The Stratford Murder by Mike Hollow (best thriller novels of all time .TXT) 📗

‘You take an interest in the courts’ sentencing for cinema-breaking, do you?’ Jago interjected.

‘No, I don’t – but I do take an interest in what goes on in cinemas. I read about a case in the paper, that’s all,’ said Wilson. He turned back to Cradock. ‘Now look, I may be only a doorman, but I’m not stupid. I’ve got plans for my life. If Mr Conway can be a success, I reckon I can too. I’m as bright as he is, any day. Besides, I’m expecting to get my call-up papers soon, and if I come out of this war with a good record I’ll be able to be something more than a doorman. I wouldn’t chuck all that away for twenty quid.’

‘Can anyone confirm you were on the roof when you said you were?’ said Cradock.

‘No, of course not. We only have one fire watcher on duty at night, so I was on my own. You have to believe me, though – I’m not a crook.’

Jago decided it was time for him to take over.

‘All right, Mr Wilson,’ he said. ‘Thank you for that. There’s something else I’d like to ask you. When we were with you and Mr Conway yesterday, I understood from what he was saying that you’d worked previously at the Broadway Super and he gave you a job when it was bombed, like he did for Joan Lewis.’

‘That’s right, yes.’

‘So you knew Joan before she came to work here.’

‘Yes.’ Wilson was beginning to look irritated by this questioning. ‘Look,’ he continued, ‘so I knew her. So what?’

‘Just getting it clear in my own mind, Mr Wilson. I’d be interested to know what you thought of Joan – what kind of person was she?’

Wilson’s expression softened. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘she was just lovely. She was the kindest and gentlest person I’ve ever known.’

‘Did you ever have reason to believe there might be another side to her character?’

‘What are you trying to suggest?’

‘I’m just wondering. Sometimes when we get to know someone we find they’re not everything they seem.’

‘Well, that’s as may be with some people, but not with Joan. She was always really nice, the kind of girl any bloke would be proud to have on his arm. When I heard she’d married Richard, I thought he must be the luckiest man in town.’

‘Ah, so you knew Richard? Mr Lewis, that is?’

‘I used to. I hadn’t seen him for ages, but when Joan told me she was married and who her husband was, I realised that was the Richard I used to know.’

‘When was that?’

‘When we were boys. I got to know Richard when I joined the Boy Scouts – we were in the same patrol. I really liked it, but one day Richard said there was something new he’d found out about that was like Scouts but better. He said it had all the things I enjoyed, like the woodcraft and camping, but it wasn’t all bugles and drums and parades like the Scouts. Richard said he was going to join that instead and asked me if I’d like to go with him, so I did.’

‘What did you make of it?’

‘Oh, I liked it. The man who started it was called John Hargrave – he’d been in the army in the Great War, a stretcher-bearer at Gallipoli, and he said the trouble with the Boy Scouts was that it was run by old generals who wanted to train boys so they’d be ready to go in the army and kill people. So he’d set up something that was all about world peace and international brotherhood, that sort of thing. Not that that worked out, did it? It all seems a very long time ago. In those days, though, he was very persuasive. I heard him speak once, and he was amazing – inspiring, really. He said the only country we should belong to is the world, and the only loyalty we should have is to mankind.’

Wilson paused and gave a short, cynical laugh, as if his own words had struck him as amusing.

‘Anyway, this Hargrave, he was tall and handsome, very fit and athletic, and he had one of those strong faces – you know, perfect straight nose, square chin, the kind of face a leader should have.’

‘The sort of man who attracts a following, then?’

‘Oh, yes. I was only a lad when I joined, of course, so for me it was just a bit of fun, but some of the men had been through the war. Whenever there was any talk about the future, you could see they were sort of desperate to do something, anything they could, to make a better world, and White Fox – that’s what Hargrave called himself – he always seemed to be sure that’s what he was doing. I was in it because I liked the outdoor stuff, as I said, and the physical fitness, all that. But I thought making a new world was a good idea too – I didn’t want to grow up and get killed in another war like the last one.’

‘I don’t suppose anyone did.’

‘No. Of course, I don’t think it’s as simple as that now. Like I said, my call-up papers should be here any day and I’m ready to do my bit. When I went to register back in June I said I’d like to go into the RAF, but from what I’ve heard they don’t necessarily take much notice of what you prefer, so I’ll probably end up in the army. You never know your luck, though. I fancy flying – it’s probably the only chance I’ll ever get of going up in a plane.’

‘So this organisation you and Richard joined – what was it called?’

‘It was the Kibbo Kift. Funny name, isn’t it? They used to say it means “proof of great strength” or something like that, in some old dialect from Cheshire.’

‘Ah, yes, I remember hearing about it