Jack The Ripper: Newly Discovered Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (8 page)

CHAPTER Seventeen

The Hours Before

The next day was a long and tiring one. Each member of group not only had to prepare for his or her part of the plan, but also toil at their day job. Julie engaged a few of her friends to help her dress, and though she was nervous about the coming danger being around others lightened her mood and made the time pass quickly.

Holmes worked on his list alone, as he had requested that Dr. Watson stay home and rest—when Holmes neared his quarry, he preferred the peace of solitude. Holmes was not the only detective who had made progress, however—quite a few suspects had been eliminated by the others working on the case. The list was slowly shortening, and while Holmes was almost certain he now knew the perpetrator, he wanted to leave no doubt in his own mind. As a result, he continued to investigate every remaining suspect.

Just as Holmes was diving deep into concentration, his train of thought was broken by the friendly voice of Donald, from the coroner’s office.

“I trust you are having a pleasant day, Inspector Holmes?”

“It is busy, but certainly it has not been a bad day. I feel we are getting ever closer to catching the Ripper.”

“The whole city hopes so. We are grateful that there have been no other murders yet. The dedicated work of Scotland Yard must have the fellow on the run, sir.”

“I certainly hope so. We need a break in the case, though, to pin the monster down. Have you discovered anything else that might be of use to us in your examinations?”

“No, not yet. You do know of the piece of glove that was found?”

“Yes, I found it myself.”

“Then nothing else as of yet. If there is anything at all I can do to assist with this case, please do not hesitate to ask me. I am at your service.”

“I appreciate your offer, but I believe we have the situation under control. Inspector Grant and I have circulated a suspect list to the other detectives, and we are all hard at work eliminating those who are innocent.”

“A list!” Donald exclaimed. “How fascinating—would you mind terribly if I had a look?”

Holmes smiled. “It is, of course, confidential. I am sure you understand the delicacy of this investigation.”

“Of course. I understand. Well, I had better return to work.”

“Thank you for coming by, Donald. I’m sure we will meet again soon.”

Then Inspector Grant walked over and interrupted Holmes as well.
It seems to be a theme of the afternoon
, Holmes thought irritably.

“Are you ready for tonight?” Grant asked in a low voice.

“I hope so. We will each decide where we will be standing when Julie takes her walk. That will be the most important thing. That white picket fence will be perfect. It is by the bar, but still cast in shadow. I will have Watson waiting up the street a ways—inconspicuously, of course.”

“Yes, and I will station one officer in the bar and another in the alley. I must remind everyone to dress as if they are local workers and maybe carry a bottle of whiskey with them so they will blend in,” Grant grinned. “Then you and I can take up the picket fence.”

“Yes.”

“I must commend you on the suspect list. The men are working diligently on it. I think we have made some real progress,” Grant said. “I, myself, cannot wait to see who this filthy culprit is. Do you have a clue yet?”

“I do, but I always prefer to keep silent until I am absolutely sure.”

“I respect that. Let’s just get him caught.”

“Of course, my friend. I will see you tonight at the bar.”

With that, they parted company and Holmes prepared to return to Baker Street. He wanted to enjoy a light supper and a short nap.

CHAPTER eighteen

Swing and Miss

Thomas Hunter settled himself at a table in the bar, pretending to nurse a glass of whiskey, and Joseph Jackson lurked in the first alley after the white picket fence. They had each dressed down to look like laborers and each played his part excellently. They were all eyes and ears.

Julie also looked perfect for the night’s task. She wore a crimson dress, which dipped low in the front to show her collarbone and the creamy flesh of her cleavage. Her hair was swept up, a red rose securing it behind one ear, and her face was heavily made up to accentuate her full lips and large, lovely eyes.

Inspector Grant settled himself behind the white picket fence behind the pub, and as he saw Dr. Watson go by he hissed, “Sir! Yes, you sir.”

Dr. Watson looked around himself to make sure no one was observing them, but the only fellow he saw was a vagrant, passed out against the fence.

“I thought I was to wait further down the road?”

“Yes, yes—but where is Holmes? He is supposed to be here with us.”

Dr. Watson looked concerned. “I do not know—it is not like him to be late. Should I send a messenger to his house? I could perhaps pay someone in the pub to take a missive.”

“No, that would draw attention to us,” Inspector Grant said. “I suppose we will just carry on with our plan and hope he appears.”

Just then, the drunk sleeping on the street gave a snort that sounded strangely like a chuckle. The fellow lurched to his feet and pulled a shining pipe from his pocket; he placed a small amount of tobacco in the bowl and tamped it.

“Could I bother you blokes for a match?” the man said—and it was then that Dr. Watson realized the tramp was his old friend and partner, Sherlock Holmes!

“Why, it’s you!” Dr. Watson gasped, laughing in shock. “You are wholly unrecognizable!”

Indeed, Holmes’ own mother would not have recognized the man; though he was usually impeccably groomed and garbed, now he was dressed in a tattered overcoat and his face and hands were smeared with grime.

Holmes did not break character for a second. “If you’ve no match on you, then I’ll sit myself down again,” he said, slipping the pipe into his pocket and resuming his post.

Dr. Watson continued his walk to a nearby alley, and Inspector Grant gazed with admiration upon Holmes—he knew he was in the presence of greatness whenever that man was near.

