Doctor Who_ Illegal Alien - Mike Tucker [32]
Mullen ran a hand across his forehead. He was sweating. Sometimes he wished he'd remained an ordinary copper. Never joined Special Branch.
This is all a bit beyond me, Doctor,' he said.
The Doctor smiled to himself. How many times in his travels had he heard those very words?
'It makes what I was going to ask you about seem...
trivial.' 'What's that then, Inspector? I'm all ears.
'Well... it's just this Lurker business. We're not really getting anywhere, and '
'Lurker business?'
'You know, Doctor. The one they're calling the Limehouse Lurker. He's been at it two months, now Killed at least six. Maybe more. It's difficult to tell with all these bombs falling. It's the Ripper all over again, and we're just as in the dark about this one...'
'Ah, yes. I think I saw something about it in McBride's newspaper.'
Mullen shuddered. 'He literally rips his victims apart in some kind of frenzy.'
'Two months, you say... Well that rules the Cybermen out. We know they only arrived the night before last. Besides, if there's one thing they're not, it's frenzied.'
Slapping the desk with both hands, the Doctor sprang to his feet once again. 'No, I'm afraid you're on your own with this one, Inspector. I've got far too much to worry about.'
For a moment his eyes strayed to the blackedout window; his thoughts to the besieged city beyond. 'I do hope Ace is all right. ..'
His reverie was interrupted by the ring of McBride's telephone. Time Lord and policeman looked at each other.
'Well, it won't be for me...' said the Doctor.
'Mullen,' the chief inspector barked, snatching the phone from its cradle. 'Yes... What...? Who...?'
The voice on the other end of the phone sounded high and agitated to the Doctor.
Anybody else? I see. I'll be right there.' Mullen slammed the phone back down. 'There's been an incident at the Peddler factory. A breakin of some kind. It seems our friend Cody McBride was involved.'
The Doctor looked sharply at Mullen. But I left Ace in his care! Come on!'
Mullen placed a hand on the Doctor's shoulder. 'There was no mention of her, Doctor. Lazonby's got the place nailed down tighter than a Scotsman's wallet.'
'Lazonby...' The Doctor was puzzled. 'Why would Military Intelligence be there?'
Mullen exhaled, short and heavy. 'If anybody asks, I didn't tell you this, Doctor. The wireless sets and gramophones are just a cover. Peddler has been doing highly classified research and development work for the military.
McBride's in a lot of trouble, Doctor. He's under armed guard on suspicion of treason, and I'm afraid if you turned up you'd cop it too. Lazonby would have you arrested on the spot perhaps even shot. I wouldn't put it past him. He even regards my presence at the factory as an interference.'
'Right now, Inspector, my only concern is for Ace.' The Doctor's face was creased with concentration. 'McBride isn't stupid. I think he's almost chivalrous, in a way. Surely he wouldn't drag her into that... Then again, this is Ace we're talking about. All right, Inspector, you go to the factory. Find out what you can.' His fists were clenched; his eyes once again seemed to stare through the folds of the blackout curtain. 'Oh, Ace...' He yanked open a drawer in McBride's desk. 'Now, Mr McBride, where would you have taken her?'
It was useless. Why didn't the man keep proper files? His drawers were full of creased correspondence, much of it bearing the postmark of the United States, much of it unread, the envelopes still sealed. His filing cabinet was full of clothes. Empty or halfempty bottles of whisky seemed to doze in every cranny of the dingy office. His big black address book was devoid of names or addresses, full of scribbled, disembodied telephone numbers and bulging with newspaper cuttings. Many were about the Lurker. Some, older, faded now, recorded past triumphs and disasters for the sleuth, snippets from the