Baker Street Charterers

Even though Holmes has judged Liz to be innocent, he still started the routine questioning professionally——

"When did you first discover that Mr. Griffin was missing?"

Liz wrote slowly on the paper with a pen, "Three days ago."

"Why do you think he disappeared instead of going out on some urgent business?"

"Because my husband is never late."

Liz's handwriting is very beautiful, and it can be seen that she has received a good education. She does not write fast, but her expression is serious and her eyes are soft... Nora nodded, agreeing with the point of view that "she loves her husband deeply"—she She has great confidence in Mr. Blair Griffin and believes in his loyalty. It is really hard to imagine the extreme grief she endured after learning the bad news.

"Did Mr. Griffin make any... unusual language or behavior before he left?" Holmes continued.

Liz shook her head and wrote, "He took his upcoming manuscript as usual, had breakfast, kissed him good morning, and went out."

"Manuscript?" Holmes seemed to have grasped the point, and he asked very politely. "Although this is presumptuous... But I am still eager to know whether you can summarize Mr. Griffin's publications in recent years or will be published soon. Bring us a look at the article, maybe we can find some key clues in it.”

Liz has a very good temper, she nodded meekly, got up and walked to the study.

Nora stared at her graceful and slender back, "She is so beautiful... I really don't understand why a descendant of the Medici family would marry here... England, London?"

"The Medici family disintegrated due to extinction in [-]." Holmes replied, and Nora opened her eyes slightly, "Then you say Liz..."

"History is always biased." Holmes' sharp gaze scanned everything in the room non-stop, more active and meticulous than when the mistress was there, "European aristocracy is a wonderful and chaotic history in general. , every once glorious family has countless heirs—whether they are orthodox or illegitimate, there is no doubt that this Liz—the lady whose full name is Elizabeth Medici has Italian and British blood , but she is just a remote and unimportant offshoot, yearning for the glory of the old family that has long since passed away, and marrying Mr. Griffin is probably just for livelihood and love."

"She has such an appearance... Even if she is worthy of a king, it is more than enough." Nora was not without regret, "I have never seen such a beautiful woman."

Holmes looked at her with displeasure, "A superficial person can only see that face that will sooner or later become a dry bone."

Nora replied with a smile, "No, no, no... Mrs. Griffin also has a noble temperament and a comfortable temperament... Beauty is not a face, nor a piece of music, but beauty that can be seen even when you close your eyes. The way you see, the melody you can hear even if you cover your ears... Beauty is the eternity of gazing at your own reflection in the mirror."

"You can also compose poetry." Holmes raised his eyebrows.

"As you said, poetry lacks obvious challenges for me, so it's just a leisure interest." Nora gave him a provocative look, "Besides, what kind of person is considered to you As for beauty, you seem indifferent to all beauties."

Holmes replied calmly, "I think the essence of a person does not lie in the side he shows you, including appearance, but in the side he hides, his heart—what is beauty?" He paused, looked up Looking at her, the voice was calm and gentle, "loyalty, courage, wisdom, sobriety... People with unyielding beliefs are always the most beautiful."

"So... am I beautiful to you?" Nora asked lightly, jokingly.

Holmes stared at her. "You are not a flower, but a jewel."

Nora was taken aback.

Just when she wanted to continue asking, Liz had already come out with a thick manuscript, she had no choice but to swallow the words that came out of her mouth, and looked at Holmes' side face thoughtfully.

……gem? ...

Liz put the manuscript on the table, and Holmes picked it up and flipped through it carefully. After a long time, he said slowly, "... When did you marry Mr. Griffin, madam?"

"A year ago," she wrote.

Holmes turned the page, "In other words, you have no way of knowing what happened to Mr. Griffin two years ago?"

Liz nodded.

"Is there a problem, Sherlock?"

"Look at the time of these articles." Holmes pointed to the beginning, "most of them were completed in the first half of 20. In just six months, Mr. Griffin published nearly [-] articles in one go... Really surprising."

"But?" Nora answered.

"However," Holmes lost in thought, "after the second half of [-], Mr. Griffin has not maintained such a high work efficiency. Pay attention... don't you think the span is really strange?"

"Do you think anything important happened at that time?"

"It must be so," said Holmes firmly. "Mrs. Griffin, has your husband discussed with you what happened to him two years ago?"

Liz thought for a moment, then hesitated, then raised her pen and wrote, "... I know there is a meeting, in Aberdeen."

Nora and Holmes looked at each other, and Liz added, "You can ask Blair's teaching assistant...his name is Jed Sendsbury. Maybe he knows more about work."

"Thank you for your cooperation." Holmes nodded and got up to leave.

Liz sent them to the door with a smile. Nora hesitated for a few seconds, then turned around and said softly to her, "...By the way, I have something that I might need to give you."

