The Limehouse Text

12

"What can you infer,” Barker asked me, “from the deaths of Luke Chow and Chambers?”

“Well, sir,” I said, “both men appeared to have arrived at the hang in good condition, so they must have been killed by whoever is after the book.”

“And yet-” Barker prompted.

“And yet the killer must have already had knowledge from the book, in order to kill them in that manner. So what did he need the book for?”

“Where did he get the knowledge in the first place?” Barker continued, ignoring my question.

“Perhaps he read it in the monastery. Perhaps he was a monk.”

“Not necessarily. I had the opportunity to examine the book the evening we first received it. There was a page missing, a very important page, I believe. If Luke Chow were going to attempt to sell the book to someone, he would have to give them a page from the text in order to prove its authenticity. Let us say Luke Chow came across the text in the archives and alerted someone willing to pay for it. It’s possible he let him in late one night and they decided to steal it. They had some sort of falling out, after the two monks were killed. Chow ran off with the book and hired himself aboard the Ajax bound for London. But the murderer discovered Chow’s destination, arrived on a faster ship, and was waiting for him.”

“That’s a long way to come just to get hold of a book. Why bother?”

“You have hit it squarely, Thomas. Why does he need the book? What is his purpose? Answer that and we’ll find our man.”

“Is it really true that he can kill someone just by touching him?”

“According to the text, it’s more than touching. It creates vibrations that disrupt energy in the body.”

“Are you going to keep the text?” I asked, then wished I hadn’t. Sometimes I speak without thinking, despite all the warnings the Reverend Spurgeon gives us about guarding one’s tongue.

“I’d sooner keep adders in our bathhouse.”

“But you do still have it,” I said after a pause.

“Now, lad, you heard me say that I do not have it.”

“I thought you were just putting off Scotland Yard. So I suppose Dr. Quong has it.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Then who has the book?”

“You’re starting to sound like Poole,” Barker said, leaning back in his chair. “Best not to ask, Thomas. If one doesn’t know, one cannot be forced to say under oath or torture. Get to work on those reports now. I am most anxious to read about the death of the mate from the Ajax. ”

I was just beginning my report, intent on getting every jot and tittle down just right, when in the outer office Jenkins gave a sudden cry.

“Sir!”

Before I even moved I heard the soft swipe of a pistol clearing leather. Barker raised his Colt revolver as if from out of nowhere and set it down on his desk. The Guv has a holster built in underneath his chair. What passed for remarkable in other people was a necessary commonplace in his little world. He knew someone dangerous might come in, and naturally he would require a pistol quickly. Things in drawers were clumsy to get in and out, but a holster under the seat was sensible. I didn’t have one and had to retrieve my Webley from one of the upper drawers of my rolltop desk. At least I had had the foresight not to lock it.

They came in then in a leisurely fashion, three of them: a big man in front and two smaller behind. Street toughs. They wore sailors’ bell-bottomed trousers and hobnailed boots that clicked so loudly on the wood floor I feared for it. The ones behind wore pea jackets with knit caps, while the leader was clad in a long black coat of waxed cotton. Under it he wore a fancy waistcoat and a silk neckerchief. The large expanse of shirt between tie and waistcoat was not especially clean. He wore a brown bowler with the lowest crown I’d ever seen, and when he removed it, I saw that the sides of his head had been shaved, leaving a bushy brown strip down the center and a pair of thick side-whiskers that seemed to hang like pothooks over his ears.

“Here,” he said in a raspy voice. “There’s no need for breaking out the ironware, Push. I’ve come to see if we can transact some business.”

“Patrick Hooligan,” Barker said in greeting. “And how is the Hooley Gang?”

“It hain’t been a good season, but things is looking up.” Hooligan eased his bulk into the leather chair in front of the desk and crossed a boot across his knee, revealing a brass toe cap polished to a high gloss. “Not that I’m complaining, mind. May I?”

Barker pushed the visitor’s cigar case toward him an inch. “Help yourself.”

“Always liked a good smoke,” the tough said, coming up with a large knife. I leaned forward, my hand on my pistol, while one of the boys eyed me threateningly and reached into his own pocket. I thought mayhem might occur. Instead, Hooligan sliced the end of his cigar off and put the knife back in his coat. I noted he didn’t offer his subordinates anything. Just then I realized who they were. These were the lads I’d seen the morning I had been chased out of Limehouse. This man must be their leader.

“Business, you say?” Barker asked, after the tough got his cigar going.

