193 – Lone Star (1)
No one willingly opened their mouth. Of course, this did not mean that everything Holmes said was accepted as true.
However, just as we often involuntarily choke ourselves when we hear something so unbelievable, the Americans and Inspector MacDonald had no choice but to remain silent, like people whose mouths were blocked.
The silence was barely broken when Tom Sawyer, with trembling hands involuntarily, put a cigarette to his mouth and took out his matches.
“To be honest, it’s a story that’s hard to believe.”
“… I agree, Tom. “If it weren’t for this situation, you might have thought I was talking to an imaginative novelist.”
“At least it’s not a bad reaction. “If you were really stupid, you would have taken it as nonsense in the first place.”
Holmes was sarcastic, but the two Americans did not say anything even though they heard the sarcasm. Rather, it was Inspector McDonald who intervened.
In Watson’s view, Inspector Alec McDonald was a person whose two egos were colliding at that moment. On one side, there was MacDonald, a respected follower of Holmes who believed in her words, and on the other side, there was Inspector Alec, an inspector at Scotland Yard in London, who tried to deny the absurd hypothesis.
Finally, as if neither party could come up with an answer, Inspector MacDonald opened his mouth, choosing his words.
“What… of course…… The increase in organized crime in the UK, including London, over the past few years… I will not deny it, Mr. Holmes. In fact, seniors and higher-ups are also struggling with this issue. Well, if you are someone as special as Mr. Holmes, your perspective may be different-“
“You can just tell me your true feelings and stop talking nonsense, Inspector McDonald.”
“Every… “I swear to you, how dare I even think of something like that to you!”
Lt. Macdonald was startled and threw up his hands at Holmes, who cut off his sentence and spoke coldly, but was completely ignored because the Americans had already intervened again.
Watson glanced at Inspector Macdonald, who was lowering his head in despair, with a look of pity, but then he focused again on Holmes’ conversation.
“Well, even though I said this confidently, it is still a theory that remains at the hypothesis stage. “Intuitively, I know this is right, but I still have a long way to go to prove it.”
“This must be a very dangerous hypothesis. “At the very least, it is a dangerous hypothesis that will confuse people just by having such a hypothesis.”
Holmes shrugged his shoulders, as if agreeing with Huckleberry Finn’s opinion. However, her subsequent words were mixed with the pride of a wise man who intuitively realized a certain truth faster than anyone else.
“But if you have a little bit of intelligence and knowledge about the phenomenon, you will know that this hypothesis can explain a lot of things. Although it has not been proven yet, there is probably no other theory that clearly explains so many mysteries. Is not it?”
“… Obviously, admitting this would be like admitting that the world we live in is half ruined… Unfortunately, it’s hard to refute that.”
“I’m sorry, Huck, but I can’t help but half agree with Miss Holmes. As she said, even if it is only a hypothesis, it is true that we are solving the feeling of déjà vu between M and the various crimes taking place in Europe and the United States these days. In fact, if all of those pieces move under the orders of one person, if they are all part of the same group, there is at least no contradiction.”
“You didn’t say it was just one person?”
“But they clearly have someone as a hypothesis. “No, at least it looks like you’ve already chosen the candidate, right?”
“To be honest, the answer you just gave me is a bit surprising. That was a sharp point. “I won’t deny it, though.”
Since Watson had already been with Holmes and knew the unproven truth, she was able to understand the current conversation to some extent.
But only Inspector McDonald was still rolling his eyes with his mouth open as if he did not understand. Watson, who was unable to see her, quietly opened his mouth.
From noble mtl dot com
More than anything, it seemed like if things continued like this, meaningless conversations and nervous warfare would continue all night long. His friend Holmes was certainly a smart, kind, and just friend, but he was a person who clearly lacked conversation and consideration.
“I… Hmm, first of all, didn’t you forget something important? “I think we all agree now that cooperation is necessary to prove Holmes’ hypothesis, or the reason you came here?”
“… Oh my, I would have been late if I made a mistake. Thank you, Watson. After all, you often need someone with a different perspective next to you.”
