Countdown all over the world

According to the information given by Brown, the layout and drawings before the theft were provided by a designer named Smith.He is also part of the plan.

The most special thing is that this gentleman boarded a ship on the afternoon of the explosion in the Portulier main building and went to another city to participate in the meeting.

At this time, the coincidence is puzzling.

The most interesting thing is that this person is in the city now, and even two days ago, someone claimed to have seen him at a new design conference.

Inspector Lestrade was kidnapped by two men from Scotland Yard.The detective, who was a little dazed, had already boarded the car, only to belatedly realize that Holmes had accepted the commission from Mycroft.

"The Portulier theft case, are you dealing with it now?" Inspector Lestrade asked.

Holmes nodded and introduced Anne to Lestrade who was sitting in the back: "To be precise, it's the two of us."

Annie came over and smiled innocently: "If you want, you can join in."

After hearing this, Inspector Lestrade waved his hands in horror.You know, he never liked to ask Holmes for help unless necessary.The reason is very simple. Every time we cooperate, I feel that my brain hurts.I really couldn't keep up with the big detective's train of thought, so I ran along and solved the case inexplicably.

Every time I go back to close a case, I always have to doubt my life.

"Then use my name, and then I'll go back." Inspector Lestrade confirmed repeatedly.

Holmes is not a person who likes to push. After getting Anne's consent, he shook Lestrade's hand as a symbol of agreeing to cooperate temporarily.

The Portulier theft case, although not under Inspector Lestrade's hands.However, the Portulier explosion two days ago required them to deal with it.

It seems that Mycroft also sympathized with the goldfish in his eyes, and took over the tracking of this oil painting.Leave it to Inspector Lestrade for their easier part.

However, when it was Holmes' turn, he was not in the mood to make such a clear distinction.It was originally a matter, and it was solved by the way.Just take it as a thank you to Lestrade, after all, he is willing to come forward as a name.For Anne and Holmes, to block the view of the outside world, right?

Along the way, the three of them soon came to the place where Smith's designer worked.

Inspector Lestrade revealed his identity, briefly talked to the leader of the designer, and then got the opportunity to interrogate Mr. Smith alone.

When the three of them were waiting in the tea room, Inspector Lestrade relented in time: "I'll just stand aside later?"

Holmes and Annie nodded indifferently.

Lestrade, who was used and thrown away, felt a little tired for no reason?

When Smith walked in, Annie showed a little surprise in her eyes.Anyone who saw Smith for the first time would think that this person was extremely pure and innocent, and he was not at all like someone who would make a transfer of theft.

Detective Inspector Lestrade obviously felt the same way, and he finally understood why, when he proposed to question Smith, his leader looked so surprised.

Mr. Smith was very thin, and he came in in a white-washed shirt.His back was slightly hunched, but he still straightened with all his strength.A pair of eyes were very clean, and even a little timidly looked at the three people in the tea room.

Inspector Lestrade suddenly felt that he might not frighten people by asking him to ask him so, and he felt a little bit of conscience.

Holmes did not have Lestrade's thoughts at all, let alone any qualms of conscience.

He motioned for Mr. Smith to sit down, and began to cross-examine himself.

"Where are you on the afternoon of the 20th?"

Annie who was on the side was a little surprised by the straightforward question.However, for her, the most important thing now is to cooperate with Holmes, just like facing Brown before.

On the 20th, it was the second day after the Portulier explosion.

Mr. Smith wiped the sweat from his brow, as if frightened: "I'm on the ship."

"Where are you going?" asked Holmes knowingly.

Smith thought for a while, as if recalling: "It's representing us to attend a meeting of designers, and it's in Lincheng."

Holmes pursed his lips, tapped the table lightly, and remained silent.

Anne understood, and she continued to ask: "What is the content of the meeting?"

Mr. Smith sat up a little bit awkwardly, and looked around in a panic: "Is this important? Why do you ask me like this? Did something happen?"

