Mary's Nineteenth Century

At 00:33 in the middle of the night, a loud noise woke up the people who had just fallen asleep in the castle.

Except for Barbie and Colin who were on the third floor, the other guests rushed to the place where the sound came from, and even the red-haired old man Leo, who was on vacation with his grandson, also came.

"Sorry, it was my mistake at work."

The butler of the castle arrived immediately, looking at the broken bricks and tiles in the bathroom, a layer of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

A tank above the bathtub stores cold water for a combat shower.

Imagine someone was standing or sitting in a tub taking a... bath.Amidst the mist of water vapor, a strange noise was suddenly heard from above.

The next moment, the entire water tank and the full tank of water fell from a height of two meters. The bathtub was wet and slippery. How many people could escape flexibly?

In connection with the age of the "Big Red Riding Hood", it is inevitable that an old woman in her 60s will have bad legs and feet. How can she avoid being hit on the head?There is a high possibility of bleeding, and even death on the spot.

As long as Mary thought of this possibility, she didn't bother to pretend to be gentle as a gentleman, leaving only a cold face.

After sending Mycroft a change of clothes and towels, she immediately checked the bathroom where the accident occurred.It's not that the screws are loose, but the triangular metal bracket supporting the water tank is rusted and cracked.The location of the crack is inconspicuous, and it is difficult to find the problem without special inspection.

"If an apology works, what else does God need?"

Mary said it mercilessly.Forgiving a person is God's business, and she is really trying her best to be a good person, trying her best not to send people directly to God.After all, killing is illegal most of the time, even if she thinks she has enough ability to achieve a perfect murder.

"Mr. Minton..."

Even if the castle steward is eloquent, he still has no words. The accident caused by the hardware of the water tank is the responsibility of the castle. "I will immediately arrange a new room for old Mrs. Fay, and I will thoroughly check the equipment on one side. You see..."

"Don't bother. It's a suite anyway. The old Mrs. Fay is staying with me these days, and it's convenient to take care of her who is frightened at close range."

Mary interrupted the castle steward's proposal, "You are right in one sentence, you should check it thoroughly. There is a part that is aging, so it is difficult to guarantee that there are no problems with other guests' water tanks, living room chandeliers, etc. You should not want to see people Sitting in the living room, death comes from heaven."

"God! What's the matter? What does it mean that death comes from heaven?"

Shipley, the head of the publishing house, came running in a pair of slippers. "What happened again? Is this vacation cursed?"

Not only Shipley arrived, but also other guests.

The door of the bathroom was wide open, and everyone gasped when they saw the situation inside.

A feeling of empathy rushed up against the spine, and he broke out in a cold sweat with horror.

The red-haired old man Leo stepped back with a pale face.Among the guests on this vacation, he and "Big Red Riding Hood" are the oldest guests, both in their 60s.

Just imagine if he encountered such a situation, he would definitely die.It's not just that he can't escape, but if he is replaced by the butler of the old castle, this one has gray hair in his 60s, so he probably won't be able to escape the call of death.

"Mr. Shipley, I think it is necessary to think about how to end the castle vacation early."

The old man Leo said firmly, "On the first night, there were almost two deaths. If Mr. Hubbard's death is explained by accident, what about this time? Or an accident?"

Detective novelist Wendy looked even worse.

coming!Sure enough, it came!Just like his ominous premonition, the death incidents of the lonely island castle will be staged one after another.

Shipley didn't want to stay any longer.I think he has organized vacation activities for five or six years, not to mention the death incident, in the past, the guests did not even encounter a slight injury.This time, it was almost a double kill, and it was a good bit of bad luck.

"Yes, try to leave early tomorrow morning. Contact the outside of the island as much as possible, and send a cruise ship to pick you up early."

The old butler of the ancient castle looked embarrassed, but he had no position to persuade him to stay. "Okay, I will try my best to cooperate with you. Everyone, what do you think is going to be done tonight? Do you check the equipment in the guest room first, or rest first? There are only five servants in the castle. If you need us to check, I am afraid you will have to wait for a while time."

A total of sixteen invited guests, plus the two rooms of Shipley and his assistant, made a total of eighteen houses to be inspected.

"I'll wait until dawn."

Mary first stated that she had already checked herself, and to be honest, she couldn't believe the so-called maintenance and inspection of the castle.

"Tomorrow."

Detective novelist Wendy said, "I can't see clearly even with a light on."

Some people want to check tomorrow, but some just want today.

For example, the old man Leo asked to send someone now to check the suite where he and his grandson lived.

Mary listened to everyone's opinions, most of them are waiting for tomorrow, and tonight is just a night.

Some guests brought their own servants, saying that they asked the servants to check the facilities in the bedroom first to ensure that the chandelier would not fall, etc.

Coming and going in a hurry, the crowd of onlookers and discussions dispersed after a while.

Mycroft also changed out of his wet clothes, rearranged his disguise and went out, talking casually to the butler of the castle.

He did not accept the apology from the other party. An old woman like "Big Red Riding Hood" who was almost killed has the right to remain indifferent to the responsible party.As for compensation, why not?But it doesn't have to be talked about tonight.

After a major scare tonight, it's time to take a good rest.

Finally, at 1:11 in the morning, the castle was quiet again.

"I've seen broken iron frames, the cracks were caused by rust, there's no evidence of recent vandalism."

Mary didn't think it was just an accident that the water tank almost killed the "Big Red Riding Hood".

"The vacation list is determined a week in advance, and the castle can arrange the room only after getting the list. Why is it that the elderly "Big Red Riding Hood" has a bathroom water tank fall accident, and not other young people who responded quickly? "

Is it because the young escape quickly and can avoid death?

