Named Sherlock

by Bagatur Zhamkochyan

  Thanking Marjorie for dinner and asked to convey his gratitude to the cook, I also went up to his room. After a hearty meal sleepiness fell upon me, and the effects of the poisoning has not yet fully passed. Therefore, not even trying to take up the book, I just went to bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

  Waking up, I spent some time trying to remember at least some parts of the kaleidoscope of colorful, but alarmingly meaningless visions that haunted me all night.

  Some shouting, chasing, like fire ... Then I suddenly find myself at the ball, and resisted the invitation to dance with whom bothering me some pretty young blonde. Then suddenly the ship, night, storm, where and why should the ship - it is not clear, and what I'm doing it, too, is not clear. I only remember my horror when I was sitting in a tiny passenger cabin, I heard the plaintive crackling skin under furious pressure waves. Another clear picture - summer meadow in the grass full of cornflowers and subtly ringing cicadas, near I see a tree, on the bottom, a thick branch which sits smiling elderly woman and waves at me.

  More like I strained to remember anything failed, as well as find a link between these visions. Well, not everybody dreams to be prophetic.

  Making the usual charge, with only two breaks, when I had to restore the breath of the fine to the constitution, and this time without dumbbells - they it was hard to even off the ground, I went down to breakfast. My state of health, when compared with the past, it was just beautiful, the body is clearly recovering. Strong hunger attacks which I began to feel as soon as woke up, apparently, too, was a sign of this.

  In the dining room, this time, I came in first, Donnie was not there. Really I slept? Not like him. I remembered our conversation yesterday. No, Donny could not seriously offended by such a trifle, probably just overslept. Well, wait.

  - Mr. Brown, good morning - the room looked Marjorie. - Serve breakfast?

  - Good morning. Tell me, Donald has not come out? Something he lingers today.

  - Mr Watson left an hour ago, sir. He refused breakfast, said that in a hurry.

  Wow! This is what is obtained, Donny there were any secrets from me, and they are so serious that he was risking the displeasure of Miss Emily and Mr. Jobson, breaks down is not known where it was still dark, while, for sure going to miss class again . Well, when he appears, we seriously talk on this subject.

  - Well, if Mr. Watson had already left, I have breakfast myself. I was very hungry and would not mind a double portion of all.

  - Well, Mr. Brown.

  When, ten minutes later, I was panting, she fell away from the table, there was a feeling that, took another sip, I simply bursting like a balloon. Go somewhere, and just did not want to move. Overcame myself, I still stood.

  The street was a real winter. I do not know how typical this kind of weather for London in the real world, but here in December was a real winter. Snow is not enough that is not melted, so still and lay quite thick, asking extra work wipers and bringing joy to kids.

  And to me this is a winter morning in a good mood and gave some children a sense - the expectation of joy and wonder. When I was half an hour later, the crew got out of the shelter near the buildings, even the Hackney area did not seem quite so gloomy.

  Whistling suddenly come to mind the melody of recently viewed "Sivilskogo barber," I knocked on the door. To my surprise, usually unhurried Mr. Robertson opened it almost instantly, perhaps on the first impact on the site Bronze hammer.

  - Oh, it's you. Come, - his face, full of anxiety and expectation, I realized that there was something wrong.

  - Good afternoon, Mr. Robertson.

  - unkind. Yes go through the same as you froze on the doorstep!

  I walked in the door, full of foreboding. Good mood spoiled instantly, replaced by suspense.

  - What happened, sir?

  - Nothing good. Children escaped.

  - What? As it fled? All?

  - All fled. How do I know how? At night, I suppose, until everyone was asleep, - Mr. Robertson was unfriendly and annoyed, and I did not want to irritate him even more. Considering that Miss Emily definitely need to know more, I hurried upstairs to her office.

  The building is unusual silence reigned, no one rushed through the corridors and not rolled on the rails, which often allowed themselves to students, even though it was strictly forbidden. The air smelled of big trouble.

