Detective Bennet [Comprehensive novel]

In the quaint legend of Hansford Village, Helen's death by demon fire has been proven to be a man-made murder.

Regarding the singing of the undead after Helen's death, although the maker could not be caught on the spot, judging from the messy footprints of the wild grass, at least it can be judged that the singer was a living person, and her approximate height and weight can be deduced from the size of the footprints.

"Come to think of it, have you ever seen a 5.5 foot tall, thin woman in or around Hansford Village?"

Sherlock didn't let Collins leave immediately. He was the only person who had seen the Night Singer so far. No matter how panicked he was, he could give one or two clues.

Collins shook his head vigorously.His mind was in a mess, he shouldn't be out to slay demons tonight, he might be unlucky if he ran into a scary ghost.

"That's a man!" Sherlock snapped. "Sir, please use your brain a little bit. After the fire, a living person is invited every year to sing in the middle of the night. Will there be no tricks in it? You let go of the important one with a loud voice." witness."

Sherlock did not say that the suspect was let go, otherwise Collins might not have said anything because of his irresponsible appearance.

"Calm down, think carefully, have you ever seen this woman nearby?"

Sherlock slowed down his tone again, playing hard and soft, "I think you came to the abandoned hotel in the middle of the night, not for fun, but for exorcism, right? In fact, as long as you think of any clues, it will be a big help, which is equivalent to For the exorcism."

"How did you know I was going to exorcise demons?!"

Collins was dumbfounded, and he didn't even tell his father that he came here tonight.He couldn't help but take a few steps back. Could it be that he really met a mind-reading devil?

Sherlock maintained a gentleman's smile, is the person in front of him a fool!

He held the Bible in one hand and the cross in front of him with the other. The purpose of coming here late at night was obvious.

"Please think hard." Sherlock threatened with a smile, "If you really don't know anything, I'm afraid tomorrow the village will know that you disturbed the witnesses who came to justice."

Collins' complexion changed, he couldn't bear a bad reputation. "I did not do anything!"

"Don't you want to do something else?"

Sherlock secretly thought that it was really unlucky to meet a pig-like witness, and saw that Collins' ugly face turned pale again. "Who did you think of!"

Collins shook his head quickly, no, it couldn't be that lady.

At the moment, no matter what reputation is damaged, he turns around and runs away. He will never get involved in the disputes of the powerful, lest he become a victim.

Sherlock didn't forcefully detain him, and went back to the hotel thoughtfully.In the morning of the next day, I described the pig witness last night to Laurie, "Do you know who this person is?"

"William Collins."

Laurie shook his head, "I didn't expect him to go to exorcise demons in the middle of the night. It seems that the rumors are true. He is seeking the post of priest, but his popularity is not very good."

Laurie said that Hansford Village is not big, and the villagers don't see each other without looking up. It is no secret who is what kind of person.

"Actually, Collins has no major shortcomings. He usually looks serious, but he likes to flatter and flatter people. He just looks down on people who are not as wealthy as him."

Key point: flattering and flattering.

Sherlock thought of Hessel who had just traveled, "So, Collins also visited the Viscountess of the nearby manor?"

"Of course Collins will not miss the opportunity to greet the Viscountess."

Laurie didn't know why Collins had the cheek to come to the door, anyway, he boasted unintentionally after returning to the village.

Sherlock seemed curious, "What did Collins say? Is the Viscountess very approachable?"

"It seems that the Viscountess appreciates his serious attitude towards people? That's better than a young man who talks too much."

Laurie was amused when he said that, "However, we all took it as a joke. If the Viscountess really valued Collins, wouldn't she arrange a good position for him."

The reality is that Collins continues to struggle for the priesthood.

Laurie added, "Someone in the village met the Viscountess by chance, and the lady looked a little thin. Most of them were perfunctory to Collins, and they didn't have much energy to chat with him."

Sherlock was thoughtful, and according to Laurie's description, Hessel was somewhat similar to Night Songman in figure.

And Collins may not be completely exaggerating. The relationship between Hessel and Peterson is about to freeze, and I am afraid that he already hates pompous and arrogant men.

In any case, see Hesser before drawing conclusions.

Sherlock was thinking of contacting Kelsey when he received a letter from Gelfin Village.

Opening the letter, the title at the top flashed into my eyes.

