The Sapphire

Chapter five

Exactly a week after John Mumford had first approached the Triangle Agency for help, George Manfred contacted him by telephone to inform him that he had established the whereabouts of both Joan Newton and the brooch. He invited John Mumford to meet him and his colleagues on the following Wednesday at Middlesex Hospital at two o'clock in the afternoon, when they would take him to see Joan and restore the brooch to him.

John was at first incredulous that the Agency had solved his case so quickly, then wanted to meet at 233 Curzon Street rather than the hospital; but when George explained that Joan had not yet been discharged from the hospital and was still weak from her accident the previous June, he agreed to fall in with George's plans.

So it was that Mr Mumford junior met the Three Just Men and One Woman at Middlesex Hospital as arranged. Also in the party were Lucy, Edward and Riley, who were introduced to John Mumford as 'our experienced operatives'. Lucy managed not to giggle.

They went together into Joan's room. Mirabelle had warned Joan that 'quite a party' was coming to see her, but had not told her who was in the party - in case John Mumford failed to appear. When John walked in through the door and saw her sitting up in bed, pale and thin, he stopped dead and stared, while her mouth dropped open in shock.

'Joan.'

'John!'

'How - I mean, what - I mean - who did this to you?'

'It was that evil Snake - I mean, a criminal - he killed Monty and he nearly killed me. How are you, John?'

'I'm very well - you mean, Monty's dead?'

'He was murdered,' said Joan, wiping away tears. 'The police still want to talk to me about it.'

'Murdered? Oh, my poor dear - your brother - murdered - and you - my poor dear love' - John ran forward and took her into his arms, at which Joan burst into tears and laid her head on his shoulder - he hugged her tight and murmured sweet nothings to her.

The rest of the visitors retreated out of the door to wait in the corridor.

'We could go away and let them talk,' said Lucy.

'We need to give him the brooch,' Mirabelle reminded her.

'We must show him the brooch,' amended George. 'In his present state of mind, it would be best only to show it to him and then take it to the bank for safe keeping.'

Leon and Mirabelle exchanged glances. This had also occurred to them.

After a few minutes, the Nurse put her head out of the door and said, 'You can come in now.' They all trooped in and found John sitting by the bed, holding Joan's hands in his.

'We're going to get married,' said John, in the tone of one making a public announcement. 'Miss Newton has done me the honour of agreeing to be my wife.'

There was a short pause while everyone tried to decide what to say, and then there was a general chorus of congratulations, best wishes and hand-shaking. Mirabelle kissed Joan's cheek and said, 'I'm so glad.'

'He's not Monty,' whispered Joan, 'but he's very sweet.'

'You must see the brooch,' said Lucy. 'Look - here it is. We found it in Italy.' She unpinned it from her dress and held it out for John and Joan to see.

'It's just like mine,' said Joan at once.

'Yes,' said George, 'but this one is genuine. The one you have is an excellent fake.'

Joan blushed and said crossly, 'I know.'

'How did it get to Italy?' asked John, bewildered.