Free Assault on England by Nick Carter Page B

belonged to a guest," the man said. "Or to one of the many conventioneers who meet here."
    "Yes," I said heavily. "Well, thanks just the same."
    Outside, Heather said, "I think we'd better bring Brutus up to date."
    "All right," I said. "Maybe he can offer some ideas on our emblem." We hailed a cab and went directly to Brutus's office.
    When we got there, after marching briskly through the long corridor with the uniformed security guards, we found Brutus poring over old police records. He thought there might still be some chance that the assassin was a convicted felon with a grudge against the Establishment. I showed him the scrap of paper, but he shook his head.
    "I can't make anything of it," he said. "I can make copies though and show it around the department. Maybe somebody will recognize it."
    "That might be worthwhile, sir," I said.
    "We've checked out this janitor chap you saw leaving the Secretary's office," Brutus told me. "Nobody can identify a person of that description working in the building."
    "That figures," I said.
    "He's probably our killer," Heather said. "You were close enough to grab him, Nick."
    "Don't remind me," I said glumly.
    "Don't blame yourself, lad," Brutus said, lighting his pipe. "If it weren't for you, we'd have nothing."
    "We may still have nothing," I said. "If it's of any use to you, I have a hazy memory of seeing blond hair under the dark, as if the man might have been wearing a wig."
    Brutus made a note on a slip of paper. "Probably the mustache was false too."
    "Probably. I know I thought so when I saw it."
    Brutus rose from his desk and moved around it, sucking at his pipe. He looked very tired, as if he hadn't slept in days.
    "At the moment," he said, "despite the clues, we're a long way from solving the assassination plot. The third note found at the scene tells us nothing more about our man. Or men."
    "If the assassin had accomplices," Heather said, "he seems to make sparing use of them."
    "Yes, the killings certainly appear to have been accomplished by the same man — although they could give that appearance if directed by one man. At any rate, the Prime Minister has confided to me that he is arranging for payment of the sum demanded."
    "Fourteen million
pounds?"
Heather asked.
    "Precisely. We discussed the possibility of tricking our man somehow, loading the plane with phoney money or the like. But there seems little opportunity, the way he has it worked out. The PM will be going to the banks tomorrow for the funds."
    I stroked my chin, "I wonder, sir, if money is what this man really wants."
    "What do you mean?" Brutus asked.
    "He may think he wants the money, on a conscious level," I said, slowly, "but on another level — a more primitive one, a darker one — he may only want to kill."
    Brutus sucked his pipe and studied my face. "Yes, I get your meaning. But be that as it may, we must assume that payment of the sum demanded will stop the killings, mustn't we?"
    "Yes, sir, I suppose so," I said.
    "Right. Well, you two can get some rest now. Keep after that scrap of paper though — there might be something there."
    Heather rose from her usual perch on Brutus's desk and I got up from my chair.
    "There's one other thing, sir," I said.
    "Yes?"
    "Hawk told me Augie Fergus had served in the commandos. I think we should get a list of the men in Augie's outfit."
    Brutus frowned. "That could be quite a list."
    "I'd restrict it to the men in his immediate company. There might be a lead in it."
    "Right, Nick," Brutus said. "I'll get on it. Anything else?"
    "Just a few hours sleep," I said, grinning.
    "I promise not to bother either of you for the rest of the day," he said. "Get yourselves a good meal and some rest."
    "Thanks," I said.
    Heather and I had dinner at a quiet little restaurant, and then she invited me to her flat for a drink before I returned to my SOE-paid hotel room. I had a bourbon and she took sherry. We sat on a long sofa sipping the drinks.
    "I wish I could remember