'Dear Father'

Sherlock was sure he didn't mistake the handwriting, and when did he have a son of a similar age?

Ten lines at a glance.

The letter only described the grief of meeting his father's old friend who passed away, and asked his father in the tone of a son if he wanted to rush to the funeral.

But Sherlock immediately understood that the death of Pastor Abuli was related to the strange case.

After a day and a half, we arrived at Gelfin Village.

In the afternoon, the sun shines through the stained glass windows of the church and falls on the ground like a ray of divine light.

"Where is Abuli now?"

As soon as Sherlock entered the church, his face was anxious and mournful.Seeing Kelsey standing under the cross of Jesus, he looked like a middle-aged man who had lost a friend. When he caught someone, he asked where the coffin was. "Jerry, take me to have a look."

Kelsey turned around and secretly praised Sherlock's disguise and acting skills as always.

She also entered the scene, "Father, please come with me. Pastor Abuli's coffin is temporarily placed in the inner room. After you come, we will discuss the burial. Thanks to Mr. Bob for his help. He has dealt with it in the past few days. All chores."

There are no outsiders in the apse of the church.

The villagers all waited for the burial before sending Abuli off for the last time, and they did not bother him in the past two days.

Sherlock first inspected Abuli's body, and the results were consistent with Kelsey's judgment. The pastor died of overdose poisoning of Fanmu/Turtlefish/Alkaline.

The two exchanged their discoveries succinctly.

"Oh, my lord father, I should be able to give you a surprise."

Kelsey held out an index finger and fetched Father Abuli's beard and hair two-piece suit from the bottom of the box, "Look, does it look familiar?"

The mysterious man Helen met privately had a big beard and brown neck-length brown hair.

"It's almost certain that it's Abuli. He fits the figure Lowry said, and now even the shape is exactly the same."

Sherlock also matched the time difference, "It took exactly two or three days between the two villages, from Helen's arrival message to Abuli's arrival at the hotel."

Is it just that Abuli's private meeting with Helen is related to Helen's murder?What is the relationship between the night singers who appeared later and them?

So far, three people have been identified as dead in this case.

Franklin, may / card / died of an alcohol overdose due to addiction.

Abuli, who drank refreshing water for a long time, died of excessive poisoning of acacia/turtle/alkali.

Helen, who had regular private meetings with people, was designed to die in a fire in the back room.

Kelsey sorted out the current relationship with the characters involved in the case.

Franklin-Abuli: Holder of the same rare seal

Franklin-Petersen: similar eccentric room arrangements

Abuli-Helen: Private meeting

Peterson-Helen: Fire Dreams, and Fire Reality

Night Singer (Suspected Mrs. Peterson, Hessel)——Helen: The mysterious person who appeared on the day of the death of the fire

At present, there is a direct or indirect connection between the five people, but like a mess of wool, the end of the thread is hidden.

Sherlock pointed to Helen, "If you find out her identity, you should be able to find the thread."

"Helen, we know too little about her. What is certain is that there is no one on the list of mistresses given by Peterson."

Kelsey shook her head, "However, Peterson has reservations from the beginning. Helen is also eye-catching, and once you see it, you will have an impression. One of the two was designed to be burned to death, and the other dreamed about the fire for many years. Peterson probably did it on purpose. Don't mention it."

In the case of suffering from nightmares, what Peterson deliberately concealed could only be a scandal.

It wasn't just Peterson who was hiding something, his wife Hessel was also hiding something.

Sherlock pointed out a contradiction, "That night, I was sure to hear the voice of a middle-aged woman, but I checked again that night and the next day, and found that her running traces were brisk and fast."

Sherlock was also shocked by that speed, and stretched out his hand in a bird-flying gesture, "Can you imagine? A middle-aged pampered woman runs so fast."

There are no more than three possibilities for the emergence of contradictions.

First, Hesel is not as frail as the rumors say, she is surprisingly agile.

Second, it was not Hessel who came, but a young woman with a deliberate voice.

Thirdly, it was Hessel who came, and something made her run so fast.

Kelsey immediately understood Sherlock's implication, "We can't rule out any possibility rashly, but you saw that Abuli was intoxicated by refreshing water, which increased the probability of the third speculation. Hesel also Taking similar products, this stimulant gave her a short-term speed boost."

