"The Widow" Bertha

The scene was very embarrassing.

Of course, it was mainly Sykes and Thomas who were embarrassed.

Bertha didn't think there was any problem. Faced with Sherlock Holmes' questioning, she responded blankly: "No."

After getting an unexpected answer, the young detective looked at Bertha for a moment, and then looked at several large boxes at the back of the office.

Although Ned had been given the task of returning the gift to the Italians, he couldn't return it on the same day, and he had to wait until tomorrow anyway.

Sherlock Holmes' eyes stopped on the family crest on the box, and then he asked, "Italian gangsters?"

Bertha: "What?"

Holmes: "Not very easy to provoke."

Of course Bertha understood what Holmes meant. She curled her lips and said, "It's just a personal relationship. It's just a gift from someone. It's nothing else. Sikes, carry the box up."

Sikes was at a loss: "But didn't you say—" you were going to return it.

Thomas raised his hand and pushed Sikes: "If you tell you to lift it, you can lift it."

Sykes:? ? ?

Are all women so fickle? !

No matter, at least carrying the box can avoid the embarrassing atmosphere at the moment, he can't wait for it.

One sentence of "personal correspondence" is enough for Sherlock Holmes to know the whole meaning of the Italian gift, but the young detective just raised his eyebrows a little, and it is not known whether he understood Bertha's meaning.

But it doesn't matter.

When Sykes called for someone to carry several large boxes upstairs, Bertha went straight to the point: "What do you mean when you say that the murder case in the textile mill is related to the laboratory of the Truth Society?"

Theoretically speaking, Mycroft Holmes had wiped out all the laboratories half a year ago.

"The textile factory claims that a machine accident caused the death of the worker," Holmes replied, "but according to the Irishman, the deceased happened to be a survivor of a previous drug trial."

"Survivor?" Thomas was taken aback.

"Nearly one in ten of Dr. Long's medicines," said Holmes, "has survived."

"That doesn't mean anything," retorted Bertha.

"Yes."

Holmes nodded: "The Irishman came to me because according to eyewitnesses, the victim's death was definitely not a machine accident. But the factory has blocked the news, and it is difficult for me to sneak in and search for clues."

"What about the dead?" Thomas asked.

"Watched by the mill men."

Well, Bertha finally understood why Sherlock Holmes came here.

One is to escort three and a half children over safely, and the other is that this matter has something to do with the Irish, that is, it has something to do with the Whitechapel area.

The police won't help, and Mycroft can't take action in the open—isn't this a warning? If Holmes wants to enter the textile factory or retrieve the corpse, he needs the help of the gang.

"To ascertain whether this matter is really related to the laboratory," Holmes said to Bertha, "I must see the scene or the dead."

It turned out that he wanted to ask her to come forward.

After listening to Holmes' request, Bertha nodded seriously, and then spoke seriously——

"Oh."

Holmes: "..."

Bertha: "Then you go to see the scene or the dead?"

Holmes: "..."

Mrs. Thames greeted Holmes with a slightly astonished expression, showing a bit of artificial pity: "There is another case, and it is indeed very serious. I guess only you can solve it, Shelly. Please do your best, I have private matters here. Deal with it. You're right, Italian gangsters are not easy to mess with, and I'd better not keep their bosses waiting."

After saying that she didn't even give the detective time to respond, Bertha tilted her head: "Thomas, send Shelly out."

Thomas: "Okay."

Then the great detective Sherlock Holmes was kicked out of the office by Bertha.

After walking out of the gate, Thomas suppressed a smile and said, "It's not that Madam doesn't want to interfere, Holmes, it's that we have no reason to intervene."

—Of course not.

Bertha turned around and went up to the second floor, and saw Bill Sykes squatting by the sofa, hiding leisurely.Seeing Mrs. Thames coming back, he immediately got up and said in disbelief, "Madam, did you just send him away like this?"

"if not?"

"Uh……"

Sykes felt that even if he had conflicts with the elder Holmes, he would not be angry with the younger one!Moreover, their wife is actually quite "nosy", and it is not her style to directly drive away the detective who comes to ask for help.

He carefully probed: "Is this the case?"

"It's not that I don't want to interfere," Bertha said calmly, "I can't. Tell me, Bill, if I want to intervene, what identity should I use?"

"Lady Thames is not enough—"

Even Sykes, who doesn't like to use his brain very much, understood half of the sentence.

It's an Irish thing!

For the past six months, Thames Office has kept a low profile, but Madam has hand-picked a few troublesome subordinates--among them, Bill Sykes wants to be a man with his tail between his legs.

Efforts were taken to make it clear to the Gypsies and the Irish that they had no intention of meddling in each other's territory or their lives.

That being the case, the Irishman didn't come to ask for help, and the madam sent someone to investigate. Wouldn't it be a waste of half a year of low-key behavior.

"I see," Sykesmouth said suddenly. "Holmes can't ask for help. The Irishman has to come to ask for help."

"Where do you need an Irishman to come to your door?"

After sending off Sherlock Holmes, Thomas returned.