At this moment, Inspector Lestrade had secretly drank water to cover up his nervousness.Seeing such an innocent young man being interrogated jointly by Holmes and Annie, he couldn't stand it.

Annie smiled, her tone softened slightly: "It's just a matter of some details, you don't need to be nervous."

"Oh." Smith nodded, took out a handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Holmes narrowed his eyes, clasped his hands to his lips, and stared at Smith.

He replied: "A few days ago, we took over a job to design a building. However, this project is much more complicated than what we have always done. It happened that there was a meeting in Lincheng, and many designers would go. I was asked , bring the drawings to Mr. White. He is an expert in this field, and I hope to get some pointers."

Annie glanced at Holmes, and continued to ask: "The blueprint, can you show us the drawing?"

"Yes, yes." Smith stammered, then went out to find the blueprint, came in, and handed it to Annie.

The design drawing of a building is very complicated.Many drawings are stacked in one place, and a lot of data is densely marked on them.

Holmes glanced at them, and then touched the drawings.He put it on the tip of his nose and sniffed again, then turned his head and sneezed.

He stood up and returned the blueprint to Smith.

Holmes said: "I have something to do, let's go out for a while."

Smith looked at the water in his glass and nodded understandingly.

Holmes did not keep Smith waiting long, and returned to the pantry.Startled by the sound of the door opening, Smith wiped the sweat from his brow again.

When Holmes saw it, a slight smile appeared on his lips: "You are always so nervous. If you go out with a priceless stolen oil painting, it is really doubtful that you will not stop sweating."

Mr. Smith's eyes widened in shock: "What did you say?"

Holmes smiled and said, "I think you should go out with me."

After finishing speaking, he glanced at Inspector Lestrade beside him.The latter nodded helplessly, and stepped forward to show his identity card: "You are now a suspect in the theft of Portulier, and you need to go back with us. I hope for your cooperation."

"No, you are wronging me!" Smith protested in horror.

Holmes looked outside with a smile, leaned over to watch the crowd, and then said: "You don't need to continue to hide the afternoon, don't you find it hard to pretend that you are nervous and timid all day long? I think Lestrade Detective Inspector De would be very happy that he dropped by and brought back the person involved in the robbery a few days ago."

Smith's face froze.

Holmes continued: "When I went out, I had already found someone to notify Mycroft. At this time, the ship that you were carrying the goods should have been stopped for investigation. In fact, when I saw the volume of the oil painting for the first time, , I was curious about how to take out such a priceless oil painting without damaging the painting or attracting everyone's attention."

There was light in his eyes, which was the excitement unique to Holmes when the case was being handled.

"Actually, you are very smart. Rather than covering up, you chose to be upright. Yes, who would have thought that in such a stack of blueprints, there is one with a mezzanine. Inside, is the stolen one. Treasure? By the way, the existence of drawings also protects oil paintings, doesn’t it?”

Smith lowered his eyes: "Where did I expose it?"

The tone was not in the slightest low, as if the person who was just accused was not him.

If Lestrade hadn't seen it with his own eyes, it would be hard to imagine that the man exuding a dangerous aura is the timid young man just now.

Holmes smiled. "Your handkerchief. It is not yours, is it?"

Smith's expression froze slightly. He never thought that the handkerchief he was holding casually before going out would become a magic weapon for the opponent to win.

"Your modus operandi is superb. If it weren't for this habit of yours, maybe I would have needed more time to discover it." Holmes laughed. "You have treasured all the handkerchiefs on the bodies of the respectable people you stole. And this one belongs to the person in that village five years ago, whose property you swept away during their vacation. Isn’t it?”

No one will remember the details of five years ago.

Unless, he is Sherlock Holmes...

Even Anne, at this moment, could not help but admire Holmes' memory and wisdom.

In Smith's eyes, the interest gradually faded.The next second, he stood up suddenly and took out a gun from his back.