“Yer. Got anyfing to drink ’round here?”

“The Rising Sun is around the corner.”

“The street says you’re a bar of iron,” Hooligan said around the cigar. “Can’t be bent. Reg’lar churchgoer. That’s all right. Got no use for it meself, but I can work with it. I got what you might call a business proposition.”

“Have you now? I’m listening.”

“Word in the East End is that you came into a bit o’property afore some other blokes did. Blokes who’ve been huntin’ it for months. Now if you was to have it-and, mind, I ain’t saying you do, but if you did-what might yer be planning to do with it?”

“First of all, Mr. Hooligan, let me say that the property you speak of is not in my possession.”

“Naturally,” Hooligan said.

“But if it were mine to do with as I wish, I would return it to the monastery in China from which it was taken.”

“Having made no profit on it at all?” our guest demanded, clearly aghast at the thought. “You’ve been awastin’ too much time in church, m’lad. You’re a straight arrow and a scientific fighter, but you got no head for commerce. What’ll you get out of it, I ask yer? Not enough to pay your scrawny clerk in the front room or your scrawny ’sistant in this one. They’re undernourished, is what. Pathetic.”

I bristled at the remark, but the conversation continued without my opinions.

“And look here, unless you take it yourself, how many eyes’ll see it before it reaches China again? If it ever does, which I doubt. You may think you have Limehouse sewn up, but it’s still a big world out there.”

“I’ve got associates in China,” Barker said, “who will safely get it back to the place from whence it came.”

“That’s as may be, but you still have to get it there. I seriously doubt it’s gonna be easy even to get it outta London Town.”

“What have you heard?”

“Enough. There’s a book. Dunno what it’s about or what it looks like, but someone’s willin’ to kill people in order to lay hands on it. The Chinese government wants it, the Foreign Office wants it. Scotland Yard wants it, and Mr. K’ing wants it. I find that all rather interesting, as a businessman, you understand. Rumor says half a dozen people have been killed over it. Why, there’s only twenty or thirty people murdered in all of London in a year. That’s a powerful lot of killing to find one book.”

“And how are you involved?”

“I’m involved, Push, because it’s my territory. My new territory. You see, I’ve begun expanding on the north side of the river.”

“You’re a Surrey man from the south side,” Barker said. “Mr. K’ing will not like it.”

“K’ing doesn’t worry me. He’s all mirrors and smoke. Got himself a reputation among the Blue Funnel crowd and a good racket goin’, everyone tithin’ reg’lar to him like he was some kinda church, but it’s a good thing I’m a charitable man, else it would be a rough time for heathen foreigners dockside. All of them, if you get my meaning.”

“Speaking hypothetically, how many men could you lay hands on for such an action?” Barker asked.

“The Chinks ain’t exactly made themselves welcome here. I could get upwards of two hundred in a day, three if I’m willing to extend myself. Got friends in Liverpool and Manchester, I do.”

“But no plans.”

“None yet,” the gang leader said, dumping an inch of ash in the ashtray on Barker’s desk. “Not until I talked to you.”

“So what is the proposition?”

“I want to broker a deal. I’ll go to K’ing and say you’re willing to hand over the book, if the Chinese government chokes up enough of the ready to suit us. Who knows? K’ing might even put forth the money himself and hope for compensation from the empress later. Then he can go back to Peking and live like a lord the rest of his life.”

“Leaving Limehouse to be looked after by you and your associates.”

Hooligan grinned. One of his teeth was gold. “The people there’ll need protection, of course, and they’re already used to payin’ for it. It would be a pity to just waste it. It’s the law of supply and demand.”

“You’ve thought this out well,” Barker stated, his fingers tented in front of him.

“Well, I ain’t had me much book learnin’, but I got smarts. Got to survive in the streets.”

“So, Mr. Hooligan, what is to keep me from merely going and brokering the deal with K’ing myself and cutting you out entirely?”

“Glad you asked, and, by the way, this is information I am givin’ you for free, which you may not live to hear again, so pay attention. Word is that old K’ing is layin’ for you. Don’t know what it is you done to set him off, but set off he is. He’s been spendin’ money like water preparing for the New Year’s festival next week, but some of my informants tell me it ain’t goin’ to be the usual entertainment.”

“Talent?” Barker asked, with one of his cold smiles.

“Circus freak show, if you ask me.”

“I see. Thank you for the tip.”

“Now what about my proposition?”

“I’m sorry. I shall have to decline.”