  My knock no one answered, I ventured to open the door and peek. The office was empty. A country where it may be? Was Miss Emily went to the police? Well, why not? Loss of thirty children, let it be useless orphans, this is a very serious matter.

  But even if Miss Emily, suppose could and leave, then somebody should have stayed? Someone who can explain to me in more detail what is it that happened here.

  Walking down the hall, and opened all the doors in a row, I finally came to the library. Looking back, I was relieved. In the room were Miss Emily with his grandfather, Mr Shaw, Mr Birkin and Mrs. Rose.

  - Good afternoon. What have you there?

  - Sherlock! How are you by the way! - Miss Emily swiftly approached me and almost dragged me into the room. - Here you go to the police. You personally know a detective, you can talk to him privately.

  - Wait, what happened then? I'll go where you say, but first tell me what's wrong!

  - Yes, yes, you're right. You also need to explain all the detective, at least briefly ... Sit down, - she pointed to the empty chair, and she began excitedly pacing the room.

  - You know, Sherlock, it is advisable to not become aware of it officially. Maybe the detective can think up some plan. No, if not, then let them use all official resources in the search for the children, of course, the most important thing. Simply we can shut down, and then they still will be on the street, but nothing I can do about it!

  - Emily, stop a tantrum! - his voice, Mr. Shaw. - From your tears and throwing no avail. So what we have. Tonight, all the inmates of the orphanage his left. We do not know, they fled, or taken away by force, but the fact is that in the morning one of them was not in place, and most of them left things belonging to them.

  - They went in their shirts in the cold! Nobody did not take anything! They were kidnapped, for sure!

  - Emily! Calm down, drink water, - Mr. Shaw raised his voice. - Yes exactly. Almost all were without clothing. But, nevertheless, if you believe the words of Mrs. Rose, and I have no reason not to trust her children have gone yourself.

  - Wait, Mrs. Rose saw them leave? And why she did not do anything, I did not call for help?

  - Oh, my child! I myself never forgive you - the woman has taken away from the face tear-stained handkerchief. - Yes, just I think that I see a dream, it was too strange to all.

  - And what exactly did you see, what is the strangeness?

  - Yes, everything. I woke up at night, drink some water, and suddenly I saw from the window on the floor of the shadows move. I live off the kitchen, where the windows are low, and just from the moon shadows fall. So, I saw it, thought at first that the thieves are stealing underwear, just this morning madam ???? after washing his weight. I look out, and there! Good heavens! Kids go one by one, string, slow rovnenko. Go through the yard and go around the corner. Well, I thought that the nightmare I dreamed it, whether from intoxication, or just something like that. So lay back in bed. And in the morning and did almost forgot, I thought that it was a dream. While not told that our kids something missing. This is where it all and understood, but it was too late.

  - Why do you think that is you dreamed? That they were so unusual?

  - Yes, they were so strange, all together made one move. Time - the whole series of one leg pulled up, two - the other. And on their faces nothing scary faces, lifeless.

  Lifeless face without emotion, all doing the same movements ... All this just screamed - yes, this is it, mind control! Nothing is over, the game continues.

  - Well, I think, that these items are just superfluous, - intervened Mr. Shaw. - You never know what a person might seemed asleep, im
portantly, Mrs. Rose saw that the kids really went themselves. So, they just fled, though not very clear, for whatever reason. Treated them very well, no penalties are almost never applied, fed ... Well, how could afford, and fed themselves with the same eat. In any case, you need as quickly as possible to find them and return.

  So it is certainly true ... Find and return as quickly as possible, that's just what said Mrs. Rose was just no unnecessary details, but rather the most important. I hope that this is also a detective March will understand.

  The fact that children taken away under the control of consciousness, it was almost proved to me, but the question remained - how could this be accomplished? The person who performs the control, should be located somewhere nearby, that is present in the shelter building. Or not?

