“He looked as a typical London’s dandy, not as a regular local man. He was in a blue cloak, light-grey hat, brown fashionable costume and horn-rimmed spectacles. Now I guess it was the same place to where Kelvin had gone. That man in blue was holding some package. And he looked back. Now I’m sure he was a killer!”
“Are you really sure about all these details you told us about this dandy?” asked Holmes.
“Yes, it was full moon, pretty light, and I remembered this man rather well”.
As the interview was over Lestrade and Sherman walked away in the yard together with us to discuss this information.
“What we are going to do, gentlemen?” asked Sherman. “What are your ideas?”
“I feel we have found the trace!” Lestrade hit by his fist his palm. “We need to search this man in blue cloak. In London! Unfortunately, our victim was not good in choosing clients for his buying. Porter looked rather honest. I feel he is saying the truth.”
Holmes smiled. He rocked his head.
“Gentlemen, this Porter tried to fool us. But he failed. Though some one believed him.”
“How did on Earth he fooled me?” Lestrade raised his eyebrows. He looked hurt and angry with Holmes’ words. The rest looked at Holmes with interest.
ANSWER:
“Please, look up,” answered Holmes. “You see the full moon. Porter is not good in astronomy. He could not see the full moon two weeks ago. It was the new moon there. Remind you, my friends, the full Moon happens regularly in 30 nights, but as for two weeks ago – it was the new moon, when we can’t even see the moon in the sky – it is too close to the sun and perfectly invisible. That’s why it is always dark, that’s why Porter could not see any color of the running man cloth. Light-grey, blue or red – all the colors are the same – black in such a darkness!”
“You are right!” Lestrade’s face lit. “I was thinking just about the same. Well, what we are waiting for?” And he turned to Sherman: “Come and get this bustard…”
When the policemen leading by Sherman came back to Porter, Lestrade with a happy shinning face turned to us and said: “Sorry, gentlemen, local police is so stupid!..”
In the end I should add that this Porter turned out to be a real murderer of Kelvin.
2. Eye of the Dead Man
It was winter evening of 1896. Holmes and me just finished a dinner and were talking lazily at our Baker Street place, as Mrs. Hudson entered the room.
“Mr. Holmes, here is a message from inspector Lestrade.”
“Interesting,” answered my friend. “Please give it to me…”
He opened a piece of paper and read aloud:
“Dear Mr. Holmes,
We have a problem case in which You can help us with Your deduction method. If You are not against I will remind You our last week discussion where You has said that are able to resolve any case if take part in research from very beginning. We bet for 50 pounds. Although in case You regret about this bet I will accept Your apologize with pleasure. But only together with agreement that Your method is not perfect. If you persist so I wait for You right now at Thornford Road 6, where a murder took place an hour before.
Sincerely Yours
Inspector Lestrade
PS. Please don’t forget to have 50 pounds.”
“Ha-ha!” laughed Holmes. “Well, Watson, we accept this?”
“Without any doubts!” cried out I.
Lestrade met us at Thorford Road.
“Very nice of you, Mr. Holmes!” he was really glad to see us. “You are gambler, Mr. Holmes!” And he jokily shook his finger.
As we were walking to the house, the inspector briefly described the whole situation:
“Andrew Raffit is killed. Well-known industrial boss. Motive is clear: The brilliant Unona is stolen, the brilliant he has bought. Mr. Raffit used to watch it every night in his cabinet. Every evening, about an hour. Frankly speaking I don’t understand such a foolish thing! This night, when Raffit was watching his brilliant once again, two persons were in the house: his servant Pries and a secretary Adams. Some one from them killed Raffit. No one else was able do that. As I understand it Raffit was sitting in his cabinet with his back to the door. A killer came from his back side and hit him by a dirk into the top of his head. And he took the brilliant, but could not go away too far. Well, we have spoiled the killer’s plan, by chance. Our policeman pushed by chance the crystal vase of flowers and the brilliant rolled out onto the carpet. Oh, the bustard is a cunning guy! He didn’t take the brilliant, but put it in into the water – Unona was invisible there. This murderer was planning to return back without any risk, after the mess would be over. But it didn’t come off.”
Lestrade looked very satisfied, he was shinning as a clean jar. I even thought that he had known the real murderer and just wanted to test Holmes.
He continued: “So, we have got the brilliant! As soon as Pries saw it he broke in tears and told us that he and Adams had planned to steal Unona, but not to kill Mr. Raffit. He blamed Adams. Adams confessed too, but he blamed Pries. So we have two suspects! Kitchen maiden saw each of them entering the cabinet. First Pries entered to give Raffit evening mail. In 20 minutes Adams entered, he then said to the servant to turn out the light in the cabinet in 10 minutes, as Mr. Raffit had asked. Raffit used to watch his brilliant in twilight.
Adams is sure that he left Raffit in good condition, alive and health. Pries turned out upper light in the cabinet. The turner unit was out and Pries did not enter the room. Finally, in 20 minutes the maiden came to bring the tea. She found her host dead. Mr. Raffit was still sitting in his armchair, looking straight, but the marine knife was in his head.
The question is – who is a liar? Or Adams murdered Raffit, or Pries did it later… Can you, Mr. Holmes, demonstrate your deduction method now?”
Lestrade victoriously looked at Holmes. He said: “While we are having the main motive – the brilliant – and only two suspects, I want to make our bet a little more difficult. You should figure out the killer in 30 minutes. Do you agree?”
“Thirty minutes?” racked his head Holmes. “This is absurd.”
Smile lit Lestrade’s face.
“So, Mr. Holmes! The bet is not acceptable for you?”
“Absolutely! Not acceptable! As for me, one minute will be enough!”
Holmes made a sign to switch the light on, slightly push away shocked Lestrade and came across the room to the table. He stood before dead Raffit, bowed and began to watch his glass-like eyes.
“What are you doing?” Lestrade was really knocked out by Holmes’ manipulations.
“I look at his eyes,” Holmes murmured in answer. In some seconds he turned to the inspector with a smile on his lips. “So, my dear, where is my money? 50 pounds. I have won the bet!”
“What?..” Lestrade was confused. “Why? You know who is a murderer?”
“Yes, I do. I have seen the killer in the eyes of the dead”, Holmes said still smiling and got out his pipe.
Lestrade was standing still confused. Then he laughed, shaking his finger:
“Ha-ha! I know what you mean! You mean this foolish fairytale about the eye of the victim makes a picture of the killer! This is a bull shit!”
“Picture