Hooligan knocked off his cigar ash again. “Shoulda expected it. You know you won’t get penny on the pound if you give it to the government, nor none of the credit, neither.”

“I realize that.”

Hooligan turned his head toward his subordinate who stood by the window acting as lookout. “Hey, Benny, what’s that word that means you do things for the public good and not for money?”

“Altruistic.”

“That’s the word. You are altruistic, Push, and as a citizen of metropolitan London, I’m glad you’re looking out for my welfare. But you got no head for business. When you’ve failed and gone, I’ll have to buy these offices and turn them into something useful like a public house or a gin shop.”

“I’ve no doubt you shall turn a profit,” the Guv stated. “I thank you for the tip and hope you are not offended at my declining your offer.”

“You know old Patrick Hooligan. Always has another card up his sleeve. I owe you a bit o’ thanks anyway.”

“How so?”

“For involving old Bainy. Now that he’s dead, the Reach is wide open. All the boundaries is gone, and that Scotland Yard prig-what’s his name?”

“Do you mean Inspector Poole?”

“That’s the man. Poole is too busy trying to find the killer to mind the store. There’s enough smash and grab goin’ on to make K’ing and me both rich men. But with Bainy gone, it’s a cinch one of us is eventually going to get greedy, and devil take the hindmost, if you get my meaning.”

“I see.”

“Look, if you change yer mind, just stop by the Elephant and Castle of an evening. One o’ my boys’ll be there. C’mon, lads, I’m parched. Let’s go over to the Sun for a whiskey.”

“Thank you again for the warning,” Barker said as the man rose from his chair.

“Anything for a white man,” Hooligan said. “It’s us or them, or to put it more plainly, it’s us, period.”

They clicked and scraped their way out. Jenkins came in from the outer room while Barker dumped the contents of his ashtray into the dustbin under his desk for the second time in an hour.

“Look at the state of this floor,” Jenkins complained.

“Interesting fellow,” I remarked, as I slid the pistol back into my drawer.

“Indeed.”

“What was that he meant about the Elephant and Castle?”

“It is his base of operations.”

“It’s practically on our doorstep,” I pointed out.

“Aye, it is.”

“You know the thought occurs to me that he might have shot Bainbridge himself, and we’re blaming someone for his death who left London months ago. It’s awfully convenient. He could also have come from the Elephant and Castle and tried to burgle our house.”

Barker nodded. “Very devious, lad,” he said, leaning over and holstering the gun under his chair. “Let us leave before we are interrupted again. Have you got that address in Millwall?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then you are free to go. It is your half day, after all. I shall pay a visit to Chambers’s widow.”

Barker always knows how to twist the knife. “I’ve got nothing going on, sir. May I join you?”

“As you wish.”

The widow Chambers lived in a row of brick houses on Mellish Street where every house was identical to the next. If we hadn’t had the exact address, we would never have found her.

“Mrs. Chambers?”

The door had opened and Mrs. Chambers was holding a wiggling infant in a blanket, while behind her, several dirty-faced children were sticking their heads around for a peek at the visitors and talking to each other.

“Mrs. Chambers as was,” she said. “It’s Mrs. Lynn now. Who wants to know?” The woman turned around abruptly and bawled behind her. “Will you shut up back there? Can’t you see I’m a-talkin’ ter gentlemen?”

“We are private enquiry agents, madam,” Barker said, “investigating several murders that may have been related. One of them was your late husband.”

“But he weren’t kilt,” she insisted, wiping a strand of hair out of her eye and hefting the child higher with her knee. “His kidneys gave out.”

“True, madam, but another crewman from the Ajax died the night before, also apparently from natural causes. It is suspicious.”

“’Ere now. You two ain’t from the assurance companies, trying to put the screw on my husband’s money, are you?”

“Not at all, madam, I assure you. We’re investigating another case entirely. I only have a few questions.”

She thought, as well as she could while holding the baby, which had begun to whimper. “I dunno. I got on with me life.”

“It is good that you have, madam. But, just a few questions, in his memory?”

I admit, it was an imposition. Who knew what pandemonium was going on behind that door? I fancy she might have been a beauty once, years ago, before the bloom had gone off her, when she’d gone from being Chambers’s best girl to Mother. The years, the poverty, the grind, and, of course, her first husband’s death had all taken their toll.

“Very well,” she told Barker, in the same way she must give in to a child’s request. “But make it quick, please. This un’s ’ungry.”