"Bang" sound.

The sound of the gun and Anne's scream appeared in the small tea room almost at the same time.

Annie, who had been paying close attention to the other party, suddenly found that the countdown on the other party's head had decreased by a large number.Her heart tightened, and the moment the other party stood up, she instinctively rushed towards Holmes and threw the man down.

The heat of the bullet grazed Annie's back and shattered a window on the wall opposite them.

Holmes, who was thrown to the ground, focused his eyes. He turned around to protect Anne behind him, and swung a chair on one side and smashed it.It successfully distracted Smith's attention.

Holmes turned around and threw Inspector Lestrade out of the broken window and directly into the river outside.

Then he picked up Annie and jumped down too.Holmes hugged Annie tightly, protecting her in his arms, not even touching Annie when he broke the glass.

The river in autumn was icy cold, and Holmes took Anne to swim for a while to the other side of the river.As soon as he landed, he shook off his coat and put it on Annie.

To drive away some cold air for her, and to block the sight of everyone.

Mycroft's people waited here for a long time, and soon the two of them in a panic, plus a Lestrade who was still a little confused, went all the way back to Baker Street.

"So, that Smith is a habitual thief who was hired to transfer the oil painting?" Lestrade asked.

Holmes was handing Anne a clean handkerchief, and he carefully wiped the drops of water off her hair.Otherwise, if it freezes for a while, it may be even colder.

Hearing Lestrade's question, he turned his head.His face was not as gentle as the one protecting Anne just now: "He is not Smith, that is just his last business, his target."

"Every time a case is processed, he will make up another look, cover up the past for a while, and create his own alibi by the way. This is why you have not been able to really connect these thefts together for so long."

Holmes sighed: Oh, goldfish...

Detective Inspector Lestrade sat in the car with residual shock in his eyes.

In other words, the Portulier theft case was solved?By the way, Holmes also helped them catch a bigger one?

Lestrade felt that he needed to take a break.

When he returned to Baker Street, McCoff was already waiting at 221B.His face is solemn.

Mrs. Hudson walked over silently, and under McCoff's gaze, she calmly handed Anne a letter: "Darren gave it to you, and said it was about Rebecca."

Annie took it, and for some reason, her heart sank.

Mycroft looked at Holmes, and the first thing he said was: "We found something hidden on the ship."

When everyone was relieved, he immediately said:

"But it's a fake."

The Portulier theft case, even a moment ago, everyone thought that the case could be closed.

Who knew that the paintings in the box found on the ship after great effort turned out to be fakes.This is beyond everyone's expectations.

"Could it be that, during the original Portulier bombing, the other party took away the wrong oil painting, and the real one was put in the warehouse by Portulier?" Inspector Lestrade asked.

This idea is not surprising.After all, not everyone will choose to exhibit the real works when exhibiting oil paintings of this level.For a large-scale exhibition, no one can guarantee who will finally set their sights on the oil paintings in this exhibition.

In order to protect the safety of oil paintings, it is a very normal means of protection, whether it is to add more people to buy them, or to use copies as a cover-up.

Lestrade suspected that the other party might have spent a lot of effort, but in the end they took away the copy prepared by Portulier.From this point of view, although it shouldn't be, Inspector Lestrade still couldn't help but want to sympathize with these thankless people.

Mycroft looked at Lestrade with some disgust, and frowned at Holmes.

With a look of "where did you find the goldfish", the whole emotion is directly expressed on the face.Without even thinking about it, the object of dislike stood in front of him.

Detective Inspector Lestrade was used to being disgusted by Holmes, so seeing Mycroft's wink, he understood what the other party was saying.

"So, the other party has already thought of this, but still fell into Porturiel's trap?" Inspector Lestrade asked tentatively.

Holmes looked at Annie. Annie shivered undisguisedly from falling into the water.He stepped forward and pushed Mycroft two steps away.Clear the road blocked by his fat brother.

