Part 5 (1/2)
She paused for effect, placing her hands on her hips and thrusting out her chest theatrically
”I' to catch the Slasher!”
This orse than I feared
”You are?” I queried, knowing full well I wouldn't like the answer toto do that?”
Hettie perched herself onsmile
”That's where you come in”
My headache suddenly felt a lot worse
I knew from the moment I met Hettie Stead that she would be the death ofto plan I'd used my contacts to sell reased enough palossip columns full I was happy, filedaway my pay packet at the weekend An easy life, that's all I wanted
Chasing violent h moonlit backstreets had never been part of the deal
So why did I findjust that? Oh, yes Hettie
My quarry tore down the lane, heavy boots pounding against the pavelanced over his broad shoulder was not a handsoed whiskers erupting from a nose that had been broken one too ue would be the last thing onto do with hi another poor soul to death I was sure it was only the element of surprise that had prompted him to flee in the first place If he had taken the time to evaluate his pursuer, he'd soon have realised that I was no threat
And yet Hettie had used that tone I never see people to do what they were told
”Get after hi as Broken Nose darted left, barrelling down the alley that ran along the back of Birstall Road Even if I weren't still suffering fro, my body wasn't built for this kind of punishht of telling Hettie I'd let hi than the thought of wrestling this chap to the floor
Thankfully, for once the universe seemed to smile down upon me As Broken Nose reached the end of the road my salvation strode into view A police the junction ahead God bless London's bluebottles
Broken Nose spotted the newco where to run Unfortunately, his indecision was so sudden that I didn't have tied intoto the pavement myself A boot set away,at my face The sudden burst of pain stunned me for a second, but my part in his arrest had been played Broken Nose had been well and truly nabbed by the long arm of the law
”Cal even as he slammed Broken Nose into a brick wall ”What's all this about?”
”I've done nothing wrong, guv,” the villain growled, struggling against the officer's grip I knew differently
”He's lying, constable,” I wheezed, dragginga man back on Greenfield Road There were three of the into the chap”
”We?”
”Me and my friend, Hettie”
”And where is this Hettie, sir?”
”Back with the victiirl's voice Hettie's voice
No! I should never have left her alone
”Hettie!”
The plan had been predictably foolhardy The Slasher had so far attacked eight woht The police had failed to apprehend any suspects and tensions were running high along the terraced streets of the area No one had been killed, but folk were understandably nervous about being on the streets at night
Not so Henrietta Stead She had decided to trap the Slasher by offering herself as bait A young wo beneath the lamppost on the corner of Roselyn Road, a treat no self-respecting, razor-blade-fingered maniac could resist
My job was to lie in wait, ready to pounce on the criminal as he struck Simple, if reckless, traits shared by most of Hettie's sche across a bunch of rogues kicking the living daylights out of a chap beneath the selfsa to the safety of the offices of The Exa any of it Her defiant yell had scattered themy friend alone with a badly beatenhad happened to her
Accompanied by the sound of police whistles I tore back down Birstall Road, turning into Greenfield, already fearing the worst
Then I saw Hettie, standing where I'd left her, the bodies still at her feet
Wait a minute Bodies? Plural?
”Hettie,” I wheezed as I ran to her side, ”what happened? I thought I heard you”
The second body-the new body-let out a groan
”George,” she gasped, turning toloose against her pale face, ”he grabbed lanced froure to theIt was obvious that we had been too late
”What did you do?” I asked, pulling her into the gaslight to check for any razor-marks Thankfully, while she looked a little dishevelled, my impetuous friend seemed unhurt
”Why, hit him with this of course” Hettie raised the velvet chatelaine bag that usually hung froht, flicked open the clasp
”Since when have you taken to carrying around half a brick in your purse?” I asked, not really wanting to know the answer
”Since I've been offering hter,” came the reply ”Do you think I'd put myself in peril without a ht I was your means to defend yourself?”
The look I received for that co on here?” said a gruff voice behind me I turned to see my fortuitous policeman from Seven Sisters Road, accompanied by a further two officers
”My friend was attacked,” I explained
”By the Deh in victory, ”who I have single-handedly ed to apprehend”