CHAPTER 29. THE ART OF FINGER POINTING
"Detective Inspector, I hoped to catch you before you left for work."
Lestrade had been on his way to start the kettle, when the British Government's cool voice nearly caused him to have a heart attack mid stride "Jesus Mycroft you! I wont even bother asking how the hell you got in." The gray haired DI held a hand to his chest.
"Goodmoring Detective Inspector. I've taken the initiative to have Henrick here, to start the coffee. Why don't you have a seat." Lestrade looked over to the big mass of a man standing now at his counter with a look of solemn determination. It took everything in the Detective Inspector to keep from laughing, seeing a man more suited perhaps for pro wrestling than playing tea party standing at the counter pulling two mugs down from the cabinet was comical to say the least.
"Suppose I wouldn't have a choice either way." Lestrade replied grumpily despite the entertainment. From experience he knew there was nothing to do for now but to hear the domineering older Holmes out. Feeling at a disadvantage in just his gray flannel pajama pants and a white t-shirt, he held back a yawn and took a seat across from a well-dressed Mycroft Holmes. Lestrade often wondered if the man just slept in his suits, or perhaps he was a government robot that just plugged himself in to a wall to recharge a few hours a night, never to wrinkle or dirty his posh wardrobe. Today's by the way was a very stiff gray with a yellow silk tie.
"I apologize for the early hour. I would have come last night but it seems you were out unwinding with John at the pub. You do understand drinking isn't in his best interest at the moment. "
"Excuse me?" Lestrade was thrown by this bit of information, he pulled away from his thoughts of where Mycroft would hide his robot power cord or perhaps he had something like a usb or memory stick attached to his body where he just-
"Naturally you have no reason to believe otherwise, not knowing the Doctor's family history and background. I've taken the liberty of putting a file together so we can avoid these unpleasant misunderstandings. I of course do not blame you this time, it was a severe oversight of my own to not bring you up to speed on my brother's new flatmate."
"Right." Lestrade glanced at the folder now directly in front of him. "I wondered when we would have this little meeting over the new flatmate development. I for one would have never thought your brother capable of such a relationship but I'm pulling for him. Hope it works out, to each his own."
"Do try not to be simple Detective. I understand fully that my brother's 'relationship' with the John Watson is purely platonic. The poor Doctor, has had the unfortunate luck as to be the only friend of Sherlock Holmes for the past twenty four years. As you can only imagine it cant be an easy role to fulfill."
"Yeah. I bet. But he doesn't look all that stable himself."
"I can assure you this hasn't always been the case. Just recently the good Doctor has fallen onto some hard times. He just only picked back up on his association with Sherlock."
"Right, I kind of wondered where this mysterious Doctor friend had been these last five difficult years." Lestrade couldnt help but test the waters here, wondering if Doctor Watson was also a touchy subject for Mycroft Holmes as it was for Sherlock. He received his answer when Mycroft replied sharply.
"He's been fighting a war. One in which has left him a little out of character. I believe had you met him in another time before his injury you Detective Inspector would have fallen into an easy friendship with him. John Watson has a way of making friends without difficulty a skill my brother has yet to master or care to master. I myself find it useless; sentiment is never an advantage, only dims and dulls the senses. Distasteful really."
"So I've been told. Listen I've had this conversation with Sherlock. In fact it was he who devised this little scenario of taking John out to the pub. So take it up with him."
"He did?" Mycroft leaned back as Henrick sat two steaming cups of coffee down in front of the two men. Lestrade gratefully took his, guessing right off Mycroft wouldn't lower himself to do the same. "Interesting. Sherlock was never one to share his toys. He'd rather break them before allowing anyone a turn. Did he say anything else to you?"
"Not surprising that. I had a spoiled nephew the same way. And yeah as a matter of fact your brother warned me you might turn up with a file." Lestrade didn't want to picture that idea, John was a man not a toy or a pet. How the hell did he ever get mixed up with these two hardhearted callous men? He wondered if that file held those answers.
"Yes. Well as it seems John Watson has always been an exception. And I suspect my brother instructed you not to accept the information I offer so freely?"
"What do you want Mycroft? Do you want me to scare the Doctor off? Because I'll tell you now Sherlock doesn't seem like he's willing to part with his friend too easily. And as far as I can tell this new flatmate is the reason for Sherlock's sudden personality change and quite frankly it's an improvement. I dont know if I want to return to the old unreasonably pompous consulting detective. I think I might prefer the somewhat unreasonably pompous consulting detective."
