The Wall Lake Mystery

Chapter 16: A Bit of Baritsu

Holmes was pensive and silent as we retraced our steps to the Sac City train station. When we reached the station, I was surprised to see Reagan waiting for us, considering the setting sun and the cold now enveloping us. Wondering if Holmes had arranged this meeting and said nothing, I glanced to him, but his furrowed brow betrayed that he was as surprised to see Reagan as I was.

"Marshall!" I greeted him as we approached. "For what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Have there been some new developments?" asked Holmes.

Reagan rubbed his hands together and shivered. "Not exactly," he said, motioning for us to follow, "but I believe I have something that might interest you. Come with me."

I glanced at Holmes, whose expression was like that of a bloodhound who has suddenly lost all trace of his quarry's scent.

Marshall Reagan led us to the Sac County jail and into the Sheriff's office. The Sheriff himself was absent, and Reagan gestured to his small desk, around which we gathered.

Several books and paper covered in small, neat handwriting lay upon the table. Reagan shoved everything to the side except for one large volume with a dark blue cover. The lettering was faded, but I caught a glimpse of the title before he opened it: The Encyclopaedia of Martial Arts.

"This is completely off the record," said Reagan, running a finger down the listed contents, stopping at Baritsu, p. 358, "but the more I thought about Hieman's death, the more it seems like it wasn't an accident, especially in light of Albright's." Reagan began flipping through yellowed pages of small text and line drawings. "I'm here officially about the Blomberg theft, but justice is more important than following the rules, so I've been trying to figure out how somebody managed to throw Hieman noiselessly out of a window such that it would kill him. I borrowed these books from a library in Des Moines a couple days before you arrived, and I think I may have figured it out." He stopped at page 371 and pointed to a section describing a manoeuvre that used an opponent's weight against him when his back is to you. With enough force, I could imagine an action of this sort being used to propel an unsuspecting man through a window, but as the window was not broken in the process, Hieman must have opened it beforehand, or else it seemed unlikely that he was caught unawares from behind in this way.

"Remarkable," said Holmes when he had read it. "I believe you have hit upon the truth. Well done, man!"

Reagan coloured with pride and embarrassment.

I was stunned for a moment. It seemed a possibility that this was how it was done, but surely there were others? Or perhaps Holmes saw something in this that I did not. I said nothing aloud.

"I'm glad you aren't finding this as hare-brained a notion as Sheriff Sweet did. Would..." Reagan hesitated a moment before continuing, sounding a trifle nervous. "Would it be too much trouble to tell me what you have learned so far?"

"Not after you have provided me with such important information," Holmes replied. "But I must be brief if we are to make the last train to Wall Lake this evening."

The next ten minutes consisted of Holmes relating many facts and conjectures we had determined over the past few days to Reagan, who made neat little notes to himself as Holmes spoke. When Holmes had finished, Reagan thanked us profusely.

"You will not regret informing me about all of this!" said the young detective. "And if you ever need my help, I'll be here at this little desk here or room number four at Sac City's inn."

With that, we shook hands with the young Marshall and made our way to the train station.

On the train ride back to Wall Lake, Holmes was once again pensive and silent. This was strange to me, since Holmes normally reserved this state for times when the trail was cold and the facts too few, and he seemed so full of excitement and interest back at the jail. Taking my life in my hands, I questioned him about it.