Detective Bennet [Comprehensive novel]

'Clang clang...'

The clock struck twelve.

At midnight, Watson immediately went to Detective Edwards, thinking he would like the gift box of heads.

Don't care how bloody the head is, but it is a solid evidence.The note in the box mentioned that the clue to the truth is hidden in the woods near the Moon Bay Circus.

what?

Is it not suitable to send a head in the middle of the night?

Watson thought it unnecessary to pay attention to such small etiquettes.

Don't forget his current role identity. Now that he plays Detective Bennett, he must put solving the case first.

"My God!"

Edwards has just returned home from a detective agency, never expecting to be greeted with a different 'big gift'.Even so, we still have to praise Watson for his timely arrival.

"This is Anna's head."

Edwards first stated the recent progress of the case, and then took the sketch of the portrait given by Kelsey.

"According to the incomplete descriptions of everyone in the circus, Mr. Bennet drew a sketch. This head is [-]% similar to the sketch portrait, and it also fits the characteristics of Anna. She was cut off by her partner Stephen in the circus. One ear. "

In other words, someone deliberately handed over the victim's head to the detectives.

Watson couldn't help wondering, "Is this a provocation?"

Edwards did not jump to conclusions, "Anna was killed, and her partner Stephen was probably the murderer. There was also a 'werewolf' who disappeared with the two.

Judging from the content of the note, the person who gave away the head directly named the woods near the Moon Bay Circus as a problem.As long as it's not a trap, it's hoped that detectives will get to the bottom of the circus right away. "

As for why Anna's head was attached?

The evidence is not shocking enough, so how can it arouse a sense of urgency and attach great importance to it.

"Can't wait any longer."

Edwards made a quick decision.The circus had four more days to perform, but the unknown person chose to deliver the head at this time, which probably indicated that some kind of criminal activity was about to or had already begun. "Go to the colleague monitoring Paul Goodman now to see if there is any change over there."

The woods are full of ghostly lights.

Pale moonlight, green firelight.

Blown by the wind of winter night again, the bush instantly looked like a demon with claws and claws, as if to devour all human beings who dared to step into it.

"That's it?"

Kelsey lowered her voice and said close to Sherlock's ear, "Is this the so-called undead? It's too perfunctory."

The two met the legendary will-o'-the-wisp.

Assuming that in the wilderness at midnight, if you encounter a dark green fire, you are being targeted by evil spirits. Don't even try to escape the pursuit of evil spirits.Because people run fast, ghosts chase fast, and people run slowly, ghosts chase slowly, and they will never stop chasing them.

In fact, in most cases, there is no need to be afraid. This is a phenomenon that can be explained by known science.

The phosphide burns to form a dense green phosphorescence, but there is light but no flame.Because the phosphorous fire is very light and flows with the air, and when people move the air when running, it naturally drives the will-o'-the-wisps and evolves into the so-called evil ghosts chasing their lives.

It is not difficult to artificially create will-o'-the-wisps.

The ignition point of white phosphorus is [-] degrees, and the temperature in winter is not enough, so quicklime and water can be used to support the combustion.Proper operation can also control the combustion start time.

Sherlock was also very disappointed. Everyone in the circus was frightened by these things and panicked.

"Well, the sight in front of you is enough to scare off most people, who don't know the magic of phosphide. Dear Jerry, please understand that we are not just anyone."

What will happen to ordinary people when they encounter ghost fires in the wilderness at night?Scares are inevitable.

What's more, the crowd in the circus didn't just run into a will-o'-the-wisp.The reason why they firmly believe in the saying that the will-o'-the-wisp is the undead is that once they encounter the will-o'-the-wisp, bloody disasters will occur.

Everyone in the circus didn't know that the will-o'-the-wisp was deliberately used to scare away intruders.If someone stumbles into and sees a crime scene that they shouldn't see, they will be silenced.

Although the two detectives were not frightened at all, they entered the woods cautiously.The will-o'-the-wisps are here, will the murderers who pretend to be ghosts be far behind?You can't startle the snake.

The good news is that the time spent in locating the suspect's range of activity is greatly reduced.

Originally, I was still troubled by the fact that the forest was so big that it was impossible to determine which direction had clues in a short period of time.These will-o'-the-wisps are like guiding lights in the night, pointing out the location of those criminals very enthusiastically.

Cleverness is misunderstood by cleverness, and I don't know what the "fire" person thinks about this?

about an hour.

Kelsey and Sherlock went deep into the woods following the traces of the phosphorus fire, and as expected, they heard faint voices in the distance.