“Anyway, if you want to collaborate with us Pinkerton, just saying it is not enough. “Both Tom and I are old and in a good position, so we can arouse the curiosity of the higher-ups just by reporting, but we are also business owners.”
“… I had no intention of revealing all the cards from the beginning. “The important thing is whether they are trustworthy people and whether they can return to the United States safely.”
“What do you mean, going back? “Our mission is not over yet, young lady.”
“It’s hard to deny Huck’s words this time. “Although an unfortunate accident occurred, it is highly likely that the person we are tracking is still alive.”
As the Americans said, among the people they were tracking, there were two whose whereabouts were still unknown. Of course, while saying these words, even Americans did not think that the KKK members were still alive.
It may have been just an excuse to stay in England a little longer and do some research on M. However, Holmes opened his mouth as if this was all a meaningless protest.
“Thanks to the information they provided, I was able to find out when those suspicious Americans smuggled into the UK. After that, I also found out an interesting fact through my own personal path. Did you say that the ship that led the illegal immigration was the Lone Star? Coincidentally, they said they were planning to return across the Atlantic in two days.”
“… “Are you really resourceful?”
“What’s more important is that, except for the Lone Star, there are no smuggling ships for the time being. If the KKK members whose whereabouts are unknown are still alive, you would agree that there is a high possibility that they could escape via that ship two days later, right? “I won’t accept any thanks. I did the work for you, but I consider it a service.”
“…… I’ll consider it. However, that hypothesis itself is interesting to me… “I hope we can talk about cooperation in more earnest after we’re done.”
“As you wish. Oh, and Baker Street is always open, so you’re welcome to visit. More than anything… I’d like to pray that doesn’t happen, but the welcome party for these two probably isn’t completely over yet. “Remember that this is a safe place.”
Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer couldn’t understand Holmes’s last words, but they briefly greeted each other and headed out.
On Baker Street, in Holmes and Watson’s room, the three men and women were silent for a moment as if they were following the traces of the missing Americans, and then Inspector Macdonald urgently opened his mouth.
“So… “Who is this person that Mr. Holmes thinks he is?”
At the same time, the inspector also looked at Watson’s gaze. He instinctively realized that she also knew the identity of the person Holmes had spoken of.
No matter how much I denied Holmes’s hypothesis, I thought it might be true after observing the atmosphere of Holmes and the Americans.
Holmes wanted to know the inconvenient truth about how he followed and at the same time had a sense of duty to protect the security of London.
At this, Holmes tapped his small chin for a moment with his long white finger and then opened his mouth.
“I was the first to notice him, Inspector McDonald. Accident… Rather than fate, it was fate. Perhaps the enemy is so strong that I have to sacrifice everything while doing this job… It’s my only purpose. However, it is a hypothesis that has not been ‘proven’ in any way. “Even if I told you that name, I doubt you would fully believe it.”
“Isn’t that what the teacher said? “I will take it seriously and review it in my own way”
“So that’s the problem. “I don’t mean to insult you, but if a single inspector dares to approach you, he will be eaten.”
“… At least let me know when this incident is over, sir. “I am prepared.”
Of course, Inspector McDonald wondered how Holmes knew that ‘fact’, but he did not ask. If he had asked this question, Holmes might have given the answer as if stating the obvious.
Of course, it is fate between me and the teacher.
After Inspector McDonald disappeared, Watson didn’t ask much, but he couldn’t help but wonder why Holmes had obediently sent the Americans away.
“I’m not making fun of you, Watson, for asking if it’s okay to send those two Americans out like that.”
“That… okay?”
“No, they probably made fun of me for being as bad as a goldfish. Anyway, it’s annoying to be curious about something obvious, but I’ll answer it, Watson. But first of all, we are friends. If you can’t stand the teacher’s pranks and it’s over, then you’re not trustworthy in the first place. And if my prediction is correct, he will come visit us again soon.”
It turned out as Holmes had expected.
The very next day, around noon, two Americans with fresh bruises and other wounds on their faces came and announced that they would leave London on the Lone Star, as advised by Holmes.
