Crime (1961)

  Policeman's Dread (1962)

  Hang the Little Man (1963)

  Look Three Ways at Murder (1964)

  Murder, London - Australia (1965)

  Murder, London - South Africa (1966)

  The Executioners (1967)

  So Young to Burn (1968)

  Murder, London - Miami (1969)

  A Part for a Policeman (1970)

  Alibi for Inspector West (1971)

  A Splinter of Glass (1972)

  The Theft of Magna Carta (1973)

  The Extortioners (1974)

  A Sharp Rise in Crime (1978)

  'The Toff' Series

  These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

  Introducing the Toff (It's the Toff!) (1938)

  The Toff Goes On (1939)

  The Toff Steps Out (1939)

  Here Comes the Toff (1940)

  The Toff Breaks In (1940)

  Salute the Toff (1941)

  The Toff Proceeds (1941)

  The Toff Goes to Market (1942)

  The Toff Is Back (1942)

  The Toff on the Trail (short stories) (1942)

  The Toff among the Millions (1943)

  Accuse the Toff (1943)

  The Toff and the Deadly Priest (The Toff and the Curate) (1944)

  The Toff and the Great Illusion (1944)

  Feathers for the Toff (1945)

  The Toff and the Lady (1946)

  Poison for the Toff (The Toff on Ice) (1946)

  Hammer the Toff (1947)

  The Toff in Town (1948)

  The Toff Takes Shares (1948)

  The Toff and Old Harry (1949)

  The Toff on Board (1949)

  Fool the Toff (1950)

  Kill the Toff (1950)

  A Knife for the Toff (1951)

  A Mask for the Toff (The Toff Goes Gay) (1951)