Detective Bennet [Comprehensive novel]

One of the intimidated persons was on the "Lucky One".

Kelsey felt that her suspicion was getting worse, otherwise, how could she immediately suspect that HNA investor Kan Tan had an ulterior relationship with the unsinkable curse.

First went to the G Hotel.

It is closer to the Harvest Oak Park, and is famous for its 'cleanness', which has not been invaded by evil forces after wizards cast spells.

Traces of witchcraft can be seen inside and outside the hotel, such as patterns drawn with various inks on the walls, such as strange knots made of straw wrapped around the railings.

These things are like enchantments and exorcisms, and the hotel has installed a large number of light-colored glass windows, which have relatively good lighting.

Sunlight is the most natural means to dispel all darkness.

Jules lives in room 103.

Bono had scoured this room, where Jules was last definitely seen, and it contained almost all of Jules' luggage from New York.

"Jul arrived in New York on August [-], and received a threatening letter on August [-]. He stayed in New York for another ten days, and I sent him on the train on August [-]."

Bono fetched Jule's notepad with the train ticket in it.

At present, there is no direct train from New York to New Orleans. Later, Jules took a carriage and walked slowly, and checked into a hotel on September [-]th.

Judging from Juul's itinerary, his mentality has been quite relaxed.

Even if I received a threatening letter, I didn’t take it seriously at the time, and continued my original plan to see paintings, exhibit and visit museums in New York.

Later, Zhu Er was not in a hurry, and never changed his purpose of collecting scenery along the way to find inspiration for painting.

Otherwise, you should take a boat like Kelsey, go south along the east coast of the United States, and then rush to New Orleans.The whole process only takes three or four days instead of half a month.

Zhu Er paid a one-month room fee at G Hotel, obviously planning to stay for a long time.

According to the hotel attendant's recollection, Juul was in a very leisurely state from when he checked in on September 9 to when he left home on September 4.It's eating, drinking, wandering, enjoying the scenery of New Orleans.

This state is also reflected in the placement of personal items in the house.

Although Bono turned the guest room upside down to find clues, he tried his best to maintain the original appearance of the room before Jules left.

The guest room showed no signs of being intruded or left in disrepair.

Similar to most passengers, Juul's two worn coats were placed on the armchair, and the empty wine bottle and glass were placed on the bedside.

Kelsey looked around, there were clean clothes hanging in the closet, and some newspapers were still on the desk.Juul's painting set is individually packaged and placed in the corner by the window.

"When you arrived, these painting utensils were idle?"

Kelsey opened the large package of painting supplies, including drawing boards, paper, paints, brushes, etc., which were almost brand new.

Bono nodded, "Yes. Jules brought them from France. He is used to these brands of painting utensils. I opened them and looked for possible clues. I found that he didn't use them very much. Try to keep them as they are. Put it back on."

Kelsey nodded slightly, picking up Jules' notepad and flipping through it.

The last entry above was still in June this year, and he wrote, "I'm going to America this year and draw something new."

Flipping forward, the notes started in January this year, and the content is very life-like.

There are a few sums kept on hand, and there are plans for chores, like a recipe for the week, or ideas for cufflinks or tie clips.

These fragmentary records stopped on June 27th.

"Mr. Bono, Jules arrived in New York on August [-]st. Before that, did he go to other parts of the United States?"

Kelsey failed to find Juul's passport and wallet in the house, but counted the number of pages in the notepad and there were no missing pages. What is missing now is Juul's life trajectory in July.

Bono was not 100% sure, "As far as Jules said, he came to New York directly from Paris by ship, and then came to me directly."

Kelsey waved the notepad, "A person who is used to jotting down trivial things is very unlikely to change his habit for no reason. Does Juul have a second notepad?"

"no?"

Bono was also not sure, "When I was in New York, I went to the hotel to look for him twice, and it seemed that all I saw was this notebook, at least from the outside it looked exactly the same."

A notebook for interrupted recording, a painting tool that was never used.

