Doctor Who_ Last of the Gaderene - Mark Gatiss [61]
Disappointed, he turned back to Trickett. ‘Is he ready?’
Trickett nodded and got to his feet. As if on cue, a man strode out from behind the black curtains of the Legion International display, looking splendid in his police inspector’s uniform.
Darnell watched as a little girl ran past and cannoned straight into the inspector. The newcomer’s face flushed with fury and he raised a gloved hand as though to strike her. Then his face softened, he glanced around and patted the girl’s head affectionately.
The inspector took the steps up to the podium two at a time, extending his hand. Darnell grasped it and was surprised by the strength of his grip.
‘Good afternoon, Vicar!’ the newcomer enthused. ‘I’m Inspector Le Maitre. How nice of you to invite me.’
The Vicar nodded. ‘Well, when Constable Trickett told me we had a Scotland Yard man in the area I thought you’d be perfect to officially open our little celebration.’
Darnell failed to mention that the person he’d originally asked, an actress most famous these days for advertising
‘Sparkly Suds’ washing-up liquid, had cancelled at the last moment.
The guest of honour nodded. ‘Only too happy, my dear fellow. It does me good to get back in touch with people. One must never lose sight of community relations, even when one is a chief inspector!’
Darnell laughed. What a charming man.
He drew the inspector to one side. ‘Are you up here on a case?’ he asked in a conspiratorial whisper. The Vicar was a big fan of crime novels and never let an opportunity for grisly gossip slip.
The inspector smiled. ‘Let’s just say I’m helping some people with their inquiries.’
Darnell frowned and then burst into a high-pitched laugh.
‘Oh! Oh, very good.’
The Doctor sat down in the passenger seat of the UNIT jeep and pulled a pad of paper from his cloak. Rapidly, he sketched the wind tunnel he had visited the previous night and the strange, chimney-like extension into which the unfortunate Legion International trooper had been sucked. He held up the L-shaped diagram for the Brigadier to see.
‘Make anything of that, Brigadier?’ he asked.
Lethbridge-Stewart, who was midway through a radio conversation, shook his head.
‘What is it?’
‘Bliss’s wind tunnel,’ murmured the Doctor. ‘But why the vertical section?’
He continued to stare at the drawing, tapping a pencil against his chin.
The Brigadier concluded his radio call and replaced the R/T set under his seat. ‘I’m afraid I’ve had to send Yates and Benton back to base pending further developments.’
The Doctor frowned. ‘The men from the ministry again?’
The Brigadier nodded. ‘We’re to keep a low profile.’
‘Oh I don’t know,’ smiled the Doctor. ‘You could have got your troops to join in with the fête. Rerun a few battles or something. I’m sure the people of Culverton would be fascinated by a simulation of –’
He stopped suddenly.
‘What is it?’ queried the Brigadier.
The Doctor pointed ahead with his pencil. ‘Just a thought.
Let’s get back to the aerodrome. I’ve one or two theories I’d like to try out.’
The Master turned to a microphone which had been set up on the platform and tapped it.
He gazed out over the packed green and watched as the Doctor and the Brigadier, oblivious to his presence, drove off towards the aerodrome.
‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he announced in a clear.
authoritative voice which echoed through the village. Almost at once, the crowd settled down and listened.
‘Ladies and gentlemen. I’m very honoured to have been asked to open the Culverton village fête. I’m sure it will be splendid. And you’re all obviously enjoying yourselves very much. I’m only sorry that the lady from the washing-up advertisements couldn’t be here...’
Darnell looked up in shock.
‘...but I promise that, in spite of this, we’ll all have good clean fun!’ concluded the Master.
There was a ripple of laughter and applause.
The Master’s amplified tones settled like a blanket over the whole of Culverton. ‘I declare this fête well and truly open!’
He turned from the microphone and then swung back. ‘Oh and,