CHAPTER SEVEN

The Assistant Commissioner walked through the dirty streets of London to get to the office of a high-level government official. The great man's personal secretary greeted him as he entered.

"May I see him?" asked the Assistant Commissioner.

"Well, he's about to leave just now," answered the secretary.

"It's important. It has to do with the bombing in Greenwich Park."

"Really? He's quite upset with you and your men about that. Let me go ask if he has time to meet you."

Moments later, the secretary opened the door and gestured for him to enter the great man's office. When he did, he found the man standing in this very large room with his hat and gloves on the table next to him, as if ready to go out. He was a big man and his clothing looked as though it might tear open at any moment. He did not say "hello" to the Assistant Commissioner.

"I want to know if there are going to be many more bombings after this one," he said directly, "Just give me a direct answer. I haven't time to chat."

The Assistant Commissioner looked like a little child compared to the huge man.

"No," he answered, "I don't think so."

"Hm. I seem to remember you standing in this same room a month ago, telling me that it would be impossible for bombings to happen."

"That was not me, Sir Ethelred," corrected the Assistant Commissioner.

"Oh, yes. You're right. That was Inspector Heat. You were too new to have any useful information. So how are things for you over there?"

"Good, sir. I have come to tell you about something I just learned today about this case. It was not a common bombing. There is something strange about it."

He then told the great man everything that he knew. Sir Ethelred stood silently and listened. The Assistant Commissioner delivered his news with great skill and power. When he finished telling, Sir Ethelred spoke in a very serious voice.

"A foreign embassy? That is quite unusual. How dare these foreigners come into our country and cause such problems! Something must be done about this, immediately! What do you suggest?"

"I came to you today, because I think that this is a special case that needs to be dealt with in a quiet way."

"Quite right. Go on."

In my opinion, Inspector Heat should be removed from ... "

"Ah, yes. Heat! What a fool!"

"No, sir. I don't mean that at all. He's quite good at what he does. However, being a police officer for so long, he uses certain methods that I don't really agree with. For instance, he has been in contact with the person I just told you about for almost seven years. He told me so today. However, before today he had never told anyone else about this connection. I feel that this kind of information should be shared with the department, not kept hidden. One month ago, he promised you that there would be no revolutionary activity. And he was probably correct in telling you this; however, a bombing has now occurred. His way of doing things allows for great error, I'm afraid."

The great Sir Ethelred leaned back in thought, "Hmm. Indeed."

"What I'm asking, sir, is for your permission to allow me to investigate this case in my own way, without Inspector Heat. I would like to visit Mr Verloc myself and deal with him directly. I don't know exactly how he was involved in the bombing, but I'm sure that he knows something. The bomber was led to the park by another man and then left to finish the job on his own. We think that the dead man had no idea that he was holding a bomb. Maybe he was a foreigner who couldn't speak English, we're not exactly sure."

"Fine. Deal with the case in whatever way you feel is best."

"Thank you, sir. I shall begin tonight, then."

"Very good. Are you going to change your appearance so that people won't recognize you?" asked the great man.

"I'm going to change my clothes, sir. Nothing more."

"Hm. Come back here later this evening. You can tell me what you've discovered. I'm most curious. Of course, I won't have time, but I'll see you anyway. I'll tell Toodles that you'll be coming."

"Fine, sir."

Toodles was the name given to the great man's young personal secretary. The boy's family knew many important people and he believed that he would one day become an important person himself. However, for now, he would simply be known as Toodles, the pet of a great man.

Then the Assistant Commissioner left Sir Ethelred's office feeling quite happy with himself. Toodles asked him how the meeting went.

"Very well. Thank you for arranging it for me."

"I'm just surprised that he had the time to see you. He's so busy, you know. We stay here so late sometimes. Of course, it doesn't bother me at all. Do you think we're safe walking out in the streets? Do you think one of those revolutionists might throw a bomb at us?"

"I'm sure that it's safe. Don't worry."

Then a small bell rang in the great man's room.

"Oh. That's him," Toodles whispered, "I think he's ready to go."

And then he ran off to gather Sir Ethelred's coat. The Assistant Commissioner then headed directly to his own office.

When he arrived, he looked around carefully to see if Inspector Heat was still around. He found out from the guard that the Inspector had left around a half-an-hour before.

In his office, he was disappointed to see that the Inspector had taken the piece of cloth. There was no reason for him to think that the Inspector did not trust him. An important piece of evidence, like that cloth, should not be left sitting on a table. He fought back his anger at the Inspector and sent a note to his wife to politely cancel their plans to have dinner that evening with the lady who supported Michaelis.

He put on a small jacket and a casual hat and, after looking at himself in the mirror, went out into the streets. The road, the buildings, and the lights were all wet. He, in his casual clothing, was very much like all of the rest of the people on the street. No one would have guessed that he was the Assistant Commissioner of Police. Trying to keep himself unnoticed by anyone, he waited until the very last second, as a taxi was passing him, to jump aboard and tell the driver where to go.

'A few minutes later, he asked the driver to stop in front of a curtain store. Most of the shops on the street were closed for the evening. A hand came through the door and gave the driver some money, followed by the sound of the door on the other side opening and closing. The driver had never once seen who his customer was.

The Assistant Commissioner then entered a cheap, Italian restaurant. He had a quick dinner and as he was getting up to leave, he caught sight of himself in a mirror. He was surprised at how much he looked like a foreigner. He was happy with his appearance. It gave him the feeling of being very lonely and free. He looked about the room before exiting the building. Many of the customers looked like they ate there often. The food at this place not being real Italian food, he felt that these people were equally not really British. They had lost their nationality and even their personality somehow. And now, he too, had lost his. No one could possibly guess who he truly was.

Mr Verloc's street was just around the corner. The Assistant Commissioner stood in the shadows and took a good look at the area. It was normally a street full of shops, but now everything was closed for the evening, except for a fruit seller. People passed one another in the darkness and then disappeared forever. The excitement of adventure was within him. He felt very far away from his office with all of its boring paperwork. At times, he even felt like a criminal hiding in the darkness.

A light was on inside Mr Verloc's shop. The Assistant Commissioner then crossed the street and headed toward the building.

(end of section)