Mark of the Baskerville Hound by Wilfred Huettel

Author:Wilfred Huettel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sherlock Holmes, mystery, crime, british crime, lyme regis, baskerville, baskervilles, moriarty
ISBN: 9781780920894
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited 2011
Published: 2011-12-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

“When I walked into the pub, both Mr. and Mrs. Saunders were at the bar and the barrage of questions came full force.

“Was it Mr. Johnson then, Mr. Hughes?”

“I think so.”

“And how did the accident happen?”

“I wish I knew. Constable Hopkins wouldn’t let me get near the scene when I arrived.”

“My lie let me off the hook with the questions and I went back up to my room. After two scotches I thought I’d go back down and try to get something else to eat as I never did finish my dinner. But then I wondered - after seeing what I had seen - whether I could hold my meal down. As I went to the top of the steps, I saw that the pub was beginning to fill with the locals - the news had already gotten out like a wildfire. Realizing I was the only one there who had been at the scene, I knew I would be interrogated to the fourth degree. With no hope for a peaceful meal, I went back to my room and opened the bottle for dinner.

“I guess it was about two hours later when a small tapping at my door woke me from my liquid-induced sleep.

“Come in.”

“It was the young sergeant, Hopkins.

“Hello, sir. Mind if I come in? Oh, I’m sorry, I think I woke you up, sir?”

“It’s okay, Sergeant, please come in. Need some refreshment? Oops, it’s empty!”

“Oh no, thank you anyway, sir. On the job you know, and you know who is downstairs giving the news to the pub gang as best he can. Doesn’t want to let too much out you see, but he said he owed it to the locals to keep them advised. He asked me if you could come with me out the back door to the car so he can have a chat with you.”

“A chat?”

“Yes. Underneath all his bravado I think the inspector respects you as a New York criminal investigator.”

“He checked on me, huh?”

“Yes, sir. Found you were in the bureau just like our CID. Homicide were you, Mr. Hughes?”

“Yes, and way too long. I wanted a nice promotion out of there, but it never came so I took my years and left. Besides homicide is nothing but drug-related now. Nasty stuff, and worse, the scum are mindless animals.”

“Yeah...I can see that. Well, shall we go, sir?”

“Okay, let me grab my coat.”

“We literally tiptoed down the back steps and went to the inspector’s car, which was parked behind the inn. Another officer was at the wheel - the inspector’s new bobby chauffeur.

“I’ll go back inside now, Mr. Hughes, I mean Bill. He’ll be along shortly.”

“And it was shortly, because just as Hopkins went in Inspector Martin came out. Some of the locals came out too but headed to their vehicles.

“Thank God that’s over. Start the car, Peters. I need the heat.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, well - it seems wherever I turn there you are, Mr. Hughes.”

“Yes, but if I can go back to Cambridge, I’ll be gone tonight.

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