Clutch of Constables
A classic Ngaio Marsh novel which features blood-curdling murders in the confines of a riverboat, the Zodiac, cruising through Constable country.’He looks upon the murders that he did in fact perform as tiresome and regrettable necessities,’ reflected Chief Superintendent Roderick Alleyn on the international crook known as ‘the Jampot’.But it was Alleyn’s wife Troy who knew ‘the Jampot’ best: she had shared close quarters with him on the tiny pleasure steamer Zodiac on a cruise along the peaceful rivers of ‘Constable country’. And it was she who knew something was badly wrong even before Alleyn was called in to solve the two murders on board…
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Ngaio Marsh
Clutch of Constables
HARPER
an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers
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London SE1 9GF
Published by HarperCollinsPublishers 2009
Clutch of Constables first published in Great Britain by Collins 1968
Ngaio Marsh asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of these works
Copyright © Ngaio Marsh Ltd 1968
A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the authorâs imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
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Source ISBN: 9780006512592
Ebook Edition © JANUARY 2010 ISBN: 9780007344819
Version: 2018-11-21
For Audrey and Guy with love
Contents
| Passenger List M.V. Zodiac | |
| Mrs Roderick Alleyn | |
| Miss Hazel Rickerby-Carrick | |
| Mr Caley Bard | |
| Mr Stanley Pollock | |
| Dr Francis Natouche MD | |
| Mr Earl J. Hewson | |
| Miss Sally-Lou Hewson | |
| The Rev J. de B. Lazenby | |
| Shipâs Company M. V. Zodiac | |
| James Tretheway | Skipper |
| Mrs Tretheway | Cook and Stewardess |
| Tom Tretheway | Boy |
| Persons in or about Tollardwark | |
| Jno. Bagg | Licensed Dealer |
| Mrs Bagg | His mother |
| Mr and Mrs John Smith | A ton-up combo |
| Police | |
| Superintendent Albert Tillottson | Tollardwark Constabulary |
| PC Cape | Tollardwark Constabulary |
| Superintendent R. Bonney | Longminster Constabulary |
| Sundry Constables | County police forces |
| Superintendent Alleyn | CID London |
| Inspector Fox | CID London |
| Detective-Sergeant Bailey | CID London |
| Detective-Sergeant Thompson | CID London |
âThere was nothing fancy about the Jampot,â Alleyn said. âThe word âJobsâ is entirely appropriate to his activities. He planned carefully, left as little as possible to chance, took a satisfaction in his work and accepted, without dwelling upon them, the occupational hazards which it involved. Retention or abolishment of capital punishment made no difference at all to his professional behaviour: I daresay he looks upon the murders that he did in fact perform, as tiresome and regrettable necessities.
âHis talents were appropriate to his employment. They included manual dexterity, a passion for accuracy, a really exceptional intelligence of mathematical precision and a useful imagination offset by a complete blank where nervous anxiety might be expected. Above all he was a superb mimic. Mimics are born not made. From his childhood the Jampot showed an uncanny talent in reflecting not only the mannerisms, speech habits and social behaviour of an extraordinary diversity of persons but of knowing, apparently by instinct, how they would react to given circumstances. Small wonder,â Alleyn said, âthat he led us up the garden path for so long. He was a masterpiece.â
He looked round his audience. Six rows of sharp-cropped heads. Were the dumb-looking ones as dumb as their wrinkled foreheads, lacklustre eyes and slackish mouths seemed to suggest? Was the forward-leaning one in the second row, who had come up from the uniformed branch with an outstanding report, as good as his promise? Protectors of the people, Alleyn thought. If only the people would recognize them as such. He went on.
âIâve chosen the Jampot for your consideration,â he said, âbecause heâs a kind of bonus in crime. He combines in himself the ingredients that you find singly in other homicides and hands you the lot in a mixed grill. His real name, believe it or not, is Foljambe.â
The forward-leaning, sandy-coloured recruit gave a laugh which he stifled. Several of his companions grinned doubtfully and wiped their mouths. Two looked startled and the rest uneasy.
