The Toff and the Terrified Taxman Read online

  “No,” Bell admitted. “It won’t.”

  “Ding Dong,” Rollison said quietly, “if you go along with Kimber, your wife and Violet won’t have a minute’s peace, Kimber will always have you under his thumb. He’ll get dozens of decent girls and have them hopped up and get them working on tax inspectors or anyone he wants to rob and cheat.”

  Kimber roared: “Shut your trap!” And he roared: “Put a bullet in his guts—”

  The men with the guns jerked to attention, both of them swivelled their weapons towards Rollison. He did the only possible thing and dived for the man nearest him, but even if he were put off his shot the other wouldn’t be.

  He heard a shot.

  He wasn’t hit.

  He heard a cry, and saw the man in front of him swing the gun away. Then Bell appeared, like a bullet, braving the gun now turned on him. In those few wild moments Rollison realised that Bell had disarmed the first man and was grappling with the second; that Kimber was clawing at Bell’s neck, trying desperately to drag him off. The first gunman was in a heap on the floor, his gun two feet away from him. Rollison bent down and picked up the gun. He struck Kimber across the head with the butt, and as Kimber fell and Bell pinned the other gunman helplessly against the wall, there was thunderous banging on the street door, and a crash before the police came rushing in. In seconds, Kimber and the gunmen were handcuffed, and Moriarty was climbing up into the roof. Other police, alerted by the walkie-talkie messages, had already surrounded the old Meeting House, and Kimber’s wife and the girls were arrested there.

  In the narrow passage, Rollison was close behind Bell, and he whispered in his ear.

  “I can create a disturbance, and you can get away. It’s your last chance.”

  Bell said in a tired but steady voice: “I’ll see it out now, Toff. I’ll find out for sure if the cops will give me a square deal.”

  “If they don’t,” Rollison said very clearly, “I shall never work with them again.”

  It was noon next day, after Rollison had breakfasted late and taken his time in telling Jolly what had happened, when the telephone bell rang. It had been ringing most of the morning, mostly calls from newspapers but also one from Bill Ebbutt and another from Violet Bell. There had been a pause and Rollison hoped this call would be from Grice; he was very anxious indeed to hear from Grice.

  It was Ding Dong Bell.

  “Okay, Toff,” Bell said. “I’m going to turn Queen’s Evidence. I’ve made a statement. Your friend Grice isn’t going to bring up any of the other cases where I’ve helped people out of the country.” There was a laugh in Bell’s voice. “He says if I help anyone else out illegally he’ll throw the book at me, but Q.E. this time wipes the slate clean. You satisfied?”

  “Are you satisfied?” Rollison demanded, but he already knew the answer.

  “All I can say, Toff, is that you’ve done a good job of cleaning up the cops. They’re a big improvement on what they used to be. Now I’m going to phone Daisy. I wanted you to be the first to know about the deal.”

  “Ding Dong,” the Toff said warmly, “I couldn’t be more glad.”

  Bell rang off without another word.

  In the weeks that followed the Fraud Squad finished its enquiries and showed that the amount of income tax money which would have found its way into Kimber’s pocket was fifty per cent of some three million pounds. Eleven tax offices were affected, and over twenty officials, each a victim first of blackmail and then of threats of violence. The trial, when it came, would probably last for weeks.

  Before the trial, on a day when he was to go and have a meal at the Bell’s after a call at the Blue Dog, Rollison went to see a newly promoted official, once Watson’s deputy, the man named Cobb. There he was with his droll smile but completely free from aggressiveness or any hint of accusation.

  “Between these four walls, Mr. Rollison,” he said, “you were wrongly assessed, and by me. I put a new interpretation of those expense figures. No trouble at all to clear it up, and your assessment will be just about halved.”

  Rollison, greatly relieved, stared at him thoughtfully, before saying: “That was an odd kind of mistake, wasn’t it?”

