Chapter 495 - The Idle Days (1/2)
Chapter 495 The Idle Days
“That was an exhilarating fight! You followed all the pointers I gave you, won the fight, and fooled all the spectators at the same time. Here’s the money you won.”
Holmes handed all thirty pounds to his flatmate.
As a partic.i.p.ant, Zhang Heng couldn’t bet on himself, so he had Holmes place the bet on his behalf. In addition to the two pounds he won, he received a respectable 32 pounds from the fight alone.
“You have no prior reputation, and no one knows how good you are. What more, this is just some lowly anonymous fight, so the fee for your appearance is only this much. It will get better, but it looks like you’re too eager to make a name for yourself, haha!”
“Like I said, making money is of secondary importance to me,” replied Zhang Heng as he wiped the sweat off his face with a towel.
“Pity. If you continue partic.i.p.ating in fights, you might very well become a well-known boxer. You have the skills, the composure, and you come from some ancient, mysterious land from the far east. It would be an excellent gimmick,” Holmes remarked. “But I’m glad that you’re willing to work with me. I really do need a partner.”
…
Two weeks had pa.s.sed since the River Thames case. At that time, Zhang Heng managed to sieze Pearson who was trying to escape, and Gregson interrogated him on the spot, thus confirming Holmes’ deduction. The inspector had Paul immediately released, but bad news awaited him when he went to John’s house with his men to arrest him. They learned that he had gone on vacation and had left the night before-clearly, the movements of a guilty man.
Gregson slapped his thigh in a fury. What worried him most was that John would have escaped to some obscure colony and would never return. He could be a long way from England and it would be nearly impossible to catch him then. But Holmes had suggested that unlike Pearson, John was a man of good standing in London, owning many factories and plots of prime estate.
He wouldn’t have abandoned all of these things and escape to the colonies, where life was far less colorful than a big city unless it was his last resort. His escape was more of a temporary nature. Holmes’ proposal to Gregson was also straightforward.
“Capture” Paul, and then pay John’s house another visit with the excuse of inviting him to attend Paul’s trial in court.
Gregson thought about it and did as he was told, and it did not take long for this gambit to bear fruit.
it turned out that John had never left London at all. Instead, he had been hiding in a secret manor on the outskirts, keeping a close eye on the situation, while his old housekeeper would report any news to him. The arrest of the “murderer” instantly made headlines on the Echo and newspapers such as The Times and The Evening News. Headed by Inspector Gregson, Scotland Yard was lauded for their efficiency and valor. Furthermore, unions and activists were also demanding for the personal safety of female workers be improved. With the matter seemingly concluded, John returned to his home a week later, worried that a lengthy absence would raise suspicion.
As soon as he set foot into his house, he was instantly surrounded by the police.
Gregson could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Smugly, he put John in cuffs, and the next day, Echo printed a new article detailing how the astute Inspector Gregson had used the media to deceive the killer, lowering his guard down, before finally nabbed the real perpetrator.
The citizens of London felt as if they were witnessing the unfolding of a sensational detective story. They little expected the case to hold so many unforeseen surprises, where a battle between sheer wit of police and criminal ended with justice triumphing over evil. Who would hate to read a story like that?