Now experiencing some guilt due to our informal association I felt that the general physician’s death had somehow been inexorably linked to the circumstances of my personal investigation.
With this conclusion I realized that the only knowledge Winifred might have of this matter would only have come from what she had read in the newspaper.
In the end I did not want to disturb her situation with any investigation as it might result in trouble or complications for her.
Feeling Sherlock’s reassuring presence quietly standing behind me and watching me while I was seated at the desk in my study... I placed a blank piece of paper in front of me and with a fountain pen wrote down in succession four names... Willem Bastiaan van Steenwyk... Marius Bakeberg... Albrecht Metzger and Patricia Mclean.
Then I put the pen down and asked myself a series of rhetorical questions “which one of you had carried out this act... or are all of you somehow responsible for what happened in Gravesend?”
I followed with “what was so important... what wrong had to be righted... what message had to be sent that it cost the lives of two men who did not have to die” As if to respond to my last question I heard the echo of a familiar man’s voice behind me reply “what indeed Watson?”
***
Then before my eyes appearing like the last long thin wisp of grey white smoke that rises into the late night time sky from the embers of an extinguished camp fire was the name Mata Hari.
Chapter 33
“With this Doctor Briggs now out of the way has the last of our ‘leaks’ been stopped up then?” “Yes”...”and was this early morning ‘event’ staged to look like some unfortunate accident?”...”certainly.
It will appear... for the moment any way that the young doctor somehow tripped while walking along the path next to the Thames and Medway... fell into the fast moving water... and because the current was too strong he was unable to swim to the canal bank and rescue himself... so he drowned.”
“Well that should put an end to all of this then... it is regrettable we cannot replace a most important and valuable asset that has been lost to us... but I believe a strong enough and final message has now been delivered to all parties concerned that some events and the people involved in them are better left undisturbed.”
If it was not for Elizabeth then the shock of the news concerning Dr. Briggs death would have taken a greater toll on me. However with the plans we had already made together for the Saturdays in November this helped me to relax and take my mind off as to how I might approach solving a second murder.
Before the beginning of my new friendship with her I had made several... at best half-hearted attempts (on my own) to leave my solitary home life for a short time to be among people again.
To motivate myself into doing this I had made the easy choice of going to the National Gallery... located at Trafalgar Square.
***
The National Gallery, houses one of the greatest collections of European paintings in the world. These pictures belong to the public and entrance to see them is free.
The National Gallery’s permanent collection spans the period from about 1250 to 1900 and consists of Western European paintings.
Now I had an encouraging reason to attend and more importantly somebody to share the day with and comment about all the pictures the gallery had on display.
I have always been a great admirer of Queen Victoria who reigned from June 20 1837 until January 22 1901... this admiration however had not been shared by my late husband and was certainly not shared by Sherlock.
So it was a pleasant surprise when Elizabeth had suggested we visit the Victoria and Albert Museum on Cromwell Road, South Kensington. It is BETAthe world’s greatest museum of art and design. The collection... including the personal possessions of her majesty the queen and Albert her prince consort is unrivalled in its diversity.
***
The Magic Hour is a unique magic show in the heart of London. Located near Hyde Park, and following sell out runs at the St Pancreas Renaissance Hotel and Hotel Russell, this highly recommended show takes place at the historic Grand Royale hotel. The show, performed in an evocative old drawing room, brings to life the illusions of the Victorian masters of magic
***
It was when Elizabeth had suggested going to this particular entertainment that I initially experienced a certain reluctance in accepting her invitation. For me to see any magic act would bring back reminders of all the events that had taken place while in New York City and of the last time I was with Sherlock at the Hippodrome Theatre.
But it was important for me to continue what had I thought had become a caring and supportive friendship that was certainly proving to be well outside the sphere of everything concerning the consulting detective so I happily agreed to accompany her.
***
The Victorian masters of magic whose illusions were brought to life during the first part of the afternoon performance were P. C. Sorcar then Robert-Houdin. After a short intermission were the illusions of Jean Eugène and David Devant.
It was during the intermission (while enjoying light refreshments, mingling and talking with the other guests) that as with our first conversation at St. James’s park Elizabeth unexpectedly asked me in a similar tone and manner “Mary... when Mr. Houdini was performing here in London did you ever attend one of his matinee or evening shows?”
Chapter 34
In Article 231 of the Versailles treaty Germany was made to accept responsibility for the losses and damages caused by the war ‘as a consequence of the... aggression of Germany and her allies.’
The article provided for Germany to compensate the Allied powers and to establish a ‘Reparation Commission’ in 1921 to consider German resources and capacity to pay, this gave the German government an opportunity to be heard (in principle) and to decide on the amount of reparations to pay.
