Disclaimer: See part 1.
*****
My first job was to call on Lestrade and see what he had come up with, and to get some more details. He welcomed me with a regretful smile.
"I thought I might be seeing you today. I'm afraid there's not a lot to tell, though."
"This is from Holmes." I gave him the envelope, which he opened and read. When he had finished I took a seat, retrieving my pocket book and pencil.
"Why don't you start with how he was killed?" I asked.
He nodded, "Bludgeoned on the back of the head with a blunt instrument of some kind, probably a metal pipe of some sorts."
"So attacked from behind then. How was he found?"
"Reflecting just that," Lestrade motioned with his hand, "sprawled out on his front on the floor of his bedroom. No sign of a forced entry into his flat, or anything else unusual." He paused for a moment, "Except for Holmes' cuff-link held in his right hand."
"Held in his hand?" I repeated with surprise.
"Yes, I'm afraid so."
"There is no doubt that it is his?" I asked, hoping that he would contradict me.
"No doubt at all. It is from the pair that you brought him a few months ago. I commented on them and he told me they were a gift from you."
"I see what you mean." I replied. I knew the ones he meant, a rather rare and distinctive pair. I remembered talking to a jeweller friend of mine, looking for a present for Holmes. He found them out for me especially and I had thought them perfect for him. A unique gift for an extraordinary friend.
"And the witnesses?" I asked, hoping for some better news to take back to Holmes.
"All good friends of the deceased, three all together. Two say they saw Holmes and the deceased walking together about five hours before his body was discovered. The other fellow says he saw the pair going into the deceased's flat about three hours before the body was found. One thing in his favour is that Wilkinson hadn't been dead for long when we got there. Holmes in this letter says that he left at approximately half past eight in the evening. That gives an hour and a half for someone else to have been and gone before the body was discovered at about ten. However, as there is no one to back him up on that, it still doesn't look good."
"Do they not say anything else?"
"Like I said, they're friends of the deceased. They're being rather tight lipped about it. Understandable really. Sometimes a man's reputation is all that will remain after death."
I must confess I was more than a little confused. The confusion on my features seemed to bring about some kind of realisation for Lestrade.
"Oh...sorry. I see." He muttered, unsure of himself. He suddenly rose from his seat, "Well that's about all I can tell you for the moment." He was eager to bring the meeting to an end.
"Thank you for your help." I said, unsure what Lestrade was anxious about. I rose from my chair and headed for the door, hurrying to get back to Holmes.
*****
My first job was to call on Lestrade and see what he had come up with, and to get some more details. He welcomed me with a regretful smile.
"I thought I might be seeing you today. I'm afraid there's not a lot to tell, though."
"This is from Holmes." I gave him the envelope, which he opened and read. When he had finished I took a seat, retrieving my pocket book and pencil.
"Why don't you start with how he was killed?" I asked.
He nodded, "Bludgeoned on the back of the head with a blunt instrument of some kind, probably a metal pipe of some sorts."
"So attacked from behind then. How was he found?"
"Reflecting just that," Lestrade motioned with his hand, "sprawled out on his front on the floor of his bedroom. No sign of a forced entry into his flat, or anything else unusual." He paused for a moment, "Except for Holmes' cuff-link held in his right hand."
"Held in his hand?" I repeated with surprise.
"Yes, I'm afraid so."
"There is no doubt that it is his?" I asked, hoping that he would contradict me.
"No doubt at all. It is from the pair that you brought him a few months ago. I commented on them and he told me they were a gift from you."
"I see what you mean." I replied. I knew the ones he meant, a rather rare and distinctive pair. I remembered talking to a jeweller friend of mine, looking for a present for Holmes. He found them out for me especially and I had thought them perfect for him. A unique gift for an extraordinary friend.
"And the witnesses?" I asked, hoping for some better news to take back to Holmes.
"All good friends of the deceased, three all together. Two say they saw Holmes and the deceased walking together about five hours before his body was discovered. The other fellow says he saw the pair going into the deceased's flat about three hours before the body was found. One thing in his favour is that Wilkinson hadn't been dead for long when we got there. Holmes in this letter says that he left at approximately half past eight in the evening. That gives an hour and a half for someone else to have been and gone before the body was discovered at about ten. However, as there is no one to back him up on that, it still doesn't look good."
"Do they not say anything else?"
"Like I said, they're friends of the deceased. They're being rather tight lipped about it. Understandable really. Sometimes a man's reputation is all that will remain after death."
I must confess I was more than a little confused. The confusion on my features seemed to bring about some kind of realisation for Lestrade.
"Oh...sorry. I see." He muttered, unsure of himself. He suddenly rose from his seat, "Well that's about all I can tell you for the moment." He was eager to bring the meeting to an end.
"Thank you for your help." I said, unsure what Lestrade was anxious about. I rose from my chair and headed for the door, hurrying to get back to Holmes.