The Toff In New York (17 page)

“Rolly,” said Valerie Hall with great deliberation. “I was an utter fool not to be advised by you. You were right about Brian Conway and Halloran. You were right in what you advised me to do. And you were right to tell me to stay at the farm. I was crazy. I was a self-willed, self-opinionated, half-witted little”

“Not that,” broke in the Toff, urgently. “Never!”

He expected her to flare up; instead, she laughed and relaxed a little, but went on with the same tone of deliberation.

“Well, I've got most of it off my chest. I'm desperately sorry for what I did, and it's no use talking like Cy and Captain Morris - that if I hadn't come away from the farm you might not have found Dutch Himmy and Wilf. I'm quite sure that you would have done. Quite sure. As a matter of fact, I intend to tell you exactly what I think of you.”

“Val,” pleaded Rollison, “don't. Be fair. And if you can't be fair, be kind.”

“Rolly,” said Valerie Hall, with a smile which told him much more than her words, “I think you're wonderful.” She paused, and then repeated: “I think you're wonderful. I'll never be able to thank you, and nor will Wilf, but the fact remains that we agree about you. And please - is there anything we can do to say thanks. Anything?”

The Toff was so taken aback that he could only stare. Then he began to smile. Then he nodded. Then he put his hands on her shoulders again, and drew her close. Then he said:

“Yes, Val. Let me kiss you.”

“Let me kiss you!” she cried.

Next morning, she was at the quayside to see him off. So was Cy Day, looking as prosperous and sleek as ever, and wholly forgiving. So was Morris, with Mary and Tim Mellish, of course, and a battery of photographers and newspapermen. In all a great crowd, and, among the party which he took on board the Queen, Sikoski with a felt hat clamping down his curly hair.

Sikoski was having himself a wonderful time.

He was going to have it even better.

He was going to London with the Toff, who had promised him the services of a London taxi every minute of every one of the thirty days he was going to stay.

 

Published or to be published by

House of Stratus

 

Dates given are those of first publication

Alternative titles in brackets

 

'The Baron' (47 titles) (writing as Anthony Morton)

'Department 'Z'' (28 titles)

'Dr. Palfrey Novels' (34 titles)

'Gideon of Scotland Yard' (22 titles)

'Inspector West' (43 titles)

'Sexton Blake' (5 titles)

'The Toff' (59 titles)

 

along with:

 

The Masters of Bow Street   This epic novel embraces the story of the Bow Street Runners and the Marine Police, forerunners of the modern police force, who were founded by novelist Henry Fielding in 1748. They were the earliest detective force operating from the courts to enforce the decisions of magistrates. John Creasey's account also gives a fascinating insight into family life of the time and the struggle between crime and justice, and ends with the establishment of the Metropolitan Police after the passing of Peel's Act in 1829.

 

These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

 

1. Meet the Baron 
   (The Man in the Blue Mask)
    
   (1937)
   
2. The Baron Returns 
   (The Return of the Blue Mask)
    
   (1937)
   
3. The Baron Again 
   (Salute Blue Mask)
    
   (1938)
   
4. The Baron at Bay 
   (Blue Mask at Bay)
    
   (1938)
   
5. Alias the Baron 
   (Alias Blue Mask)
    
   (1939)
   
6. The Baron at Large 
   (Challenge Blue Mask!)
    
   (1939)
   
7. Versus the Baron 
   (Blue Mask Strikes Again)
    
   (1940)
   
8. Call for the Baron 
   (Blue Mask Victorious)
    
   (1940)
   
9. The Baron Comes Back 
   (1943)
   
10. A Case for the Baron 
    (1945)
    
11. Reward for the Baron 
    (1945)
    
12. Career for the Baron 
    (1946)
    
13. Blood Diamond 
    (The Baron and the Beggar) (1947)
    
14. Blame the Baron 
    (1948)
    
15. A Rope for the Baron 
    (1948)
    
16. Books for the Baron 
    (1949)
    
17. Cry for the Baron 
    (1950)
    
18. Trap the Baron 
    (1950)
    
19. Attack the Baron 
    (1951)
    
20. Shadow the Baron 
    (1951)
    
21. Warn the Baron 
    (1952)
    
22. The Baron Goes East 
    (1953)
    
23. The Baron in France 
    (1953)
    
24. Danger for the Baron 
    (1953)
    
25. The Baron Goes Fast 
    (1954)
    
26. Nest-Egg for the Baron 
    (Deaf, Dumb and Blonde)
     
    (1954)
    
27. Help from the Baron 
    (1955)
    
28. Hide the Baron 
    (1956)
    
29. The Double Frame 
    (Frame the Baron)
     
    (1957)
    
