The Disappearance of Inspector Lestrade by Bob Madia

Author:Bob Madia
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Dr Watson, Inspector Lestrade, kidnapping, war, pneumonia, grief, Diogenes Club, Scotland Yard, Moriarty, Private Eyes, Reichenbach Falls
ISBN: 9781787056312
Publisher: Andrews UK
Published: 2020-11-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

In Lestrade’s rooms, Gregson opened the drapes to let in as much light as possible.

“Obviously he didn’t exit through the window, if Mrs. Lynch saw him run through her house,” Dr. Watson said.

“Obviously,” Gregson reiterated shutting the window that had been opened by the intruder.

“So where’d he hide while your back was turned?”

Gregson stepped over to a fairly large desk near the window but angled so the sunlight would fall on the desk and not the chair up against the wall behind it.

“Probably right here,” Gregson said indicating the space between the desk and the chair. “This little spot can’t be seen from this window. All the intruder had to do was squat down behind the desk while I was at the window and I’d never notice him. He really fooled me.”

“It was classic misdirection. Like a magic trick.”

“I thought I was too old to be fooled by magic tricks.”

“Magic tricks, yes, but misdirection is something else entirely,” Watson stated. “Holmes used to use misdirection on a number of occasions. I was nearly always taken off guard.”

“Still,” Gregson said but never finished. Instead he began a visual search of the room.

With the better lighting, Gregson could see there had been a somewhat systematic search of the room. A filing cabinet had been rifled with files strewn on the floor in an unorganized pile. Meanwhile, a small bookshelf had its contents removed and stacked carefully next to it. The cushions of a sofa had been removed and set against one wall while the sofa had been overturned to examine the bottom. The drawers of the desk used as a hiding place were emptied onto the desk, then discarded onto the floor and numerous papers and other items most often found in desk drawers were scattered across the desk top.

“This is a very strange mess,” Watson stated looking around the room.

“You noticed that, too,” Gregson said.

“It’s like two people searched this room,” Watson explained. “One who was systematic and another who didn’t mind making a mess.”

“Exactly,” Gregson agreed.

“What do you make of that?” Watson asked.

“I think whoever coshed poor Mrs. Lynch arrived in these rooms first and was then frightened off by the second intruder, the one we chased, who then examined the room again. But as for which one did which search, I would only be able to guess.”

“Not so,” Watson said. “Look at the books stacked next to the bookshelf. See how they are piled upon a couple of pieces of paper which obviously came from the filing cabinet?”

“Yes,” Gregson said with dawning reason. “You think the second intruder was the organized one because he piled the books neatly upon files already strewn about.”

“Precisely,” Watson said with a smile.

“So, what were they looking for?” Gregson asked examining the stack of books. “Was it the same thing or was each looking for something distinct?”

“I’m afraid my reasoning falls short when it comes to making that determination,” Watson answered.

“Well, we’ve learned one thing,” Gregson said removing two thin books from the stack on the floor and holding them up for Watson to examine.

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