"You suspect that there is a murderer lurking in the castle who wants to kill us."

For the time being, Mycroft cannot conclude that this matter has anything to do with the owner of Page Island, the butler of the castle, or Editor-in-Chief Shipley.

If something happened, the person in charge of the castle and the organizer of the event would be the first to be suspected. Maybe the murderer took advantage of this to hide behind the scenes.

"To be precise, I suspect that he is coming after me."

Mary likes to speak with evidence, but occasionally trusts intuition.

""Little Bad Wolf" is a fan of "Big Red Riding Hood", and this has been mentioned in recent picture book publications.I guess you didn't specifically mention that you wanted to live next door to me before you landed on the island? "

Mycroft did not specifically request the organizers, and the two were still arranged in adjacent rooms.

It could have been explained by the empathy of the organizers, but the chilling speculation after the water tank incident suddenly popped up.

A book fan and an author he admired became neighbors. This is something to be happy about, but what if something happens?

——Only separated by a wall, the writer was suddenly crushed to death.The book fans are the closest, but they have no time to rescue when they hear the movement. Powerlessness, frustration, and guilt will be overwhelming.

How could the little gray wolf not blame himself, how could he not think too much.

The Big Red Riding Hood has not participated in the gala for several years, who is it for this time?Had it not been for coming to the castle, would all disasters and accidents have never happened?

Thinking of this, Mycroft's expression darkened in a rare way, and there was an evil intention in the layout.

Subconsciously, he leaned forward to comfort Mr. Minton and gave him a hug to prove that both of them were alive.

However, the impulsively raised hand of Mycroft stopped halfway, and finally changed direction restrainedly, only patting the back of Mr. Minton's hand.

"It's not your fault. If there's a conspiracy, it's not your fault."

"Don't worry, one of my few virtues is that I never punish myself with other mistakes."

Mary smiled reassuringly, indicating that she was in good health.

"By the way, there is a saying above. Even if I find a way to leave the island early, I still have to check things out first. Knowing that there is danger, escaping is not the best choice."

If there is a mastermind behind the scenes, he is lurking in the castle.I am open and the enemy is in the dark, and it is the opponent's carefully arranged appearance. It is indeed very dangerous to stay in the castle.

However, it is impossible to leave easily.If you leave, it is tantamount to going back to the mountain.After leaving the small island and then finding out who is behind the scenes, the scope will become very large.

"Okay, I'll go with you."

Mycroft also didn't think about retreating. If he wanted to retreat, he wouldn't have come in the first place.

"Let's rest, we'll be busy after dawn."

Mary got up and was about to go back to the master bedroom, and was about to help Mycroft close the side sleeper when she glanced out of the corner of her eye at the "big red hat" under the bed dressed as an old lady's leather shoes.

The two of them lived in the same suite, each with a bathroom, and they didn't take off their leather shoes at the door, but only changed into slippers in the bedroom.

Even so, Mary knew very well that the possibility of revealing her flaws skyrocketed, but she was willing to take the initiative to invite her.

This is done for the safety of both of them.

No, in fact, not only for this reason.

Mary looked confused, let go of the doorknob, and walked back to the soft chair step by step.

Bend down, leaned close to Mycroft, pressed it to his ear and asked in a voice that only two people could understand: "Dear Mr. Holmes, now can you tell the truth, why did you come to this party?" Activity?"

Isn't this an extra question?

The answer is too simple.The two knew it well, because "Big Red Riding Hood" and "Little Bad Wolf" wanted to meet each other and confirm each other's identities.

Mycroft was keenly aware that there was something ulterior motive in this question.

The key is in the title. Mr. Minton did not call him by his pseudonym tacitly, but pointed out the real identity of the Big Red Riding Hood.

why?

Mycroft vaguely felt that there was something hidden in it, but he didn't have a clue for the time being.

However, he can answer truthfully. "Mr. Minton, I really like the pictures you sent with pictures. For this reason, I am here. I hope that the two of you can enjoy the holiday together as a return gift from "Big Red Riding Hood" to "Little Bad Wolf". Unfortunately, our trip to the old castle It's not easy. "

Mary smiled, "Mr. Holmes, if I understand correctly, you took the "Big Red Riding Hood" as a return gift and offered it to "Little Bad Wolf".Are you not worried?In the fairy tale, the wolf is going to eat the red hat. "

This sentence is not accurate enough.

It should be a reward for confessing the identity of the Big Red Riding Hood to make the little bad wolf happy.

However, that doesn't matter anymore.

The key point has changed. What should be paid attention to is the word "eat"?how to eat?

On the bedside table, the kerosene lamp flickered on and off.

On a July night, the wind seemed to have disappeared.The air was suddenly quiet, and there was also a trace of heat wave.

Mycroft raised his eyes and looked at Mr. Minton who was close at hand.

In the backlight, he couldn't see the expression on this face clearly, he could only be sure that the other's eyes were burning.

The next moment, Mary took two steps back, "Thank you, I think this is a good return gift, the pleasure value you created for me is soaring."

and then?

Mary left the side bed without further words, not caring whether Mycroft could sleep tonight or not.

Go back to the master bedroom and look up at the moon in the sky through the window.

After 1 minute, he opened it and took out a brown glass medicine bottle from his luggage.

Since this traditional Chinese medicine was formulated, it has been used only a handful of times.According to the number of days and physical condition, if you stay in the castle for more than three days, it may be useful.

Everything has a price, and so does a sophisticated disguise.

Mary didn't put the medicine bottle in a hidden place, as in the past, she opened the bedroom door and put the medicine bottle next to the vase in the living room.

——It seems that it was careless and forgot to put it away.

it's time.

Let dear Mr. Holmes guess what.