  “Very easy one to make,” said Cobb, beaming. “And it had one good effect, Mr. Rollison, didn’t it? It made sure you became involved in the mystery! I knew Mr. Watson was in some kind of trouble, and I didn’t want to tell the police or my superiors. So— “

  “You mean you fixed those figures so that I would find out Watson was a worried man?” gasped Rollison.

  “Shhhh!” breathed Cobb, with his most expansive smile yet. “Everyone’s liable to make a little slip now and again. I’m only too glad to be able to put it right, Mr. Rollison. In fact, I’ve got your revised assessment here.”

  Series Information

  Published or to be published by

  House of Stratus

  Dates given are those of first publication

  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)

  Gideon's Month (1958)

  Gideon's Staff (1959)

  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)

  Gideon's Badge (1966)

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

  Gideon's River (1968)

  Gideon's Power (1969)

  Gideon's Sport (1970)

  Gideon's Art (1971)

  Gideon's Men (1972)

  Gideon's Press (1973)

  Gideon's Fog (1975)

  Gideon's Drive (1976)

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

  Other Series by John Creasey

  Published or to be published by

  House of Stratus

  Dates given are those of first publication

  Alternative titles in brackets

  'Department 'Z'' (28 titles)

  'Dr. Palfrey Novels' (34 titles)

  'Inspector West' (43 titles)

  'Sexton Blake' (5 titles)

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

  '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 between crime and justice, and ends with the establishment of the Metropolitan Police after the passing of Peel's Act in 1829.

  '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 a
nd 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)

  Hunt the Toff (1952)

  Call the Toff (1953)

  The Toff Down Under (Break the Toff) (1953)

  Murder Out of the Past (short stories) (1953)

  The Toff at Camp (The Toff at Butlins) (1954)

  The Toff at the Fair (1954)

  A Six for the Toff (A Score for the Toff) (1955)

  The Toff and the Deep Blue Sea (1955)

  Kiss the Toff (Make-Up for the Toff) (1956)

  The Toff in New York (1956)

  Model for the Toff (1957)

  The Toff on Fire (1957)

  The Toff and the Stolen Tresses (1958)

  Terror for the Toff (The Toff on the Farm) (1958)

  Double for the Toff (1959)

  The Toff and the Runaway Bride (1959)

  A Rocket for the Toff (1960)

  The Toff and the Kidnapped (The Kidnapped Child) (1960)

  Follow the Toff (1961)

  The Toff and the Toughs (The Toff and the Teds) (1961)

  A Doll for the Toff (1963)

  Leave It to the Toff (1963)

  The Toff and the Spider (1965)

  The Toff in Wax (1966)

  A Bundle for the Toff (1967)

  Stars for the Toff (1968)

  The Toff and the Golden Boy (1969)

  The Toff and the Fallen Angels (1970)

  Vote for the Toff (1971)

  The Toff and the Trip-Trip-Triplets (1972)

  The Toff and the Terrified Taxman (1973)

  The Toff and the Sleepy Cowboy (1975)

  The Toff and the Crooked Copper (1977)

  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)

  The 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 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)

  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 (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)

  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 S
leep (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)

  '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)

  Select Synopses

  Gideon's Day

  Gideon's day is a busy one. He balances family commitments with solving a series of seemingly unrelated crimes from which a plot nonetheless evolves and a mystery is solved. One of the most senior officers within Scotland Yard, George Gideon's crime solving abilities are in the finest traditions of London's world famous police headquarters. His analytical brain and sense of fairness is respected by colleagues and villains alike.

  Gideon's Night

  On this particular night Commander George Gideon has to deal with a couple of psychopaths who trail pain and blood in their wake. One targets infants, and the other young women on London's foggy streets. There's also an explosive gang war in the offing, and one way or another all of these cases are coming to their breathtaking conclusions at the same time. Can Scotland Yard's finest cope with such a nightmarish scenario, with what would ordinarily be months of time consuming police work crammed into just one night?