Sherlock nodded, then shook his head again, "Even if Hessel also took the refreshing water, it doesn't prove that the two must be related. The ingredients of this solvent are written in the "British Pharmacopoeia". As long as you have money, you and I can buy it too." arrive."

Therefore, the two went to Hessel's manor again.

It was said to the outside world that they were going to find a collection for Abuli and buried him in the coffin together, but in fact the two were just waiting for a rabbit.

If Hesel's so-called outing was actually to create midnight singing, and this year's singing was interrupted, and the aftereffects of taking refreshing water would make her body weaker, there should be a small chance that she would return to the manor.

A day later, there was indeed a response to the invitation.

Hessel returned to the manor early and agreed to meet the two.

"You're here for Peterson."

Hessel waited in the living room early, without keeping the guests waiting for a second, and said straight to the point, "I don't ask anything about him."

This sentence was said firmly and coldly, without a trace of emotion.

Before leaving London, I found out more or less about the past situation of Peterson and his wife.

Peterson and Hessel were of the same family, and both had first-class looks.

25 years ago, there were many sweet rumors in London at the beginning of the wedding.Mrs. Peterson was said to be a beautiful and gentle lady.

The charm of Hessel in front of him still exists, but the brows are full of coldness.

"Mrs. Peterson..."

Before Kelsey could finish, Hessel interrupted.

"Call me Ms. Andrea."

Hessel said indifferently, "Stop calling that unknown surname again."

This is completely abandoning the husband's surname.

Kelsey was kind, "Okay, Ms. Andrea, thank you very much for agreeing to this meeting. I don't want to disturb your life, just ask a few questions. Have you heard of Viscount Peterson's fire nightmare? "

Hessel shook his head indifferently, "No, I haven't talked to him since I left London."

Kelsey asked again, "You have been away from London for several years. Was it because of your mother's death?"

Hessel was still indifferent, "Phoebe has been in poor health since she was a child, and death is also a relief. I left because I just didn't want to stay in the Viscount's Mansion."

It's really not like a mother talking about her daughter.

Even if Hesel had let go of her daughter's death, it wouldn't be enough for her eyes to be ignoring strangers.

"Okay. Then you have moved to Kent for some time. Have you heard of the devil fire in Hansford Village? Do you know a lady Helen with a mole on the corner of her eye?"

A hint of sarcasm flashed across Hessel's indifferent face, but it quickly disappeared.

"Are there still few rumors about ghosts in continental Europe? I've heard about the fire, but I'm not interested in rumors about demons. I haven't heard about Helen either."

Kelsey looked directly into Hessel's eyes for a few seconds, only to see the indifference in her eyes.

"That's the end of the question." Hessel stood up straight, and said in a forceful manner to see off the guests: "I asked you to come, just to show my only attitude. Don't bother me about Peterson, unless you tell me to go Accept the inheritance, or don't come to me again. Please leave!"

Sherlock didn't say a word, and looked at Kelsey, and the two didn't insist on asking.

When stepping out the door, Hesel's voice came faintly from behind.

Her voice actually weakened, "Don't, don't rush..."

"boom!"

The gates of the manor house were closed.

Kelsey and Sherlock were shocked.

"This voice is her, not her just now."

Sherlock spoke vaguely, but the discovery was like a thunderbolt.

The weak female voice was the Night Singer, not Hessel who was talking to the two.

The two are spoken from the same mouth, but because the two tones are different, two different personalities can be clearly identified.

It's like a split personality!

Kelsey's eyes froze, something flashed in his mind, and he finally understood why there was an invisible hand.

hurried out of the manor.

Kelsey immediately said, "Hessel's mental state is not right. She is indifferent to Peterson, and even more indifferent to her daughter, as if facing a stranger. If she is too emotionally hurt, she still has emotional fluctuations towards Helen. "

"Hessel didn't even look at me during the whole conversation. She was trying to escape. She remembered the voices she heard when she was being hunted down."

Sherlock didn't expect to make such a discovery, "It's really unexpected, one body is very likely to have two different personalities."

"It doesn't necessarily have to be the two personalities that are generated independently. Think about Franklin. From the very beginning, you feel that his death is contrary to harmony. The real evidence is the black cloth room."

Kelsey pointed out the weirdness behind the black cloth, "Franklin's character change is too fast, so fast that it is abnormal and does not conform to conventional logic."

