189 – Five Orange Seeds (4)
The strange game of hide and seek made Jane Watson excited, but contrary to her expectations, it was quite monotonous at first.
As Watson felt her heart pounding, she instinctively hoped that a great threat would come quickly without even realizing it, but she just walked calmly, pretending that her friend Holmes was taking a walk.
Anyone could see that he looked like he was on an outing. Except, of course, that they are in a gloomy place under a bridge, with the foul-smelling River Thames flowing nearby.
But now the sight of Holmes waving his cane and even humming his tune was strange in itself. The sight was so serene that Watson was mistaken for a moment, so he couldn’t help but whisper.
“I… Holmes? Ah… “Are you still following us?”
“Shh, be quiet, and don’t turn around, Watson. The myths of the old Greeks warn us that this is not good. “Remember the story of Orpheus.”
“What?”
Sometimes Holmes would answer with nonsense that Watson could not understand. Watson had to accept that this was not intentional, but was often the antics of smart people.
But I couldn’t help but be momentarily taken aback by Holmes’ subsequent actions.
Instead of answering Watson’s question, Holmes suddenly started sprinting. Watson and Inspector Macdonald instinctively realized that it was a signal without being told, so they began to run quickly, chasing after Holmes, who had already gone ahead.
In the distance, I could hear the sound of men running from a distance to follow me. Although there was a distance, Watson’s keen senses were able to detect it right away, and the sudden chase made Watson even more excited.
“Damn it, you noticed and ran away, Tom!”
“Shut up and run quickly, Huck!”
I heard middle-aged men shouting urgently in voices with American accents. It could be guessed from the point of view that they were following, but it was clear that the pursuers had sent five orange seeds!
At least Watson thought so.
Assassins from far away, from the harsh land of America, where barbaric customs still remain in the eyes of English ladies like Watson! Those who had committed the atrocity of calmly drowning an upstanding young Englishman in the Thames were pursuing them!
How fun and exciting is this?
‘I’m glad that Holmes is my friend!’
Watson truly thought so. Because with his friend, he could go through all kinds of dangerous things.
If Holmes had known this, he would have scolded him for thinking like a gambling addict with a tendency to ruin, but even now, Holmes was busy devising ways to prevent the pursuers from escaping.
At some point, they came up from the riverside, and Holmes headed towards the maze-like alley to prevent them from stopping because of people’s gaze.
Unlike under the bridge, where people are sparse, there were people who often begged or just chatted among themselves without the will to live, and looked at Holmes and his group running by, but no one was interested.
“Watson, you go over there! Inspector MacDonald, forward!”
Holmes gave instructions without explaining the reason. Because they were used to her behavior, Watson and Inspector Macdonald obediently did as they were told, and after a while, the two Americans, out of breath, came face to face with a dead end.
“Could it be a ghost? “Where did it go?”
“There was a witch, Tom. You must have used some magic, you missed the clue. “This is all because of your stupid mistake, they noticed it.”
“… “It’s probably your fault, Huck.”
“You both made mistakes.”
Hearing the voice coming from behind them, the Americans quickly tried to take out their pistols. However, they could already feel the cold muzzle of a gun behind their backs, and in the meantime, Inspectors Watson and McDonald, who were heading in different directions as instructed by Holmes, secretly came out and surrounded them, so they soon gave up.
“… Female?”
“Sorry for being a woman, friends from America.”
One of the pursuers cautiously raised both his hands in surrender and turned around to face Holmes, who was threatening him with a pistol.
Holmes seemed to have realized only then that the other person was a woman, and sneered at the man who muttered in surprise.
In fact, if you look closely, you can see that although Holmes was wearing trousers and dressed like a gentleman on the street, it was impossible to notice that the unique curves of a woman were clearly visible. However, since the pursuer only saw Holmes from afar, he seemed genuinely surprised and tried to exchange silent glances with his colleague.
The man, who realized his mistake, belatedly opened his mouth.
“Ah… “I didn’t mean that, lady.”
“Huck, you idiot. “It might be an enemy!”
“Okay, well, it wouldn’t be my first time seeing a female detective. “I heard that Pinkerton hires everyone, regardless of whether they are women, children, or black people.”