"So my brother has become more manageable?"
"Yeah. You could say that, I think the bastard even said please once or twice. I cant recall i was to shocked the first time to hear anything if this is you trying to bully me into warning the Doctor off I dont think I want to. That and I have a feeling your brother wouldnt be to keen on me trying to scare off his friend. That and from the looks of him, that John Watson wouldnt go easily. He's got a stubborn set about him."
" , I know. I've learned this lesson years ago." Lestrade thought he caught an edge of regret or something else an emotion that such a man could not be capable of. Remorse? He disregarded this thought immediately; obviously the DI needed more coffee.
"So what is it you want me to gain from that file?" Lestrade took another gulp of coffee.
"Understanding my dear Detective Inspector. I need an alley in this. I have long given up hope that this little hobby that my brother entertains as a consulting detective is just another whimsical endeavor. It's bad enough he recklessly puts himself into the path of danger but now he seems to have brought along a friend. I would like you to hold off on offering Sherlock any cases. Just for a month or so. Just until this distraction of John Watson is sorted out. You've seen just how dangerous my brother can be when he's distracted. And yesterday was a prime example, the Sherlock Holmes we both know would have easily deduced the possibility of another thug getting the drop on them. He hadn't even considered it, in fact he wouldn't have known of your predicament if John hadn't wondered off. So as I say it's best to allow some time to pass."
"He'll go crazy."
"He'll be safe."
"You and I both know this would lead to a relapse." Lestrade shook his head, leaning back in his own chair arms crossed over his chest.
"Not this time. He would never jeopardize his friendship-"
"How would you know?"
"Because Detective Inspector-" Mycroft hissed "he has already paid that price." The room was quiet now, Lestrade was glad his wife was out of town for the week, she would have wondered what the hell was going on.
"What-"
"John Watson for reasons beyond my understanding and my brothers, has staid loyal to Sherlock. He has tried to keep him from being to reckless and up until the past five years ago he was successful, but-"
"But?" Lestrade probed gently, seeing now something play across the British Government's face, something like a dark shadow.
"It's of no matter."
"Then why would you be feeling a sense of duty? What did you do?" Lestrade tried to catch the Government's gray eyes with his own, instead Mycroft Holmes concentrated on his umbrella handle clutched tightly in his right hand.
"My family has been nothing but generous with John Watson. We may not be able to understand his loyalty and friendship but we can appreciate it."
"So he was Sherlock's previous babysitter, his minder? Poor man, no wonder he's looking a bit beat down. Perhaps you should have paid him more." This brought the temperature of the room down, those unconcerned gray eyes now turned menacing like gathering storm clouds in the distant horizon.
"He has never been in my employ. Not for lack of trying, even now with that pathetic pension-. This is not your concern. We are getting off subject."
"How long ago did he join the army?" Lestrade wondered glancing at the file, "What six years? Five? Maybe around the time Sherlock started to clean up? Did his joining have something to do with that falling out?"
"That's something you would have to discuss with my brother."
"I will never understand you Holmes brothers. You both seem so concerned for this man, but I'm just not sure out of what-guilt? No you boys don't have the gene or chemical imbalance that allows for this. So what obligates you-is he some relation of yours, or –what do you have to gain?"
"As I 've said Detective Inspector I wish for you to give my brother a month to sort his personal life out."
"Mycroft, it's not up to me. You're his brother. You know how he is. He'll know you were behind this, he'll want to know why. Hell you haven't even given me a good enough reason. I sat down with the man, although a little broken he seems perfectly fine. I only have a little of what Sherlock told me and a bit of what I picked up from John himself. The man is just recently out of the hospital."
"You've had a shining career Detective Inspector, we wouldn't want anything to tarnish that. Good day." Mycroft stood leaving the Detective Inspector mulling over the possible threat. Was it a threat?damn Mycroft Holmes for always seeming to make anything sound like a threat.
He put a hand on the file, curiosity killed the cat. Maybe he could just take a peek, or skim over the Doctor's history.
~0~
How dare the man! How dare he ask such a question or make such accusations. Mycroft sat in the back of his expensive car, the scenery around him passing by unnoticed. His mind churning over the careless words of an idiot inspector. How could he come to a conclusion that Mycroft had done anything to cause the Doctor harm. Hadnt he always looked out for the boy? It may look to outsiders, like he had done so for personal gain, but what did they know? Peasants, simple thinkers.
Mycroft was all about practicality, and the older Holmes allowed his brother to continue this friendship for practical reasons.
