0:00

Chapter 22 Well, Mr. Fenwick, Chief

0:03

O'Malley Growl, it Fenwick, in order. I

0:05

must say I'm it all seems in

0:07

order. I must say

0:09

I'm relieved. this, I'd have If you had

0:11

been responsible for all of this, I'd have hated

0:13

to have misjudged a man as badly as

0:16

I did you. smile at this. It was fairly

0:18

tried not to smile at this. being It

0:20

was fairly clear that the chief was being

0:22

sincere and just as obvious that he meant something

0:24

slightly different than was to think.

0:26

to think. The The idea that August

0:28

Fenwick could secretly be some sort

0:30

of genius sort completely contrary to contrary to and

0:33

perhaps that was why he was so

0:35

quick to accept the wealthy young

0:37

man's version of events. the wealthy A

0:39

little hypnosis of events. A little hypnosis

0:41

never heard Well. Well, thank you, O'Malley,

0:43

Fenwick said. said. That's awfully decent of

0:45

you to say. The red panda stood

0:48

up from the stood up from the bunk

0:50

in his cell where he had been discovered

0:52

by police when they raided the complex almost an

0:54

hour earlier. hour earlier. He had since

0:56

then related every word of Captain Clockwork's

0:58

to the chief of police and

1:00

his closest officers in precise detail.

1:02

precise detail. Each of of the senior men had relieved

1:04

that Fenwick was as thankful as he was to

1:06

be rescued, to and hoped he would feel the same

1:08

way when he read what had been said about him

1:10

in the press for the last several days. for

1:13

the last They congratulated Fenrick on

1:15

his bravery on his order to foster

1:17

the charitable perspective they desired. they

1:19

desired. August August Fenwick turned away the

1:21

compliments with a modest wave of his hand.

1:24

his hand. Not a Not a of it, gentlemen,

1:26

he said. he said. I I have no doubt that the

1:28

intended to finish me off down here one

1:30

way or another. one way or If it were

1:32

not for the timely arrival of your men, I shuddered

1:34

to think what might have happened. to think what might

1:36

have happened. the officers greatly

1:38

and they began to disperse somewhat.

1:40

disperse somewhat. O'Malley waved Fenwick the

1:43

cell door. door. And now, sir, he

1:45

now, we he said, if we might prevail

1:47

upon you a little longer, some have

1:49

some men studying the control complex. Perhaps

1:51

you you could shed some light on that. on

1:54

that. I should should be

1:56

glad to I'm I'm able, Fenwick said, walking

1:58

into the hallway with the with the chief. My

2:00

word Fenwick O'Malley cried cried when he

2:02

stepped into the more the lit space.

2:05

lit space. Those are some nasty

2:07

marks you have. have." Fenwick smiled, as

2:09

if smiled, at as if of his the

2:11

few of his many contusions from the

2:13

evening's brawl on on Young the chief

2:15

could see. chief could see. Yes, he said,

2:17

he said. When the caught me

2:20

caught me calling you, they did put

2:22

things a little roughly. Next thing thing

2:24

I knew I was back in my my cell. I did what

2:26

did what I could of course,

2:28

but the the things things are ducid strong. The

2:30

red red panda wondered if he might not

2:32

be laying on the laying routine a bit

2:34

thick. routine a bit the whole business was a little

2:36

more manly than his alter ego generally went

2:38

in for, and he felt the need to

2:41

compensate. and he felt the need to

2:43

compensate. Of course, so Mally said with

2:45

an expression that told the told the red

2:47

had worked perfectly. ruse had worked And

2:49

if I might say, say, sir, when you

2:51

see Miss Baxter next, if if you could

2:53

mention to her that the police tend

2:55

to frown upon leaving this scene, I'd

2:57

be grateful. grateful. Kit had had been

2:59

right. The police were so cordial in

3:02

advance of his reaction to the and feathering

3:04

he had received in his absence that

3:06

they were going to smooth the whole business

3:08

over themselves. over themselves. he

3:10

thought. he thought, best to be careful. I'll

3:12

mention it to mention it to her, I can't

3:14

but I can't believe she knew anything was

3:16

happening. The girl does like to play play the

3:19

radio when i'm not in the

3:21

car you know he said absent-mindedly. And

3:23

where she she been all this time, O'Malley

3:25

was disgruntled and the cop in him

3:27

wasn't quite ready to let it go after

3:29

all. ready to let it go after you

3:31

check her you check her Fenwick said in his

3:33

best air of unconcern. best air of The

3:36

chief stopped himself before he rolled into

3:38

a himself before he rolled into a

3:40

the thought did occur. Fenwick,

3:42

the thought did occur. Ah he replied.

3:44

replied. Got a boyfriend, does she?