Inside the pub, Thomas had instructed the bartender to give Julie only seltzer water after the first drink; assuming Thomas was her pimp and perhaps used to such requests, he readily complied. Julie slowly began to act as if the liquor had gone to her head, and soon men began to gravitate toward her. She rebuffed them one by one based on their appearance, and made sure to mingle with the other women in the bar as well. At 1 A.M., when no one who resembled the suspect had approached her, she stumbled out into the night alone (though watched closely by those around her).

Holmes and Grant were alert and ready when Julie left the bar. They each went to opposite sides of the fence so they could watch her better. She was to stop along the way, talk to men, and see if the Ripper tried to target her. So far, nobody of Jack’s description had made a pass at her.

She stopped, leaning against the edge of an alcove to a store, pretending to dig through the small satchel at her waist. A man of average build strolled over and attempted to engage her in conversation. Holmes and Grant could not quite hear what he was saying, but the look on Julie’s face told them she did not feel she was in danger. More men, none matching the description, approached her as the night dragged on. And it was a long one. The Ripper either knew something was up or he was taking the night off. At about 6:00 A.M. the group went home, still in character so nobody would notice.

They gathered around lunchtime the next day at Baker Street, discussing the night before.

“None of the men matched the description of the Ripper,” Grant said solemnly. “It might take weeks to catch him—or perhaps he’s moved on and we will have no more murders.”

Julie shuddered. “I can’t believe that a monster can just stop,” she said. “But I didn’t feel any threat from the men who spoke to me last night—and none of them tried to get me to go off alone with them.”

“Shall we carry on again tonight, then?” asked Dr. Watson.

“For as long as we have the energy,” answered Holmes. “Eventually, we will have to get a few solid nights’ sleep.”

The rest of the day was very busy. The suspect list continued to dwindle, and Holmes distributed an updated list to the men. Everyone had been working so hard as well as interviewing the various drunks and crackpots who came in to confess.

Holmes’ personal list read as follows:

• Joseph Barnett
  

Barnett is an out-of-work fishmonger who fits the physical description of the Ripper. He lived with Mary Jane Kelly for roughly a year (though not consistently) before her murder, and is known to have been angry she made her living on the streets.

Reasons to suspect Joseph Barnett as a suspect
: He has knowledge and skill with knives and fits the description of the Ripper; he also likely has a key to Mary Jane’s room, and thus could have easily let himself in without raising suspicion. Additionally, Mary Jane may not have initially struggled or fought against a man who she recognized as a lover, making it easy for him to overpower her.

• George Hutchinson
  

Hutchinson claims to be a witness who saw the last victim with a man shortly before her murder. He claims he came close enough to see the man’s features and hear his voice. He saw the alleged murderer hand the woman a red handkerchief. However, there are several details that he should have noticed and did not. He followed the couple to Mary Jane’s residence and waited outside, watching.

Reasons to consider George Hutchinson as a suspect
: He could be Jack the Ripper, giving himself an alibi—however, he is the least likely suspect on the list.

• James Kelly
  

See notes on previous list. Kelly remains a strong suspect.

• George Chapman
  

See notes on previous list. Chapman remains a strong suspect.

• Dr. Alexander Pedachenko
  

Very little is known about Pedachenko, other than that he knew two of the victims.

Reasons to consider Dr. Alexander Pedachenko as a suspect
: An informant has revealed Pedachenko may have been sent by the Russian police to commit these murders and discredit Scotland Yard, who the Russians believed to be too easy on socialists. Pedachenko is said to be a surgeon and enjoy wearing women’s clothing; his motivation for the murders may have been exacerbated by mental illness.

• Francis Thompson
  

Francis Thompson, though he comes from a well-respected family, is an opium addict given to hallucinations—he has no known address and perhaps lives on the streets. We have been unable to interview him about the crimes, though we continue to seek his whereabouts.

Reasons to consider Francis Thompson as a suspect
: Thompson is known to interact with prostitutes, as well as other less savory members of society; he has a habit of wearing neckties, and the victims may have been strangled with a necktie. He has worked in a medical factory and has had some surgical training, He also was allegedly in the vicinity of the murders at the time they occurred, and more than one witness has mentioned his instability and tendency toward violent anger. His physical description fits that given by other witnesses, as well.

• Francis Tumblety
  

An eccentric who presents himself as a physician and has knowledge of human anatomy. His housekeeper claims to have found bloody sheets in his house, and he lives in the area.

Reasons to consider Francis Tumblety as a suspect
: Tumblety has the reputation as a woman hater, and dislikes prostitutes in particular. He has a collection of wombs and a history of violence.

• Alois Szemeredy
  

Szemeredy is a Hungarian surgeon who has served time in a lunatic asylum and has a history of violent crime, as well as a penchant for surgical knives. He resides in a hotel near where the crimes were committed, but we have been unable to interview him thus far in the investigation.

Reasons to consider Alois Szemeredy as a suspect
: Szemeredy has a professed hatred of prostitutes and his past indicates an inclination toward mental instability and the capacity for murder. However, it appears the links between Szemeredy and the Ripper’s crimes are weak without more information.

• Dr. John Williams
  

See notes on previous list; remains a suspect but is unlikely to be the Ripper.

Now, most certainly, Jack was amongst these people left on the list. The real work was about to begin…