30. Blood Red 
    (Red Eye for the Baron)
     
    (1958)
    
31. If Anything Happens to Hester 
    (Black for the Baron)
     
    (1959)
    
32. Salute for the Baron 
    (1960)
    
33. The Baron Branches Out 
    (A Branch for the Baron)
     
    (1961)
    
34. The Baron and the Stolen Legacy 
    (Bad for the Baron)
     
    (1962)
    
35. A Sword for the Baron 
    (The Baron and the Mogul Swords)
     
    (1963)
    
36. The Baron on Board 
    (The Mask of Sumi) (1964)
    
37. The Baron and the Chinese Puzzle 
    (1964)
    
38. Sport for the Baron 
    (1966)
    
39. Affair for the Baron 
    (1967)
    
40. The Baron and the Missing Old Masters 
    (1968)
    
41. The Baron and the Unfinished Portrait 
    (1969)
    
42. Last Laugh for the Baron 
    (1970)
    
43. The Baron Goes A-Buying 
    (1971)
    
44. The Baron and the Arrogant Artist 
    (1972)
    
45. Burgle the Baron 
    (1973)
    
46. The Baron - King Maker 
    (1975)
    
47. Love for the Baron 
    (1979)
    

 

These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

 

1. The Death Miser 
   (1932)
   
2. Redhead 
   (1934)
   
3. First Came a Murder 
   (1934)
   
4. Death Round the Corner 
   (1935)
   
5. The Mark of the Crescent 
   (1935)
   
6. Thunder in Europe 
   (1936)
   
7. The Terror Trap 
   (1936)
   
8. Carriers of Death 
   (1937)
   
9. Days of Danger 
   (1937)
   
10. Death Stands By 
    (1938)
    
11. Menace! 
    (1938)
    
12. Murder Must Wait 
    (1939)
    
13. Panic! 
    (1939)
    
14. Death by Night 
    (1940)
    
15. The Island of Peril 
    (1940)
    
16. Sabotage 
    (1941)
    
17. Go Away Death 
    (1941)
    
18. The Day of Disaster 
    (1942)
    
19. Prepare for Action 
    (1942)
    
20. No Darker Crime 
    (1943)
    
21. Dark Peril 
    (1944)
    
22. The Peril Ahead 
    (1946)
    
23. The League of Dark Men 
    (1947)
    
24. The Department of Death 
    (1949)
    
25. The Enemy Within 
    (1950)
    
26. Dead or Alive 
    (1951)
    
27. A Kind of Prisoner 
    (1954)
    
28. The Black Spiders 
    (1957)
    

 

These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

 

1. Traitor's Doom 
   (1942)
   
2. The Legion of the Lost 
   (1943)
   
3. The Valley of Fear 
   (The Perilous Country)
    
   (1943)
   
4. Dangerous Quest 
   (1944)
   
5. Death in the Rising Sun 
   (1945)
   
6. The Hounds of Vengeance 
   (1945)
   
7. Shadow of Doom 
   (1946)
   
8. The House of the Bears 
   (1946)
   
9. Dark Harvest 
   (1947)
   
10. The Wings of Peace 
    (1948)
    
11. The Sons of Satan 
    (1948)
    
12. The Dawn of Darkness 
    (1949)
    
13. The League of Light 
    (1949)
    
14. The Man Who Shook the World 
    (1950)
    
15. The Prophet of Fire 
    (1951)
    
16. The Children of Hate 
    (The Killers of Innocence; The Children of Despair)
     
    (1952)
    
17. The Touch of Death 
    (1954)
    
18. The Mists of Fear 
    (1955)
    
19. The Flood 
    (1956)
    
20. The Plague of Silence 
    (1958)
    
21. Dry Spell 
    (The Drought)
     
    (1959)
    
22. The Terror 
    (1962)
    
23. The Depths 
    (1963)
    
24. The Sleep 
    (1964)
    
25. The Inferno 
    (1965)
    
26. The Famine 
    (1967)
    
27. The Blight 
    (1968)
    
28. The Oasis 
    (1970)
    
29. The Smog 
    (1970)
    
30. The Unbegotten 
    (1971)
    
31. The Insulators 
    (1972)
    
32. The Voiceless Ones 
    (1973)
    
33. The Thunder-Maker 
    (1976)
    
34. The Whirlwind 
    (1979)
    

 

(Writing as JJ Marric)

 

These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

 

1. Gideon's Day 
   (Gideon of Scotland Yard)
    
   (1955)
   
2. Seven Days to Death 
   (Gideon's Week)
    
   (1956)
   