“… How did know?”
As a meaningful sound came out of Holmes’s mouth, the man who had been smiling heartily and behaving like a street gangster even in the moment of being surrounded, glared at Holmes with his eyes shining sharply.
But at the same time, Inspector McDonald intervened, looking embarrassed.
“Now… Wait a minute, Mr. Holmes! “You mean Pinkerton? Aren’t these guys related to the KKK?”
“KKK, I hope you don’t mistake us with those stupid bastards.”
“Tom is right, gentleman. Rather, we are here to chase them. This… “Maybe we were mistaken?”
“Lieutenant McDonald, let me introduce myself first. “I need to clear my doubts.”
In response to Holmes’ order, Inspector MacDonald, while still tense, obediently revealed his identity to the two Americans.
After confirming that the other man was a police officer from London’s Scotland Yard, the two men were still raising their hands in a sign of surrender, but their momentum had eased. It was as if we were facing the same side.
Holmes shook his head and opened his mouth to Watson and Inspector McDonald, who still could not fully understand the situation.
“I knew from the beginning that you were part of Pinkerton. Two people in a team, and the accent is American. “It just so happened that the cigarette I was burning was also made in the United States.”
“… Could it be a hunting dog, lady? “There must have been quite a distance, right?”
“Fairy mixed race. You must have the brains to understand what I mean, since you are doing your own detective work, right? Also, coincidentally, I have little knowledge about cigarettes and drugs, so it is easy to distinguish them simply by smell. Above all, our gait when observing or tracking us. I heard that Pinkerton is providing some unique training. These are people with proper training, not idiots from the rural South. However, not a soldier.”
“… “That’s amazing.”
“They say there are more agents employed by Pinkerton than soldiers in the United States, right? Then there is only one answer. Pinkerton. “If the case we’re pursuing is related to the KKK, it wouldn’t be surprising if Pinkerton showed up.”
“Uh… ? Holmes? I don’t understand a bit. That… So these two are detectives from America, and they came to London to track down the KKK?”
“Okay, Watson. “That’s not Watson-like.”
“Like a fool- no, before that… “Isn’t this something that could become an international problem?”
“Originally, Pinkertons are people who stand on the border between legal and illegal. “Isn’t that right?”
Americans laughed leisurely at Holmes’ words, as if they had just heard an old friend’s joke.
Of course, Inspector MacDonald, who protects British public power, was uncomfortable with the presence of detectives and vigilantes from the United States, so he cautiously opened his mouth, looking at Holmes’s attention.
“Then…” Should we take these people to Scotland Yard headquarters and investigate them, sir? No matter how many people do legitimate detective work in the U.S., It’s a little…….”
“It won’t help, Inspector McDonald. Well, they could be kicked out for making a problem, but Pinkerton is a very resourceful organization, so another agent will come, or they will just change their name and come back. Or, you can put a little pressure on the top. Above all, we are currently investigating what Scotland Yard has ruled to be an accident, but the only help and evidence we can get right now is from these American friends in front of us.”
“Is it because we are partners? “As expected, she’s a very conversant girl.”
“… “I am not an ordinary detective, but an investigative consultant.”
When Holmes opened his mouth, coldly looking down at the hand of a man asking to shake his partner’s hand, the Americans opened their mouths, touching his hand as if they were embarrassed.
Only then was Watson able to observe the two people in a little more detail.
Both of them were close to forty and had strong physiques. At first glance, it seemed like he was making an effort to dress like a British gentleman, but it was somehow awkward, and his clothes were disheveled here and there, as if he himself was uncomfortable.
A man with a small mustache and a man without a beard. There were two people like this, and the distance between them was quite close, as if they were old friends.
“… Still, I think you agree to exchange information with us? I’m Huckleberry Finn, a member of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. “This is my friend Tom.”
“This is Thomas Sawyer.”
“Sherlock. Sherlock homes. “This is John Watson, my friend and assistant.”
“Ah, friend! “I see, I’m also an old friend of Tom.”
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“Stop talking nonsense, Huck.”
“I think it would be best to move on and talk.”
“Oh, then let’s go to our room. “There’s a hotel nearby.”
And thus began a strange collaboration with detectives from the United States.
