WORRALS GOES EAST

by Captain W. E. Johns

VII. FRECKS GET THE ANSWERS (Pages 77 – 85)

Worrals tells Frecks that the Arab in the hospital made straight for the dressing table where the necklace was. Only the matron and Doctor Bronfield knew it was there. Worrals says she suspects that Bronfield is the man behind the racket. “He’s the big noise – the king-pin of the show”. The clothes of the girl who died in the aircraft smelt of ladanum. So did the handkerchief of Bronfield, Worrals got to smell it by deliberately spilling water on herself so he would offer it. Worrals also checked with the matron about Bronfield saying he was visiting the wife of one of his assistants. She was discharged ten days ago and Bronfield knew that as he collected her in his car. The plausible story was an excuse for coming in. Worrals suspects Bronfield knew the dead girl. There was wax on her abba and Bronfield uses wax for packing and storing skeletons. Worrals wondered whether it might be his daughter, but concluded it couldn’t be, as he wasn’t upset when shown the dead girl’s picture by Major Kenton. Worrals suspects that the real Doctor Bronfield is dead and the man they have been dealing with is an impostor. Worrals thinks the French officer she saw at their hotel was really a woman. Worrals suspects that Bronfield’s base is at Wadi Omar, which was within the endurance range of the plane that crashed. Worrals says that “now the gloves are off” there is no point in them walking about in “these melancholy outfits” (their disguises) but they should get back into their uniforms. The girls then go to have dinner with Major Kenton.