She carefully took out a bag from her pocket, which contained a washed wedding ring inlaid with emeralds, which was crystal clear and beautiful under the sun.

Liz took the ring and stared at it blankly.

"I'm sorry." Nora said, and then turned to leave. Hearing a small sound, he turned his head and saw Liz's slender body half kneeling at the door, her head bowed and crying silently.

"This is the most uninteresting part every time I encounter an interesting case." Nora smiled helplessly, "And every time it makes me feel the same way."

"When you have deciphered all the mysteries of life, you will attempt to die." Holmes continued to keep on walking, with a calm tone, "...because death is just another profound mystery of life."

"So did you crack it?" Nora asked. "Aren't you afraid of losing someone important?"

Holmes paused.

"For this topic, even I am one of countless mortals after all." He said softly, "In this respect, I am no different."

……

After two months of absence, Nora finally returned to this familiar place, Baker Street.

Mrs. Hudson's expression of surprise and joy when she opened the door remained in her mind very deeply. This kind landlady kept holding her arm and talking about what had happened in the past two months, and how she felt after she moved out. Showed great interest in life.The reunion after a long absence made this already very special lunch even more lively. Even though there were only three participants, the voices in the room never stopped.

"...I clean your room every day, and Sherlock never lets me touch your things easily." Mrs. Hudson smiled.

Nora paused towards Potato's hand, "Oh?"

Mrs. Hudson winked at her. "He never gave a reason, but I think it's just a reason—he doesn't think you'll really leave here, that you'll come back one day, come back here, and work with him inseparable. "

Holmes took a calm sip of the white wine.

Nora looked at him probingly for a while, then turned her head and continued to clear the food on the plate, shrugged, "Probably because Watson is married, and he hasn't found such a satisfactory partner like us, Sherlock will also feel lonely of."

Holmes retorted confidently, "When you were not here, I also solved many mysteries flawlessly."

"The Case of the Bachelor, the Mystery of Callimasen, and the Axe Killer?" Nora was noncommittal.

Holmes raised the corners of his lips, "It seems that Miss Nora Sharp is also very concerned about my contribution to the detective world."

"I just read the newspaper every day."

Holmes raised his eyebrows. "And then accidentally read the report on me completely?"

Nora wiped her mouth calmly, "I don't think any normal person can ignore the exaggerated report that occupied half of the page."

"Besides," she added emphatically, "as my friend, I think it's what I should do to care about your recent life from time to time."

"Compared to that Mr. Hawke, I think you are not competent at this point." Holmes said in a flat tone. "If I hadn't met you by chance at Crime Cash, I would have thought you had completely forgotten what it means to be an old man." My friends... and Mrs. Hudson."

The landlady held her face and looked at them with a smile.

Nora stopped her hands suddenly, and the faint smile on her face gradually faded away. After a long silence, she turned her head and said softly to Hudson, "Dear Mrs. Hudson, my black tea is cold, can you serve me again?" May I have another drink, thank you very much."

The landlady was stunned for a while, her eyes turned around Holmes, and then she stood up, her eyes were very loving, "Of course...Of course, my little Nora."

Nora watched the old man walk into the kitchen before she turned her head and said to Holmes with extremely serious, even serious eyes, "Sherlock...don't make any more detours. I remember that you rejected my invitation to you two months ago." ... show love."

"What...show love?" Holmes was obviously stunned.

Nora ignored the surprise in his tone, and said softly to herself, "...Your attitude is very clear, even resolute...I don't want to lose the opportunity to maintain friendship with you, so you and I have very tacitly forgotten This matter, and in order to avoid a more embarrassing situation, I moved out... Didn't I do a good job, I quit my job with Mr. Hawke and did something more acceptable to people-children our governess, adapting myself to wearing uncomfortably long skirts every day... I have moved on, and I am about to forget my friendship with you, Sherlock."

Holmes held his breath slightly, stared into her eyes and said nothing.

"But... before and now, what are they?" Nora smiled self-deprecatingly, "I'm not stupid, so I can't fail to hear the hints in your words... You are expecting me to say something—— About me still thinking about you, still having that ridiculous feeling for you? . . . I hate self-deprecation and self-love."

She lowered her eyes, and her voice has become calm, "Actually, when you rejected me, I resented for a little while, and I told you in my heart, you'd better hope that you really don't have any feelings for me ...Otherwise you will definitely regret it, absolutely." She smiled and sighed self-deprecatingly, "...but these are not important anymore, it's all over, Sherlock, I've moved on."

"Of course, we'll still be best friends. That will never change."

After finishing speaking, she stood up, nodded to Holmes, her eyes were gentle, "I'm done eating, you can continue... I'll wait for you downstairs, and we will go to Aberdeen to investigate the case together."

As soon as she finished speaking, she turned her head and was about to leave, but she heard Holmes' calm, deep voice behind her——

"Love—maybe I understand. But...rejection—when did that happen?"