Introducing The Toff by John Creasey Page B

this morning.’
    Garrotty grinned.
    ‘That so? Good hearing, Drag. How many of the dicks got theirs?’
    ‘One more died, in hospital,’ said Dragoli. ‘Three were dead last night. Harry’s dead too.’
    ‘Sure. That won’t make me keep awake at nights’ grunted Garrotty. ‘The squirt was scared all through.’
    Dragoli laughed, showing his yellow teeth.
    ‘Of the Toff,’ he said. ‘But remember this, Garrotty. We have made it impossible to work in the open much now. The police are different over here from what they are in your country, and they won’t take kindly to the death of three detectives.’
    There was a swagger’in Garrotty’s manner as he went towards a radiogram in a corner of the big room.
    ‘That so? They ain’t so dumb in Noo York State, Mister, an’ I reckon I saw the way to get past ‘em. I’m not worryin’.’
    ‘Excellent,’ said Dragoli smoothly. ‘Well, our next big task, Garrotty, is Colliss.’
    Garrotty swung round from the radio.
    ‘Dat guy, huh! What’s on him?’
    ‘A great deal. Colliss is home from Stamboul, as I told you before – last night’s interruption. He has been investigating the Black Circle for the police over there, and he is to contact with Scotland Yard. He is first, of course, going to his country house. It is believed that he visited Turkey solely as an archaeologist. The English police are showing some imagination, my friend, for they are realizing the importance of the Black Circle.’ He laughed, as though at some secret joke. ‘But there are leakages of information at Scotland Yard –’
    ‘Sure, graft,’ grunted Garrotty. ‘You can’t tell a Noo Yorker about dat, Drag.’
    ‘It is more difficult in England,’ said Dragoli. ‘The information came somewhat reluctantly, and the price paid was considerable. But this afternoon I had information that Colliss can give the police some unpleasant facts. Facts that might prevent us from earning that large sum of money.’
    Garrotty’s eyes glittered more viciously than ever.
    ‘Where’s de guy?’
    Dragoli laughed, well satisfied.
    ‘That is what I wanted to hear. Colliss, as it happens, Jives near Winchester. On this road. I want you to take two of your men and get rid of him. Here is a photograph.’
    Dragoli took a wallet from his pocket, slipped a postcard photograph from it, and handed it to Garrotty. The gangster stared at the photograph of a thick-set man whose large mouth and chin seemed out of proportion to the rest of his face.
    ‘I got him.’ Garrotty passed the photograph back. ‘I’ll put him out for ten, an’ more, Boss. When do I start?’
    ‘The police are visiting him the day after tomorrow, at ten o’clock in the morning. Tomorrow night is the best opportunity, Garrotty.’
    ‘O.K. I’ll fix it.’ Garrotty grinned, wiped his forehead with a dirty handkerchief, and at last switched on the radio. It was just after nine o’clock, and he scowled when he heard the end of the weather report.
    ‘Keep it there!’ Dragoli snapped as the gangster was about to turn the dial to a more amusing subject. Garrotty scowled but obeyed. The measured voice of the B.B.C. announcer came over the wires, and Garrotty’s hands tightened, while Dragoli let the paper fall from his grasp.
    ‘We regret to announce,’ said the radio dispassionately, ‘yet another death as a result of last night’s East End explosion following a battle between police and gangsters. At half past seven this evening the Hon. Richard Rollison succumbed to his wounds. The revelation of his great part in the fight against crime was a surprise to his many friends in London. Mr. Rollison was born in nineteen . . .’
    Dragoli and Garrotty heard nothing more. They stared at each other, expressionlessly at first, and then Garrotty began to laugh.
    The laugh echoed horribly about the room, far worse when Dragoli joined in.

 
10:   MR. REGINALD COLLISS
    The Toff, in a sitting position and with bandages round his