Both had seen Franklin before—a businessman, a bargainer.

Despite the fire, Franklin suffered no burns, only fractures and he soon recovered.After he was discharged from the hospital, he was still thinking about losing less money, so as to raise funds as soon as possible before starting a business.

But within a month, Franklin actually locked himself in a dark room.

"Hiding yourself in the dark means hiding and wanting to escape the world. In Franklin's case, he is far from reaching the end of his rope."

Kelsey took a deep breath, "If there is an external force, then everything that is unreasonable can be explained. Suspect X, with an invisible hand, changed people's mental state."

Sherlock thought of the previous arson case, "In this way, James' blindness is also suspicious."

The arsonist Gotha dropped out of high school and later took a job that had nothing to do with mathematics.

In the past six months, he has become obsessed with numbers, and arranged in numbers to choose which house to burn down.

"In fact, it is very difficult to choose accurately. Based on the number of murders in Gotha, you can choose James' family, or his neighbors."

Sherlock suddenly sneered, "I participated in Gotha's interrogation. He is not a very smart person, but he is extremely stubborn and must follow the plan. If there is really a mind manipulator, it is not difficult to influence Gotha's choice."

From the beginning to the present, there are too many coincidences and too many doubts, making the extremely impossible possible.

So is there really a mind manipulator behind the scenes?

who is he?What is the relationship with Peterson and others?

"Revisit Hessel."

"Revisit Hessel."

Kelsey and Sherlock made the same decision, and the best breakthrough is Hessel.

However, judging from today's conversation, the indifferent Hesel will not provide any more clues unless the Night Singer can gain control over his body.

Sure enough, the next few invitations to Hesel were all lost.

The two had to find another way to find a way to make the Night Singer appear.

"Night singer, love poem, the spirit is suppressed, the weak side."

Kelsey stroked it all over again.Night Singer will appear on the death day of the fire scene, indicating that this incident has caused enough fluctuations in her heart to suppress the indifferent Hessel.

No matter what the fluctuation is, its root is nothing but deep emotion.

"April is in my lover's face, July is shining in her eyes, September is hidden in her breasts, and December is cold in her heart."

Kelsey whispered that this love poem read by the Night Singer undoubtedly depicts the lover's heat on the outside and cold on the inside.Regardless of the gender difference, it is very similar to the portrayal of Viscount Peterson.

Kelsey clapped her hands suddenly, "Love and hate go hand in hand. Hessel was a gentle woman at first, and it can be judged that she loved Peterson deeply. Now, to call out the gentle, affectionate and weak night singer, I I think I can use a trick."

Sherlock didn't understand what he meant at first, but when Kelsey stared at him, he suddenly understood. "Oh! No! You're a baseless move."

"Why do I have no evidence. According to Peterson's style, he must have read a lot of love poems when he pursued Hesel. This makes today's singers sing the song of the dead and choose such weeping love poems."

Kelsey even pointed out, "Now we want to stimulate Hesel and stimulate her emotional fluctuations about the old relationship. Only when the Night Singer appears will he open his mouth to reveal clues, so this trick is feasible!"

Kelsey spread her hands, "Otherwise, you can think of another feasible solution. Hesel has everything she needs, and she doesn't accept money bribes. She is indifferent and has no one she cares about. Can you still tie her up and extract a confession?"

The scene was silent for a while, and the two looked at each other in blank dismay.

Sherlock couldn't refute it, but the so-called strange move was too strange!

——Let him sneak in the middle of the night like a night singer, imitate Peterson reciting love poems in the manor, and awaken the deeply suppressed love and hatred in Hessel's mind.

After a few minutes Sherlock broke the silence.

"Okay. I must admit that this trick is the most suitable way to stimulate after combining the current clues."

But Sherlock asked Kelsey, "But, dear Jerry, why didn't you read it? I don't know anything about love poetry."

"Oh, dear Tom, the mature and stable voice of the father you played before is in line with your age. I am willing to bow down to you. I think you will be able to accurately imitate Peterson."

Kelsey is not guilty at all, she will never reveal too many skills. "Besides, I don't know anything about love poetry."

The two looked at each other in dismay again, how would the two who knew nothing about the trick of love poetry accomplish it?Do you want to practice first?

The author has something to say:

Today, a bit late o(╥﹏╥)o