Detective Bennet [Comprehensive novel]

There was a strange thumping sound in the interlayer between the eaves and the ceiling, as if the wind had blown something after entering the hole, causing it to hit the wooden boards in the interlayer.

The two scanned the structure of the house, and could only climb up from the outer wall and climb to the air leak to have a look.

But it was not easy to find a ladder in the abandoned workshop. After searching around, I only found a trembling wooden ladder in the woodshed.

"I come."

Sherlock righted the wooden ladder and seized the place to climb the ladder.

He denied that he was worried that Kelsey was not strong enough and might be at risk of falling.

"Jerry, just hold on to the wooden ladder. Don't be too moved, I'm just in case, and I don't want the reckless situation where the evidence is destroyed."

Kelsey originally didn't want to compete to get on the roof, and she must guard the ladder alone, but why bother to classify her as reckless.

"Tom, if you really think I'm reckless, you should let me go up. Personal safety is more important, and don't let the reckless ladder crash happen."

If Kelsey didn't hold the wooden ladder well, Sherlock would fall.

After hearing this, Sherlock climbed the stairs unchanged, and went up to the roof neatly in twos and threes.He showed a condescending smile, "I know, Jerry won't."

"I won't, not because you know, but because I have basic cooperative ethics."

Kelsey looked away and concentrated on holding the ladder, keeping an eye out for the danger of the roof collapsing.

Fortunately, although the abandoned workshop has been in disrepair for a long time and there are several holes in the roof, the retrieval process is still smooth.

Sherlock moved closer to the place where the thumping sound came from, and there was a gray mass.

When it was disassembled carefully, it turned out to be a large mass of spider silk wrapped around a broken bone.

When the wind blows, the broken bones will swing with the wind and hit the laminated wooden beams, making an imperceptible thumping sound.

This is the little thumb joint bone!

Sherlock's nose moved slightly, thinking of something, he simply knocked all the roof tiles open.

Sure enough, a litter of rotten dead mice was seen in the interlayer, most of which had become ossified.There are three broken finger bones beside them, and a dense black dot.

"Poisoned to death."

Sherlock brought down the dead mice and finger bones, "According to the environment of the interlayer of the roof, with this degree of decay, the mice have been dead for more than ten years. There are still some remnants of insects beside them. Judging from the number and shape of the dead, They were also poisoned to death."

"Very well. The mice made their nests on the roof. They found delicious fingers and brought them back to their nests. After eating them, they were poisoned to death, and they also got involved with the bugs that decomposed the corpse."

Kelsey wondered how the human finger bones appeared in the interlayer, "Where did the human fingers come from?"

I had a question before, how did the dismemberment man steal so many corpses and stumps?

At this moment, look up at the chimney behind the workshop.

Chimneys connected the kilns, which were fired at temperatures high enough to incinerate the bodies.

The two trotted towards the porcelain kiln.

Kelsey yanked open the kiln door and lit the torch, only to see a hole of ashes.No matter how you turn it with a wooden stick, in addition to accumulating dust, it will still accumulate dust.

"The sky in Stoke is covered with gray fog, and the city people have long been accustomed to black smoke coming out of the chimney."

Kelsey looked up, the people who lived here were used to everything gray. "I'm afraid no one will tell the difference. Is the porcelain fired in the kiln, or something else?"

If what is burned is not porcelain, but human corpses.

It left a hole of ashes, but they were fused together with the remaining ashes of porcelain fired in the past, and they could no longer tell the truth.

Under the high temperature, all clues were reduced to ashes.

"Look separately, but to see if he is really watertight."

Sherlock kept the rat carcass and the finger bones, disbelieving that the murderer would be able to erase the criminal evidence flawlessly.

In an hour, the two turned the broken workshop upside down.

All the valuable things in the workshop have been dismantled, and there is not a single table and chair left.

Perhaps thanks to the haunting curse, there are no homeless people living here.Although there is a lot of dust on the whole, it is not regarded as a garbage dump for random litter, which reduces the burden on the search work.

So what did you find?

The two met again in the hall, holding something in each hand.

