Tnx to reviewers :))))


CHAPTER SEVEN

Watson

I admit that I never expected Holmes to say those words. I knew he could resemble a cold machine at times but was always proud to think that I was one of the few to know he actually had a heart. To think that he really didn't consider me his friend,after all these years,was nothing short of a bad shock.

I stood there,staring at were he had been a second before,his words ringing in my ears,and I felt my heart break,so I decided to shield myself with anger. He would be sorry. For one thing was clear to me then,that whatever Holmes and I had had together,we didn't have anymore,that was what he had just said.

And I was too distracted and angry to realize the consequences.

"Fine,I will. " I shouted.

Just then did I realize the gentle tugs on my trouser and looked down to see Paige looking at me with saddened,shameful eyes. And then she began whining forlornly.

"It's alright girl,I'm not going to let you go. Even if I have to choose between you and Holmes. "

And I would lose Holmes just as I had Andrew,years before he died.

Did I not deserve anyone's friendship?

I shook the thought immediately,for I had no time for brooding.

I went to collect a few things to spend the night at my consulting room.

Holmes

I heard the front door slam shot a while later. Watson had apparently decided to spend the night elsewhere,probably his consulting room,as he had nowhere else to go;which was alarming enough. What if he was actually going to leave our flat?

All because of that wretched dog? What had I done to deserve such treatment?

Soon I realized I couldn't handle having so many emotions at once.

I needed distraction. I needed to do what I did best.

Think.

So I sat there for what seemed like 3 hours,trying to solve the mystery of the hidden fortune of Mr. Davis. Finally, having succeeding in neither solving the problem nor controlling my anger at Watson,I decided to go to see Lestrade.

Watson

Paige and I had arrived at my consulting room and I was trying to find the right key when Paige began to sniff suspiciously ,her ears turning upright,and she began to go curiously towards the end of the street,as if following a scent. I went after her,also curious to know what had caught her attention.

Suddenly I saw a movement in a dark spot at the direction in which Paige was going,and a moment later two frightened-excited children ran from their hiding place,trying to get as far as they could from the dog.

"Penny,Davy,what are you doing here?"

" We saw ye leave,and ye seemed in a temper,and ye 'ere bringin' Paige and. . . "

"And you thought it would be a good idea to follow me. "

"Jus' to help,and play with Paige, we'll be good,promise. "

"Fine then,come in. Just don't be noisy. " I figured I could really use their company.

Holmes

I resisted the urge to bang my head against the desk.

For the last two hours,Lestrade and I had been trying to decipher the letter in all sorts of ridiculous ways. Having tried every decoding method we knew of,we even started to improvise our own methods.

We went from circling the first letter of every word,to doing mathematical analysis on the number of letters each of them had.

And yet,nothing.

"We're not getting anywhere. Let's start from the beginning. " Said I.

Lestrade sighed. We had already discussed this matter several times. I was beginning to question all my deducting abilities. Lestrade,on the other hand was positive that the problem was not solvable,seeing that I had been unable to solve it till then.

"Brutus. . . Brutus,Lestrade,is what? He is a friend of Julius Caesar. He is supposed to be loyal,but instead stabs him. "

Lestrade just waited for my conclusion,cross handed.

"Who could have taken advantage of Davis's trust in such way?"

"Holmes,we lack data,as you always put it. We know nothing of this man's private life. "

I leaned back against the chair and rubbed my eyes for a long minute.

I was beginning to realize to my own dismay and shock that I was unable to solve the case.

There was a nock on the door and immediately Hopkin's head appeared through it.

"Sir,I came to ask your opinion about the stolen canary affair. " He said to Lestrade.

"Not now,I've work to do. "

"Go on Lestrade,you're right,I admit I've met a dead end. I'll be out in a minute. "

"Are you giving up on the case Mr. Holmes?" Lestrade seemed utterly stunned,and a bit satisfied as well.

"Yes indeed,Lestrade. " I muttered reluctantly.

And I would have,had it not been for what I heard just then.

As I was collecting my things I heard the inspectors talking over the case of the stolen canary,as Hopkins put it. I distractedly wondered if the world was going mad,what with all the fuss about wretched pets. Mycroft and I had had a goldfish when I was five,that was all the experience I had with keeping pets,practically though,Mycroft took care of it. I figured as a child that pets can be real boring. Then my thoughts were drifted towards Watson and his strange affection for the dog,as if they were friends!

Friends. . . like Watson and I,or were we?

Friends with a dog. . .

"Hopkins,do you want us to search the hole empire for a bloody canary?"

"But sir the old woman seems very fond of the thing,she says it was like a real buddy to her. . . "

. . . . !

I'm proud to say that my shout of triumph disrupted their hideous conversation,and also banished the look of absolute restricted anger upon Lestrade's face,only to replace it with bewilderment.

"Eureka!"

"Wha. . . A trace,Holmes?"

"Not exactly,but hopefully yes,inspector. . . "

". . . A pet,Lestrade,can actually be considered a friend. Got it? Davis's dog!"

For a moment,Lestrade's face lit up and he swung a fist in the air in his excitement,but then he frowned again.

"But,Holmes,that doesn't sound like a very promising possibility. . . "

"touché,Lestrade,but it's still a thread,and the only one we've got,so let's follow it. The only acquaintance of Mr. Davis that I know of and haven't suspected yet is his dog. My mistake was that I didn't consider it-her, might be a 'friend' to Davis. "

Hopkins's look was splendid.

At that moment,part of me suddenly realized that I owed this to Watson,for his kind handling of the dog had given me the idea,but since I was still rather angry with him,I banished the thought from my mind immediately.

"Well then Mr. Holmes,what are you waiting for? Aren't you going to go home with breakneck speed to examine the dog?"

Naturally,I wasn't overly eager about seeing Watson after what had happened earlier that day.

"Watson has taken the dog to his consulting room. "

"It'll have to wait then. "

Patience,though,wasn't my strong point when I was so curious to find out the secret. And I was indeed very lucky that day,because as I sat there trying to decide if I could face Watson,for the second time in less than ten minutes,I overheard something that led me to a very vital piece of data.

"By the way,Hopkins,have you seen a new janitor here by the name of Robins? There's a man waiting for him. "

"I new a guy named Robins but he left about a month ago. "

"I'd better tell the chap then. " With that Lestrade got up and left the office.

I absently heard him come back a few minutes later,and confirm what I was starting to suspect.

"He's gone. "

I was staring to feel butterflies fluttering in my stomach as I became more and more alarmed.

"Lestrade,quick man,what was he wearing?"

"Why do you ask?" Said he,startled and completely unaware of the need to haste,as always.

"Just tell me,there's no time. "

"Alright,let me see. . . emm. . . light brown coat. . . his hat was far too big for him. . . "

"Did he have brown,soiled boots?"

"Emmm. . . don't know for sure. . . I think. . . "

"He was eavesdropping!" I ran my hands through my hair saying that.

"Now,now,Mr. Holmes,why would he want to. . . "

"He got here the same time as I,and was standing at the door of this very office,I saw his shoes,and he ran away as soon as he got the data he wanted!" I murmured so fast I barely heard myself.

My only thought,as I dashed out of Lestrade's office,was that if anything happened to Watson,I would never forgive myself.


To Be Continued...