Case1 Four Families - ch2

"Gail Maddock, it's the villain I've been following for a long time." Sherlock Holmes began telling when they sat in the chariot that was galloping like crazy.

"It was the broker that traded all the vile things, women, booty. I've been following it for a long time, but his nose is so sharp. If I can't catch him this time ..."

At the end of the voice softened. Sherlock Holmes's fingers slid to grab something cold and hard under his shirt.

"Watson, be careful. Gail Maddock is very brutal and doesn't hesitate to kill us."

Watson slightly nodded his head, but the silver hair didn't move along. Green eyes looking out of the chariot heard the sound of water hitting the shore. The pier was in front of them.

Getting off the chariot, Sherlock Holmes and Watson walk to a dirty little boy, one of the twins' parties that keeps an eye on Gail Maddock. Seeing Sherlock Holmes's face, the boy pointed toward the harbor, where a small brick house stood.

"He has been in there for a while now. I think he should be close to ..."

The boy did not finish his sentence, the figure of an old man wearing a mole coat and a hood to cover his face immediately left the brick house; Sherlock Holmes frowned.

"Too bad it looks like Lestrade is not coming in time."

He muttered. Before leaving the house, Sherlock Holmes asks the twins to send a telegram to 'The Lestrade Inspector' Scotland Yard to help arrest Gail Maddock.

"Let's follow him."

Sherlock Holmes turned to Watson. He then ordered the little boy to wait here to guide the Scotland Yard. Also gave pennies as wages.

"Hope I don't have to use this." muttered Sherlock Holmes, picking out the gun off his shirt.

Sherlock Holmes and Watson followed Maddock, keeping a distance of more than five meters. However, by intuition or whatever, Gail Maddock awakened. After turning left into the alley, an older man starts running, showing his agile feet. The sudden movement prompted Holmes and Watson to run after, fearing that they would fall apart but its anticipation of Maddock.

click…

Gail Maddock, who started to run, suddenly turned around with the barrel of the gun. Without wasting time questioning, his index finger pulled the trigger without hesitation. Not afraid that it will shoot the wrong person.

Bang!!!

With a faster reaction Watson pulled Sherlock Holmes's body to hide behind him. A bullet passed where the detective once stood. Considered that Maddock had a knack for shooting.

"Shit..." Gail Maddock patted his tongue when he found out that he had missed. The processing in his brain was just killing, not thinking of the cause and effect of why the silver-haired man's reaction was so quick that help the black-haired man drove away from a bullet.

Maddock fired the trigger again. The target was a silver-haired man. Which happened at the same time the silver-haired man accelerating towards him.

Bang!!!

Gail Maddock's life has seen many things. The underground trade allowed him to see strange things from a distant land—even the cruel acts dark side of humanity. But no time like this time, Maddock's eyes widened. He saw a bullet hit the chest of the silver-haired man, almost imagining the blood flowing from that body. But the silver-haired man's face remained calm as if he was unaware of the pain.

The next second, Maddock felt the impact that made his arms numb. The gun was thrown into the distance. Along with his throat being grabbed by one hand, his two legs lifted frighteningly off the ground. Maddock scratches with both hands, hoping to shake off, but the arms that are strangling him as tight as steel pliers. He could not escape from the cold green eyes that looked at him as if to say that his death here was normal, correct, and should have happened.

"He...lp..."

Gail Maddock groaned in a muffled voice. His gaze began to blur, feeling a beckoning death.

"Enough, Watson, let him down !!!"

Shouted Sherlock Holmes in a loud voice before rushing over and grabbing Watson's shoulder. But Watson didn't seem to do what he said.

"Stop! Watson, don't kill people!"

Sherlock Holmes tried to pull the other's arm but was unable to do. He couldn't understand why Watson would kill Maddock.

"Why is that?"

His tone of voice was calm, contrary to his cold-blooded expression. Green eyes left from the faint-hearted man turned to look at the person next to him.

"If I am not here today, the one that must die is you. And you said that this guy was a bad guy. Why can't kill him?"

Watson stared at Sherlock Holmes; the black eye looked back.

"Watson, I'm a detective. It is responsible for finding the truth, not a judge to judge one's life. This country has laws if we do not respect the law, we will sink like the villains that we capture."

Sherlock Holmes said in a firm voice. He lightly held Watson's arm, not force pulling as before. He looked at Watson's chest that had a thin thread, which was woven to heal the wound that was shot. It is reviving itself, which is one of the special properties of the weapon doll. He continued speaking softly but clearly.

"Watson, let him down."

......................................

That same night, in Sherlock Holmes's bedroom.

The black-haired man reading, with his back turned to the window, using the moon's soft light in the sky as a light. Until when the clouds hid, the darkness bathed the book's pages, reminiscent of the scene at the port. He didn't say how he felt the moment Watson laid down Gail Maddock at that time.

Soon after, Scotland Yard, led by a well-known inspector, recruited the fearful and breathing Maddock. Without forgetting to blame Watson for excessive force, Sherlock Holmes closed the book looking up at the moon.

He knows that ...

If Watson really intended to kill Gail Maddock, that would have happened quickly before he even opens his mouth. But the reason Watson stopped his hand today.

... If the future happens like today, will it still end like today? ...

......................................

Late the next day, while Sherlock Holmes was reading the morning newspaper. The headlines report Gail Maddock's arrest, but it does not mention a bruise around his neck that would not easily heal. Including not giving credit for the work he has been tracking for a long time. Suddenly, the doorbell sounded interrupted.

"Watson, please have a look."

Sherlock Holmes told his partner, who was sitting still, rejecting the advice to pick up a book and read. Watson nodded and walked towards the door.

Standing on the other side of the threshold was a light brown-haired man, estimated to be about 30, dressed in fine clothes. But the unusual characteristic that can see at one glance is the wide green eyes, dark circles under the eyes as if not having slept for many days. His hollow cheeks replied as though he did not eat food, which contrary to his wealthy appearance. Upon seeing Watson, the man spoke in a slightly trembling voice as though he was afraid of something.

"Ah, he...hello, I..am here to see Mr. Sherlock Holmes, uh, my name is Norville Malcolm."

The man who said his name was Norville Malcolm took the envelope from his pocket and said he had received advice. Then looked up at Watson with a cowardly expression.

"Uh ... are you Mr. Sherlock Holmes?"

"No, Enter."

Watson answered briefly and gave way for the other man to enter the house. Then taken to the living room.

"Hello, my name is Sherlock Holmes. Can I help you?"

"Ah, my name is Norville Malcolm. Nice to meet you. Right now, I have a huge problem." Seeing a gentle smile, Norville Malcolm said in an almost crying voice. He handed a letter to Sherlock Holmes.

"This man said only you could help me. This is a letter of recommendation."

"You don't need a letter of recommendation." said Sherlock Holmes, "if that's my ..."

In the blink of an eye, Sherlock Holmes's expression changed, reached out to receive the letter addressed only one alphabet ...

'M'