Murder on the Brighton Express by Edward Marston Page A

at Scotland Yard?’
    ‘No,’ said Colbeck, tickled by the suggestion. ‘By inclinationand training, you’re clearly far more suited to the Church – though I’m bound to observe that there are very few clergymen who’d share your tolerant view of people’s peccadilloes. Any other gentleman of the cloth would be scandalised by the relationship you discerned between Mr Giddens and Miss Perriam.’
    ‘God has punished them enough for their sins,’ said Follis. ‘I don’t feel they deserve the additional penalty of my disapproval. Given their condition, they’ll get nothing but sympathy from me.’
    Colbeck could not imagine that view being expressed by any other churchman. It would certainly not be endorsed by Edward Tallis, a man of high ideals and a stern moral code. In his report to the superintendent, Colbeck would make no mention of the liaison between a respected, married banker and an attractive young woman. The more he got to know Ezra Follis, the more interesting and unusual the man became. Colbeck was about to ask a question when the rector read his mind.
    ‘The honest answer is that there have been occasional moments of friction,’ he said, blithely ‘That’s what you wanted to know, isn’t it? You were wondering about my relationship with my bishop.’
    Colbeck blinked. ‘How did you know I was going to ask that?’
    ‘It’s what most people think when they hear some of my rather eccentric opinions. They marvel why I’ve not been rapped over the knuckles and forced to toe the line.’
    ‘The Anglican church has many restraints.’
    ‘And I willingly abide by most of them,’ said Follis. ‘But I reserve the right to conduct my ministry according to my ownpromptings. I’m more concerned about the response of my parishioners than the strictures of the bishop or the dean. As long as I can preach to a congregation, I’ll continue to do so in my own way.’ He took a sip of tea. ‘Now, tell me, Inspector – what progress have you made?’
    ‘We’re still in the early stages of the investigation,’ said Colbeck, ‘but I have every confidence that we’ll catch the person or persons responsible for the crash. It’s only a question of time.’
    ‘That’s reassuring to hear.’
    ‘We already have some suspects in mind.’
    ‘It must be someone with a fierce hatred of trains.’
    ‘You could well be right,’ said Colbeck, unwilling to give any more information. ‘Even after all this time, railways are still not universally accepted. Whoever caused that crash wanted to inflict serious damage on the LB&SCR. He knew how calamitous the consequences would be.’
    ‘Journeys to London have been badly disrupted,’ remarked Follis, ‘and that’s a nuisance to those of us who go there on a regular basis. Not that I’ll be doing any travelling for a while,’ he went on. ‘I’ll have to wait until I begin to look more human.’
    Colbeck sampled the tea. ‘This is excellent,’ he said.
    ‘Mrs Ashmore looks after me very well. Here in the rectory, I have everything a man could desire – peace, harmony, a selection of fine books and the loving care of a woman.’ He set his cup and saucer down. ‘In view of your well-deserved reputation, Inspector, I’ve every reason to accept your judgement but I have to point out that your view is not shared by everyone. All of the passengers still believe they were victims of an unfortunate accident.’
    ‘Until we catch the perpetrator, I’m happy for them to think that. There’s no need to spread alarm, especially when the survivors are hardly in the best condition to cope with it. No,’ said Colbeck, ‘the official view remains that of the inspector general.’
    ‘He puts the blame on the driver of the Brighton Express.’
    ‘That’s both wrong and unjust.’
    ‘Is he aware that you hold a very different opinion?’
    ‘Oh, yes,’ replied Colbeck. ‘Captain Ridgeon and I have already clashed once. I daresay that we shall do so again