In the interim the treaty required Germany to pay an equivalent of 20 billion gold marks ($5 billion) in gold, commodities, ships, securities or other forms.
The money would also be used to pay Allied occupation costs and buy food and raw materials for Germany, however as a rare concession to the defeated nation it would be allowed to continue to occupy Norway.
This most unpopular proposal had cautiously been put forward during the negotiations by the American President Woodrow Wilson and British Prime Minister David Lloyd George with very strong protests against the proposal coming from the French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau.
Both the American President and the British Prime Minister were in favour of this plan (as they set out) because of having imposed such harsh terms. They did not want the defeated German nation to become belligerent with the intent of rebuilding its armed forces there for allowing it to restart hostilities now or in the future.
It was also reasoned by Wilson and Lloyd George that with this unusual compromise of allowing the defeated nation to keep occupied territory it would aid Germany in her ability to meet imposed financial obligations.
***
Bislett Stadion lies on the site of a 19th-century brick works, which was bought by the Municipality of Kristiania (Oslo) in 1898, and turned into a sports field in 1908.
The merchant, speed skater, gymnast and sports organizer Martinus Lørdahl was instrumental in facilitating the construction of the first bleachers, begun in 1917 and completed in 1922 along with the new club house.
This is the location the Norwegian government had chosen in 1919 to celebrate (with an evening torch lit political rally) each year the continuing cooperative and peaceful occupation of German troops and political governance of the country by the Nasjonal Samling party where Torgeir Rendahl would give his annual address to the nation.
It was during this immense (charged with an atmosphere of energy and excitement) gathering of the citizens of O
slo in 1922 that a naïve but enthusiastic young girl (named Liv) stood out and came to the attention of a German officer who (at the time) was dressed as a civilian.
He introduced himself as Erich Hoffman... after spending time with her during the rally... decided later that with what had been discussed (including her political beliefs) during their time together should come to the attention of III B-Chief Walter Nicolai.
Once easily persuaded to enter German service she was instructed about her duties by a Major Roepell. Her reports were to be sent to Düsseldorf under Roepell as well as to the Agent mission in the German embassy in London under Major Kalle, with her direct handler being the German officer she had met at the rally.
Chapter 35
Fraulein Huber... please allow me to introduce myself to you... I am Major Roepell. To begin... your duties (when you return home) are to concentrate on a woman who resides in London, her name is Mary Watson. She is a widow who spends her days volunteering.
We believe Mrs. Watson may be in possession of certain important information concerning a woman named Mata Hari... she came to obtain it due to her association with a famous consulting detective.
In matters such as this we would appoint a junior officer to visit with her and gather it. However due to the sensitive nature of this material, Mrs. Watson’s famous background, the people she presently has and had in her life and the ‘troubling activities’ she has recently been engaged in... this direct approach will not work.
We require a person she does not know but will be interested in meeting. Someone Mrs. Watson should have an instant affinity with... she should never harbour any reason to suspect this persons real intentions but will want to become friends with them... and that someone fraulein will be you.
First you will gain Mrs. Watson’s confidence and trust then make her feel comfortable about opening up whenever you two are together.
Although you will be extensively briefed on her background (along with her association with a consulting detective) you are not to bring up, reveal or share any of this information while you are in her company.
From what we have learned and come to know of Mrs. Watson, with the exception of her volunteer work she leads a very quiet and solitary life.
Once you get to know her you will casually inquire from time to time as to what her interests are then encourage her to become involved in them again. Any activities that involve you and her taking place outside of her home will aid you with your task.
It will be when she feels that she is engaged in what she thinks is only light and safe conversation she will no doubt let her guard down and freely tell you what you need to know.
If there are any barriers that should arise to impede your developing relationship, bring them to my attention and I will deal with them. Finally it may be somewhat advantageous for you if Mrs. Watson were to be encouraged in suggesting your name for membership with the society she is already a member of.
Your first encounter with her should appear to be quite nonchalant... casual... almost co incidental. It has been well established that she is a frequent visitor to St. James’s Park on Saturday afternoons so this is where your ‘friendship’ with her will commence.
You will be at this particular park on this particular day of each weekend where you will make yourself approachable... but remember you must let her first introduce herself to you.
You will meet with Captain Hoffmann on a once a week basis where you will pass along any information you have discovered or have learned from Mrs. Watson regarding the information we require.
Finally we have arranged transportation for you to return to your family and your place of employment... you will leave Oslo tomorrow morning to return to London.
Chapter 36
After a time my friendship with Elizabeth started to take a curious turn. Granted I was puzzled at first about her comments concerning mystery writers then later her comments concerning escape artists... but with time I had put such things down to her age.