3:46

does she? Still trying to

3:48

still trying to find an excuse to drop the whole

3:50

thing. thing. Fenwick felt

3:53

his ears turn red and he blinked in

3:55

surprise as he walked. as he

3:57

walked. No, I I don't believe she does, he

3:59

said. he said. O'Malley snorted. Girl

4:01

like that? Why that. she have? Or

4:03

wouldn't she have? Why in my day we'd or

4:05

four. up around the in my day, we'd have

4:07

lined up around the block to have her ignore us as

4:09

she walked by. was very The

4:11

explanation was very convenient, but

4:14

August Fenwick was having none of it. like to

4:16

I hardly like to speculate, I chief, but I believe

4:18

you're on the wrong track. Something about

4:20

about this his teeth on edge, and he

4:22

hadn't quite worked out yet that it was

4:25

the proximity of the proximity of the words,

4:27

Kit and Boyfriend. Well,

4:29

someone someone is going to ask, said said

4:31

as they walked into the great central

4:33

chamber. chamber. Would be would be nice if I had a

4:35

simple explanation for the press. the press. Now see

4:37

here, O'Malley, Fenwick seemed quite suddenly to quite suddenly

4:40

to lose his temper. I have the general

4:42

impression that some things have been said in

4:44

the press in the last few days that

4:46

another man might choose to be might over. be angry

4:48

over. Very angry, indeed. I know you meant

4:50

well. know you and I know you meant and

4:52

that is by the city if not by me O'

4:54

that is what matters. that August to chief

4:56

O'Malley that August bit grew quite a bit taller

4:58

as he spoke. But Miss But Miss Baxter

5:00

is a good girl, and I will not have

5:02

you suggesting otherwise in the name of playing cozy with

5:04

the name of playing keep my staff out of

5:06

this, you understand? keep my staff out of this, you

5:09

Both men stood still for a moment and it was hard

5:11

to say which of them was more surprised at the outburst. to

5:13

say which of them panda thought very quickly to

5:15

make certain he had not revealed any knowledge

5:17

of events he should not have had just yet.

5:19

certain he had thought perhaps he got away with that one.

5:22

of events he should not a

5:24

few seconds, O'Malley just thought perhaps he turned

5:26

into the room. that one. It was

5:28

was damned peculiar, but but Fenwick could easily have

5:30

his job over several quotes that he had

5:32

given the papers. that he had given

5:34

the papers. was fond of Kit Baxter and didn't wish

5:36

to make any trouble for the girl if he could

5:38

help wish to make any trouble for the

5:41

girl he could help it is. here

5:43

it He said. said. Tunnels up up

5:45

here, lead all over the city. It will be There'll

5:47

be days working it all out. a chamber

5:49

over Found a chamber over there with

5:51

a few unfinished models but no real

5:53

workshop has presented itself yet. yet. I

5:56

can't can't help you chief," Fenwick said. I was in

5:58

this room twice and after that on in my

6:00

cell. I hear there was

6:02

some fracas in the streets tonight. Perhaps

6:04

you finished the mechanical man off! Yes,

6:07

well. The chief cleared his throat, but

6:09

did not admit the minor role his force

6:11

had played in the route of Clockwork's

6:13

troops tonight. My concern

6:15

is that if we don't find the place where

6:17

they were built, there may soon be more. I

6:21

suppose you're right, Fenwick said seriously.

6:25

Still, thanks to you, sir.

6:27

At least now we know that Captain Clockwork and

6:29

the Viper are one and the same. O'Malley

6:31

said is the two men ascended the stairs

6:34

and approached the controls. and

6:36

we have some idea of his plan.

6:39

and very little idea of where he might

6:42

strike next, Fenwick said. Oh,

6:44

let me see. He pretended to be confused

6:46

by the controls for a moment, then

6:49

found the switch for the lights that illuminated

6:51

the blueprints he had used to find

6:53

the two fatal weaknesses in the Robot

6:55

Killers. There we are. Blueprints.

7:00

There was a brief murmur among the assembled

7:02

experts. O'Malley peered at the

7:04

plans and nodded. As well, he

7:06

said. We'll bring them along,

7:08

of course. Can't imagine we'll learn much of

7:10

a practical value from these. No,

7:14

the red panda agreed. I can't imagine that

7:16

you will. About

7:18

this surveillance system you mentioned. Yes,

7:22

course. Fenwick worked the controls of the

7:24

television device until the police experts appeared

7:26

to have the hang of it. Clever

7:29

little gadget, isn't it? No

7:31

idea how it works. I'm

7:34

certain that we will be able to work that

7:36

out. Mr. Fenwick, O'Malley said, Thank you for this.

7:38

This discovery will help us more than I

7:40

can say. Now that

7:42

we know what Captain Clockwork might have learned, we

7:45

can begin to fight back. Indeed,

7:48

Fenwick said, I thought it seemed

7:50

important. Good heavens, O'Malley

7:52

thundered, seeing his own office flash by on

7:54

the screen. The places this

7:56

fiend was able to observe, quite incredible. is,"

8:00

Fenwick agreed. But I

8:02

had the idea it might be just as

8:04

important to learn where he couldn't see. I

8:07

don't follow you, Mr. Fenwick, O'Malley side. I

8:10

thought that if you compare the unobserved

8:13

locations with things that Captain Clockwork knew

8:15

anyway, it might give you a clue

8:17

to his true identity," Fenwick said, as

8:19

if it were quite a casual notion

8:21

on his part. With

8:24

all due respect, Mr. Fenwick, O'Malley said,

8:26

I believe your role in this

8:28

adventure has come to an end. Time

8:30

to leave things to the professionals and get

8:32

some rest, sir. Yes.

8:36

the Panda smiled. well

8:38

it was just a thought