Charley Edwards a young butcher's boy, had finished delivering the packages of meat that his boss Thomas Jones had sent him out with, he went back to the shop handed in the bike to Thomas and walked home. When he hadn't turned up the next morning Thomas was worried out of all his workers Charley was the most reliable. Thomas walked into Leman Street Police Station that morning to report Charley as missing. He stood waiting as the sergeant issued the beats to the various constables.
"Right, sir, sorry to keep you waiting."
"I want to report a missing boy," Thomas said.
"What's the boy's name?"
"Charley Edwards, he's my delivery boy."
"Has he ever done this before?"
"No, Sergeant, Charley is the most reliable of my workers."
Detective Sergeant Benet Drake overheard all of this and approached the desk.
"Sergeant Artherton, I'll take care of this. Please come this way, Mr ..."
"Thomas Jones, I own the butcher's shop just down the street."
Benet stuck his head in Edmund Reid's office.
"Edmund, this is Mr Jones he's just reported his delivery boy missing."
Edmund rose and came out.
"A boy's body was found this morning. What time was he supposed to be at work?"
"He was usually in for five in the morning unless his mother was taken ill. He's all she's got him and some good neighbors."
"You'll need to formally identify the body."
Edmund led the way to the room Homer Jackson used as a morgue.
"Homer, the boy that was brought in?"
"Over here," Homer folded the sheet down from the head. "I should warn you it isn't a pretty sight," Thomas moved closer, he nodded.
"It's Charley. God knows what I will tell his mother."
"We will do all we can to find the ones who killed him," Thomas nodded.
"Thank you, Inspector Reid."
Thomas shook them by the hand and left the station. He walked back to his shop, the workers looked up hopefully.
"I have bad news, the police found Charley's body this morning. He was murdered. Edward, you're in charge for the rest of the day. I'm going to see Charley's mother, is Mrs Jones upstairs?"
"Yes, please tell Mrs Edwards how sorry we are, Guv," Thomas nodded and went upstairs.
"Did you find Charley Thomas?" Thomas nodded dejectedly.
"Charley's dead he was murdered."
"Dear God, his poor mother, we ought to go to see her," Meg Jones said.
They left together taking a hackney carriage to Wormwood Street.
Back in the Leman Street Police Station, Homer Jackson was talking with Edmund Reid.
"All these delivery boys that have been killed there has got to be a connection somewhere," Edmund said.
"Well, the boy lived long enough to tell us something he said that the man had an American accent and the description fits a wanted poster I once saw in Dodge City, Kansas. The name on it was Ezekiel James," Homer said. "As I recall it Ezekiel James is rich enough to pay for passage to and from America."
"Yes, but wouldn't he be arrested if went back?"
"Not necessarily. He's only wanted in Dodge City and only for beating up a boy, that boy lived. Any warrant they have has to be actioned by the territorial Marshal. He's called Matt Dillon, a good man, saved mine and Susan's lives once."
"Benet, check all shipping see if they have an Ezekiel James on the manifest as a passenger or crew?"
"Right!"
Benet left to go to the shipping offices, he tried the White Star Line first and struck lucky, the Teutonic had just sailed and Ezekiel James was listed as a passenger all of which he reported to Edmund.
"Well, there we have it he's gone back to America, I'm going to have to talk to Abberline about this do we get the Pinkertons to bring him back or go ourselves," Edmund said.
He rose and left to go to White Hall Place.
"Inspector Edmund Reid to see Chief Inspector Abberline," Edmund said at the desk.
"Inspector Reid, please come into my office."
Edmund followed Abberline in and sat in a chair in front of Abberline's desk.
"You have a lead on the murders of those five delivery boys?"
"Six, sir, there was another boy found this morning. He lived long enough to furnish a description. A man with an American accent around thirty years dark hair and moustache. Jackson recalled a wanted poster he saw in Dodge City, Kansas that exactly fitted the description under the name Ezekiel James, this man has now sailed on the Teutonic. Jackson said if we need to know more we should speak to Marshal Matt Dillon, in Dodge City. I needed to know if you would advise us getting the Pinkerton's involved or ..."
"No, we don't need them to be involved yet. We can get them involved when we find out more. Get a warrant issued from the Old Bailey and extradition papers drawn up, take them with you, we'll see if this Marshal Dillon is as good as Jackson says. At best it will take you two months to at worst three to get there and back. Take your sergeant with you. I'll get someone to look after Leman Street temporarily until you return. Ask Dillon if he'd like to see him in prison for beating a boy or hung for murdering six."
A fortnight later they were on the Teutonic as she made her second voyage to America. The irony of the fact that they were going on the same ship that Ezekiel James had sailed on didn't escape them.