“When your husband returned from his last trip to China, did he seem at all secretive?”

“Yes, he did. Said some Chinaman on board had died from the ship. I thought he was carrying on a bit, I mean, he worked around ’em alla time, but he never chummed up with one afore. Said he ’ad some business to attend to, oh so important like. ‘Susan, I ’as business to attend to.’ I gave him an earful, out drinking our money away with his mates at night, and now he ’as business in the day, leaving me with a household o’ brats. ‘Maybe I ’as business to attend to myself,’ I says. ‘Y’ever think o’ that?’ But ’e wouldn’t back down this time. That weren’t like my Alf. ’E generally backed down.”

“So, did he transact his business?”

“He did. Then he came back with flowers for me. Musta sold something to have enough for a bit o’ flowers. I’d cleaned ’im out afore ’e left. Never trust a sailor with money, they go through it like water. Anyway-hush, child-I wasn’t gonna let ’im get off with buying me hothouse flowers ’stead o’ tellin’ me where ’e went. It might be dangerous.”

“What did he say?”

“He didn’t say nothing. That weren’t like ’im, neither. He shut up tight and I couldn’t get nothing out of ’im. Went to bed mad, we did. That was the worse thing. We went to bed mad and ’e never woke up again.”

“Did he make any sound during the night?”

“He cried out in the middle o’ the night and said a word or two in his sleep, but never woke up. I could tell ’e was ill, but I didn’t know what was wrong or what to do. Then ’is kidneys failed ’im, and the blood, oh lands, it was everywhere. Soaked the bed so bad it couldn’t be cleaned. Had to throw it out. Nasty, terrible way for my Alfred to die. No dignity. Hush, you!”

The latter was directed toward the child in her arms, who was alternately wailing and blubbering. Mrs. Chambers-or rather, Mrs. Lynn-seemed to care not a whit that her youngest was crying. Her mind was back on the events surrounding her first husband’s death.

“’Ere now,” she said. “Are you saying there is some connection between Alf’s death and the Chinaman’s?”

“It is possible.”

“Natural causes, they said. You think they’re wrong?”

“That, too, is possible. It’s certainly strange for two men to die of natural causes within twenty-four hours of their arrival in England.”

The woman juggled her baby. “Keep me informed. I may have to speak with my solicitor. Alf didn’t leave me much besides brats. I deserve some compensation. I figure the Blue Funnel can afford it.”

“No doubt.”

By this time, the infant had gone from mewling to full-throated screams. Barker judged he’d gotten what he came for and began to back away. Just then the woman turned the baby around and I was never so shocked in my life. The baby was Oriental.

“Thank you, madam. We’ll let you get back to your bairns.”

We walked a few streets. I tried to keep silent, but I couldn’t. “I thought she said her married name was Lynn.”

“Ling, not Lynn.”

“Why would she marry a Chinaman, sir?”

“They have a reputation among East End women for being good husbands. They work hard, don’t drink, and rarely beat their wives.”

“But socially, sir-”

Barker gave a short cough that passed for a chuckle. “This is the East End, Thomas, not Kensington. People do what they can to survive.”

“All those children and then a little Chinese brother,” I mused.

“I’m sure there are a number of pastors willing to solemnize such a union, but if I may say it, lad, you’re still rather naive. Many of the unions in this area are common law only, and some families have a farrago of children.”

We had passed into West Ferry Road, talking of East-West relations when our minds were suddenly brought forcibly back to the case. A couple of Asian roughs, looking no more than eighteen, came running down the street, chasing each other in high spirits. They barreled into us and would have continued had the Guv not laid hands on the second one. It was one of the oldest dodges in London. The second was a pickpocket, and Barker caught the hand in his coat. That might have been the end of it, but the second snaked his thin leg around his companion and laid a roundhouse kick that caught my employer in the chest. Barker staggered back into a ragged beggar seated against a wall. The latter, in a shapeless coat and hat, put his hands up to ward off my falling employer, but the two men fell over each other. The youths, free again, ran down the street.

“Hey!” I cried. “Come back here!”

“No harm done,” Barker said, rising and dusting himself off, setting the beggar and his cup as they were. I knew what the Guv would ask before he said it, and dropped a shilling into the cup.

“Dratted pickpockets,” I grumbled. “The town is rife with them.”

“That is too much of a coincidence for mere pickpockets, lad,” Barker said. “I think it more likely to be another attempt by Quong’s killer to lay hands upon the text.”