The Toff and the Stolen Tresses by John Creasey

behind him.’
    â€˜What’s this story that you’ve kidnapped his wife?’ Grice interrupted.
    Rollison came nearer to making an admission of a felony than he had ever done in his life: Grice had never caught him so deftly on the wrong leg. He took a few seconds to answer, and Grice went on gruffly: ‘Let’s have the truth.’
    â€˜Don’t tell me that Tiny’s lodged a complaint with the police,’ said Rollison, and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.
    â€˜A complaint was lodged.’
    â€˜Well, well,’ said Rollison meekly, ‘I didn’t think he would have it in him. She came of her own free will, Bill.’ When Grice didn’t answer, he went on: ‘And I think I can produce satisfactory evidence of that.’
    â€˜Jolly, I suppose.’
    â€˜Jolly.’
    â€˜Rolly,’ said Grice, suddenly very earnest, ‘I know that I practically asked you to see what you could find out about Wallis and Clay, but I didn’t expect you to go racing about the East End like a maniac, and as for making Wallis’s wife go off with you—it’s absolutely crazy. Apart from the possibility of a charge of abduction, you’re asking for serious trouble. After this, Wallis will be—’
    â€˜Cross, I suppose,’ interpolated Rollison mildly. ‘On the abduction matter Bill, see my solicitor.’ He drew his hand across his forehead again. ‘Did you find out anything about the hooligans who cut off Leah Sampson’s hair?’
    â€˜Not a thing,’ said Grice. The Division handled it, we kept out as you seemed so anxious that we should. Everyone named has an alibi.’
    â€˜I’m told there’s a plague of hair-shearing in London,’ Rollison observed.
    â€˜There’s a lot more than usual, but we always have some,’ Grice said. ‘Why were you anxious we shouldn’t make too much fuss over Leah’s?’
    â€˜The coincidence was remarkable. I called on Donny, and while I was there young Leah came rushing in, so shorn that she’ll have to wear a wig for several weeks. I wondered if it was to show me how little Wallis cares.’
    â€˜Could be,’ conceded Grice, very slowly. ‘How well do you know Donny?’
    â€˜I’m not sure.’
    â€˜Did you know that he’s become one of the biggest land-owners in his part of London?’
    Rollison said blankly: ‘Fact?’
    â€˜Positive fact. He began by buying up the small shops he had rented for years, then buying up other shops—all barbers’—and in the past year or two he’s bought up shops of all kinds. He’s a really big land-owner.’
    â€˜Kindly landlord?’ inquired Rollison, as if hopefully.
    â€˜We’ve never heard anything different,’ Grice said, ‘but it’s a trend I don’t much like.’
    â€˜How’d he get the money to go into the estate business?’
    â€˜He did it by extending his shops, setting the expenses against taxation, and keeping strictly within the law,’ Grice answered. ‘No doubt about that. He works mostly with his own family, although he has a fairly big staff outside the family.’
    â€˜The hairdressers’ millionaire.’
    â€˜Wealthy, anyhow,’ Grice conceded. ‘What made you go to see him?’
    â€˜I was told that he’d put Wallis and Clay on to a job.’
    â€˜Did you tell him that to his face?’
    â€˜Yes, and he didn’t deny it.’ Rollison waited, but Grice had nothing to say, so Rollison went on: ‘You’ll lay that car on, won’t you?’
    â€˜I just scribbled a note and the order’s gone out on the other telephone,’ Grice said. ‘And listen—if Wallis presses his charge, we can’t stall him. At the moment I’m told that he looks as if a steam-hammer hit him.’
    â€˜Oh, no,’ said Rollison, ‘just a little fist