shadow of britain

Chapter 41 Adam's Final Fate

In the coffee shop, Elder and Arthur were talking about the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

Suddenly, Officer Tom, who was listening to Darwin's lecture, suddenly stood up, nodded apologetically to Darwin, and then came to Arthur and whispered.

"Arthur, I would like to ask you for leave this afternoon."

Arthur asked: "Leave? What's the matter at home?"

Tom crossed his hands and lowered his head, looking a little embarrassed: "It's true... there is something wrong."

Tony on the side saw it, and couldn't help cursing: "Tom! You are always so cowardly! Can you straighten your waist as a man? If you ask for leave, you can ask for leave. Why do you look like you have done something wrong? Aya Ser is not Willox, do you think he will deduct your salary?"

Tom turned back and glared at Tony angrily: "Don't I feel sorry for Arthur? I asked for leave on the first day he transferred us to the district police station. How embarrassing!"

Arthur didn't take this matter to heart, but he also saw that Tom should have something on his mind.

So, he pointed to the clock in the coffee shop and asked: "It's no big deal to ask for leave. But it's almost twelve o'clock now, why don't you stay and have lunch before you go. You're welcome today, and the four of you will pay for the meal. I'll treat."

Elder, who was sitting across from Arthur, heard this, and said with a smile: "Hey! Arthur! It's different when you become a police inspector. Your shots have become so rich. Now how much money do you make in a year? ah?"

Arthur glanced at him and said calmly, "About a hundred pounds."

"One hundred pounds without any secret income? Oh! Then I'm not welcome!"

Elder turned his head and shouted at the waiter at the bar: "Give me four more oysters! By the way, remember to remove the leech eggs!"

After finishing speaking, Elder asked Tom cheerfully, "Brother, what do you want to eat? I'll help you."

Tom waved his hands again and again: "I don't need it, I'm still in a hurry, so I won't have lunch."

Arthur picked up the coffee cup and took a sip, then pretended to ask casually: "Why are you in such a hurry? Your wife is going to give birth? If she is going to give birth, I can give you a few more days off, don't be in a hurry return."

Seeing that Arthur cared so much about him, Tom felt embarrassed to continue to hide it.

He touched the back of his head in embarrassment, lowered his head and said, "My wife is still a while away from giving birth, you don't have to worry. I asked for leave for little Adam, and today is the day he is released from prison."

Arthur frowned and asked, "What does Adam's release from prison have to do with you? Are you going to pick him up?"

Tony also echoed: "Oh, Tom, you are such a good person. It's not the first time that kid has been in prison. He knows the way home."

Tom blushed and held back his neck for a long time before summoning up the courage to speak.

"Arthur, Tony, the two of you may not know. The day before yesterday, Adam, his gambling father, got drunk and fought in the street, and seriously injured a person.

The sentencing result of the Magistrate's Court came out yesterday. The final sentence was to be exiled to Australia for 14 years, and he was also fined [-] pounds.

When I was ordered by the court to go to Adam's house to collect bills, I found out that Adam's mother had already run away with valuables at home.

His father is exiled, his mother is missing, and you should know what will happen to children who encounter this situation these days.

Or enter the factory as a child laborer and die on the production line.Either continue to steal on the street, and it is not impossible to be beaten to death in the street by luck.

In any case, it is impossible for him to live to adulthood.

After I told my wife about this last night, she said that she should just adopt Adam.

I thought about it, and what my wife said made sense.

Although my family is a little poor, but, but children, one is raised, and two are taken care of, there should be no difference..."

After listening to Tom's words, all the people present didn't say a word, but all looked at Tom and smiled.

Tom's face was red and hot, and he waved his hands shyly: "What are you all staring at me for?"

Elder gave Tom a thumbs up with a toothpick in his mouth: "Nice, brother!"

Darwin closed the book and said, "Officer Tom, you kept apologizing to me just now, saying that you are too stupid to teach. But in my opinion, stupidity is not the problem, but lack of conscience is the problem."

Tony waved his head and gave him a slap, and he laughed and cursed casually: "Damn it, you boy! I thought you were going to do something immoral! Why are you hiding this kind of thing?"

As for Arthur, he stood up and patted Tom on the shoulder, pursing his lips and smiling.

"Tom, everyone says I'm the best-looking man in Scotland Yard. But I don't agree. Because you're the best-looking man in Scotland Yard!"

When Tom heard this, his flushed face finally couldn't help showing a smile.

His face was covered with sweat, but it didn't stop him from standing at attention, and saluted Arthur with the most standard salute.

"Learn from you, sir!"

Arthur patted his arm, took out two bills from his pocket and stuffed them into his pocket: "Go. You don't have to eat the meal, but I still have to pay for your meal today. It is not allowed to refuse, because this It's an order."

"Yes, sir!"

Arthur watched Tom walk out of the door of the cafe, only to feel that the dark clouds and drizzle outside the window had become a bit beautiful.

"Everyone, just order whatever you want."

He had just finished speaking when suddenly the bell in the coffee shop rang again.

A police officer in uniform opened the door and came in. He looked around and ran towards Arthur immediately after finding Arthur.

"Sir, someone from the district police station said he was looking for you."

"Looking for me? Are you here to report the crime?"

The police officer shook his head and said: "Probably not, that person has been here for several days. But you were on vacation a few days ago, so he missed everything. Today, after he knows you are here, he has to see you for everything." Willingly."

Elder took a mouthful of the oysters that had just been delivered, and muttered, "Who is this? So stubborn?"

The police officer seemed to be speechless to the uninvited guest, and he replied: "Anyway, he's a strange person, but he doesn't look like a thug. He is very well dressed, with a cross hanging on his chest, and looks like a priest." .”

"Priest?" Elder joked at Arthur: "Could it be that he is an extreme purist of the State Church, who deliberately came to trouble you, the dissident police inspector? Arthur, if you fight later But for him, he might as well change the letter on the spot, so as not to waste a lot of talking."

In fact, Arthur himself didn't care about religious beliefs. He didn't believe in the state religion simply because there were too many state churches in London.

Because Scotland Yard has a troublesome rule that if the police are Anglicans, they need to go to church in a group every Sunday morning.

Arthur pretended to be Catholic so that he could be lazy on Sunday.

And he has always claimed to be a fundamentalist, so for him, all the churches in London are not authentic, nor do they conform to his perception of the church, so he refuses to participate in all religious activities organized by Scotland Yard.

If it weren't for the fact that non-believers are not yet accepted by society in this day and age, Arthur wouldn't have to make such a big effort.

After listening to the police officer's words, he sighed helplessly: "Forget it, you take me to meet him."

(End of this chapter)