He lowered his voice and said to Bertha: "Madam, have you ever thought that this matter may be... er, arranged?"

Bertha sneered: "You said it was arranged by Mycroft Holmes."

Thomas: "I didn't say who it was."

Bertha: "Stop trying to fool me."

Bertha didn't understand without saying who it was?

Thomas is also a genius. If he doesn't take the initiative to mention this name, the blame will not be on him-but how could Bertha fail to consider the implementation situation.

Mycroft Holmes always chooses whichever plan is most efficient. Since Sherlock said that Mycroft threw the case to him, it is very likely that Mycroft threw it to him with the original intention of asking Bertha to come forward for help. .

The young man couldn't help laughing: "It's been six months, ma'am!"

"What happened in six months?" Bertha insisted. "This has nothing to do with personal grievances. Tommy, Mrs. Thames is not alone. There is a whole gang behind me."

If Bertha was a private detective, or she was still a professional journalist, Sherlock Holmes offered to assist, and Bertha would definitely grab the camera and leave without saying a word.

But now she is more than just a person.

Having said so much, what else can Thomas say?

In the past six months, it's not that Mr. Holmes has never contacted Bertha. He sent letters to her, and also invited her for some reasons, but Bertha politely declined them all.

Although Thomas seldom provokes girls, he is not without emotional intelligence. He understands this battle: Madam is unhappy, and she doesn't want to talk to him or see him.

It took half a year to dry like this.

If it were any other gentleman, he would either rush forward uncontrollably, or simply lose confidence and choose to give up.Mr. Holmes, however, was just in the middle, and his regular greetings arrived on time, but he always kept his distance.

Seeing that the persuasion was fruitless, Thomas and Sykes had to leave.

"I don't know what that means," muttered Sikes. "If you offend Ma'am, why don't you hurry up and apologize?"

"What do you know."

Thomas glanced at him: "If the gentleman dares to come over, the lady dares to throw him out, do you believe it?"

"……letter."

Then you have to!

Thomas felt that that Mr. Holmes was probably waiting for such a new cooperation opportunity.

***

Bertha knew that there was no end to it.

Without Mycroft doing anything, if Sherlock Holmes could not find a way forward, he would certainly come.While being idle and bored with raising the children these days, Bertha is waiting for the future big detective to bring the Irishman to visit the office.

However, she waited and waited, and the first thing that came was an urgent telegram forwarded over.

The telegram was sent to the village of St. Mary Mead - the address where Bertha's other false identity, Miss Marple, lived.And the sender is no stranger, it is Miss Jane Eyre's former employer, Mrs. Fisher.

[There is a case for help.

— Emily Fisher]

A few simple words made Bertha visit again after a long absence.

Now Jane has not returned from her uncle in Madeira Islands, but Mrs. Fisher still entertains Bertha very warmly.After a brief exchange of greetings, Mrs. Fisher showed a look of embarrassment.

"It stands to reason that this matter is very troublesome, and I shouldn't ask you for help," she hesitated, "but you are the only private detective I know, miss."

"please say."

Bertha didn't mind: "I'm in this business. If I have an entrustment, why don't I not listen to it?"

Mrs. Fisher nodded: "A few days ago, there was an accidental death of a worker in a textile factory in the East District. Did you know?"

Bertha: "..."

Fine.

Mrs. Fisher has been walking between factories to speak out for female workers.Naturally, most of the textile factories are female workers, so it is reasonable for some Irish female workers to seek help from Mrs. Fisher.

"I haven't been in London for the past six months, so I haven't heard of it," Bertha said nonsense with her eyes open, and put on a concerned gesture. "But since you came to the door, madam, I'm afraid it's not an accident."

"I'm afraid so."

Mrs. Fisher sighed heavily: "The Irish woman worker asked me how to solve the problem, and I thought of you. Everyone will piece together enough commission fees-this includes your residence and travel in London."

"Need not."

Bertha graciously dispensed with this: "I'll take care of it myself."

Mrs. Fisher was taken aback: "You and Mr. Holmes are not..."

"broke up."

Bertha raised a smile: "But London is so big, who doesn't have a friend, right?"

Fortunately for Xiao Xie Li, he didn't need to find a reason, and a ready-made reason was delivered to his door.

Mrs. Thames was incapable of action, not necessarily Miss Marple incapable of action.

Mrs. Fisher made the request, which was a private commission, and Bertha had a legitimate reason to intervene.

Anyway, Bertha had established a firm foothold in London now, and the vest of "Miss Marple" was no longer of special use.

Then let it shine for the last time.

"Let me meet the client," she said cheerfully, "at least let me know what kind of case it is."

"In fact she is here today."

Speaking of Mrs. Fisher, she got up: "I'll ask her to come here."

A moment later, Mrs. Fisher led a plainly dressed girl into the door.

The young girl's dress was patched, but it was quite clean. Under the gorgeous red hair, her fair face could almost be called bright and charming.

"Miss Marple," Mrs. Fisher introduced, "this is Miss Mary Morstan who came to ask me for help."

Mary Morstan?

The familiar name made Bertha tilt her head: This... isn't this the name of John Watson's wife?