Kelsey got under the bed with the broken leg and found a palm-sized porcelain vase in the corner.The small bottle is patterned with blue and white, but a large number of black spots seriously spoil the beauty.

"It's a Ming porcelain, a defective product. It used Sumaliqing, and the fire was improper, so it didn't produce a brilliant color. Instead, the iron content was too high, and large black spots appeared."

The mouth of the vial was still missing a piece.

It looks a little ugly to the uninitiated, but it is really hard to believe that it came from the East more than 400 years ago, and it is a genuine antique.

"It was supposed to be a medicine bottle, but there was just a scrap of paper stuffed inside."

Kelsey found it strange that the porcelain bottle was found in the corner. The owner dropped it and didn't pick it up.There is a layer of drug residue attached to the inner wall of the vial, but instead of pills, there are crumpled pieces of paper. "Look, can you recognize which newspaper it belongs to? Its timing is a bit of a coincidence."

Spread out the piece of paper, it is less than half the size of your palm.

Only the date and a line of small characters are displayed, and most people have no way of judging the source.

"September 1852, 7"

A line of small Portuguese characters is attached below: "Ondeaterraacabaeomarcomea"

It is only worth noting that two years before Herman's death, a batch of expensive goods that had been heavily loaded were submerged by sea waves, and it was exactly in the summer night of 1852.

Sherlock took the piece of paper, and he knew the source of the newspaper piece that was difficult to identify in the eyes of others.

""Land ends here, sea begins here", this is the slogan of "Poster of Cape Roca". It ceased operation 14 years ago and had been publishing in Portugal covering the Atlantic and Eastern Maritimes.

"Roca Point Poster" printed the date and slogan on the middle third of the front page.It is not just torn off, but put into the vial intentionally. "

As he spoke, Sherlock spread out the folded kraft paper, "Look, I found it at the bottom of the corridor leading to the porcelain kiln."

Before that, Sherlock lay down on the ground and searched inch by inch with a magnifying glass, without missing any bump marks on the underside of the wooden door.At the place where the bottom of the door was bumped, hair and clothes were drawn and caught by wooden splinters.

Eleven hairs were removed, and nine pieces of clothing were drawn.It can be divided into three groups, showing different hair colors and different silk textures.

At least three people were dragged through the hallway.

So far, it can be determined that the dismembered man has come to Hermann's porcelain kiln workshop.

"Burning the body is the best way to destroy the body, but he still left these evidences."

Sherlock refolded the kraft paper, and flicked his fingers lightly, "It is impossible for a layman to fiddle with the porcelain kiln without making a mess, but this place is surprisingly clean."

Don't talk about others, Sherlock can't play with porcelain kilns.

Kelsey agreed, "The dismemberer is young and powerful. He knows the cemetery like the back of his hand, has been in contact with maritime trade, and is also proficient in firing porcelain. He is probably an employee of Herman, the one who has followed for many years. "

"It's a fatal retrospective. He has a hatred for Herman, and he has contributed a lot to Herman's bankruptcy."

Sherlock looked at the fragments of the newspaper mockingly, "It is very likely that the shipwreck was not only a natural disaster, but most of the sinking of the cargo was caused by man-made disasters."

In the cargo ship wreck in 1852, not only the precious porcelain was drowned, but also a ship of sailors.

In this way, the dismemberer not only attacked the corpse, but also brutally killed the cat. His hands had already been contaminated with a boatload of human lives.

Immediately, Sherlock decided to go to Liverpool, "The Port Association has kept the shipping news near the European continent for decades, and the "Poster of Cape Roca" in 1852 should also be collected.

I went to see what it published, and I stopped by the morning market where Angel disappeared. "

I'm afraid it will be difficult to gain anything just by reviewing.

The morning market was demolished seven or eight years ago, and it is all luck to find witnesses who were the stall owners back then.

Therefore, the hope of solving the case cannot be pinned on one party, and it is necessary to find clues as much as possible.

"That distant friend."

"That distant friend."

The next moment, Kelsey and Sherlock's expressions changed at the same time.

The two thought of the friend who had come all the way to collect Herman's body, and now it seemed that he was very suspicious.