Did not approach suspicious elements rashly.

The two walked forward for a certain distance, chose a suitable big tree to climb up, sat side by side on the branch and looked into the distance.

The so-called climbing high and looking far.

At that moment, the two each took out a palm-length pocket binoculars and observed the crowd in front of them carrying gas lamps.

A total of 15 people were counted.

The five people patrolled the periphery continuously, and they were members of the patrol team of the Moon Bay Circus.

The remaining ten people can be divided into five groups.

They are Andre and Merton from the Moon Bay Circus, the director and his assistant from the other two circuses, Paul Goodman and his accomplices.

Finally, Bastian Moran, the second-in-command of the huge underground criminal group, also brought one of his men to the scene of the plot.

This is Operation "Magic Mirror"!

Kelsey and Sherlock looked at each other. The two had come to Chicago to track Moran.Going around, I found him here tonight.

The appearance of Moran here almost confirmed that several circuses were committing vicious crimes, which was the operation code-named "Magic Mirror".

At this moment, one point has been verified: there is a reason for crazy words.

The crazy Alisa has been talking about the magic mirror. I am afraid that she really ran into the "magic mirror" organization a year ago.

At the moment, the distance is a bit far, and the light is not bright.

Even if the two had binoculars in their hands, they could not clearly read the lips of the murderers.However, from the body movements, it is basically certain that those people who are delimiting are now demarcating the land.

What is the enclosure for?

Tomorrow, no, it's past zero and it's today.The cast of the freak show arrived in Chicago this afternoon, and they also set up new tents and other places to stay.

I am afraid that the criminals used this as a cover to set up a temporary exchange in the woods.What's more, the goods that come with the freak show actors are traded here.

The secret conversation lasted about half an hour, during which ten people made gestures such as numbers, as if they were talking about the amount of sharing.

It was close to two o'clock in the morning when the show ended.The secret talkers didn't feel tired at all, and a dozen of them all looked satisfied, and left after making secret marks on some trees.

When the suspects walked a certain distance, the two detectives also quietly descended the tree and fell far behind the 15 people.

As they approached the edge of the woods, the 15 people stopped suddenly.

It's not that they want to go back to each house and disband on the spot. I saw Moran draw his gun and aim at one direction and shoot.

'Bang bang bang! '

Three gunshots pierced the silence of the woods, but there was no more movement in the direction where the gun was fired.

Moran ran to the place where he felt a change, and three bullets hit a big tree.There was no trace of human beings left there, only the crawling marks of larger snakes.

"Mr. Moran, I told you it's safe here."

Seeing Moran returning with a gloomy face, Andre comforted him and said, "We have been trading here for three years, and there has never been a mistake. Please don't worry."

Moran snorted coldly and put away his gun.

With his keen sense, he felt a certain kind of staring at that moment just now. Judging from the situation at the scene, it is likely that the snakes were disturbed by the footsteps of several people and stared at them.

"It's always good to be careful."

Moran comes every year to inspect whether the underground transaction is going well. This year is a special case. He also heard that the gods of death gathered in Chicago.In addition, Uncanny Valley has sent a newcomer here to participate in the transaction.He looked at the man named Goodman and always felt that he was a little unreliable.

Thinking of this, Moran had to think that the Moon Bay Circus had recruited temporary knife-throwing performers. "Andre, what is your circus doing? How can you recruit strangers into the camp?"

"Oh! Flying knife practice is prone to accidents. Stephen accidentally seriously injured Anna during practice, and the advertisements for the performance have been published, so I can only recruit new people."

Andre lied without blushing, because he was afraid that Moran would act cruelly and would not spare his own people, so he wanted to hide his omissions to death.

Andre's tone was relaxed, "Don't worry, those two Russians have a clean background and have nothing to do with detectives 100%. With my professionalism in circuses, those two Tsarist Russians have at least three or four years of experience in knife throwing performances." .

The circus was recruited on a temporary basis, and where did the detectives go to find professional actors to sneak into the camp, and besides, there was nothing unusual about the two of them.We can't do everything we can. "

"Better so."

Moran didn't completely trust Andre either. His assistant went to the circus secretly on the first day of the show and came to the conclusion that there was nothing unusual about it.

"That's not much to say. The circus is on tonight, and the transactions here will start simultaneously."

Moran left a last sentence, "I'll come and have a look tonight, and I'll leave tomorrow. Remember to prepare your reward. As usual, you need gold bars but not money orders."