  - Tell me, in the last days in the shelter appeared some stranger, some new people?

  - No. Definitely not - Miss Emily has coped with hysteria and now spoke almost without strain, relatively calmly and firmly.

  Interesting. It turns out one of the permanent residents of the shelter can be an accomplice of the offender, or itself be controlled. And who might that be?

  - Sherlock, you're congress of the detective?

  - Of course, ma'am. Wait, I'll be back soon - I did not tell Miss Emily, that I was no longer allowed on the threshold of the police station, I think, with this problem, I can handle.

  In the morning, the police station was buzzing like a disturbed hive. Apparently, just took a change of night patrols in the afternoon, as people seemed to me twice, against the usual. However, the mustachioed policeman behind the desk in the lobby was a constant part. Already preparing to publicly point me to the entrance, he was stopped by my gesture calling for silence.

  - very hot and it is important! Pass the detective that I will wait for him at Lola's, he knows where - I said in a whisper, almost silently, knowing that here, in the police building, the walls can be said to consist of one ear. And I did not want to deliver the detective even more trouble. Fortunately, the policeman is there really heard, or read lips, but he nodded to confirm the flax.

  Out on the street, I passed by the familiar route to the coffee shop and sat at the same table and ordered coffee. Honestly, drink local swill I did not like, especially after a hearty breakfast, but after the story of a detective hostess places, I could not do otherwise. Moreover, I immediately paid the bill, left a tip, five times higher than the cost of the drink.

  The detective came twenty minutes later, when I had almost despaired of his wait. He was sullen and unfriendly.

  - Hello Lola - he nodded to the girl behind the counter and turned to me. - What happened? I hope that this is something serious, I now have quite enough trouble, so I making as new because of trifles.

  - I think this is quite serious.

  How could, in detail and in color, I told the detective all that I myself learned a couple of hours ago. I started listening to my story with impatient irritated face, by the end of it, the detective was - very attentive and serious.

  - Miss Emily begged you to come as soon as possible, she hopes that everything can be solved quickly and without publicity.

  - I understood. Go.

  - No, Detective, you ride yourself, and I need one more thing to check. Perhaps this will help. At least, I hope so.

  - Do you have any information?

  - Not yet, but it may be. In any case, I'll put you to know at any result.

  - Well, - the detective quickly, almost at a run, jumped out of the coffee shop. After sitting for a few more minutes, and never daring to try the local version of coffee, I went after him.

  I decided to go no where else, but to Mr. Leksidi. Now it does not matter in which he is able to, but he would have to tell me everything he knew. Time running out like sand through his fingers.

  This time my knock said is not weak, suffering voice and discovered the owner, is quite cheerful and smiling.

  - Good to see you, young man! That went to visit the old man? Come on.

  - Mr Leksidi. I beg you, as soon as possible, and more, tell me about your investigation is, after which you demoted from detective stories. This is extremely important!

  - What happened then? - The old man gestured to the side covered with a thin veil narrow ottoman. - Sit down.

  - At the shelter, where I used to live, today, all the children have disappeared during the night. They left themselves scantily clad, leaving all things. I have no proof, but I feel that this is connected with the recent killings in Hackney, and with your investigations.

  - Are you sure?

  - No, but I have to look into that, you know?

  - Good. So, where were we left off with you then?

  - The second victim, you have finished the story on the fact that the second victim was found.

  - Oh yes. So, after the discovery of the second body, I have little doubt that I was dealing with the repetition, almost an exact copy of a series of murders that took place fifteen years earlier. That's only when I tried to give a hint about the authorities, I was threatened removal from the case if I will continue to dig further in this direction. The official version of what happened - suicide, and I lowered the top of an indication to conduct investigations in this direction.

  While youth has been a continuous fascination with the romantic and sentimental literature, it was regarded as a suicide and was a such a protest against anything. Yes, but I've seen life, and I would have never occurred to him that a young, beautiful girl who chooses to kill himself just such a horrible way. Yes, only in this case, no one asked for my opinion not.