Before Herman died, he found something was wrong and left clues, but he didn't make a big announcement, but chose to leave a piece of paper on the porcelain bottle in an extremely cryptic manner.

At that time, it was very likely that the dismemberers had already occupied the porcelain kiln workshop, so Herman, who was seriously ill, would not be allowed to communicate with outsiders.

The so-called old friends came to visit from afar, if it wasn't really a coincidence, it would only be intentional by the dismemberer.By disposing of Herman's body, the traces of the crime can be erased logically.

"I'm going to the retired former mayor."

Kelsey dug out the previous records from the portable shorthand.

Know-it-all mentioned that 20 years later, Britain has been ravaged by cholera, and very few people are still alive to understand the past.The only person who can be contacted so far is Hamilton, the former mayor of the town where Poci Kiln belongs.

"I hope no one will leave the tea cold."

Kelsey did not dare to report too much hope.After Hermann went bankrupt, he lived alone in a porcelain kiln, and no one buried him after his death.In the past, people paid little attention to him, but now there are some memories left.

The two separated in Stoke and investigated separately.

Hamilton, in his 60s, left the gray and foggy city of China long after he retired.

Kelsey drove east.

The next night, they quickly arrived in Molly Town, Derbyshire.

There was a knock on the door in the dark, but fortunately the old gentleman was not frightened.

"Ask He, Mr. Herman?"

Old Hamilton thought about it for a while, and finally found the corresponding person from the fog of memory.

"I remembered that he had a Portuguese accent when he first arrived, and then he couldn't tell that he was not British. How can I describe him? Aloof, socially unsocial, and gloomy."

This is a bit of a surprise.

Herman built the charity cemetery in the village of Mindola, and in the words of the villagers, he was a kind and charitable man.

Kelsey asked, "You mean he's not likable? Not very popular?"

Old Hamilton nodded affirmatively, "Yes, it should be said that Mr. Herman never took the initiative to please people. He gave people a feeling that you don't get too close to me. He has never been married and never actively participated in social dances, but you can't Question his character.

Unlike those businessmen who boasted, I accidentally learned that he donated to build a cemetery.

But he rarely talks about charity in public, and he doesn't like being asked about such things.Doing good deeds is not a bargaining chip for him to pull relationships. "

Old Hamilton sighed a little, "Mr. Herman should have been in his 30s when he came to Stoke, and I was still a child. According to speculation in the town, he might have married and had children in Portugal as early as possible.

Who would have thought that 30 years later, when I became the mayor of the town and learned of his death, I never saw his relatives appear.

In fact, since his failure in sea trade, he has been staying in the porcelain kiln workshop.At first there were a few hirelings, but then he lived alone. "

"I heard that no one restrained Mr. Herman after his death. The person who collected his body was a friend from afar, and there were also rumors of a ghost in that porcelain kiln."

Kelsey observed the old Hamilton's face, and saw that he was concerned. It seemed that the curse had a great impact. "How much do you know about these?"

Old Hamilton took a long drag and exhaled the smoke heavily, "Mr. Herman has been in poor health since he went bankrupt, and it is said that he has a serious lung disease. But that summer, he died of diarrhea.

That year was 1854.There was an outbreak of cholera in London, and people who got cholera would die of vomiting and diarrhea, which was very similar to Mr. Hermann's symptoms.Can you understand the panic in Stoke at that time? "

There are many causes of diarrhea and death, cholera is one of them, and gamboge poisoning is also one of them.

In this era, even some people with a medical background cannot clearly distinguish the difference between diseases of different etiologies.

Hermann died of diarrhea.

People in Stoke suspected that he had cholera, but it was not like the so-called cursed people in Mindola.

Kelsey frowned slightly, "You burned his body?"

The old Hamilton nodded helplessly, "That year, the grass and trees were all in danger, and the neighbors in the workshop were afraid of getting sick. After discussing with Mr. Herman's friends, we made the decision to burn it for burial.

Later, there were rumors of being haunted, and it was said that there would be no peace because of Mr. Herman's death.

After nightfall, the chimney of his porcelain kiln still emits black smoke, but no one dares to find out.The land remained uncultivated until I retired. "

Inside the house, there was silence for a while.