Moran left first with his assistant.

In the same direction as the two of them are Goodman and associates.

The remaining three circuses also dispersed and went back to different places.

far away.

The two detectives, protected by rocks, showed their figures.Due to the distance, the two could not hear the conversation of those people.

Sherlock pointed to himself, and then to Moran's leaving back.If Moran's whereabouts are discovered today, it is necessary to determine where this person is staying as soon as possible.

Kelsey nodded, and pointed in the direction where Moran shot, going to see if there was anything unusual.

She gestured with a wolf's ears. If there are snoopers in this woods, they are most likely to be erratic werewolves.

Split up.

Two hours later, at four o'clock in the morning at the circus camp, most people were still asleep.

Kelsey went back to the tent first.

Checked the retaining clips at the bottom of the curtain door, the hairs on the clips are still there, no one should have sneaked in during this time.

The search for the werewolf did not go well.A few werewolf hairs were found on a tree in the direction Moran shot, but no other traces remained.

This is also expected.If the werewolf was not smart enough, he would have been captured by the men sent by Andre.

the other side.

Sherlock followed all the way, Goodman and the two left in a carriage at the mouth of the woods, and Moran and the two returned to the town near the circus camp on foot.

It was just a little far from the hotel in this small town that there was a building rented by Edwards as a temporary contact point.

Now that Sherlock had come to the town, he knocked on the door of the contact point.

What was discovered last night is of great importance. It may be difficult to explain it in detail only through secret letters. It is better to explain it face to face now.Unexpectedly, it was Watson in disguise who opened the door.

Watson was also surprised. Shouldn't Mr. Vasilyski played by Sherlock be in the circus?Why does it appear here before dawn?

Without wasting time, the two sides exchanged information.

Watson mentioned the head gift box, and Sherlock also mentioned Anna's unsent letter.

Edwards said that after the performance last night, he immediately sent someone to follow Goodman.

Goodman first went to a casino in Chicago and got into a carriage in the early hours of the morning.

The agents of the detective agency followed the wheel tracks to the woods, but shortly after entering the woods, they lost Goodman's trace due to the obstruction of dead leaves and other unfavorable objects that left footprints on the ground.

The agent did not act rashly, he waited quietly at the entrance of the woods.The carriage stops here, and they can always wait until Goodman and his party come back.

"That is, the front and back feet. My colleague just sent the news and confirmed Goodman's whereabouts."

Edwards circled the location on the map, which is another neighboring town. "Mr. Holmes, you said that you found those people conspiring in the woods. Can you give an approximate area?"

"of course."

Sherlock drew a topographic map of the woods, marking the entry and exit routes in detail, as well as the areas delineated by the suspects.

"My God! Mr. Holmes, you are wonderful."

Edwards did not expect to have such an accurate map. He was still trying to figure out how to find the clues in the woods mentioned in the head gift box, so he got the clue that he could wait for the rabbit by following the map.

Watson was used to Sherlock's magic, but he was still a little puzzled, "Oh! With such a detailed map, didn't your tracking fail to catch those suspects? Your tracking skills and Mr. Bennet's are too superb."

"On the one hand, we hide it well, and on the other hand, we are grateful for the help of science and technology."

Sherlock solemnly produced his pocket-scope.

"You are all familiar with the development of telescopes. However, it is still difficult to find a telescope with a clear field of view and is easy to carry on the market. Thanks to my beloved Mr. Bennet for customizing two of them, one of which is given as a gift gave it to me."

Sherlock secretly thought: Next time, when the two binoculars are placed in front of you, a smart person will know that Tom and Jerry are using a pair of binoculars specially customized.It's a pity, there are very few smart people, and that can only be seen by Mycroft inadvertently.

Watson looked at the telescope curiously, and returned it to Sherlock, unaware that something was wrong.

Edwards was a little excited, "Wow, this is a must-have weapon for detectives. After that, I have to ask Mr. Bennet, I also want to get some useful equipment."

Sherlock smiled and nodded, but was pretty sure Edwards wouldn't be able to get the exact same telescope.Tom & Jerry custom models, no one else can have.

The telescope is just a momentary topic of relaxation, and there is a more important decision in front of you that must be chosen immediately.

It is known that the suspect is going to trade in the woods soon, should the detectives cooperate with the police to arrest him on the spot?Or take the long line in order to wipe out the huge criminal gangs in one go?

However, who can guarantee that it will not be Zonghuguishan with endless troubles.

To catch or not to catch?How to catch it, and what to do if you don't catch it?