3. Gideon's Night 
   (1957)
   
4. A Backwards Jump
    (Gideon's Month) (1958)
   
5. Thugs and Economies 
   (Gideon's Staff) (1959)
   
6. Gideon Combats Influence 
   (Gideon's Risk) (1960)
   
7. Gideon's Fire 
   (1961)
   
8. A Conference for Assassins 
   (Gideon's March)
    
   (1962)
   
9. Travelling Crimes 
   (Gideon's Ride)
    
   (1963)
   
10. An Uncivilised Election 
    (Gideon's Vote)
     
    (1964)
    
11. Criminal Imports 
    (Gideon's Lot)
     
    (1965)
    
12. To Nail a Serial Killer 
    (Gideon's Badge) (1966)
    
13. From Murder to a Cathedral 
    (Gideon's Wrath)
     
    (1967)
    
14. Gideon's River 
    (1968)
    
15. Darkness and Confusion 
    (Gideon's Power) (1969)
    
16. Sport, Heat & Scotland Yard 
    (Gideon's Sport)
     
    (1970)
    
17. Gideon's Art 
    (1971)
    
18. No Relaxation at Scotland Yard 
    (Gideon's Men) (1972)
    
19. Impartiality Against the Mob 
    (Gideon's Press) (1973)
    
20. Not Hidden by the Fog 
    (Gideon's Fog) (1975)
    
21. Good and Justice 
    (Gideon's Drive) (1976)
    
22. Vigilantes & Biscuits 
    (Gideon's Force)
     
    (1978)
    

 

These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

 

1. Inspector West Takes Charge 
   (1942)
   
2. Go Away to Murder 
   (Inspector West Leaves Town)
    
   (1943)
   
3. An Apostle of Gloom 
   (Inspector West At Home)
    
   (1944)
   
4. Inspector West Regrets 
   (1945)
   
5. Holiday for Inspector West 
   (1946)
   
6. Battle for Inspector West 
   (1948)
   
7. The Case Against Paul Raeburn 
   (Triumph for Inspector West)
    
   (1948)
   
8. Inspector West Kicks Off 
   (Sport for Inspector West)
    
   (1949)
   
9. Inspector West Alone 
   (1950)
   
10. Inspector West Cries Wolf 
    (The Creepers)
     
    (1950)
    
11. The Figure in the Dusk 
    (A Case for Inspector West)
     
    (1951)
    
12. The Dissemblers 
    (Puzzle for Inspector West)
     
    (1951)
    
13. The Case of the Acid Throwers 
    (The Blind Spot; Inspector West at Bay)
     
    (1952)
    
14. Give a Man a Gun 
    (A Gun for Inspector West)
     
    (1953)
    
15. Send Inspector West 
    (1953)
    
16. So Young, So Cold, So Fair 
    (A Beauty for Inspector West; The Beauty Queen Killer)
     
    (1954)
    
17. Murder Makes Haste 
    (Inspector West Makes Haste; The Gelignite Gang; Night of the Watchman)
     
    (1955)
    
18. Murder: One, Two, Three 
    (Two for Inspector West)
     
    (1955)
    
19. Death of a Postman 
    (Parcels for Inspector West)
     
    (1956)
    
20. Death of an Assassin 
    (A Prince for Inspector West)
     
    (1956)
    
21. Hit and Run 
    (Accident for Inspector West)
     
    (1957)
    
22. The Trouble at Saxby's 
    (Find Inspector West; Doorway to Death)
     
    (1957)
    
23. Murder, London - New York 
    (1958)
    
24. Strike for Death 
    (The Killing Strike)
     
    (1958)
    
25. Death of a Racehorse 
    (1959)
    
26. The Case of the Innocent Victims 
    (1959)
    
27. Murder on the Line 
    (1960)
    
28. Death in Cold Print 
    (1961)
    
29. The Scene of the Crime 
    (1961)
    
30. Policeman's Dread 
    (1962)
    
31. Hang the Little Man 
    (1963)
    
32. Look Three Ways at Murder 
    (1964)
    
33. Murder, London - Australia 
    (1965)
    
34. Murder, London - South Africa 
    (1966)
    
35. The Executioners 
    (1967)
    
36. So Young to Burn 
    (1968)
    
37. Murder, London - Miami 
    (1969)
    
38. A Part for a Policeman 
    (1970)
    
39. Alibi for Inspector West 
    (1971)
    
40. A Splinter of Glass 
    (1972)
    
41. The Theft of Magna Carta 
    (1973)
    
42. The Extortioners 
    (1974)
    
43. A Sharp Rise in Crime 
    (1978)