CHAPTER 21
Tintin and Haddock arrived in the harbor of Antwerp just a bit past after noon. More clouds were moving in and the winds began to pick up a little. The harbor was full of activity. Merchant ships were importing and exporting goods, while men in transfer trucks were busy loading and unloading cargo on the docks. People were shouting at one another from the ships, the cranes, and the trucks while others were busy tending their boots on the piers.
"We need to find a taxi soon captain" Tintin said noticing rain clouds.
"Where's Hans when you need him" Haddock said remembering their last driver.
"Well we won't find a taxi by just standing around on the docks, we may as well start looking" Tintin said looking around.
"Well landlubber let's march!" Haddock prompted him as they began making their way walking into town with Snowy and Cocoa following. They walked several blocks without seeing a taxi.
"Heck with it! We may as well walk the rest of the way" Haddock said with frustration.
"There's a taxi ahead!" Tintin noticed.
Haddock and Tintin rushed toward the taxi but a big woman and a tall man reached it first.
"Crumbs!" Tintin pouted.
"Maybe they are going the same route?" Haddock mentioned as they arrived.
"Excuse me sir and madam, but do you mind if we share the taxi?" Tintin asked politely.
The woman had a minx scarf wrapped around her neck while she was carrying a toy poodle. The man wore a sports jacket and had a long snobbish looking face.
"I don't think there will be any room" the man replied.
"Fifi needs her space!" the big woman huffed.
Haddock examined the size of the taxi. It was not small, as a matter of fact, it was bigger than normal and there would have been room for Tintin in the back and Haddock could have sat up front.
"Boulderdash! You can make room for us!" Haddock said annoyed.
"I'm really sorry sir, but my wife and her poodle need their space" the man decided.
"Thank you Wilfred! Hmph!" the woman stuck her nose up.
The driver judged the space in his car, "Yea, there's enough room, you two can get in too" the driver disagreed with the snobby couple.
The little poodle began growling at them and quickly Snowy and Cocoa made their presence known as Fifi quickly became quiet.
"Oh look, those two stray dogs have upset Fifi!" the woman complained.
Snowy and Cocoa began growling.
"I'm sorry mam, but those two 'stray' dogs belong to us!" Tintin replied sarcastically.
"Who cares…" the woman shook her head.
"Sir, I will pay you double the fare if you only allow us to ride" the snobby man replied.
The driver looked at the wad of cash the man began taking out of his wallet.
"I'm sorry sir, I'm in it to make money…" the driver looked apologetically to Tintin and Haddock.
"Blisterin' Barnacles! I'll pay you triple!" Haddock grunted.
The snobby couple looked at Haddock in surprise, "I'll pay you four times the amount!" the snobby man replied.
The driver looked helplessly at Haddock once more.
"Again, I'm sorry, I cannot turn down such an offer mister" the driver frowned looking at Haddock.
"Some people have no consideration for others!" Tintin gave the two a disgruntled look.
"Fine! You take that overstuffed elephant and long necked giraffe and get them away from us! Don't forget their ugly little squeak box!" Haddock blast out the driver. The couple gave an outraged look as they got in the car.
"Come on Tintin let's go!" Haddock shouted storming off down the block as Tintin and their dogs followed.
Thirty minutes later they finally arrived back at the pub they had been a few days ago not far from Chester's flat.
The pub was fairly empty with only a couple of patrons drinking around the bar.
"You!" a young man said rushing up to them with a serious look on his face.
Haddock and Tintin looked a bit startled at first as they took a seat at the bar while Snowy and Cocoa sat underneath them.
"You're Caleb?" Tintin asked.
"Yes! We've been trying to reach you and Captain Chester…I called his sister's house but she said all of you had already gone" he said anxiously.
"What's wrong lad?" Haddock asked with concern.
"A man with a gaunt face with a black bandana and a man with a long nose and face wearing a black first mate's hat came in talking about following Captain Chester. They also had two American sailors and a higher ranking US officer with them" Caleb expounded.