For painters who came to the United States to seek inspiration, Juul's state after coming to the United States was a bit too self-indulgent.I didn't record one or two inspirations, and I didn't leave one or two drafts.

Therefore, based on what has been observed so far, until September [-]th when Juul disappeared, he did not show any sense of personal threat.

If there were not several threatening letters, it would not be arbitrarily judged that something bad happened to him based on Juul's situation.It may also be because of an affair, temporarily leaving the hotel to have a good time outside.

Right now, there are threatening letters.

Juul received it on August [-]th, Bono on September [-]th.

The letters sent to the two are all common business models in New York in terms of type ink, letter size spacing, and paper.

Simple words are chosen for the wording, and the content is very short, too short to be used as evidence. From the logic of the writing, it must be inferred that it must have been written by one person.

However, there is a slight difference between the two letters.

Exactly four different envelopes than one:

Jule, Ethel, Pee Wey, and Kantan, the four people who went to Xiangshu Manor, all the letters they received were sent by post.

The same envelope, not the cheapest blank cover, but with a picture of a scale.

The address and recipient's name on it are all handwritten, referring to the font of the typewriter, which is almost exactly the same as the printed one.

The letter Bono received didn't pass through the post office, and it was put directly into his mailbox without postage stamps.

"How? Any clues?"

Bono asked eagerly, "Mr. Bennet, should we go to Harvest Oak Manor as soon as possible?"

"Before that, I would like to meet the other two people who received threatening letters."

Kelsey saw that it was getting dusk, "Peevey from the New York jeweler, and Ethel from the Italian planter, maybe they can give some clues."

Both Peavy and Ethel are at Hotel G.

The two arrived in New Orleans on September 9 and 9, respectively.

When Bono arrived at the hotel at noon on the 11th to confirm whether Juul was missing, he alarmed other hotel guests, including the two who also received the threatening letter.

At dusk, the back garden of the hotel.

Under the palm tree, Peavy and Ethel are drinking coffee calmly.

The two of them didn't say hello when they saw Bo Nuo, and a hint of impatience flashed across their faces, as if they didn't like people coming uninvited.

Until Bono introduced Kelsey, the attitude of the two quickly changed from indifferent to amiable.

"Mr. Bennet, please take your seat."

Peavy gave Bono a good look, "Mr. Bono, please sit down too."

Ethel asked if he wanted to order some afternoon tea, but after being declined, he didn't care, and chatted about the telephone communication business.

"Mr. Bennet, you have not been interviewed in the newspapers. It is a great honor to meet with you today. I really want to hear you talk about the development expectations of the communication industry."

A person is missing.

Several people have received threatening letters.

Is it still a good time to continue chatting about business development and how to make money?

"Regarding popularizing the telephone, if the two are interested in further discussions, I can introduce the Count of Monte Cristo to the two of you after this matter is over. I'm just talking on paper, and the count will control all business practices."

Kelsey talked a few words, then turned the topic back to the threatening letter.

"Please forgive me. I came to New Orleans because of the disappearance of the painter Jules. I wonder if I can consult the two of you about the situation."

"Of course, you can ask whatever you want."

"Of course, I know everything."

Peavy and Ethel were not impatient with being diverted from the topic, and both of them had very good attitudes.

Faced with different treatment, Bo Nuo just kept smiling.

Businessmen are not profitable, so he is not a potential partner for the two of them, but only engaged in paleontological research-that is not a very lucrative business.

Kelsey got straight to the point, "I heard that you two also received a threatening letter, I wonder if I can take a closer look. Also, what do you two think about that letter?"

Both Peavy and Ethel said they would go back to their room to get the letters, and Kelsey wanted to keep the two letters.When it comes to related opinions, both of them spoke in a nonchalant tone.

"Mr. Bennet, this is not a big deal. Tree Manor is going to be auctioned off. The reputation of this land is bad, so there are fewer bidders, and you can buy it at a low price. With your business sense, you must understand that this is a big deal." a means of competition.”

Peavy said as a matter of course, "The letter writer just wants to make people panic and deliberately fish in troubled waters. There is nothing to worry about."

