The Tiger In the Smoke by Margery Allingham Page B

of accountants, looking for loopholes in the law, or he could gamble on the exchange. For two years and six months he was one of the biggest gamblers on this side of the Atlantic. He quadrupled his fortune. Then he stopped.’
    Mr Campion’s pale face showed no astonishment. ‘I’d heard that, but I’d also heard that his name was excellent.’
    â€˜It is.’ Oates was vehement. ‘I’m saying nothing against him. He’s done nothing illegal and nothing reprehensible. Gambling is the only thing they don’t call you to account for these days. It’s not like working; you can be penalized for that. Gambling is respectable. I have two bob on the pools myself every week. I’ve got to think of my old age. My pension won’t keep me. I only say that boy Levett is not unadventurous. He’s not a man who doesn’t take risks. For over two years he took risks all the time, and once you’re used to taking risks you’re used to ’em. The drawbridge is down. You’re not impregnable any more.’
    Charlie Luke had begun to fidget. The muscles on his back showed through his jacket as he strode restlessly down the little room.
    â€˜Duds wasn’t alone,’ he said. ‘He was terrified on the station and he was terrified in here. And he wasn’t frightened of me and he wasn’t frightened of Levett. He couldn’t have been working
for
Levett, as I had thought at one time, because in that case he wouldn’t have had to have the office address written down for him. Levett must have given him that in the pub. The envelope was new. It only went through the post last night.’
    â€˜That is why I slipped along.’ The Assistant Commissioner felt in his pocket. ‘Seen any Express Messages tonight, Charles?’
    Luke pulled up sharply, his forehead wrinkling. ‘No, sir, can’t say I have. I’ve been on this business since I came back tonight.’
    Oates waved his hand. ‘Don’t excite yourself, my boy. Quite probably it hasn’t come in yet. Very occasionally they tell me an item first. By some oversight, of course.’ He was dourly amused. ‘We’re wonderfully highly mechanized at Central Office these days, Campion. Teleprinters, radar, coloured lights everywhere. It’s only when we get a power cut that the whole blessed police system is liable to go out of action. Well, I put on my hat and came down here myself because a convict called Havoc has made a getaway from the Scrubs.’
    Luke drew a deep sigh and his smile became contented.
    â€˜Havoc. That was the man who was cased with Duds. They did the hold-up together. So that’s it. I wondered when we were going to see a little daylight.’
    Oates did not respond. He had taken two blue slips of paper from his pocket and was busy comparing them. He looked indescribably mournful, his spectacles crooked on his sharp nose.
    â€˜It’s very unsatisfactory,’ he said at last. ‘Your people picked up Duds Morrison’s body at six forty-two, I see, but at six forty-five Jack Havoc was only just making his break half across London. He was killing another friend of his, as a matter of fact – at least I assume he’s dead. The report which I saw just before I came out said “sinking”.’
    Charlie Luke became uncharacteristically annoyed. He stood jingling the coins in his pockets, his dark face lowering.
    â€˜These perishing crooks, who do they think they are all of a sudden?’
    â€˜Gods,’ said Oates calmly. ‘Splendid and superior beings, with winged heels and thunderbolts in each hand. Yet you’d think that any old bit of looking-glass, let alone a long period of prison food, would cure any man of a delusion of that sort. But it never does. You know that as well as I do, Charles. But what you don’t know is why I’ve come traipsing down here, splashing the beautiful motor-car with