>>6010943(picture unrelated as always)
Grant Arms. Co (5EC)
By prearrangement we meet Constable Beadle behind the Grant Arms Company in the alley parallel to Leonard Street.
"I noticed a strange lump up the alley. I knew right off that something was amiss-- my instinct for the out-of-place, you might say. Watch your step there! The cobbling hereabouts is in a bad way. Many a jagged edge just made for tripping a man."
We have strolled 30 feet or so from the bsae of a stairway that leads to the offices of Grant Arms to arrive at the juncture of a "T" formed with another alley that leads to Old Street.
"It was right here, and sad to say, it was not a lump at all. Now the victim was lying on his back, the force of the bullet having thrown him backwards. The briefcase was lying right beside the body, waist-high. The wallet was lying a few feet away. The victim's overcoat was thrown open and his pocketwatch was missing, but part of the chain was still attached to the vest. He was quite dead but there was still some warmth in his bare hands, so I couldn't have missed the blighter by much.
"Now, I figure the perpetrator must have hid in that shed just up this second alley. When the victim approached, he jumped out and fired point-blank. As you can see, it's but five feet from the shed to where the body lay."
We thank Constable Beadle for his time and trouble. He goes back on patrol, but we linger a moment at the scene. From the shed Wiggins calls to us.
"Seems both Scotland Yard and our 'perpetrator' have been quite careless."
His open palm reveals the remains of a cigarette. On it are the letters 'B & H' in gold leaf. The tip end is pinched evenly all around.
Beaming, Wiggins suggests that we adjourn to the offices of the Grant Arms Company to interview Allen's private secretary.
(cont.)