Haddock and Tintin immediately became concerned about their friends.
"Did you hear what their names were?" Tintin asked as the description sounded familiar.
"Gaspar…and…" Caleb rubbed his head thinking.
"That was Captain Chester's old first mate, he was the one who tried to abduct Enzo thinking it was me" Tintin nodded.
Haddock almost impatiently was waiting for Caleb to come up with another name almost sure he thought he knew who else may have been involved.
"The other man's name started with an 'A' I believe…" Caleb said trying to remember.
"Allan!" Haddock and Tintin exclaimed at the same time.
"Thunderin' Typhoons! What's that turncoat up to?!" Haddock exclaimed.
"Hopefully Mary Ann and Alyssa were able to get in touch with Chester and Enzo and make them aware they may be following them too" Tintin shook his head.
"I think Chester can hold his own… we'd best not waste much more time and see what the professor wants so we can get back over there" Haddock agreed.
"They may be waiting for us back near Marlinspike" Tintin guessed.
Tintin took out his wallet and found Hanz number. "Caleb, can you call this cab driver for us, we need to get to the train station quickly" Tintin asked.
"Sure" he said taking the card.
"I hope nothing happens between now and then…" Tintin covered his mouth.
"You and me both lad!" Haddock agreed.
"Please be careful when you leave" the woman behind the bar advised.
"Thanks madam" Tintin smiled.
The bartender poured them both a mug of ale and she put her hands up. "Don't worry, just be careful and make sure you warn Captain Chester" she mentioned.
"We'll do our best" Tintin nodded.
"Thank you!" Haddock and Tintin nodded graciously as Caleb brought Tintin back his card a moment later.
"He said he will be here in fifteen minutes" Caleb nodded.
"We appreciate your kindness" Haddock acknowledged him.
Haddock took a long drink as Tintin slowly raised the mug to his lips while Haddock watched him take a nice healthy gulp. Haddock took one more gulp smiling always happy to see Tintin drink with him which was a rare occurrence.
XXXXXXXXXX
The ride to London was only an hour, but an hour too long for Chester as once the 'perfume man' began flooding the compartment with his scent. The perfume smelled like a combination between leather and a strong mint which overwhelmed the senses. Enzo kept his hands over his nose trying to filter out the smell while Chester was trying to figure out if he was doing it on purpose. He could no longer handle how strong the smell was and opened the window. He hadn't had the window open more than a minute until the snobby man began complaining.
"Sir, could you please not leave the window open, I do believe I'm feeling a chill!" he said putting on a pair of gloves.
Chester sat down and ignored him as Enzo only watched quietly.
"I beg your pardon SIR, but I did believe I said I have a chill!" he spoke a little louder.
"Youre p-" Enzo started to answer but Chester waved motioning for Enzo to remain silent.
"Well!?" the man's voice began to crescendo.
"I HEARD you the first time sir" Chester replied calmly.
"Well if you don't mind, close the bloody window!" he demanded.
"Well if you don't mind, stop putting on your smelly perfume! Quite frankly sir it's making us sick!" Chester retorted.
"Well I'm sorry if personal hygiene is important to me!" he said insultingly.
Enzo watched gradually how Captain Chester's face begun to change from a light color to a scarlet red. He wondered how long Chester could keep up such a diplomatic facade with such an offensive man. Chester took a deep breath.
"Perfume does not help personal hygiene sir; it merely masks the fact that you probably have a body odor problem!" Chester nodded.
"Aren't you the presumptuous one? Had it ever occurred to you that maybe I'm using the perfume to mask YOUR odor?" He shot back.
Enzo thought this was it, Chester was going to let him have it but Chester only laughed.
"Listen you stiffa uppa lippa… if you don't learn to use the proper manners your mummy taught you then I'll be more than glad to teach you a lesson right now" Chester warned calmly as his face was betraying his diplomatic façade.
"Don't threaten me! Do you know who I am?!" he glared back.
