"The Widow" Bertha

After half an hour.

Dr. Butts walked down the hotel stairs and walked up to Mrs. Thames with a heavy face.

Bertha was lazily leaning against the bar, seeing Dr. Butz's mournful expression, she immediately understood the general idea.She had a pretty face coldly: "I don't listen to bad news, so you think about it before you speak."

"Yes Yes."

Dr. Bartz wiped off his cold sweat, and carefully considered: "Pastor White is fine now, ma'am, it's just that he is exhausted after the high fever has just returned, and he should be allowed to have a good rest right now, and stop doing things that will cause emotional agitation in private. "

Bertha: "..."

Although he understood that he had no other intentions, it was strange to say these words from Dr. Butz!

"Hold on."

Mycroft, who was standing by the side, said without any haste, "May I ask what this emotionally arousing thing is in private?"

Dr. Butts: "Uh—"

Bertha couldn't laugh or cry: "Don't talk to him, just keep talking."

Dr. Bartz took a resentful look at the unfamiliar gentleman, feeling that the relationship between this gentleman and his wife is not simple.

But after years of struggling, Dr. Butts chose to listen to his creditors. He bite the bullet and said: "I don't want bad news, Mrs. Thames, but I have to tell you the implementation situation. Pastor White's health is very bad, When I wiped alcohol on him to cool him down physically, I found that..."

Bertha raised her eyebrows: "Say the key point directly."

Dr. Bartz: "He hardly has a piece of intact skin all over his body. Even the worker who fell into the chemical raw material fished it out more intact than Pastor White. I don't know what injuries he suffered, but the skin and flesh are rotten like that. To be able to survive is not so much a medical miracle as it is a miracle of God."

Bertha: "..."

She touched her fingertips subconsciously, just now she held the back of Pastor White, and the touch was still clearly visible.

Perhaps it was for this reason that he said that he was declared dead by almost all the doctors after returning from the ruins in South America.

Bertha said coldly: "I don't care what his physical condition is, you must ensure that he lives until the end of the Whitechapel massacre."

Dr. Bartz nodded desperately: "I know, I know! This can still be guaranteed, ma'am, if he dies, I will take my family to be buried with him!"

I just don't know what is there in the ruins of South America that can make a person look like this?

After seeing off Dr. Butts, Bertha stopped thinking. She raised her eyes to Mycroft who stood by and remained silent.

Today's Mycroft Holmes is not a lone ranger. He brings his attendant, who is the Charlie Berry that Bertha lent him before.

Young street thieves dressed up as clean newsboys. Little Charlie was born to be good-looking, and he stood obediently beside Mycroft in overalls, imitating his posture, copying his pockets, and leaning against the wall. Pretty decent.

The movements of the two gentlemen, one big and one small, are surprisingly consistent, and the scene is very interesting to watch.

Bertha couldn't help curling her lips.

Mycroft didn't mind little Charlie imitating himself, he tilted his head and said a simple word: "Check?"

The two have cooperated so many times, and they have already formed a tacit understanding that goes without saying.

"check."

She nodded directly: "Not only everything about Pastor Brian White, but also his friend Dr. Lear."

Mycroft: "Need I send someone to keep an eye on him?"

Bertha shook her head: "No, I'm still in charge of the Whitechapel. Just ask Sykes to bring a few people to accompany him."

It wasn't that Bertha disliked Mycroft's overzealousness, but that his person was incompatible with the painting style of the slums. A postman was just by her side, and other well-dressed gentlemen haunted the church without being caught. It is strange that people pay attention.

But her refusal was met with a sigh from Mycroft.

"What?" Bertha raised an eyebrow.

"It's okay, just a little bit of emotion."

Holding his cane, the eldest son of the Holmes family sighed: "I always see other gentlemen having headaches because of their wife's family affairs, and I think it's just asking for trouble. I didn't expect the matter to fall on me but It's the opposite, I wanted to take the initiative to do something for my wife, but I was rejected."

After he finished speaking, he sighed again.

Then the well-dressed, tall and straight gentleman pretended to look down at the little Charlie next to him: "I will teach you a lesson on the spot, boy, a gentleman has to stand out, don't be like me, or the sweetheart you get will be too big." If you can do it, you will lose face."

Little Charlie blinked suddenly: "Huh?"

Bertha could not help laughing.

She knew what Mycroft meant, that it was nothing more than tension and witty gags.

It's not bad for a gentleman to be famous, but it's too exaggerated for a dignified Mycroft Holmes to teach others about himself-if being a spy chief isn't great, then what is it?

"It's just that you have a mouth under your nose," Bertha said with a smile. "What are you doing all the way to South Bank Street? I'll be home in a while, and you can't wait for this time."

"of course."

Mycroft accepted Bertha's flirting with a cheeky face, and said confidently: "I want to talk to my wife about my own thoughts, so naturally I can't wait."

The implication is that he has to talk to Bertha in private, and it is very important.

Bertha naturally understood the man's subtext, and pretended to complain coquettishly: "There are still children here, don't talk about it, it's embarrassing." It wasn't too late to say it in the carriage.

"The lady has the final say."

Mycroft understood: "You get ready, I'll wait for you in the carriage."

After finishing speaking, he pressed the brim of his hat to little Charlie in a serious manner, as if greeting other gentlemen.After receiving the gift from the boy, he turned and left with a smile on his face.

