"That boy?" Charlotte paused for a mont, then followed Mrs. Hudson's gaze.
"Russell?"
"Yes," Mrs. Hudson nodded calmly. "You two are about the sa height and build, so his clothes should fit you just fine."
Charlotte instinctively opened her mouth to protest.
"Wait, this might be…"
"Don't worry, the boy won't mind. I'll talk to him."
"Wait here. I'll go look."
As she spoke, Mrs. Hudson hurriedly pushed open the door to Russell's room and went inside.
Shortly after, she ca out holding several warm-looking garnts, looking very satisfied.
"Here, Charlotte, try these on."
She handed the clothes to Charlotte. They were a dark gray turtleneck sweater and a thick black coat, both appearing highly windproof. Charlotte hesitated for a mont as she looked at the two items, which clearly reflected Russell's distinctive style.
"Hurry and try them on," Mrs. Hudson urged. "If the size doesn't fit, we'll swap them."
Charlotte finally gave in.
She took off her trench coat and put on the gray turtleneck sweater.
Surprisingly, it fit perfectly.
The sweater was very soft, warm to the touch, and didn't itch at all. The sleeve length was just right.
Then she put on the black coat again.
The coat was a little large on her, but it didn't look sloppy. Instead, the loose silhouette gave her a youthful, dashing impression.
"How is it?" Mrs. Hudson looked at Charlotte's reflection in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction.
"Don't you think it's much better than your thin trench coat?"
Charlotte stared at herself in the mirror. Her usually sowhat pale face looked much softer thanks to the gray turtleneck. The figure in the mirror no longer resembled an unapproachable, cold detective but rather an ordinary university student preparing to attend a class reunion.
"Good." She ultimately gave a fair assessnt, though her voice carried no emotion.
However, the slight upward curl of her lips revealed her true thoughts.
"Russell has good taste in clothes. Next ti, why don't you have him take you shopping for so?"
Mrs. Hudson said, "Alright, off you go. Co back early once you're done."
"Mm." Charlotte nodded, turned, and left the room.
A faint sound ca from the doorway as the figure in the black coat disappeared from view.
Charlotte walked along the street. The weather outside was colder than she had expected.
Mrs. Hudson might have been right.
If she had actually gone out in that trench coat, she probably would have caught a cold.
Thinking that, she unconsciously pulled the clothes tighter around her body to retain more warmth.
The coat and sweater carried Russell's scent. Charlotte involuntarily paused for a mont.
A familiar, faint soap fragrance wafted around her nose.
It was different from the perfu she usually used. It was soone else's scent, with an indescribable subtle mix.
She felt a little strange, but not unpleasant.
She pressed her cheek against the soft, warm turtleneck and hurried toward Fleet Street.
…
Tis Newspaper Headquarters.
When Charlotte pushed open the familiar glass door, the receptionist who had been dozing at the front desk imdiately woke up.
He unconsciously stood and began his usual welcoming greeting, but hesitated slightly upon seeing who it was.
"Who are you looking for?" he asked, sowhat uneasily.
He had never seen this tall, slender boy in a black coat before.
"Henry Scott." Charlotte was concise and to the point.
Hearing the na, the receptionist beca even more confused.
"Do you have… an appointnt?"
"No," Charlotte said. "But if you tell him that Charlotte Hols from Baker Street is looking for him, he'll see ."
Charlotte Hols?
The receptionist was montarily stunned and stared at the woman before him with an incredulous expression.
"You are… Charlotte Hols?" he asked, stamring.
"If I'm asked any more unnecessary questions, I'll turn around and head to the Guardian right now."
Charlotte said irritably.
"I'm truly sorry! I'll contact him imdiately!"
The receptionist hurriedly grabbed the phone and almost shouted the ssage upstairs.
Less than a minute later, Henry Scott's familiar figure ca rushing down the stairs.
"Miss Hols," Henry approached amiably and asked, "what brings you here?"
"I ca to see you because I have sothing to ask." Charlotte went straight to the point. "This matter involves Moriarty."
Henry was surprised but quickly nodded.
"Of course, of course. Please co this way."
He led Charlotte to his office on the second floor and personally brewed her so fine tea.
"I never imagined sothing like this would happen, Miss Hols," he said, rubbing his hands together with an expectant expression. "So you were Moriarty's ssenger too?"
"? A ssenger?" Charlotte looked at him with contempt. "Don't say ridiculous things."
"Then you…"
"I ca because of that murder case." Charlotte said, "The Hannigan case."
Upon hearing this, Henry's smile froze and turned into a complicated expression.
He glanced at Charlotte, then lowered his head, seeming to hesitate. After a while, Henry finally spoke.
"What would you like to ask?"
"Why was the Tis the only newspaper on all of Fleet Street that reported on Moriarty's murder case? Why are the Tis, the Guardian, and several others remaining silent?"
Faced with Charlotte's pressing questions, Henry picked up his teacup but didn't drink. He simply gazed at the rising steam and remained silent for a mont.
"Miss Hols," he began slowly in a low voice. "You're a clever person, so there must be several things you understand better than I do."
"I didn't co here today to play riddles with you."
"Well," Henry sighed and set down the teacup. "The reason is simple, Miss Hols. It's because we can't."
"Can't?"
"Of course not."
Henry smiled.
"Do you know what the na Moriarty symbolizes on Fleet Street right now?"
Without waiting for Charlotte's reply, he continued as if speaking to himself.
"He represents sales, headlines, and the eyes of people across London."
He is the one who supports all our livelihoods, Miss Hols.
He has brought countless exclusive stories and pushed newspaper circulation across Fleet Street to unprecedented heights.
To attract attention, we can exaggerate his actions and portray him as a god who can fly through the sky or burrow into the ground.
We sotis criticize soone for ignoring the law just to appease certain people's emotions.
But what we will never do is completely drag him into the abyss and turn him into a truly condemned murderer worldwide.
Because that would be equivalent to cutting off our own source of inco."
Henry said aningfully, then snorted and dismissed it.
"Ruining one's own job is a foolish act that no sane person would do."
He paused for a mont before continuing.
"Besides, who knows what that madman would do if he got angry?"
"If he can expose the Pri Minister's dirty secrets, who can guarantee he doesn't hold our newspapers' weaknesses?"
Charlotte said nothing and simply listened quietly.
She remained silent until Henry finished speaking.
"So, you knew about the murder case from the beginning?"
…
…
PS: Support and read advanced chapters at patreon/AbsoluteCode
User Comments
0 comments from readers