antique on the run

"Sherlock, the identity of the deceased has been found!"

In the early morning of the next day, when Sai Wei and Qi Xiao had just finished their breakfast, Lestrade hurried over.He took off his hat and hung it on the coat rack, sat on the sofa, and was about to talk to Sai Wei when he suddenly saw Qi Xiao beside him.

"Doctor Watson, what's the matter, are you uncomfortable? Why is your sitting posture so strange?"

Qi Xiao's face darkened in an instant, he gave Saiwei a hard look, and said word by word: "...No, I'm fine."

Sewell was stared at by him, touched his chin, coughed dryly and said to Lestrade: "John, um, suffered a little injury, but it's okay, you don't have to worry."

In order to prevent Lestrade from continuing to ask, he quickly changed the subject and said, "Okay, Lestrade, tell me why you are here. Have you found out who the deceased is?"

Speaking of business, Lestrade straightened his back and said seriously: "That's right, after we parted yesterday, I asked people to check the music teachers in various schools in London according to what you said, but They came back and said no."

Lestrade took a sip of tea from his teacup, and said, "Later, I asked people to go to various private tutoring agencies to inquire, and it turned out... I really asked about similar complaints in one family."

It was an intermediary company that provided private tutoring services for the children of wealthy families. After learning about the police detective's intention, they searched the complaint records for the past two months, and found that there was a complaint record three weeks ago. Claiming that the vocal teacher hired by the family did not go to class for a month without reason, because it was the teacher recommended by the agency, so the parents of the child asked the agency to give an explanation and assign a new teacher to go there.

"The teacher's name is Natasha Alexandra. She is 22 years old and her ancestral home is in Russia. After her father died, she followed her mother to England to make a living. Her mother also passed away three years ago. She has no other relatives in London. I rented a small apartment near Xie De'an Avenue in the east of the city, and I have always lived alone."

The houses on Xie De'an Street are generally old, the rent is not very expensive, and the law and order are relatively chaotic. Most of the people living in them are tenants who came to the UK from other countries to make a living and are not well-off.

"Which school does she teach?" Sewell asked.

Lestrade's eyes widened: "How do you know she's still teaching at the school?" He remembered that he had just said clearly that all schools in London hadn't asked about Natasha's whereabouts.

Seville laughed, "You said that this girl lives on Xie De'an Street, which means that her financial situation is not optimistic. Tutoring is not a stable job. Hiring or firing is not a matter of the employer's word. How could she Put all her financial resources on being a tutor to make money? This must be just her sideline."

Lestrade showed admiration on his face, "Indeed, she works as a music teacher at St. Carmel's School, which is a boarding school for nobles with first-class facilities. Most of the students there are children of wealthy businessmen. They are busy with business and don’t have time to take care of them, so they are sent to such noble schools.”

"Haven't you visited this school before?" Saiwei stood up and asked while putting on his coat and walking outside.

They need a trip to St. Carmel's School.

"We have visited." Lestrade also stood up immediately, "But their headmaster didn't mention Natasha at that time, because..."

"She resigned three months ago, gentlemen."

The principal of St. Carmel's School was a tall, thin old lady named Connie Tan, who wore a dark purple tunic dress, and her silver-gray hair was carefully tied behind her head.She was wearing a pair of thick reading glasses with a gold wire frame. When she spoke, she was as tall and straight as a green pine, dignified and decent.

"I really should ask Mrs. Hudson to come over and take a good look at what a real lady of the mansion is." Sai Wei whispered in Qi Xiao's ear.

Bu Qixiao: "..."

The mansion... the lady.He no longer wants to make any complaints about Sewei's idiom level.

Principal Connitan clasped her hands on her chest, and said in a business-like tone: "Our teachers here have all been strictly screened and trained, and it is absolutely impossible for them to do anything illegal, Mr. Detective, I think I'm afraid you made a mistake, although Natasha worked in our school, she resigned and left three months ago, and our school will not be responsible for any of her actions."

She probably thought that Natasha broke the law outside, so the police detective came to her.For fear of affecting the reputation of the school, Principal Connitan was eager to distance herself from Natasha.

"Ma'am, we didn't want you to be responsible for any of Miss Natasha's actions." Lestrade's face was full of helplessness, "In fact, we just came here to ask you for some information about her, because Just yesterday we found Miss Natasha's body in the Thames."

