The Toff and the Kidnapped Child Read Online Free Page A

she felt a spasm of real alarm. If Caroline were ill – her thoughts darted to polio; to an accident; to appendicitis. She hurried to the lift. “Get the number for me, Jim, will you?” she asked, and thought she heard the bell ringing in her room when she reached the door; but it was in an adjoining room. She did not take off her hat but stripped off her gloves and stared at the window and then at the telephone, every thought of Rollison and his effect on her driven away by these tidings of obvious alarm. “Oh, for heaven’s sake!” she began, and then the bell rang, and she picked up the receiver.
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3
NIGHT JOURNEY
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    Rollison was getting out of his chair to go to bed when his telephone rang, at a minute or two before midnight. He stepped to his desk quickly, not wanting the bell to disturb Jolly, who did not look at all well; unless he was greatly improved in the morning, he must see a doctor. Rollison thought of Eve Kane, but did not expect this to be her; she hadn’t been gone much more than half an hour, after she had told him all – well, most – of her unhappy story. Since she had left, he had been thinking more about her than the story; she was a woman who left a deep impression.
    â€œRichard Rollison speaking.”
    â€œMr Rollison—” Eve Kane said, and then paused, as if she had caught her breath. Her voice was quite unmistakable; so was her agitation. “I’m sorry to worry you again, especially so late, but I’ve just heard that Caroline has—” There was another pause. Then a single word seemed to be wrung out of her: “Disappeared.”
    She had talked a great deal about Caroline, and Hapley — a very expensive and fashionable school which catered especially for girls whose parents were often out of the country, many of them living abroad; and which also catered for girls from the Continent, here to put polish on to their English, and to learn English customs. Mrs Kane had enthused on how happy Caroline was at this school, how well she was doing, how desperately anxious her mother was to conceal the estrangement from her.
    Rollison said: “Tell me exactly what happened,” but before he started, changed his mind. “You’d better tell me on the way to the school, that’ll save time.”
    â€œYou’ll come?”
    â€œOf course,” Rollison said. “I think you’d better get here as soon as you can, and we’ll drive down in my car.”
    â€œThank you,” Eve Kane said, chokily. “I can’t—”
    â€œDon’t try,” Rollison said. “Just hurry.” He put down the receiver, and stood by it for a moment, trying to understand his own emotions; for his heart was beating faster than usual, and that was not because the case was exciting itself, nor because he was really worried about a schoolgirl he had never seen. He glanced at the Trophy Wall, caught a glimpse of his reflection in a small mirror which had once been used by a murderer, now dead, and went towards his bedroom. There was a light under Jolly’s door. He opened this, and saw Jolly sitting up in bed, pale, and with dark patches under his eyes. By Jolly’s side was a telephone, and undoubtedly he had listened in. “Did you hear that?” Rollison inquired.
    â€œYes, sir.”
    â€œI don’t know when I’ll be back,” Rollison said, “but I want you to get one of Bill Ebbutt’s men to stand in for you, and you must see Dr Welling first thing in the morning.”
    â€œI will, sir.”
    â€œFine,” said Rollison. “Now sit back, and try to sleep.”
    â€œThe usual overnight case is packed, sir, except for the toilet bag.”
    â€œFine,” Rollison said again. “Good night.”
    â€œGood night, sir. And good luck.”
    Rollison stepped into his own room, found the overnight case with slippers, a change of shoes, pyjamas, a clean