He said to Annie: "Go take a bath first, and don't get sick later. I don't know how to make medicine."

Although the words in his mouth were not very polite, anyone with a discerning eye could see that Holmes cared for Anne.

Mycroft, who was teased by Annie a few days ago, just looked a little sad.

Annie, whom her younger brother cared about, had to take good care of herself.After all, Anne didn't do anything harmful except for the occasional "naughty".Second, if he doesn't take the initiative to protect him, Xiali doesn't know how he will "repay" him for standing by.

Although Mycroft despised this stupid younger brother since he was a child, he had to admit that if Xiali was going to deal with him, it would indeed cause more trouble than those goldfish.

only……

Mycroft looked at Anne's back, with a little caution in his eyes.Now that Annie has gotten more attention from Xiali, I should take a good look at who this Annie is.

Holmes is not aware of the series of thoughts of the invisible "brother-in-charge" Mycroft.However, it is estimated that he does not care much.

After he settled Annie, he took a towel and wiped his wet hair hastily.Turning his head away, he saw Mrs. Hudson throwing a towel to Lestrade, and ignored him.Continuing to think about the matter of Portulier, the failure of the theft made him feel very frustrated.

After all, in front of Annie a moment ago, he thought he had already solved the case.

Now that there is another counterfeit incident, it has aroused the competitive spirit in Holmes' heart.

Holmes sat in his usual chair and moved a little uncomfortably.In the past few days, Annie was used to sitting, and even the inside was softened by Annie's special beating.When you really sit in it, it's like you're stuck in it.

It's comfortable, but it feels a little embarrassing.

Mycroft and Inspector Lestrade looked at Holmes speechlessly, moving around in a soft armchair.It's like sinking the whole person, but it looks like a soft rabbit.Coupled with the little curly hair on the top of his head, is it a bit cute?

Both Mycroft and Inspector Lestrade, who came to this conclusion, were a little frightened. They turned their heads quickly and took a good look at the normal surroundings to wash their eyes.

Seeing the disgusted look of the two people in front of him, Holmes simply lay down in the armchair in a broken pot.It's really comfortable to sink in like this.

Holmes, who has been traveling all day, only thinks that Annie is doing a good job.At least, looking at the two people who are still standing there, trying to maintain their image, they feel a little inexplicably proud.

Look, I've got the comfy seat Annie made.you don't...

Mycroft: I really don't want to admit that this is my brother!

Portulier's matter is easy to say, but difficult to say.

The problem is that once an oil painting of this level is mixed with fakes, there will always be people who cherish feathers and are unwilling to stick to this muddy water.

How to make the other party tell the truth is indeed extremely difficult.

Whether it is Mycroft or Sherlock Holmes, it can be said that I am not interested in oil painting at all.And the two have similar temperaments, they both dismiss that kind of meaningless knowledge, and they don't want to waste time at all on weekdays.

The two who were blind to oil painting didn't know how to continue.

Detective Inspector Lestrade stood aside, seeing that the two were quiet, he also felt embarrassed for a moment.Stand still, pretending to be in deep thought.It was even discovered that there were actually two curved lines on the legs of Holmes' table.

After a long silence, Mycroft couldn't help but said, "Annie is a painter..."

"You are not allowed to get her involved." Holmes quickly cut off Mycroft's words.

He stood up, took a serious step forward, looked at McCoff and said, "This matter has obviously exceeded the difficulty and complexity that you and I expected before. I don't want to involve any innocent people."

Although Mycroft was somewhat surprised by Holmes' aura.But he didn't give in at all. He looked around at the rooms that had obviously changed drastically, with a subtle expression on his face.

"As far as I know, you helped Annie move two days ago. Your room looks like it's her residence now." Mycroft said.

