Chapter Eight
Zorba and his four lieutenants each, apparently, had their own patrols; Zorba's was the smallest, and the most lucrative, but all of them were sufficiently wide-ranging as to cause logistical challenges for Jack. Added to this was the fact that, while Phryne could identify Zorba and both she and Jack would spot Tubs, only Nipper could reliably point out the other three. Then there was the question of their detention; at all costs, Jack wanted to make sure the miscreants could not communicate with one another.
The plan was therefore concocted that Mr Butler would take Nipper on a 'window-shopping' trip, trusting that the boy's disguise would be sufficiently convincing that he would not be spotted until it was too late. Sergeant Collins had a team of men in reserve, who would apprehend each of the criminals in turn as they were identified, and convey them to separate police stations.
Lin Soo happened to feel like going shopping too, and Miss Fisher gave the notion her blessing. They both trusted their menfolk to do their best to get the job done, but sometimes … well, a woman had to be prepared to Step In Front.
Jack had cause to be glad he'd taken a couple of men with him to apprehend Zorba. Whether it was a name or a nickname, the Mediterranean influence was strong, and the man himself equally so. It was only when presented with Miss Fisher's pearl-handled revolver, calmly held at close range to the centre of his forehead, that he could be sufficiently subdued to submit to handcuffs. The City Watch House in Russell Street readily took charge of a charge sheet that would, over the course of the coming weeks and as his victims became gradually less fearful, grow into a litany of felonies that made the Chief Commissioner – who'd had cause to doubt Chief Inspector Robinson's wisdom – sit back and congratulate himself firmly on a worthwhile job done well.
Apprehending Tubs was laughably easy; Miss Fisher took immense pleasure in tripping him up as he made after an escaping child, then rested a heel firmly on the base of his spine with an instruction not to move if he didn't want a Mary Jane in the Crown Jewels. The Inspector tried not to chuckle as he slapped on the darbies.
As he hauled Tubs to his feet, the man was shouting to anyone who would listen.
"You en't got nuthin' on me! I en't done nuthin'"
Jack smiled grimly, and turned to the lady in the natty jacket and cloche hat with jaunty feather.
"Any thoughts, Miss Fisher?"
"Oh, plenty, Chief Inspector," she said calmly, and stepped a little closer to Tubs, who hadn't enough sense to look wary.
"Two days ago," she informed him conversationally, "you spoiled my fun outside the theatre. And you ignored me.
… That was Rude.
Yesterday, you stole from me, and from some friends of mine who have a lot less than I do.
… That was Criminal.
Today, I have the opportunity to spit in your face …" she looked away for a moment, and worked her jaw. Then looked back. "But I prefer to pick on victims my own size. You'll wish you'd done the same – presently."
She turned on her heel. He yelped, and glancing down, she affected to notice that said heel was placed firmly on Tubs' foot.
"Oops," she remarked, not noticeably troubled.
Hugh, Tobias and Nipper swiftly agreed an M.O. which proved almost invincible. Tobias and Nipper strolled the streets, glancing in windows, discussing fashions and cricket scores (Nipper was a huge fan, and Mr Butler, no slouch on sporting matters, struggled to keep up). When the quarry was sighted, Nipper would go and ask Sergeant Collins, miraculously patrolling nearby, for the time. Collins produced his pocket watch, and Nipper would ask whether it was ten o'clock. Or four o' clock. Or whatever point of the clock the suspect happened to occupy. Collins would then agree, and ask if he hadn't previously seen Nipper wearing a tweed jacket, or black trousers; and Nipper would either confirm, or correct Hugh's assumption as to the target's clothing.
Everyone agreed afterwards that it was pure bad luck that Booth, the final suspect to be apprehended, had spotted Collins looking his way, and instinctively turned to run; and a happy chance that a young woman of Oriental appearance had stooped to tie her shoelace and caused Booth to slam into her side and sprawl on the paving stones.
(Mr Butler was very gentle in applying arnica and very thorough in applying congratulations that evening).
With the gracious permission of Miss Fisher, Kitchen Tea and Nursery Tea were cancelled that night, because there was to be A Party instead. Miss Elizabeth was overjoyed, especially when she discovered that her own personal Edward Bear was allowed to join in the festivities.
Between them, Mr Butler, Lin Soo, Mrs Collins and Mr B's newest pupil, Nipper, came up with a seemingly endless supply of food that could be held in one hand while the other supported a glass of champagne, or Edward Bear, depending on the age group of the party guest.
Nipper was having the time of his life. Having been turfed out of the family home when his junior siblings became so numerous that there wasn't space any more for a teenager who could conceivably look after himself, he'd almost forgotten what it was like for friends and food to be in the same place at the same time. In his recent experience, the two were mutually exclusive, except when someone had managed to keep tuppence back from Zorba to take to the pie shop.
He sliced, diced, poured, passed around and generally made himself indispensable; and as the evening went on, had to work harder and harder to find a smile.
Phryne knew why, and on a visit with Jack to the kitchen, ostensibly to check on supplies, expressed quiet concern.
"I can't let him go back to the street, Jack."
He squeezed her hand. "Of course not. He can stay in the tower room, can't he?"
She reflected that, although he'd fight the accusation tooth and nail, she'd changed the Inspector's views. He would be caring, and work hard to change Nipper's choices; but she was pretty sure he'd have stopped short of housing a vagrant before he'd been The Honourable Mr Fisher.
"If I might be so bold, Miss Fisher," Mr Butler interjected as he turned from the dresser with another plate of canapés, "I may have a solution to Nigel's problem."
"Yes, Mr B?"
"Do you recall Mr and Mrs Ralphs?"
"Ralphs …" she racked her brains, and then memory struck a chord. "Mrs Micklewright! How could I forget being shot at?"
"Indeed, Miss," said Mr Butler. "Since the murder of their butler and the arrest of their housekeeper, Mr and Mrs Ralphs have had neither the funds nor, it has to be said, the reputation among domestic staff to be able to employ a replacement of either. I believe, though, that things are looking a little better for them now – financially at least."
"I can well imagine," said Phryne dryly. "Not having to feed nine other mouths that they hadn't been aware of must have made a difference to the bank balance."
"Quite," agreed Mr B. "It occurs to me that Mrs Ralphs might appreciate the services of a partly-trained manservant, who would be prepared to accept a rather small salary in exchange for bed, board and training? I could even undertake to make sure that Nigel had the basics of a footman's responsibilities under his belt before going there, if it would help?"
"It would help enormously," declared Phryne. "Mr Butler, I've said it before and I'll say it again – you are an angel incarnate." She chuckled. "I will convince Mrs Ralphs of her need. Now all we have to do is persuade Nipper that he'll be quite safe in the house of a former murderer."
Nipper was, however, almost tearful in his delight at being offered a position. He had been quite sure that, once the case had been tried, he would be back on the street; and he'd rather come to like the whole clean-sheets, three-meals-a-day routine that obtained at 221B The Esplanade.
He thanked Mr Butler profusely. And Phryne. And Jack. And Soo. And Mr B again. He stopped short of thanking Elizabeth, but that was only because she'd already gone to bed.