The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Sure enough, when we reached Baker Street the detective was already there. We found him pacing up and down, full of impatience. His look of importance showed that his day's work had not been in vain. 'Well?' he asked. 'What luck, Mr. Holmes?'

'We have had a very busy day, and not a completely wasted one,' my friend explained. 'We have seen both the retailers and also the wholesale manufacturers. I can trace each of the busts now from the beginning.'

'The busts!' cried Lestrade. 'Well, well, you have your own methods, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and I am not going to say a word against them. But I think I have done a better day's work than you. I know who the dead man is, and I have found a cause for the crime.'

'We have an inspector who specializes in Saffron Hill and the Italian quarter. Well, this dead man had a Catholic emblem round his neck. That, along with his complexion, made me think he was from the South. Inspector Hill knew him the moment he saw him. His name is Pietro Venucci, from Naples, and he is one of the greatest cut-throats in London. He is connected with the Mafia. As you know, the Mafia is a secret criminal society, and those who do not obey its orders are murdered Now, you see how the affair begins to clear up. The other fellow is probably an Italian also, and a member of the Mafia.'

Vocabulary:

Pace: Walk in a deliberate way
In vain: Without results
Trace: Track
Specialize: Be an expert in a particular subject
Emblem: A sign or symbol
Complexion: The colour of your face
Cut-throat: A killer