Although he was a little surprised by the change in the room, Inspector Lestrade felt a little flustered when he heard such gossip all of a sudden.He even stood aside in a state of contemplation, for fear that the two of them would suddenly think of him.

This is a fire at the city gate, which affects the fish in the pond.

Having seen Sherlock Holmes in front of Anne, that delicate atmosphere.Inspector Lestrade was deeply touched, this Anne must have a close relationship with Holmes.

The less you interfere with yourself, the better.

Holmes watched Lestrade wishing to shrink himself, and the depression in his heart dissipated a little.

He said: "Lestrade, I'm afraid there will be nothing to do after today. Thank you for your hard work..."

Knowing the meaning of the words very well, Inspector Lestrade quickly said goodbye and left 221B.After going out, there was still a sense of survival after a catastrophe, and he let out a deep breath.

Holmes in the house still refused to give in, and did not agree to let Annie intervene in this matter again.

Mycroft had nothing to do with Holmes, who was always stubborn, so he could only sigh.In my heart, I couldn't help raising the importance of Annie to a higher level.

During the stalemate, the sound of keys turning came out of the door.

Mycroft turned his head and looked over, as expected, it was Watson with a happy face after lunch.

Mycroft: "I thought, since you just came back, you don't have the energy to go on a date yet?"

Holmes rolled his eyes and turned to look at Watson.Extremely bored, he threw a dart and hit the bullseye.

"He didn't have a date. That Abby asked him to have dinner, but he basically didn't eat much because of his stomach discomfort. The reason why he was so happy was that Abby cared about him a lot in the end."

Upon hearing this, Mycroft glanced at Watson again, nodded in agreement, "Yes, and kissed him on the lips to show comfort."

"Twice," added Holmes.

Standing at the door, Watson felt that his good mood at noon was completely exhausted in a few words.If he knew that Holmes, big and small, were here, he would never choose to come back now.

Even if you feel a little uncomfortable after drinking red wine, you should sit in the restaurant for a while longer!At least, hide these two people...

Watson, who was immersed in grief, didn't notice that Mycroft looked him up and down with increasingly deep eyes.

After a while, he suggested to Holmes: "Perhaps, Mr. Watson has recovered. Let him accompany you to solve the case. How about letting Anne answer professional questions behind her back once in a while?"

Suddenly hearing that Watson was about to start working, he felt a little sad in his heart.

What made him most desperate was that after Holmes looked up and down at himself, he nodded in agreement.As if what Mycroft said was very reasonable, he agreed.

Therefore, Watson and Anne, who had just bathed and dried off, looked at each other innocently.

He could barely hear his own name, and had no idea what Holmes and Mycroft had discussed.Annie just felt that she couldn't keep up with her train of thought.Seeing Watson looking at him with grief and indignation, he was even more puzzled.

The next moment, Holmes came over and took the initiative to answer Annie's doubts.

"Afterwards, Watson and I will go out to deal with the theft case. If you encounter any problems related to oil paintings, can I ask you?"

Annie raised her eyebrows, as if she had found the easiest job for her...

She nodded in agreement.

When Holmes got the result, he took a cup of coffee and drank it contentedly. He stood aside and watched Annie sitting in the position he had just taken.

Watson, who was not even questioned, stood alone at the door.

The sadness in my heart was aroused, and I almost burst into tears.

Watson took a few steps angrily, and stood behind Mycroft.

Mycroft looked sideways at Watson, and took two steps forward indistinctly.

Watson: It seems that I have been rejected...

"What do you want to say?" Mycroft asked in a low voice.

Watson took a peek at Holmes, making sure that he hadn't looked over, and then said cautiously, "Do you feel that Sherlock seems to be tempted?"

The next moment, Holmes' voice came.

"John Watson, what are you whispering?"

The author has something to say: Everyone's support is the biggest motivation for Pudding codewords.

Due to special reasons, today's update is in the second half of this chapter.

In the comments of the next chapter, there will be a lot of red envelopes raining~~~