It was however as my young friend and I were leaving the Fawcett society each of us making our way home when as Patricia McLean was passing us both she gave me the unmistakable (I have more to ask you) look.
I tried not to react to what had been implied in that brief encounter... but with Elizabeth watching me she had read my expression and asked after in what I thought was a concerned tone of voice “do you know that person” and then after a short pause continued with “is there anything wrong Mary?”
Deciding (as we were walking together for a short distance) that I felt the need to express some of my concerns about past encounters with my inquisitor (in other words to someone I had come to trust) I revealed that Patricia had been asking me personal and uncomfortable details about my life.
To my considerable relief and yet at the same time surprise there were no follow up questions about this from Elizabeth... her only comment was “I hope she will stop doing this to you soon.”
It was only later when I started to discover my young friend’s true identity and purpose that the unexplained reasons as to why she had not pursued the nature or direction of what had been asked by Patricia would be revealed.
My next clue towards her new behaviour came when she and I were having Sunday afternoon tea at Seven Park Place in the St James’s Hotel.
As was our usual custom we sat together at a table where we could both watch the world (being the patrons of the tea room) pass by while we enjoyed the hotels fare and each other’s company.
Always wanting to have my hand bag close I usually set it down in front of me and just to my right certain that it would not be disturbed.
This particular Sunday afternoon before I could stop its unexpected and unanticipated decent as the result of a waiter brushing past our table my handbag rapidly fell to the hard wood floor there by spilling out most of its contents.
As quickly as I could I bent over to replace scattered objects back where they belonged. To my surprise Elizabeth was suddenly in front of me on her knees eagerly helping in my task.
When she saw something from the scattered contents that caught her interest... being the cautionary note (still in its Monarch hotel envelope) that I had received in Johannesburg. Elizabeth (without asking permission) picked it up... looked at it and with a little more than just casual curiosity then inquired while now holding it up for me to see...” What is this Mary?”
Chapter 37
My last encounter with Patricia McLean before her mysterious disappearance was when she thrust an article at me that had been cut from the newspaper.
Her only biting comment while impatiently for me to take it from her was “I believe you may find this of some interest Mary... since having visited this city and met this person.”
***
Mail & Guardian (Cape Town)
An employee of Loosdrechts Porselaina factory located in the South African city of Johannesburg has been killed in what is being regarded by police as an industrial accident.
The remains of a Marius Bakeberg were found next to a damaged kiln that had been used in the manufacture of blue delft porcelain. No one from the factory or the van Steenwyk family could be contacted for comment concerning either to the nature of the accident or of the employee’s position with the company.
Reading the newspaper clipping again I was taken back to my time while in Johannesburg where I visited the mentioned porcelain factory then to the Monarch hotel where I had been staying at when receiving an anonymous (at the time) note.
At that moment three very dissimilar facts suddenly connected. Because of the nature of the alleged industrial accident I realized I had now uncovered where the pellet that had been used to kill my husband was manufactured... and as the outcome of a business conversation and a misaddressed warning note there had been another murder.
Finally I felt sure
I now knew the name of the person who was responsible for this shocking event and possibly for John’s, Dr. Briggs and Marius Babenberg’s deaths.
Chapter 38
“What is this Mary?” Hoping that a one word answer would be sufficient to satisfy Elizabeth’s immediate curiosity I (while putting the last of the strewn contents back in my hand bag) answered her “a note.”
From her expression (as she was returning to her feet) to my quick answer I could tell she knew more about what she still had hold of than she wanted to admit to.
Suddenly any warmth of friendship in her voice dropped away when she coldly asked “an invitation... an appointment to be attended... a rendezvous perhaps?”
Finally finishing my task I also arose to my feet... reached over and quickly snapped the envelope away (to her considerable surprise) from Elizabeth’s grasp... and replied back to her with equal coldness “a note.”
***
As with my unpleasant association with Patricia Mclean ending there was no further contact with Elizabeth Humphrey.
While I was relieved that I would no longer be unexpectedly stopped and asked to give an account (by Patricia) of my overseas travels my former young friend’s as of yet unknown circumstances of her disappearance had in a way convinced me that I might finally be able to finally solve the reason, purpose and cause of John’s death.
***
The tangled ball of yarn (that had been the people and events involved in John’s death) began to untangle when I received an early evening telephone call from St. Bartholomew’s hospital.
“Good evening Mrs. Watson... this is Dr. Lewis calling.” Wondering to myself if after all this time the doctor had turned up any more information I courteously replied in turn “good evening Dr. Lewis.”
Mary Watson And The Departed Doctor Page 8