  - And what, you began to conduct an investigation informally?

  - Yes, my friend, and that I still have left to do? This, of course, very limited my ability, but something I found out. After talking with the pupils of, I found out that there were no secret love affairs, some insults and quarrels have been no fatalities. The girls were all happy, calm and welcoming. The apparent reasons for suicide among them were absent. I'm at an impasse.

  It was only after the fourth victim got the first glimpse. After another survey girlfriends on anything unusual that they could remember the dead, one of the pupils mentioned that shortly before the death of the girl showing off the mascot, which supposedly should help her to meet her future husband. It was a large blue crystal on a thin chain. Who gave it to the victim, the girl did not speak, explaining that otherwise it will not work. On the body, as it was not found in things, no crystal.

  Given that the pupils of a shelter with anyone outside did not communicate, and free to go out they were forbidden, I decided that the opportunity to pass this crystal was just someone from the staff. Once again held with each of them, under the pretext of questioning about the identity and character of the latest victim, I tried to mentally try on the image of a potential killer on each of them. The only person I would allow mentally cut the throat of a girl, was huge, absolutely brutal-looking man, Mr Briggs, who acted as a stoker and a janitor. Everyone else in this role, I could not imagine, especially the very owner of a shelter, a woman madly beautiful, though no longer very young.

  - So you're saying the shelter was a very beautiful mistress?

  - Oh, yes, just amazing beauty. When I first saw it, my first thought was: "Lord, in her youth she was apparently by an angel!"

  Stunning beauty ... Oh, my God! My head was like something clicked, I picture is fully developed.

  - And then she accidentally went to the water, or some other resort, leaving behind a daughter?

  The old man smiled wryly.

  - I Guessed? And I'm a fool, I did not understand. And how could understand it then? But when the hostess shelter suddenly became ill, but instead had a daughter, it was then that I felt something was wrong. By the time the case has already been decided to close, as the fifth suicide victim I saw with my own eyes, and not just me.

  - You watched the shelter?

  - Yes. I was sure that the new victim is bound to be other th
reads of I did not, so I made the assumption that it is, as before, is a student of the shelter. That evening I sat in the attic in the house in front, two policemen sat in the bushes near the back door.

  Around midnight, one of the pupils came from the orphanage yard and headed toward the nearby fish market. We followed her. I believed until the last moment, now I see the killer, so missed the moment when the girl suddenly snatched from the apron pocket knife and slashed himself across his throat. Immediately ran to her, I found the last seconds of life. I will never forget the look which it was pleading. This girl does not want to die, something made her do it. And that's when I finally saw the infamous blue crystal, he was trapped in his left hand.

  - So you got it, the killer could not pick it up?

  - The fact of the matter is that I could. Before I could take him in hand as someone came up behind him, stunned me with something heavy. Waking up with a buzzing head after a couple of minutes, I caught a terrible picture - two policemen, who accompanied me, grappled with each other, rolling on the pavement. Crystal was gone.

  As it turned out, one of the policemen, the one that moved a little behind, more and lingered behind. Catch up with us already on the market, he did not approach the body, and stood at some distance, invisible in the dense shade of nearby stalls. Here it is then observed a second constable, bypassing the small area around the perimeter, he turned for a moment to some narrow lane. Then, coming out from there, he went directly to the body, where it cracked me on the head with a baton until I searched the pockets of the deceased.

  Constable Rogers, the one who had noticed standing in the shadows, threw himself on how he believed the enemy. They grappled and rolled fighting on the pavement. From the alley, where previously folded hit me policeman jumped figure in a long cloak and hood, ran to the body, pick something up from the ground and disappeared. Rogers saw it, but could not prevent in any way, I at that time was lying motionless. And the most interesting thing is that the constable was convinced that the stranger in a raincoat - woman. Face he could not see, but vowed and swore that the movement was, of course, women.