Ethel also held the same view, "In early July, New Orleans announced the auction of the land. The official auction was on October [-]th.

Those who pay attention to this aspect almost all received the news in August.Who would be afraid of such a threat if someone wants to lower the price and release rumors that voodoo dolls will take away souls. "

Indeed, there is the possibility of this kind of commercial competition.

Kelsey asked for details, "The two of you received the letter. Have you ever wondered who sent it? I heard that Mr. Kantan on the ship also received the letter. Have you discussed this issue before?"

"No, we didn't really care."

Ethel said that he and Peavy just met, and he and Kan Tan who is currently on the "Lucky" are just ordinary friends.

In August, at a business reception in London, Ethel and Kantan casually mentioned the auction news of Xiangshu Manor, and they also talked about the so-called threatening letter.

"Kang Tan and I said it as a joke. For a wealthy businessman, how could he not receive malice from others over the years. I have received real blood and severed fingers, and there is no threat at all. A letter of strength..."

Ethel shook her head in disdain, obviously the threat of the voodoo doll is not worth mentioning. "As for finding out who sent it, it's nothing more than a competitor's trick."

How does the sender know the address?It couldn't be simpler.

"None of us are unknown people. Someone who plays tricks will definitely know the company's address. This letter is thin and non-threatening. The secretary will pass it on to us after receiving it."

Peavy gave his opinion of the delivery process, and he also sought approval from Kelsey, "Mr. Bennet, you must understand, and there must be many people who wrote to you, such as sending to Monte Cristo Communications to contact you. "

"Yeah, we can't stop those people from sending letters, but we have the final say on whether to read the letter or not."

Ethel held the same point of view, and gave Kelsey an example, "We are not ordinary people. It's like Tom, Jerry, and Smith in a bad street. Nobody makes a fuss when they receive a letter."

Kelsey gave a standard gentlemanly smile.

She was offended, what's wrong with being called Tom, Jerry, and Smith, can't she prefer bad street names?

Regardless of this, what Peavy and Ethel said fits their living conditions.

At this time, Bono retorted bluntly, "The situation is different now. Juul is missing. And I also received a threatening letter, warning me not to pursue it. Doesn't this mean there is a problem?"

In the past few days, Bono asked the hotel guests which ones were going to the "Harvest Tree Manor", and also asked about the manor that was going to be auctioned.

Over the past few decades, there have been rumors of ghosts and monsters haunting the Oak Manor, and several buyers like Pee Wey and Ethel have come here in August.As far as the waiter recalled, those people left in a hurry, as if they didn't have much interest in the manor.

Hearing this, Pee Wey and Ethel looked uneasy for a moment, but they all calmed down again.

Peavy coughed lightly, "Cough! Mr. Jules is missing. There may be some problems, but it's not necessarily related to the threatening letter. Maybe it's a cover-up."

"Do you think there is a possibility: Mr. Jules also mentioned the receipt of the letter to others. He tied him up with ulterior motives, and then sent a second letter to warn Mr. Bono to stay out of his own business."

Peavy stated his guess and proved it with facts, "Mr. Ethel and I have been in New Orleans for a few days, and there is no accident."

Bono broke the so-called calm, "That's because neither of you left the hotel after hearing about Jules' disappearance."

The faces of the two of them turned black, and they were quite embarrassing about being picked on by their ruthless performance.

Kelsey spoke at the right time, "Tomorrow at dawn, I will go to Xiangshu Manor to check. The two of you..."

Without waiting for Kelsey to finish speaking, Peavy and Ethel almost said in unison: "Then I will go and have a look." "Please let me go and have a look together."

Kelsey seemed surprised, "Are you two sure? My intention is, you two think about it again, is there any missing clue?"

Both shook their heads.

Peavy: "Since there are no other clues, it's time to look."

"That's right, you have to go out to find clues." Ethel agreed, "Be sure to bring us with you tomorrow."

Kelsey didn't stop her, and agreed that the four of them would go to Oak Manor together.

