The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes--The Counterfeit Detective by Stuart Douglas

Author:Stuart Douglas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Titan

Chapter Eleven

Over the years, I have met, and worked with, policemen on three continents, and on every occasion the men involved have been of similar type: dogged and reliable, intelligent but occasionally lacking in imagination, and with an unflinching determination to catch their prey. At the station, Bullock proved himself to be of similar stripe.

I had expected him simply to pass me on to a subordinate, but instead he arranged for Holmes to be brought to his office, where he and I waited and discussed less weighty matters than usual – primarily points of interest to a traveller in New York, for I had a notion to stay on for a week or so after the case was closed, in order to see the sights. Bullock was just describing a particularly pleasant walk along the coast when the door opened and Holmes was shown in.

I had brought Holmes a change of clothing, so that he at least resembled a gentleman, but there was no hiding the stench of cheap alcohol, tobacco smoke and dirt that surrounded him. His face and hands too retained the grime of his erstwhile disguise, and I fancied I spied a small twig entangled in his hair.

In spite of this, he seemed quite cheerful, and he strode into the room with a grin on his face and his hand outstretched in greeting. Soon he was sitting in a chair beside me, opposite the inspector, a cigarette lit and a look of intense interest on his face.

“So, Inspector,” he began without preamble, “you said last night that you had some information for me? In connection with the man Donaldson, regarding whom Pastor Hoffmann was so helpfully vocal.”

I felt sure that Bullock would take this opportunity to lecture Holmes on his actions of the previous evening, but either he had already done so, or he knew Holmes well enough by that point to understand that such a speech would have no effect on his future activities. For whatever reason, he simply opened the file that sat in front of him and began to read.

“James Donaldson. New York-born businessman, primarily dealing in precious gems, with a side interest in expensive artwork. Took his own life, at home, on February last: a single bullet to the temple. No suicide note was found, and it says here that his business was doing well, he was in good health and had no family issues that the officer investigating could discover. His sister claimed there had been no warning signs; he had been in good spirits in recent months and they had even been discussing a forthcoming trip to Europe.”

“Last February!” The date was, I felt, the key fact in Bullock’s recital. How could the imposter be linked to a death that occurred some months before he even arrived in the city? “You said that the fake Holmes first came to your attention a year ago, Inspector. And Mrs van Raalte said he had been renting from her for the same length of time.

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