Anno Dracula - Kim Newman [104]
‘Gentlemen,’ said Ruthven, quietly. ‘This is not under discussion.’
The Home Secretary and the Commissioner slumped, each glaring at the other.
‘Warren,’ Ruthven addressed himself to Sir Charles, ‘you are best placed to give an account of the position of the police force. Do so.’
Godalming listened intently. He might find out what this was about.
Sir Charles consulted his notebook like an ordinary constable in court, and cleared his throat. ‘At about midnight, an incident took place in St James’s Park...’
‘... within a few hundred yards of the Palace!’ Matthews put in.
‘... Indeed, in the immediate environs of Buckingham Palace, although at no time were the Royal Family endangered. An officer of the Carpathian Guard was escorting a group of insurrectionists arrested earlier, during the riots.’
‘Dangerous criminals!’ Iorga blustered.
‘That is conjecture. Reports vary. Inspector Mackenzie, a witness, describes the prisoners as “a group of frightened young women”.’
Iorga grunted.
‘A band of men cornered the officer, Ezzelin von Klatka, and destroyed him. In a particularly revolting manner.’
‘How, exactly?’ Godalming put in, intrigued.
‘They stuck a stick of dynamite into his heart and set it off,’ Ruthven said. ‘An innovation, at least.’
‘It was a fine pretty mess,’ Sir Charles said.
‘As our American cousins might have it, that’s the Carpathian Guard all over,’ Ruthven remarked.
Iorga’s head was on the point of exploding, angry red swelling around his eyes. ‘Captain von Klatka died bravely,’ he snarled, ‘a hero.’
‘Come, come, Iorga,’ Ruthven said. ‘A little levity is always welcome.’
‘What of the culprits?’ Carew asked.
‘Men in masks,’ Matthews said. ‘A cross of St George was left by the body. Obviously, Sir Charles’s previous reports on the disorganisation of the Christian Crusade have been sorely in error.’
‘Some see this as retaliation for the attack on John Jago,’ Ruthven explained. ‘Someone has painted thin red crosses all over the city.’
‘Mackenzie says the murderer of von Klatka was a vampire,’ Sir Charles said.
‘Absurd,’ Matthews shouted. ‘You all cling together, you policemen. You cover your mistakes with lies.’
‘Hold fire, Matthews,’ Sir Charles responded. ‘I merely repeat the claim of an observant man at the scene. For myself, I agree with you. It is unlikely that any vampire should wish harm to the Carpathian Guard. That would be practically the same as lifting a hand against our beloved Prince Consort.’
‘Yes,’ Ruthven said. ‘It would, wouldn’t it?’
‘What’s been done?’ Carew said, his habitual angry look turning to black-faced fury.
Sir Charles sighed. ‘I have issued orders for the arrest of the Crusade ringleaders still at liberty after this afternoon’s disturbances.’
‘Their heads should be on poles by sunrise.’
‘General Iorga, we operate under the rule of law. We must first establish the guilt of the felons.’
Iorga waved the irrelevance away. ‘Punish them all and let God decide who is guilty.’
Sir Charles continued. ‘We know the churches and chapels where Jago’s followers gather. All are being raided. In one night, we shall put an end to the Christian Crusade.’
Ruthven thanked the Commissioner. ‘Excellent, Warren. I am myself arranging for the Archbishop to condemn the crusaders as heretics. They will no longer have even the notional support of the Church.’
‘There must be further reprisals,’ Iorga insisted. ‘To stop the rot of rebellion. For von Klatka, a hundred must die.’
Ruthven considered the matter, before he took charge again. ‘We now come to our larger purpose. Even without this fresh outrage I should have convened this meeting within a few nights. This is not an isolated incident. It has not been released to the public, but a week ago an assassin tossed a bomb at Sir Francis Varney during an official visit to Lahore. It failed to explode, but the villain escaped into the crowds. Also, there was this morning an organised mutiny in Devil’s Dyke. That has been suppressed but