At the moment, there is a subtle feeling that the people who received the threatening letter acted too seriously.The attitudes of Peavy and Ethel are also worth scrutinizing.Only Bono is an exception.

Later, Kelsey got the two threatening letters from Peavy and Ethel.Except for the delivery address, it was exactly the same as Juul's.

She didn't have dinner with Bono, and there were two things that had to be done before visiting Xiangshu Manor tomorrow.

Before leaving the hotel, he asked Bono something.

"By the way, I'm curious about one thing."

Kelsey talked about the ages of several people, "I don't know if it's convenient to say, how did you and Jules meet? Are you more than 20 years apart?"

Juul, Peavy, Ethel, and Kantan on the cruise ship, the four belong to the same generation, all in their 40s.

Bo Nuo is only 22, and he can be regarded as a promising young man in the field of paleontology.

"Friendship knows no age. Zhu Er and I met five years ago. I like his style of painting. I asked him to help me do illustrations for the illustrated book of paleontology. I became familiar with him after going back and forth."

Bono laughed when he thought of the past, and asked Kelsey in puzzlement, "Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Of course not, I'm just curious."

Kelsey accepted the answer with a smile, leaving Bono alone and doing the next two things alone.

**

September seventeenth, eleven o'clock at midnight.

The "Lucky One" routinely held a dance every night.

A waiter took the letter from the telegraph room and delivered it to the guests in the VIP cabin.

The invention of the wireless telegraph brought ships and land closer.That's the case, but every time you send a word, you are burning a lot of money.

In general, the ship sends a telegram to the land when there is an important matter, but it is more difficult for the land to contact the ship, because the smooth signal of the ship passing by cannot be guaranteed.

But rich people like to burn money, and they are patient enough to keep contacting the ship's radio station.During the voyage, several private telegrams to passengers emerged.

"Mr. Watson, your telegram."

The waiter found Watson on the deck and forwarded him a telegram from a loyal book fan.

"My fan, a telegram from America?"

Watson was surprised. He knew he was famous, but had he become so popular?

About this trip to the United States, I only mentioned a thing or two to Mrs. Hudson, and did not mention it to anyone else.

Now there is a call from a transoceanic book fan, and the other party knows that he is on the "Lucky One". What's going on?

The waiter confirmed that the telegram was addressed to Mr. John Watson in the VIP cabin.

Despite the somewhat generic name, there was only one John Watson in the VIP cabin on this voyage.

The waiter left, and Watson opened the envelope puzzled.

The content of the telegram reads, "I like your thriller novels very much, especially the protagonist of "Atlantis Lovers" and the plot design of "Secret Love in Sahara". I look forward to seeing you in the United States—by Your faithful J"

"what?"

Watson was at a loss. Although the titles of these two books seemed to be his style, he was sure that he had never written these two stories. Could it be that he met the wrong reader?

Watson immediately told Sherlock about the matter, "Mr. Holmes, have you heard of these two books? This J, is it a mistake? Or when I joined the army a few years ago, someone used my pseudonym to publish a pirated book ?”

Sherlock stared at the inscription 'Your Faithful J', and couldn't help but smile in his eyes.

Looking up again, the normal expression has returned.He cleared up Watson's doubts a bit, "J did not make a mistake, and no one used your pseudonym. These two books were released at the same time as "Adventures in the Alps", and you have not read them."

Watson was even more surprised, "So, isn't J making a mistake?"

"No, of course not. You are mistaken."

Sherlock said solemnly, "Although the telegram was sent under the name of sending it to you, the person J who sent it really wanted was me."

Watson's mind was a little confused, and he didn't know where to start asking.

Sherlock's face became serious, "There is something, it's time to tell you. Before leaving London, I don't know who sent a note to 221B. On it, I typed a line, "There is no eternal luck. If you are not ashamed, you must Backlashed.""

Watson: ? ? ?Now, right now, right now, he needs an interpreter.

Who can help translate Sherlock's jumping thinking and tell him what's going on from beginning to end!

Obviously he boarded the ship with Sherlock and sailed across the ocean together, why does it feel that he understands far less than the mysterious letterman J?