Sherlock Holmes 17 The Box of Cards: A New Sherlock Holmes Mystery by Craig Stephen Copland

Author:Craig Stephen Copland [Copland, Craig Stephen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781530208135
Amazon: 1530208130
Barnesnoble: 1530208130
Goodreads: 29333566
Publisher: CreateSpace Publishing
Published: 2016-02-22T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

The Wrong Right Man

It took about twenty-five minutes to get to the Yard building on the Embankment. I was ushered into Inspector Lestrade’s office, where he and Holmes were sitting in silence. Holmes looked up at me as I entered.

“Our Mr. Fairbairn is clever enough to refuse to be interviewed without his lawyer being present and advising him. One has come over from the Middle Temple and is meeting with him now. They sent a note saying that they will be ready to talk in two minutes from now.”

On schedule a fellow, who I assumed to be a solicitor, entered, followed by a very nicely dressed and remarkably handsome gentleman of about forty-five years of age, who I assumed to be our culprit.

The lawyer opened the conversation. “Gentlemen, whatever evidence you have regarding charges of blackmail may be presented in court. I assure you that they will be challenged most vigorously. I fully expect that the case will be dismissed immediately. My much greater concern is the utterly slanderous and libelous false accusations that Mr. Sherlock Holmes has made against my client concerning the kidnapping and torture of the Cushing children. My client fervently denies any involvement or even any knowledge whatsoever of these matters. You have not a scrap of evidence linking him to this horrific crime and I demand that you drop all these utterly baseless charges immediately. While you, Inspector, are protected by your position in Scotland Yard, I can promise, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, that you will be sued endlessly and forever until you are bankrupt and unable to ply your amateur trade anywhere in England, or the Empire, or even America. Is that understood, sir?”

Sherlock Holmes had been threatened more times by more lawyers than I could count. This blustering pettifogger was nothing new. Holmes ignored him completely and spoke directly to Alec Fairbairn.

“Where are the Cushing children, Mr. Fairbairn? You have taken them and are harming them and I assure you that you will be spending the rest of your life in Newgate for doing so. And if you do not release them to us immediately then I assure you that you will end your life on a gallows.”

“How dare you threaten my client!” exploded the lawyer. Holmes continued to treat him as if he did not exist.

“Alec,” he continued, “They are your niece and nephew. They have never done you any harm, ever.”

“Mr. Holmes,” said the accused in a puzzled tone, “I do not know what you are talking about. I know nothing whatsoever about Sam’s and Sarah’s children other than what I have read in the papers. I thought they had run off to enjoy the fun things in life that all youth should be able to enjoy, and to get out from under the fanatical yoke of religious oppression. What harm are you talking about?”

Here, Lestrade interrupted. He stood up and said, “Come with me please, Mr. Fairbairn, and bring your solicitor. Please follow me.”

“Where are you taking us?” demanded the lawyer.

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