The Sensible Necktie and Other Stories of Sherlock Holmes by Peter K Andersson Page B

gentleman noticed his pocketbook was gone, the inspector blew his whistle and his men stopped everybody from passing through the doors.”
    â€œI see.”
    Winstanton looked at Holmes. “You are a man of few words,” he said.
    Holmes looked up from his thoughts. “The problem is interesting, but the solution can only be a simple one. The stolen goods must be hidden somewhere in the premises since they have not been taken from here, at least not when the police was present. The thief is, as you said, Watson, most professional, and the secret to his success must be a very special trick of the trade. Tell me, Mr Winstanton, how would you describe the men that fell victim to the thefts?”
    The publican shrugged.
    â€œQuite ordinary, I suppose, like most of our customers. Some I would say belonged to the lower office working class, respectable but hardly men of means. But most of the afflicted men were very distinguished gentlemen indeed. One of them was a Lord, if I’m not mistaken.”
    â€œAnd have the thefts occurred in any special compartment of the pub or in different rooms?”
    â€œThere have been incidents in both the front and back rooms.”
    â€œAnd how did the victims call attention to their thefts?”
    â€œBy calling out, of course, as is the custom. ‘Stop thief.’ ‘I’ve been robbed.’ Something like that.”
    â€œAll of them?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œYes. It is of course the time lapse between the actual pocket picking and the discovery of the theft that is critical. Most street pickpockets operate in gangs and the party who actually does the stealing immediately hands over the stolen goods to an accomplice who passes by and then walks off in a completely different direction than the first party. This second man also generally hands the goods over to a third person as a precaution. Thus the man that is most easily apprehended - namely the actual thief - is almost never the man who has the loot, and so there is seldom any evidence against him. But why would a gang of pickpockets choose the interior of a public house instead of the street where it is so much easier to get away? Admittedly it is a public house with a wealthier clientele than most others, but the public street also has a wealthy clientele. No, I think we can exclude the possibility that we are dealing with a gang of pickpockets. The thief works alone.”
    â€œI find that quite unlikely,” said Winstanton.
    â€œThere are other ways of disappearing after the act has been committed.” Holmes lowered his gaze. His next words were directed to himself. “Yes. Yes. That must be it.” And then he looked up again. “Well, I thank you, Mr Winstanton, for providing us with a most intriguing case. If you don’t mind, Dr Watson and I will now go down into the saloon bar and have a couple of beers.”
    â€œAt my expense of course, Mr Holmes!” said Winstanton. “I trust I will hear from you?”
    â€œSooner than you might think.”
    And so we were escorted back downstairs, and Winstanton left us to take care of other business. Holmes, having been slightly pensive while listening to the publican’s story, now seemed more cheerful, and he knocked his pot of beer against mine with the fervour of a drunken sailor. “Your very good health, Watson!”
    â€œYou sound very optimistic all of a sudden.”
    â€œWell, yes and no. I am optimistic concerning this case and its potential of becoming an interesting one, but at the same time, all vital clues point to a very tangled skein indeed, and one that may have dark dimensions.”
    â€œHow so? You suspect the involvement of some sort of criminal organisation?”
    â€œThat is a question of definition. I think we are dealing with a very cunning adversary here, and I suspect that he may not be quite what we expect. But I’m afraid I have no working hypothesis as yet. What