The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1605: Chapter 24: Scotland Yard’s Bad Seed (Part 3)

Human meat pies are not a legend unique to China; there is also a story circulating on the streets of London about barber Todd murdering customers to make meat pies.

Although such rumors have never been confirmed, given the current situation in London, especially as Arthur once oversaw a murder case involving corpse selling, he cannot help but adopt a ”better safe than sorry” attitude and avoid street meat.

Asking him to eat a bite of street pie is like asking him to try eating a French frog.

However, apart from pies, Arthur has a fondness for street snacks, especially common ones like strawberries and currants.

Although these two fruits are often called workers’ food, which sounds low-class, it doesn’t affect their popularity among the public.

With a handful of currants in his pocket, sitting down for a glass of mint water when tired, having a muffin for lunch, drinking rice milk when he wants — he could care less about the week, wanting a big glass of beer and roast chicken before ending workday — the beer must be large and without any water.

This was the genuine thought of Arthur Hastings after walking 8 miles in a morning. And years later, it became the sentiment of Scotland Yard’s Criminal Investigation Department’s undercover officer, Officer Mike Colley.

”Bloody nonsense!” Colley looked around, confirming several times that his superior Charles Field was not nearby, then he sank into the chair and put two pennies on the counter of the mobile cart: ”A glass of mint water, and a potato — roasted, steamy type.”

Sitting next to him, Arthur glanced at Colley and spoke: ”I’ll take a potato too, but drinking mint water, somehow doesn’t taste right. Oh...”

Arthur raised his hand and called over a child wandering near the stand: ”Hey, yes, you, the pockmarked little gentleman.”

Upon hearing someone call him, the child’s eyes lit up. He eagerly took off his worn felt hat and placed it on his chest, bowing slightly: ”Sir, need a runner?”

Arthur took out a shilling from his pocket: ”Go to a nearby tavern to get me some ham, and two glasses of beer — one for me, and one for this gentleman next to me. You can keep the rest.”

The child received the big task and grinned widely: ”Rest assured, sir! It’ll be here soon!”

Upon hearing this, Colley quickly said: ”Sir, thank you for your kindness, but there’s no need for beer.”

Arthur laughed and asked: ”Why? Are you a Puritan? Don’t drink?”

”Not really.” Colley reluctantly said: ”I have to work this afternoon.”

”It’s just a glass of beer, won’t interfere.”

”That’s also what I think. But at my workplace, there are requirements. Besides, my superior might be nearby. If he sees me, it would...”

Arthur crossed his legs and asked: ”Why? Your superior is a bad seed?”

Colley raised his eyebrows and said: ”You know, some people are like that. He himself is unhappy, so he wants his subordinates to be unhappy too. Think about it, who else but a nutcase would visit Leicester Square in broad daylight? Generally, this place is visited at night, isn’t it?”

Arthur nodded slightly: ”Seems reasonable... those who come here during the day are either tenants nearby or tourists, which office workers would come here? Hmm... so, your job is somewhat special?”

Colley drank a sip of mint water mysteriously, not looking at Arthur, and said with feigned depth: ”Some things may not be good for you to know. Seeing that you’re a decent person, I’ll give you a heads-up: you seem upright, but if you accidentally develop bad notions, don’t reach out casually, especially today, absolutely don’t reach out, doing so will result in arrest.”

”Ah...” Arthur seemed to have a sudden realization: ”You’re one of those?”

He made a gesture of wearing handcuffs towards Colley.

Colley didn’t respond, he slightly raised his mint water to Arthur and gestured as though clinking glasses: ”Cheers.”

Arthur received the beer brought by the runner, lightly clinked his glass with Colley: ”I see.”

Colley intended to boast a little more with Arthur, but unexpectedly, as he looked towards the sunlight, the facial outline beneath the hat seemed too familiar, as if he’d seen it somewhere before.

Colley scrutinized for a moment, suddenly pinched his chin and said: ”Don’t say, I don’t know why, don’t think I’m trying to get close, but I really feel like I’ve seen you somewhere...”

”Have you?” Arthur took a sip of beer: ”I would bet we haven’t met, the one thing I’m good at is remembering people, especially faces. If we had met, I’d remember.”

”No, no, no...” Colley replied: ”You may not have seen me, but I definitely have seen you.”

He racked his brains in thought: ”Are you some famous person? A well-known actor? Have you played in plays at the West District theatre?”

”I have.”

”I thought so!” Colley excitedly asked: ”Are you the one who acted in ’Macbeth’?”

”You misunderstood, I’m not an actor.” Arthur replied: ”I’m a playwright, some theatres in the West District have performed my plays.”

”Playwright? That’s also impressive! Which work did you write...”

Colley was about to continue asking but suddenly felt someone slap him on his shoulder.

Colley turned his head, ready to see who the unobservant person was.

But as soon as he turned his head, Colley’s soul almost got pulled halfway.

It was none other than his direct superior, Charles Field, Deputy Director of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Royal Greater London Police Department.

Field had a sullen face and opened his mouth to scold his subordinate: ”I must have been blind! How could I single you out for special training among so many individuals...”

But before he finished speaking, a glass of beer was handed to him.

Arthur smilingly pointed to the seat beside him: ”Have a drink, Charles. You haven’t had lunch yet, have you?”

Field glanced at Arthur, who played the peacemaker, took a deep breath, and had to suppress his anger.

Yet, he didn’t forget to lower his voice to scold beside Colley: ”Son of a bitch, you can’t even recognize the person whose portrait hangs at the entrance of Scotland Yard, do you only use the eyes above your nose for breathing?”