It's only been a few days, and a junior and a junior have become old friends? !

As soon as the other party left, little Charlie couldn't hold back his childish nature, and rushed to Bertha's side in a hurry: "Husband, madam, don't you really dislike Mr. Holmes?!"

Is it her turn to dislike him!

"Good guy," Bertha smiled and reached out and tapped Charlie's forehead, "I'm turning my elbow to help him talk, and said, how much has Mycroft done for you?"

"No, no."

Little Charlie blushed: "I just feel that Mr. Holmes is different from other grown-ups I have met."

That is natural.

Although little Charlie is much simpler than "Can't Catch", he is a thief from the slums.Who were the people who dealt with him in the past?Either a thieving gang leader like an old Jew, or a sleazy thug like Sykes.The most decent ones are the gangsters in the firm.

But Mycroft Holmes was quite different from them.The gentleman on Pall Mall Street would use honorifics when talking to him, and would give him the greeting and farewell ceremony that only gentlemen have. This kind of proper respect is a new and very important experience for a child .

Little Charlie liked, or admired, Mycroft, Bertha could see.Children's love expression is very simple: learn each other's every move, and treat each other's every word as the truth.

Still, it's better to be a Mike than a gangster.

Bertha curled her lips, and she leaned slightly: "You've been quite busy these days, Big Red. What exactly does Mycroft want you to do?"

Charlie: "Uh..."

The little boy scratched his head in embarrassment: "I can't say, ma'am, Mr. Holmes asked me to keep it secret."

"Even to me?"

"Ah."

Tsk, it's not a good thing if your child is too good.

Seeing Bertha's slightly disappointed expression, little Charlie became impatient. He hesitated for a long time, fearing to offend the most trusted Mrs. Thames, and hurriedly said: "Husband, madam! Mr. Holmes really takes care of you, he I have thought and thought a lot for you. When the truth comes out, you must remember this, okay?"

Bertha: "..."

can.

"OK then."

But Bertha would not make it difficult for little Charlie. She turned from worry to joy, and a familiar smile appeared on her beautiful face.Mrs. Thames patted the top of little Charlie's head with a smile: "I promise you, I will remember. Go and do your work."

Charlie Berry breathed a sigh of relief and nodded vigorously: "Thank you ma'am!"

It's just that little Charlie could never have guessed what he had revealed in a kind word he said to Mycroft in a hurry.For a child to say something like that... Mycroft definitely had something behind him.

Nor, of course, would Bertha show any sign of perception.

After dealing with the affairs at hand, Bertha gave some instructions to Mrs. Bartz before going out to get into the car without haste.

Mycroft had been waiting for a long time.

After Bertha sat down firmly, the carriage drove out of South Bank Street, and he took the initiative to say: "As for the symbols on the "Medical and Scientific Research" magazine, clues have been found."

No wonder you have to come here in person, this is really important.

"All ears, Mike."

"This kind of mainstream publications involving colleges and universities seems to be a magazine for the general public, but in fact most of the intellectuals involved are involved," Mycroft explained, "so the capital chain of the magazine is also relatively complicated. Multi-party investigation After that, it is now certain that one of the investments is the same as Dr. Long's laboratory, from Liverpool, and it is a fixed monthly anonymous remittance."

Bertha raised her eyebrows slightly.

"I thought it was from Colonel Dent," she said.

"What's the difference?"

Mycroft smiled: "Before he stayed in Liverpool, he must be doing something for someone. Sending money from his account is the same as sending money from his online account."

That's right.

Now Mycroft has just eradicated the undercover agents around him, members of the Truth Society far away from London, and he still can't reach them.

"and."

The big devil in the carriage continued: "One of the sponsors of the "Medical and Scientific Research" magazine happened to be Pastor Brian White's former university tutor. Victor Duke is also considered a master of biology. .”

Bertha was silent.

The clue that was not asked just now was easily said by Mycroft - but it is not surprising, even if Brian White's brain is not good, as long as he remembers his experience and name, such a big living person In front of him, nothing can be found out.

"It's really a coincidence," Bertha said, "Pastor White said that it was his mentor who led a team to South America for a field trip, and after spending a lot of scientific research personnel, discovered the symbol that the Truth Society regards as a totem."

When the voice fell to the ground, the two looked at each other and smiled at the same time.

Pastor White's mentor led a team to discover the symbol, and now he is one of the sponsors of the "Journal of Medicine and Science". It is almost certain that the trip to South America that year was directly related to the emergence of the Truth Society.

"After all this research," said Mycroft, "something at last, isn't it?"

"Congratulations, Mike."

"We're all happy together," Mycroft said with a proper smile on his face, "but you and I should be careful. At the critical moment, who knows if the opponent hiding in the dark will catch us by surprise?"

***

Mycroft Holmes made a prophecy come true.

That night, Bertha was awakened by a rustling outside the window. She opened her eyes and wanted to get up. Before that, the person beside her turned over first.

She and Holmes have shared the same bed for many days, but there has always been a boundary between them that does not exist.Mycroft had never crossed the threshold, but tonight, the man's throat sounded indistinct like a dream, and then he stretched out his hand and embraced Bertha through a thin layer of quilt.

The sudden temperature pushed Bertha back who was about to get up.

"Hold still," said Mycroft's voice in Bertha's ear, "do as I say."