Read Dark Side of the Street - Simon Vaughn 01 (v5) for Free Online Page B

days."
    The door closed behind her and Chavasse locked it. Nothing to do now except wait for them to come for him. He placed the automatic to hand on the locker by the window, lit a cigarette and lay down on the bed.
    It was not more than twenty minutes later that he heard sounds of faint movement on the landing outside. There was a timid knock on the door and Mrs. Clegg, the landlady, called, "Are you in, Mr. Drummond?"
    "What do you want?" he said.
    "There's a letter for you. Came while you were out."
    "Just a minute."
    He took a deep breath and unlocked the door. It smashed into him instantly and he was carried back across the bed which collapsed under the combined weight of four very large policemen.
    He put up a semblance of a struggle, but a moment later handcuffs were snapped around his wrists and he was hauled to his feet. A large amiable looking man in a fawn gaberdine raincoat and battered Homburg paused in the doorway to light a cigarette, then moved in.
    "All right, son, where's the loot?"
    "Why don't you take a running jump?" Chavasse told him.
    "Careful--you'll be making sounds like a man next."
    There was a pounding on the stairs and a young constable entered the run. "We found it, inspector," he said, struggling for breath. "Back of an old Ford van in the yard."
    The inspector turned to Chavasse and sighed. "Forty-five thousand quid and what bloody good has it done you?"
    "I'll let you know," Chavasse said. "I'll have to think about it."
    "You'll have plenty of time for that--about seven years or I miss my guess." He nodded to the constables. "Go on, get him out of here."
    Chavasse grinned impudently. "See you in court, inspector."
    He was still laughing as they took him downstairs.

3
    Maximum Security
    The governor of Fridaythrope Gaol put down his pen and switched on the desk lamp. It was just after eight with darkness drawing in fast and he went to the window and watched the last light of day touch the rim of the hills across the valley with fire before night fell.
    There was a firm knock on the door and as he turned, Atkinson, the Principal Officer, entered, a large buff envelope in one hand.
    "Sorry to bother you, sir, but the new man is here--Drummond. You said you wanted to see him personally."
    The governor nodded and moved back to his desk. "So I did. Is he outside?"
    Atkinson nodded. "That's right, sir."
    "What's he like?"
    Atkinson shrugged. "A gentleman gone nasty if you follow me." He opened the envelope and placed the documents it contained in front of the governor. "You'll remember the case, sir. It was in all the papers at the time. Forty-five thousand and he almost got away with it."
    "Didn't someone inform on him?"
    "That's right, sir--an anonymous tip to the Yard, but he was going to seed long before that. He was a Captain in the Royal Engineers--cashiered for embezzlement seven or eight years ago. Since then he's been knocking around South America getting up to God knows what."
    The Governor nodded. "Not a very pretty picture! Still--a man of some intelligence. I'm thinking of putting him in with Youngblood."
    Atkinson was unable to conceal his surprise. "Might I ask why, sir?"
    The governor leaned back in his chair. "Frankly, I'm worried about Youngblood--have been ever since he had that stroke. Sooner or later he'll have another--they always do--and he'll need specialised medical treatment very, very quickly. Can you imagine what would happen if he had such an attack in the middle of the night and died on us!"
    "That's hardly likely, sir. He's checked every hour."
    "A lot could happen in an hour. On the other hand, if someone was there all the time." He shook his head. "I'm certain a cell mate is the best answer from our point of view and this chap Drummond should do very nicely. Let's have a look at him."
    The Principal Officer opened the door and stood to one side. "All right, lad," he barked. "Look lively now. Stand on the mat and give your name and number."
    The prisoner moved into