"No, nor do I really give a shrimp's scampi, so I'm going to give you one last chance to put a sock in it" Chester smiled patronizingly.
"I'll have you know that—" he pointed and in a flash Chester had him by his coat pressed hard back against his seat.
"I warned you, do you have anything else to say?" he whispered quietly with his fist ready.
The train was slowing down and the man looked at Chester with contempt and fear.
"Police! Police! Help!" the man shouted.
"That's what I thought, all of you rich folk are all full of hot air, now be gone with you!" Chester said throwing him down on his seat.
"Grab your belongings Enzo, I do believe we are getting off now" Chester said calmly as the man continued to shriek. Chester led Enzo to the opposite side of the train. They finally stopped as a conductor and some others finally went to the crying man's assistance.
"That's our cue to get moving" Chester prompted Enzo as they leaped off on to the platform.
"We won't get in trouble will we captain?" Enzo asked rushing after him.
"No, there were no witnesses, they ask us, we simply deny it" Chester said leading him into the train terminal.
The train station was full of people coming and going and there was a line near the ticket booths.
"Perfect!" Chester rubbed his forehead.
The line was moving fairly fast thankfully as Enzo kept looking behind them expecting station police accompanied with that rich man but instead saw two of the most unlikely characters he had ever seen. Two men wearing black suits with canes and bowler hats came shuffling behind them in line going back and forth about something. Their odd expressions and big noses with black mustaches gave them each a quirky identical look.
"Don't you have the paper?!" one man tried to question quietly.
"I thought you had it Thompson" the other replied.
"Didn't I leave it on the table for you after breakfast Thomson?" the other man stroked his mustache.
"You picked up before I had the chance to get it" Thompson remembered.
"That's right, then I handed it to out on the way out the door" Thomson reminded.
Thompson took out his wallet and began looking in it and fortunately found the paper.
"Oh! Why, it's here in my wallet?" Thompson smiled foolishly.
Enzo couldn't help but to watch and be entertained by this hapless duo.
"Enzo" Chester put a hand on the young man's shoulder signaling for him to turn around and mind his business.
"Yes captain" Enzo did as Chester wanted.
"I hate going to that side of London" Thomson complained a moment later.
"Yes, nothing but ruffians and brutes" Thompson agreed.
"I just hope Tintin and Captain Haddock make it home safe" Thomson nodded.
At the mention of Tintin and Haddock, both Chester and Enzo involuntarily turned around.
"What about Tintin and Haddock?" Chester almost demanded regarding the pair suspiciously.
"Oops…" Thomson covered his mouth holding his cane.
"Who are they?" Thompson pretended throwing his hands up.
"The two you just mentioned" Chester said cocking an eyebrow.
"Well who are you?" Thomson demanded.
"You tell me who you are and I'll tell you who I am" Chester looked said putting his hands on his hips pointing.
"Captain" Enzo said gently tugging at Chester's arm.
"Not now Enzo I'm busy…" he said absently eying Thompson and Thomson.
"But captain it's our turn!" Enzo tugged at him again.
Chester turned around to the man in the ticket booth waiting impatiently.
"Sorry, two tickets to Glasgow please" Chester replied with a flustered face handing the money to the vendor. The ticket vendor only rolled his eyes cutting two tickets handing them to Chester.
"The platform number is on the ticket, don't be late!" the vendor warned as Chester moved over as the two detectives bought a couple of train passes.
When they finished purchasing their passes the walked the opposite way, but Chester didn't let them off the hook that easy and followed them as Enzo kept up behind him.
"You really don't know who we are do you?" Thompson asked smiling coyly.
"I wouldn't be asking you if I did now would I?" Chester retorted.
"I suppose not…" Thomson said furrowing his eyebrow.
"We are the Thom(p)sons detectives…no relation" the answered in unison quietly as they turned to face Chester.
"Oh!" Chester began to finally recall a bit of what Tintin had told him.
