Doctor Who_ The Last Dodo - Jacqueline Rayner [25]
Rix ignored the question. ‘So there you are!’ he said. ‘Sneaking off without a word, we didn’t have a clue what was going on!’
‘Well, we are private investigators,’ Martha told him. ‘Emphasis on the “private”, you know? Where’s Tommy?’
This time he answered. ‘He’s gone back to round up the others. We did what we could here –’ He gestured around him, and Martha tried hard not to look at the corner that she was now sure contained the skinned corpse of the quagga – ‘but he thought we needed help. Thought that the others should see what had happened. I stayed on guard.’
‘And you just let him go!’
Rix frowned. ‘What are you talking about? It’s not my business to “let” him do anything. One, he’s my boss, and two, why should I want to stop him?’
‘Because he’s the kidnapping stealing murderer!’ Martha blurted out, although the Doctor’s exasperated look told her this may not have been the best approach.
The Earther jumped to his feet, then slowly sat down again. ‘I don’t believe it,’ he said dazedly, shaking his head. ‘Not Tommy. You must be wrong. Not Tommy.’
‘Not Tommy what?’ said a cheery voice from behind them. The Doctor and Martha turned round. There was Tommy himself, with the other four Earthers ranged behind him: Vanni and Nadya, Frank and Celia.
Rix stood up again and stumbled towards his partner, arms outstretched. ‘Tell me it’s not true, Tom, please.’
‘Tell you what’s not true?’
He pointed at Martha. ‘She says it’s you that’s done all this.’
It looked like Tommy’s knees started to give way beneath him; he stumbled backwards and Nadya grabbed his arm to stop him falling. ‘Of course I didn’t do this,’ he said hoarsely, his cheeky grin vanishing completely.
Celia had run over to the still‐unconscious rhinoceros and was kneeling beside the great beast, paying no attention to the drama going on elsewhere. ‘Oh, the poor thing,’ she was saying, stroking its hide. ‘We collected him, Frank and I. We collected him. Oh, the poor thing. Frank, look.’
Frank looked half dazed and gave a loud sniff, as if trying to hold back tears. ‘Yeah, right, the poor thing,’ he echoed.
Rix and Nadya had taken up positions on either side of Tommy. ‘I don’t believe for a second that Tommy had anything to do with the disappearances,’ said Nadya, addressing Martha. ‘Tell me what proof you have.’
Slowly, reluctantly, Martha drew the dinosaur‐print handkerchief from her pocket and held it up. ‘This was found at the scene of the crime.’
There was a silence. A puzzled silence.
Then Vanni said, ‘I don’t understand. What does that prove?’
Martha frowned, glancing down at the handkerchief then back at the group in front of her. ‘It’s Tommy’s,’ she said. ‘We saw him use an identical one earlier. And you have to admit it’s fairly distinctive.’
But even Tommy himself seemed to have relaxed. ‘But we all have those!’ he cried. ‘They come from the museum gift shop! Eve gave us all one for Christmas.’
‘Cheapskate that she is,’ muttered Nadya.
‘And I still have mine!’ Tommy continued. ‘You saw it!’
Triumphantly, he pulled the cotton square from his pocket.
Martha relaxed too. Tommy wasn’t the criminal! She had liked him; she was glad. She turned to the Doctor, smiling. ‘Not Tommy!’ she said.
‘But someone else…’ he pointed out. He looked at Rix, at Nadya, at Vanni, at Frank. He looked at Celia, still nursing the rhino, which seemed to be beginning to stir under her ministrations.
‘Oh yes,’ said Martha. ‘That’s true. Er, we could ask them all to turn out their pockets? You know, for hankies?’
‘Oh, I don’t think there’s any need for that,’ said the Doctor. ‘I think it’s fairly obvious who’s missing one, don’t you? Only a person who had mislaid their hankie earlier in the day would sniff as much as you, Frank!’ He threw out an arm dramatically, pointing an accusatory finger at the stocky Earther.
Who drew a gun out of his pocket.
‘I don’t believe it! I was right!’ said the Doctor, backing away. ‘Frank. Frankie,