Herman's life, ups and downs, is enough to make people sigh.

Kelsey didn't jump to judgement, since her knowledge of Herman was incomplete.

When old Hamilton calmed down, she asked again, "Do you still remember Mr. Herman's friend? His age, appearance, origin, and when did he leave Stoke?"

"Oh! I remember some. His surname is Hale, he is about 25 or 40 years old. At that time, I thought it was Mr. Herman's family members who came, after all, he and Mr. Herman are [-] years old."

The old Hamilton was impressed by this, and Hale explained that he had been taken care of by Herman, and the two were friends who had forgotten their age.

"As for appearance, he has a gentle face, but his body is not thin."

The old Hamilton recalled as much as he could, adding details to the sketches drawn by Kelsey, "Mr. Hale is almost of this type, without any overly noticeable features."

Kelsey nodded slightly, even this picture cannot be fully believed, after all, there are too many variables in 20 years.People's memory will be blurred, and people's appearance will change.

"And where did he come from? Did Mr. Hale mention where?"

The old Hamilton really had an impression, "Yes! He mentioned that he came from Oxford University. I forgot the specifics, but the general meaning is that he is studying in residence at Oxford University, and it is not easy to ask for leave at All Souls College, so he missed Hermann. The last side of Mister."

It is true that Oxford University is not popular for day reading these days, but mentioning All Souls College?

Kelsey raised an eyebrow. All Souls hadn't had students of its own since it was founded in 1438.

New members are recruited every year, and the best graduates of Oxford University are invited to take the exam. The two most outstanding graduates are admitted to become researchers, which is a great honor in the UK.

Of course, there are very few people going to college now, and ordinary people know very little about the details of the college's operations.Hale can also vary from person to person, making up lies to put himself out there.

The existence of Hale at All Souls is very easy to ascertain.

The problem is, once it is determined that he does not exist, how to trace his true identity.

"Apart from that, do you remember other things about Mr. Hale? For example, where did he meet Mr. Herman? For example, is there any characteristic of his accent?"

Kelsey wanted to help old Hamilton dig out his memory, but he waved his hands frequently, making it difficult to remember more.

The elder Hamilton affirmed that Hale's accent was close to the London area, "Mr Hale lost his friend and had to cremate his body, he was very sad and had no interest in talking.

We only have a brief discussion on the facility handling of the porcelain kiln workshop.He suggested selling them all and donating the proceeds as a last charity to support Mr. Herman. "

Kelsey paused, "Are you sure Mr. Hale knows about the Charity Cemetery in Mindola Village?"

"That's right." Old Hamilton answered as a matter of course, "Although Mr. Herman doesn't like to be mentioned to outsiders about the good things he has done, he certainly won't keep silent to his friends.

Mr. Hale also expressed regret when talking about the Charity Cemetery.He has no ability to help Mr. Herman survive bankruptcy, let alone sustain Mr. Herman's charitable deeds. "

So far, it can basically be presumed that Hale is the dismemberer.

If there are multiple people involved, he is the mastermind of a series of big crimes.

Kelsey was not surprised that Hamilton Sr. never suspected Hale's identity.

Three points are false, seven points are true.

Hale got it right.He has a certain amount of knowledge, and he has some vanity when fabricating his false identity, denies the real relationship with Herman, and shows his benevolence intentionally or unintentionally.

This kind of acting makes it impossible to determine the specific grievances between Hale and Herman.And what kind of criminal psychology did he have for 11 years of dismembering and stealing corpses?

If there is a shipwreck, Hale will take revenge on Herman.This lacks a process of psychological change compared to dismembering multiple people.

Besides, corpses were cremated in porcelain kilns, but debris left behind in mass burials, such as A-word necklaces.Does it show that Hale is sorting the dead bodies, people are burned, things are buried.

At the same time, it's a little weird.

From stealing corpses to robbing living people is a change in the mode of committing crimes.Judging from the timeline, the two are going on at the same time, but this does not conform to the norm of crime escalation.

Is Hale, the dismemberer, the real culprit behind Angel's disappearance?

