Page 42 (1/2)

THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME

Genevieve Dieudonne,&039; Beauregard introduced her, &039;Colonel Sebastian Moran, foralore Pioneers, author of Heavy Gareatest scoundrels unhanged&039;

The new-born in the coach was an angry-looking brute, unco fiercely When warm, he must have had the ruddy tan of an &039;Injah hand&039;, but now he looked like a viper, poison sacs bulging under his chin

Moran grunted soeard hesitated, then stepped back to allow her to go first He was being clever, she realised If the Colonel meant harm, he would keep an eye on the man he considered a threat The new-born would not believe her four and a half centuries stronger than he If it came to it, she could tear hiard took the seat next to her Moran tapped the roof and the cab moved off With the motion, the black-hooded bundle next to the Colonel nodded forwards, and had to be straightened up and leaned back

&039;A friend?&039; Beauregard asked

Moran snorted Inside the bundle was a man, either dead or insensible &039;What would you say if I told you this was the veritable Jack the Ripper?&039;

&039;I suppose I&039;d have to take you seriously I understand you only hunt the s under his whiskers &039;Huntin&039; hunters It&039;s the only sport worth talkin&039; about&039;

&039;They say Quatermain and Roxton are better than you with a rifle, and the Russian who uses the Tartaris the best of all&039;

The Colonel brushed away the comparisons &039;They&039;re all war back the clumsy bundle &039;We&039;re on our own in this huntin&039; trip,&039; he said &039;The rest of the Ring aren&039;t in it&039;

Beauregard considered

&039;It&039;s been nearly a month since the last matter,&039; the Colonel said &039;Saucy Jack&039;s finished Probably cut his throat on one of his own knives But that&039;s not enough for us, is it? If business is to get back to the usual, Jack has to be seen to be finished&039;

They were near the river The Thames was a sharp, foul undertaste All the filth of the city wound up in the river, and was dissee froascar

Moran got a grip on the black winding sheet and wrenched it away from a pale, bloodied face

&039;Druitt,&039; Genevieve said

&039;Montague John Druitt, I believe,&039; the Colonel said &039;A colleague of yours, with very singular nocturnal habits&039;

This was not right Druitt&039;s left eye opened in a rind of blood He had been badly beaten

&039;The police considered hiard said - a surprise to Genevieve - &039;but he was ruled out&039;

&039;He had easy access,&039; Moran said &039;Toynbee Hall is almost dead centre of the pattern made by the murder sites He fits the popular picture, a crackpot toff with bizarre delusions Nobody - beggin&039; your pardon, ma&039;am - really believes an educated ars out of Christian kindness And nobody is goin&039; to object to Druitt takin&039; the blahter of a handful of harlots He&039;s not exactly royalty, is he? He don&039;t even have an alibi for any of the killings&039;

&039;You evidently have close friends at the Yard?&039;

Moran flashed his feral grin again &039;So, do I extend ratulations to you and your ladyfriend?&039; the Colonel asked &039;Have you caught Jack the Ripper?&039;

Beauregard took a long pause and thought Genevieve was confused, realising howto talk, but his broken mouth couldn&039;t frame words The coach was thick with the smell of slick blood and her own

&039;No,&039; Beauregard said &039;Druitt will not fit He plays cricket&039;

&039;So does another blackguard I could name That don&039;t prevent him from bein&039; a filthy s after the second and fourth and fifth murders, Druitt was on the field After the "double event", he made a half-century and took tickets I hardly think he could haveand killing woinnin&039; to sound like that rotten detective they sent to Devil&039;s Dyke All clues and evidence and deductions Druitt here is coht, fillin&039; his pockets with stones and takin&039; a swim in the Thames I dare say the body&039;ll have been bashed about a bit before he&039;s found But before he does the deed, he&039;ll leave behind a confession And his handwritin&039; is goin&039; to look deuced like those bloody crank letters&039;

Moran made Druitt&039;s head nod

&039;It won&039;t wash, Colonel What if the real Ripper starts killing again?&039;

&039;Harlots die, Beauregard It happens often We found one Ripper, we can always find another&039;

&039;Let ent? The police considered him for a moment or two Sir William Gull, the Queen&039;s physician? Dr Barnardo? Prince Albert Victor? Walter Sickert? A Portuguese seaman? It&039;s a simple matter to put a scalpel into someone&039;s hand and &039;

&039;I didn&039;t take you for such a fastidious sort, Beauregard You don&039;t mind servin&039; vampires, or - &039; a sharp nod at Genevieve &039; - consortin&039; with them You may be warm but you&039;re chillin&039; by the hour Your conscience lets you serve the Prince Consort&039;

&039;I serve the Queen, Moran&039;