"You're Tintin's boss!" Chester figured it out.
"Shhhh!" Thompson scolded.
"Don't even mention his or the captain's name" Thomson continued Thompson's thought.
"Why?" Enzo asked purposely.
"We can't tell!" Thompson stated.
"Classified information!" Thomson finished.
"Classified you say?" Chester whispered. "You mean about 'The-All-Seeing-Eye'?" Chester whispered mysteriously to them grabbing both of their attention.
"What do YOU know about that?" Thomson said pointing his cane at Chester suspiciously.
"Come here you two" Chester motioned for the two detectives to get close as he began whispering that Haddock and Tintin were in England but wouldn't say anymore.
"How do you know so much?" Thompson asked curiously.
"Because, Haddock came to me first for help…Haddock and I go back…a LONG time" Chester continued speaking in a hushed tone as they were huddled together.
"Whew!" both detectives sighed in relief.
"Let's walk over to a corner where no one can hear us" Chester suggested leading them to a fairly empty platform.
"So why are you two here?" Chester asked finally.
"Here investigating four murders" Thompson answered flatly.
"Let me guess, it has something to do with that cult" Chester guessed correct.
"Precisely, we are here to investigate" Thomson nodded.
"I hope the two of you have someone helping you" Chester said assessing their worth in a sticky situation.
"Yes, as a matter of fact there is another agent INTERPOL has called upon that should be arriving here by train soon whose been following them" Thompson smiled.
"That's a relief" Chester smiled back, Enzo disappeared for a moment back in the main area of the train station.
"Thank you Captain Chester, I think I actually do remember you now" Thomson said trying to think.
"Yea, Captain Haddock spoke of you on a couple occasions… and we remember coming by almost five years ago at Marlinspike" Thompson recalled as well.
"Yea, and you were so drunk!" Thomson rubbed in.
"I know… I don't remember what happened a couple of the nights I was there" Chester nodded shamelessly.
"It's alright, every now and then you need to enjoy yourself" Thompson laughed.
"Indeed, or enjoy someone else!" Thomson tapped his cane on the ground.
"You two are entertaining, I'm sure Tintin never has a dull moment" Chester sighed with a grin.
Enzo came rushing back, "Captain! That rich snobby man has a couple police officers with him looking for us!"
"What's that?" Thomson regarded Enzo curiously.
"I had a run in with some rich man who thought he could get away with being not only cheeky, disrespectful to the hilt with insults!" Chester paused. "So I shook him up a little to make him quiet" Chester finished.
The detectives looked around and could see three officers and a rich well-dressed man carrying on to the police as if some major injustice had taken place.
"Where's your train?" Thompson asked.
"A couple platforms behind them it looks" Chester said glancing at his tickets and the platform numbers.
"Leave this to us, thanks for the information, consider this our thanks!" Thomson nodded as they walked out towards the police and the irate rich man.
"That's our cue to board our train" Chester nudged Enzo as they tried to slip by but the rich man saw them pointing at them frantically shouting, "There they are! The ruffians, I want those men arrested!"
"No! No! No! You're mistaken sir, we know them and you're lying…" was all Chester and Enzo heard the detectives say as they quickly walked past them as the cops regarded them suspiciously. Chester and Enzo boarded their train and quickly hid in one of the train seating rooms.
"Hopefully no one else makes you mad captain" Enzo laughed.
"Don't you make me mad!" Chester joked as he pinched Enzo's cheek one time.
"My aunts do that ugh!" Enzo laughed back rubbing his cheek afterwards.
Less than ten minutes later the last call was announced to board the train. A few more people got on as a young couple shared seating with them and at last, the train whistle blew and slowly it began to depart. Chester and Enzo took one more glance out the window and there were no signs of pursuit as they both sat back smiling.
"What's so funny captain?" Enzo began noticing the lasting smirk on his face.
"Oh yes that… the rich don't always get what they want, do they?" Chester asked rhetorically as Enzo laughed hysterically.