The Secret Files of Sherlock Holmes Read Free Page A

which he’d have to do if he went out that way. And, like I said, by the time I went into the house, he’d already vanished.’
    I could think of no other questions to put to Mr Nelson and I was relieved when Holmes, leaning forward to knock out the ashes of his pipe into the coal-scuttle, resumed charge of the interview.
    ‘Tell me a little about your friend. What type of man is he?’
    ‘Oh, a very quiet, unassuming man, Mr Holmes. Very regular in his habits.’
    ‘Not the sort to take it into his head suddenly to disappear?’
    ‘Quite out of character. That’s why I’m so worried about him. He’s a steady, reliable fellow who I’d trust with my last shilling.’
    ‘Any problems at his place of employment?’
    ‘Quite the contrary. The management of Gudgeon’s are as concerned as I am about his disappearance. When I called round there to explain the situation to them, they spoke most highly of him.’
    ‘Then is he in any financial difficulties?’
    ‘Not that I know of, Mr Holmes. He lived very modestly, never spending more than he earned which, seeing as he was a head-waiter, were decent wages, not to mention the tips he’d get as extras.’
    ‘Tips!’ Holmes exclaimed, as if he had never heard of the word.
    Mr Nelson regarded him in surprise.
    ‘Yes, Mr Holmes, tips; small gratuities which a satisfied customer offers for good service.’
    ‘Yes, yes, of course. I understand that. Pray continue, Mr Nelson. When I interrupted you, you were speaking of your friend’s modest style of living.’
    ‘And so it was, sir. He didn’t drink, didn’t smoke, didn’t gamble. His only extravagance was to treat himself occasionally to a seat in the upper circle at a music-hall. I know for a fact that he had over a hundred pound saved up. And he didn’t have to find a weekly rent neither. There’d been a bit of money in the family. His parents had owned an eating-house in the City Road. In fact, it was there where Jim got his foot on the first rung of the catering ladder, so to speak. As a lad, he’d worked for them, waiting at table. But, in his quiet way, Jim’s ambitious and gradually he moved on to higher things, eventually finishing up as head-waiter at Gudgeon’s. After his father died, his mother sold up the business and with the proceeds bought the house in Laburnum Grove, partly to retire to and partly to give Jim a home. He was living in lodgings at the time. Then, when old Mrs Phillimore died last October, he inherited the house along with its contents.’
    ‘Where, I assume, he intended setting up home with Miss Page after their marriage?’
    Nelson gave Holmes another of his contrite glances.
    ‘I’m sorry about her coming with me, Mr Holmes. I had hoped to speak to you in private. But once she heard I had written to you for an appointment, she wouldn’t take no for an answer. She’s a very determined young lady is Cora. And naturally, she’s upset by Jim’s disappearance. As she told you, they were due to be married next month. Jim had been putting the wedding off on account of Cora and his mother not seeing eye to eye and neither of them willing to share the same house with the other. Mrs Phillimore was a bit of a Tartar, between me and you; crippled with arthritis in her later years and as deaf as a post. But that didn’t stop her getting her own way. It was on her account that Jim took on Mrs Bennet as a live-in housekeeper so there’d be someone to look after his mother when he was out at work. By the way, sir, I took the liberty of mentioning to Mrs Bennet that you might be calling at the house to make inquiries.’
    He again looked appealingly at Holmes but when he failed to respond apart from nodding encouragement to the man to continue, Nelson resumed his account.
    ‘Old Mrs Phillimore led him a terrible dance when she was alive. Boss him about! I’ve never heard the like of it. Not that Jim ever complained and he was a good son to her. Taught her and himself to lip-read so