"What! You... you said Natasha is dead?" Principal Connitan covered her mouth with her hand in surprise.

Lestrade said: "Yes, the police preliminarily determined that Miss Natasha died of homicide, and it was found that she had worked in your school for a long time before her death, so I want to ask you about the situation, she Were there any disputes with anyone, did you know of anyone who might have killed her?"

Principal Connitan didn't expect the matter to be so serious. She was originally arrested by the police because of some petty theft or improper relationship with Natasha.In order to prove that the teachers in the school are very upright and law-abiding, she just wanted to send Lestrade and the others away in such a perfunctory manner.

"Natasha is a very nice girl, she is beautiful, she can sing well, she is also very gentle to the children, she is soft-spoken, both students and other teachers like her very much, it is hard to imagine that she will be loved people killed."

Principal Connitan took Sewi and the others to the school's archives to find Natasha's entry and exit records.

"She came to our school three years ago. Here, look, here are the records." She handed the staff record book to Lestrade. There has never been a record of complaints against her, and she is always very popular when selecting the most popular teacher among students every year."

"Then why did she resign?" Sewell leaned over to Lestrade, glanced at the record book, and asked Principal Connitan, "Is she dissatisfied with this job?"

"I don't know about that." Principal Connitan showed an apologetic look, "We don't ask the reason for the teacher's resignation in detail, because it is their freedom....But maybe Dolly will know something, you know She is the female teacher who has the best relationship with Natasha."

Soon the female teacher, Dolly, was invited to the file room. She was a thin and thin girl, with plain clothes and freckles on her cheeks. She couldn't help crying when she heard the news of Natasha's death. stand up.

"Nata, she is really a very good person." Dolly said, sobbing: "How could she die like this, she said that she will go to live a good life after she resigns!"

"Good day?" Lestrade caught the word sharply, "What kind of good day? Do you know why she resigned?"

Dolly froze for a moment, opened her mouth, but did not speak, but cried loudly.

"I... I don't know, Mr. Detective, I really don't know why she resigned. As for the good days... that's what she said. I think she probably found a better job."

Maybe it was because the death of her best friend was too exciting for her. Dolly couldn't stop crying. She took off her glasses, covered her eyes with a handkerchief, and was trembling slightly.

Lestrade did not give up, and asked again: "Have you ever had any conflicts with her?"

Dolly showed a blank look on her face, "Contradictions? I have never had any conflicts with her. She has a good temper and everyone likes her..."

She seemed to understand something suddenly, her eyes widened suddenly, she covered her mouth and said, "Oh my God, Mr. Detective, don't you think I killed Natasha? This...how is this?" Possibly! She's my best friend!"

Lestrade quickly waved his hand and said: "Miss, we didn't doubt your meaning, I believe that a lady like you would not do such a thing. I just want you to recall that your friend Natasha had No feud with anyone, or do you know anyone who might have been motivated to kill her?"

Before he finished speaking, Dolly kept shaking her head, "Natasha is such a kind girl, who would be so cruel as to kill her, Mr. Detective, I really don't know anything !"

Seville reached out his hand to stop Lestrade who was still about to speak, gave him a wink, and said: "That's fine, Lestrade, I don't think the headmaster's wife and miss teacher will know more, we Or look elsewhere."

After speaking, he briefly expressed his thanks to Principal Connitan and Dolly, and then turned around and left the file room first.

"Sherlock, what's going on? Why did you leave? That Miss Dolly obviously knows something else, I don't believe you can't see it." After leaving the file room and walking to an empty corner, Lestrade De stopped in front of Sewei, and said with a face of disapproval.

Saiwei didn't answer his words, but turned his face and asked Qi Xiao: "Did you see anything before you left?"

When the three of them left the archives room just now, Sai Wei led the way, Lestrade was in the middle, and Qi Xiao was in the rear.

"Principal Connitan dragged Miss Dolly to her side when we were leaving, with a very ugly expression on her face, as if she was warning her about something." Qi Xiao said without any ups and downs, "But Miss Dolly showed a very resistant look. , seems to be at odds with Principal Connie Tan."

When he was speaking, Saiwei had a gentle smile on his face, and his eyes were full of affection, as if he was saying: Observing the details and being as careful as dust, look, how wonderful my lover is!