The Rainbow Affair - McDaniel David - Страница 15

Napoleon looked at the earnest, plump little priest and smiled. "Thank you, Father, but I'm afraid my problems are all entirely of a secular nature."

"All the better. As one divorced from secular matters, perhaps I may be able to show them in another light."

Aunt Jane said, "Perhaps Mr. Solo would rather not discuss personal matters before strangers, Father."

"Well, it's not at all a personal matter," said Napoleon. "It's... actually, it's more or less a matter of business." The temporization established, he hesitated, his mind racing.

The Rainbow Gang was based somewhere in this area. He couldn't get in touch with Illya until tomorrow at the earliest. But the people who had kidnapped him knew he couldn't have gotten too far, and they would probably be looking around the area for him, so he would have to lie low while he was here. But it seemed a shame to be so close to Johnnie Rainbow's headquarters and not be out looking for it. Here was a chance to enlist some friendly natives - if he could trust them. Joey was unlikely to be a plant; he'd more or less found her at random on the road, unless Rainbow had planted her down the road a way to pick him up in case he got away and signaled her by radio... but then why hadn't she simply taken him back to them? Applying Occam's Razor, which translates into Modern English roughly as "Keep It Simple," she was probably just what she seemed to be, which was nice all the way around. And if she was all right, then Aunt Jane and Father John were also trustworthy, and might be able to help him.

This chain of thought occupied the time it took Napoleon's right hand to rise from his lap to the inner pocket of his coat, with a barely perceptible hesitation as he glanced thoughtfully at Joey. He brought out his wallet, and spoke again.

"Have you ever heard of the U.N.C.L.E.?" He spelled out the initials.

Joey looked blank. "The Uncle?" she said.

Aunt Jane's eyebrows rose. "No, Josephine. It's the United Network Command for Law Enforcement."

"For Law and Enforcement," corrected the mild voice of the plump priest. "I have heard something of this organization. Distantly related to Interpol, I believe." His wide gray eyes blinked repeatedly.

"Oh, no," said Aunt Jane. "Interpol is really only an information exchange. The United Network Command takes an active part in crime prevention on an international scale." She turned to Joey. "You see, dear, since crime in the modern world is unhampered by international boundaries, a sort of police force was needed which could also function supra-nationally. Where Interpol enables national police forces to pursue ordinary criminals who cross or whose influences extend over international boundaries, U.N.C.L.E. is capable of attacking crimes which involve whole nations. Isn't that more or less correct, Mr. Solo?"

Napoleon was caught somewhat off balance by this unexpected display of knowledge, and it took him a moment to recover. "Ah - as a matter of fact, that's just about it. We're similar to Interpol in that we aren't specifically connected to any one country or group of countries; we're supported by just about everyone except Red China and Albania. In fact, my partner is a Russian national." Then he remembered, and flipped open his wallet, showing the gold card which identified him.

The little priest leaned forward to study the card, and nodded. "Baycombe seems an unlikely spot to attract an investigator of international crime."

Aunt Jane said, "There are certain features in the area which could interest the criminals, however. It is quite peaceful and privacy is easily maintained. In addition, the sea offers a ready avenue for covert access."

Joey looked at Napoleon, and her eyebrows rose. "You're a detective?"

"More or less. Technically I handle the Enforcement part of the U.N.C.L.E. Right now I'm on the trail of a gentleman called Johnnie Rainbow."

Both Aunt Jane and Father John registered surprise. She spoke first. "The Rainbow Gang? In this area? How marvelous!"

"What do you know about the Rainbow Gang?" Napoleon asked.

"Actually very little," said the priest. "They're supposed to have been behind the Royal Mail robbery in '63, and have been blamed for half the large jobs since."

Napoleon cleared his throat, and put away his wallet. "You are aware that this is hardly supposed to be general knowledge," he said.

"Of course, Mr. Solo," said Aunt Jane sweetly. "Would you care for some more tea? You see, Father John and I share the hobby of criminology. There must be several hundred like us around England. We seldom get to participate in an actual investigation these days, but we keep up with current developments in the field. In the case of Johnnie Rainbow, since his existence is officially denied, we take a special interest. Perhaps we would be able to help you in your work."

Napoleon looked at her doubtfully. "Well, I really don't..."

"What exactly has happened to you so far?" the priest asked. "How did you come to be picked up by the road? Had you escaped from kidnappers?"

"Ah, as a matter of fact I had," Napoleon said.

And over the next half hour he told his three unlikely allies the entire story from the time of their arrival in London four days earlier. When he finished, Father Brown nodded.

"That explains something I noticed earlier this afternoon. I don't believe I mentioned this before, but the local constable was approached by three men about two hours ago. They said an attempt had been made to rob them out on the Ilfracombe Road, and they described their assailant most carefully. When the constable mentioned it to me, I did not inquire of the description, but I should not be at all surprised if it were yours."

"But Scotland Yard will vouch for me."

"Indeed. But before you can establish your bona fides, you will have been detained long enough for the Rainbow Gang to find you again and do what they will."

"Perhaps," suggested Aunt Jane, "we could act as your agents while you remained in hiding here. Josephine, you have a spare bedroom, I believe."

Joey looked at her aunt strangely. "Of course I do. You're in it."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to displace anyone," Napoleon began, but Aunt Jane overrode him.

"Not at all. Josephine wouldn't dream of failing her duty as a hostess."

"I'm certain she wouldn't," said Napoleon. "But perhaps it might be more circumspect if I were to sleep on the sofa. I assure you I would be quite comfortable - as well as being in a better position to defend against any attempt at an invasion by the Rainbow Gang."

He had called her character correctly. The little old lady considered the suggestion a moment, then nodded. "Under the circumstances, Mr. Solo, I believe you are correct. The sofa would be best." She turned to her friends. "Now, Father, what do you think of Mr. Solo's story?"

"If they were indeed taking him to their headquarters, which seems quite possible, I would say it was on an island rather nearby."

"Not across the Bristol Channel?" asked Napoleon.

"Not if the boat was as small as described," said Aunt Jane. "Josephine, could you indicate on a map approximately where along the road you picked Mr. Solo up?"

"Of course. It was just about half a mile south of the Wuxton junction."

"Fine. Would you find the large-scale map of the area, and a chart of the Channel? Thank you."