Sherlock Holmes: Repeat Business. Lyn McConchie

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СКАЧАТЬ is to be hoped they have not, and now that her cousin is in the city making a noise about her possible absence, if she was not dead already I doubt they would risk her murder now. But I have some suspicion of the truth; one of her letters was quite informative. We must discover her fate, Watson, free her if she still lives, and if she is dead, I shall bring her murderers to justice.”

      I looked at my friend’s set and determined expression, and thought that were I one of the Windibanks, I would at once give over my schemes and make what reparation I could. It was then that I heard approaching footsteps in the passage, Holmes, whose hearing is keener, was already opening the door.

      “Mr. Sutherland, you bring a friend and do you have news?”

      “I do, Mr. Holmes, but what it may mean I shall look to you to tell me.” The young man and his friend were waved to chairs and Josiah Sutherland began to speak immediately he was seated.

      “This morning while I was at breakfast I received two letters, the first from Cousin Mary. It says that she has been ill but is recovering a little, so that she is now able to see a visitor so long as he or she is prepared to accept her conditions. She is suffering from typhoid, her hair has been cut, and she must lie in a darkened room. However, if I am prepared to see her, I shall be admitted tomorrow evening around six o’clock. What do you think of that?”

      Meanwhile Holmes and I had been looking at the man Josiah had brought with him.

      “I shall know more once your companion here tells me why he has come,” my old friend said quietly. “I suggest the second letter you received was from him. I know nothing of him save that he is a clerk in the city, has a good job, is happily married, and was recently ill.”

      The man started to his feet. “Why, sir, how is it that you know these things, do you know me?”

      Holmes’ tone was soothing. “I would be a poor detective if I could not see the obvious. There is pallor about your face, which, together with the small ink stain in a certain position on your shirt cuff, suggests you are a clerk; my observing that your waistcoat is a little loose reinforces my belief that you have not been well of late. You have a good job, since your shirts have their own collars and not the detachable type.”

      “And my happy marriage?”

      “Your shirt is ironed, your hat well brushed, and your handkerchief folded in a slightly fanciful shape. That last is the province of a devoted wife.”

      “Wonderful, all they say of you is most certainly true.”

      “Yes.” agreed my friend, disinclined to be modest where his own powers were concerned. “But I think you are here to tell me something which I do not know as yet. Please, tell us what you know.”

      “My name is Gordon Hackett. You are right, I am a clerk with Witherspoon and Merrison, and I hold a good position in that firm being the head of their administration department. Almost three months ago I contracted influenza and quickly became very ill, so ill that my wife feared for my life. I have been abed for most of that time, and only in the last few days have I been well enough both to go abroad and to read the daily newspapers that my good wife saved for me.

      “In one of the latest I discovered Mr. Sutherland’s advertisement and I hastened at once to his hotel. I did not know if what I could tell him would be of use, but I owe Miss Mary a debt which I am eager to repay.”

      “What debt?” was Holmes’ immediate question.

      “My wife’s dressmaker works in the same building that contains the room rented by Miss Mary. A few days after Mr. Sutherland’s cousin took up the room, I escorted my wife to her dressmaker. She went ahead while I paused to read the paper I had just purchased. The stairs are long and steep, and just as she reached the top of one flight my wife slipped. She would have fallen and perhaps been severely injured, were it not that Miss Mary was coming down the stairs and instantly caught hold of her, swinging her to one side against the banisters which my wife seized and regained her footing without harm.

      Holmes nodded slowly. “I see, you naturally introduced yourselves, thanked her for the service and continued to nod and exchange greetings whenever you saw her after that.”

      “Exactly so, sir. But it was only two weeks later when I was waiting for my wife that I observed Miss Mary under different circumstances. I should say that the dressmaker prefers I do not smoke within her rooms and I had come out into the passage to smoke in peace. I was standing in the shadows by the turn of the stairs on the flight above when I observed Miss Mary being assisted from her room. She appeared quite dazed, her face was white, and she seemed unable to stand or walk without help.

      “I would have spoken, offered my aid, but that those who were with her moved very quickly. They had her down the stairs and into a hansom while I was still trying to decide if I should make my presence known to them. Mr. Sutherland has already asked, but I can tell you little about them, save that one was a man and the other a woman. The man wore a muffler about his face, while the woman had a heavy veil.”

      “But you followed them down the stairs. How close were you when they spoke to the driver?”

      “I heard a portion of the address since I was still walking towards them as they addressed him. I heard neither number nor street, but I distinctly heard the man say the name of the suburb.” He repeated that and the three of us exchanged glances. It was the area in which Miss Mary and the Windibanks resided.

      “That is most useful, and I believe you may have done her a great service, sir,” Holmes said. “Now, of your courtesy answer my questions, and it may be that I can bring from your memory some small information on that pair with Miss Mary.”

      He questioned Mr. Hackett tirelessly—and in the end—both men left each looking as weary as the other.

      “What do you think, Holmes? Do you believe the letter was truly from Miss Mary?”

      Holmes shook his head. “No, but it gives me hope she is alive yet. Meanwhile, I shall call on two of my young friends for aid.”

      I listened to his instructions and went in search of two of the Baker Street Irregulars—as they were known. Having found them, I too gave certain instructions, and returned to find Holmes closeted with Inspector Bradstreet, who rose to leave just as I entered.

      “I’ll be nearby, Mr. Holmes. Never you fear. Just blow your whistle and I and a couple of my men will come running.” With that he departed and I nodded to Holmes.

      “The lads will do as you instruct. They’ll be watching and waiting.”

      “Good. Then in a few hours, Watson, we will know the truth. Bring your medical bag, it may be required.”

      I was ready to depart when he was, and at five o’clock that evening we set out for the Windibanks’ home. We met Josiah Sutherland waiting by the door and when that was opened to him we stepped quietly behind the hedge. One boy came from the lane behind the house and winked as he passed. Two boys passed us after that and Holmes nodded at them but without speaking. The lads vanished around the side of the house and we continued to wait.

      At last our client reappeared, looking distressed and anxious. I took his arm and led him down the road a short distance before we halted. Holmes addressed him quietly.

      “Did you see your cousin?”

      “I cannot say, Mr. СКАЧАТЬ