Kelsey sorted out these questions silently, and only by finding Hale could he get the answer. "Mr. Hamilton, do you remember where Mr. Hale said at the end where he could be found?

A gentleman like him must have left an address.Let you encounter problems related to Mr. Herman, you can go to him for help. "

Old Hamilton stared in surprise, "Yes, you guessed it right. Mr. Hale left in a hurry after disposing of the workshop's sundries. He left an address at that time."

"where is it?"

Kelsey took notes.

Old Hamilton smiled bitterly and apologized, "20 years, too long, that address has long since disappeared. If you hadn't visited tonight, I would never have remembered the past in the ashes of the fireplace, and I would have never troubled Mr. Hale again."

Kelsey looked calm, not disappointed. "Don't you remember any of it? A county will do. I should like to see this good man who goes about his business."

Old Hamilton stretched out his hand and made an H, "I remember it's in Hertfordshire next to Oxford University. Mr. Smith, are you sure you want to look for it? This range is too vague."

"Yes, I'll try my best."

Kelsey bid farewell to the old Hamilton, "Thank you very much for your help tonight."

Investigation, originally from vague to clear.

At present, there is a sketch portrait of Hale. Knowing some of his background and personality traits, and knowing where he may have been, it is even more difficult to continue to trace.

**

A month later, the verification letter from the fat boss arrived, and there was no one in All Souls College that fit Hale's description.

Kelsey's Hertfordshire carpet search failed to yield a single lead about Hale.

This does not mean that the old Hamilton wrote down false contact information. After all, Hale must have wanted to grasp the development of Herman-related matters.

But 20 years have passed, and even the strange noise of the mass graves has disappeared for five years.

Calculated by age, Hale is now 46, and may have been seriously injured or died.Maybe this is one of the reasons why there is no such person.

'Boom! '

Thunder and lightning flashed in the sky, and soon there was torrential rain.

The originally peaceful country road soon became covered in mist, making it difficult to see the road ahead.

"Mr. Smith, let's find a hotel for lodging."

The coachman David suggested: "The rain in early July is not so easy to stop. I said yesterday that it will come fiercely, and it is estimated to last for three or four days."

Kelsey didn't know the roads in Hertfordshire today, and although he bought a map, he hired an experienced coachman.

David has been running a carriage in Hertfordshire for seven years, and he is also very familiar with the weather changes here. Yesterday he predicted that it will enter a period of heavy rain.

"Okay, let's find a place to rest before it gets dark."

Kelsey wanted to check Hertfordshire as quickly as possible, but was in no hurry.

On heavy rainy days, the dirt roads in the countryside are very unfavorable for horse-drawn carriages, and sometimes wheel sinking accidents may occur.If you don't find a foothold before dark, spending the night in a carriage on a torrential rainy night is not a good feeling.

The luck of the two was a little bit worse, the hotel in this village went out of business, and they could only find a family to borrow.

David pointed to the side of the guide, "Maybe the squire will agree."

"Pass in my name card."

Kelsey took out a bronzing name card. Since he was playing Brother Smith, of course he had to be fully equipped.

Tom and Jerry are two advisors to a certain Viscount in Wales. No matter how rustic their names are, the design of the name card is elegant and rich.

After half an hour.

Maybe it's a gorgeous enough name card, maybe it's a rich enough accommodation fee, maybe it's the host's hospitality enough, no matter what, the two settled in Bennet's house smoothly.

Kelsey changed into a clean suit and headed to the living room.

Just as he was about to greet his master, he thought to himself that it was a coincidence that this family was also surnamed Bennet, when they heard whispers on the stairs.

"Oh! Kitty, look!"

Lydia hid behind the pillar, excitedly grabbed the sleeve of the fourth sister Catherine, and pointed downstairs. "Cupid, Cupid, he's done it to me!"

Catherine also heard that a gentleman came to stay at home, but she was a step behind Lydia who hurried out of the house.

This will clearly see the appearance of the person downstairs, and her cheeks are slightly red, as if an arrow has been shot in her heart.Swear to God, she didn't dream of a wonderful life after marriage.

Kelsey looked up, she was always holding a detective script, right?Didn't he come to some strange house tonight?