Rapscallion Read Online Free Page A

investigation already. I am not anxious to dispatch a third man to
investigate the death and disappearance of the first two."
    Everything
became clear. Hawkwood stared at James Read. "You want Bow Street to take
over the investigation?"
    "That is
the Home Secretary's wish, yes."
    "What makes
him think we can succeed where the navy has failed?"
    Read placed his
hands behind his back. "The Home Secretary feels that, while the Admiralty
is perfectly capable of assigning officers to the field, there are certain
advantages in utilizing non-naval personnel, particularly in what one might
consider to be investigations of a clandestine nature."
    "Clandestine?"
    "There are
avenues open to this office that are not available to
other - how shall I put it? - more conventional, less
flexible departments of government. Would you not agree, Captain Ludd?"
    "I'm sure
you'd know more about that, sir," Ludd said tactfully.
    "Indeed."
The Chief Magistrate fixed Hawkwood with a speculative eye.
     An itch
began to develop along the back of Hawkwood's neck. It wasn't a pleasant
sensation.
    "I refer to
the art of subterfuge, Hawkwood; the ability to blend into the background -
most useful when dealing with the criminal classes, as you have so ably demonstrated on a number of occasions."
    Hawkwood waited
for the axe to fall.
    "Captain
Ludd and I have discussed the matter. Based on our discussion, I believe you're
the officer best suited to the task."
    "And what
task would that be, sir . .. exactly ?"
    James
Read smiled grimly. "We're sending you to the hulks."
    The Chief
Magistrate's expression was stern. "We've got prisoners of war spread
right around the country, from Somerset to Edinburgh. Fortunately for us, the
new prison in Maidstone is ideally situated for our purposes. It's been used as
a holding pen for prisoners prior to their transfer to the Medway and Thames
hulks. You'll begin your sentence there. From Maidstone you'll be transported
to the prison ship Rapacious. She's lying off Sheerness. Better you arrive on the
hulk within a consignment of prisoners rather than alone. There's no reason to
suppose anyone will question your credentials, but it should give you an
opportunity to form liaisons with some of your fellow internees before
embarkation."
    It was
interesting, Hawkwood mused, that the Chief Magistrate had used the word sentence rather than assignment. Perhaps it had been a slip of
the tongue. Then again, he thought, maybe not.
    "Your
mission is several fold," Read said. "Firstly, you are to investigate
how these escapes have been achieved -"
    "You mean
you don't know ?" Hawkwood cut in, staring at Ludd.
    Ludd shifted
uncomfortably. "We know Rapacious has lost four prisoners in
the past six weeks. The trouble is , we don't know the
exact time the losses took place. We can assume the other prisoners concealed
the escapes from the ship's crew, possibly by manipulating the roll count.
Without knowing the precise times of the escapes we haven't been able to pin
down how they were achieved, whether it was a spur-of-the-moment thing based on
a lapse in our procedures or if the escapes were planned and executed over a
period of time. All we know is that Rapacious is
missing four men. What makes it more interesting is that there have been
similar losses from some of the other Medway-based ships. We're also missing a
couple who broke their paroles."
    "How many
in total?" Hawkwood asked.
    "Ten
unaccounted for."
    "Over how
long a period?"
    "Two
months," Ludd said.
    "As I was
saying ..." James Read spoke into the pregnant silence which followed
Ludd's admission. "You are also to determine whether the escapers have
received outside assistance. Captain Ludd is of the opinion that they
have."
    "Based on
what?" Hawkwood said.
    "Based on
the fact that we haven't managed to track any of the buggers down," Ludd
said.
    "Explain."
    Ludd sighed.
"Escapes are nothing new. Some are spontaneous; the sudden recognition of
an opportunity presenting itself: