A/N: Ahhh, the plot thickens. please R/R. I only own Kathryn here as the
rest belongs to Doyle. Enjoy!
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Chapter 7- Scotland Yard
"Well, this is certainly an unexpected predicament," commented Kathryn a moment later. "I suspect they will be back later to question us about his whereabouts."
"This is unbelievable!" I exclaimed when I had recovered from my initial shock. "Holmes would never have done anything of the sort! It is true that he bent the law a few times in the past, but it was all in the name of justice. I'm sure that he would never go as far as to kill anyone in cold blood!"
I stopped at this moment to see Kathryn's reaction to this. I was amazed at the composure that she kept through these singular circumstances. Indeed, she appeared to be unusually calm considering the given circumstances, as though she had expected this to happen.
Kathryn saw the surprise in my eyes and said simply, "You are very right to be astonished at my reaction, doctor. The reason why I anticipated this outcome is that Holmes had forewarned me of it. He suspected something of this manner would occur sooner or later."
"Wait a moment; you knew that this was going to happen?" I asked incredulously, raising my voice more than I ought to have. "This is just more excitement than I bargained for in a day. How could he have known unless he actually is guilty?"
"Calm yourself, doctor," said Kathryn sternly, "You of all people should know that Holmes would never have killed anyone. Inspector Lestrade seems to think otherwise, however, and the evidence is against him. It is our task to discover the truth and in doing so, we will either confirm or disprove his guilt, though my instinct points to the latter.
"Our first action is to go to Scotland Yard. If we are to help Holmes, we must get some answers from him as to why he has been acting so strangely."
We had set off once again in a hansom and within fifteen minutes, we arrived at New Scotland Yard. We were shown into Inspector Lestrade's office, and half an hour later, the detective was at the door and had motioned us into chairs.
"This is very unconventional for you to have come," he said after he took a seat. "Still, it saves me a trip down to Baker Street to interview you. After all, you were in the company of the suspect both before and after the crime was committed."
"You don't seriously consider him as being capable of committing such a heinous crime?" I asked disbelievingly. "You should know, after working with him on so many cases that he is incapable of it."
"You may think that, but you cannot deny the evidence," countered Lestrade, "Mr. Holmes is our only suspect so far, and the case is overwhelmingly black against him. After all, Mr. Holmes is a very secretive person with many aspects of his personality unknown to any of us. You may not know him as well as you think you know him."
There was no answer to this that I could think of, so sombre silence hung over us for a while. It was Kathryn who broke the silence.
"Is it possible for us to see Mr. Holmes after the interview?" she asked quietly.
"I don't see why not," answered Lestrade. "I must warn you, however, that you will be under surveillance. I will take you myself after the interview."
As Lestrade had been speaking, Tobias Gregson entered the room quietly. He had apparently heard the news, and he was as shocked as we were. His usual neat, wavy flaxen hair was now discomposed and his normally vibrant face was now sallow and sunken in, making him look about twenty years older than he actually was.
"Miss Granger, this is Inspector Gregson, who is also working on this case. He will be interviewing you," said Lestrade.
"If you'll follow me, miss" Gregson said as he motioned for the door. Kathryn rose from her chair, and slowly walked out of the room, followed by the sombre inspector.
"Now," muttered Lestrade, after they had left, "Why don't I just interview you here?" He took out a piece of paper, his official notebook, and a thin, black fountain pen. He first scribbled down something on the piece of paper, before he started the interview. "Tell me, Dr. Watson," he began. "Has Mr. Holmes been acting strange lately?"
"Well, he has been a little preoccupied lately," I answered carefully, "but it's nothing out of the ordinary. He has many different moods and is preoccupied quite often."
"All right then," Lestrade continued. "What were your movements yesterday?"
"I was with Holmes for most of the day," I replied. "In the first part of the day, we were in our rooms. I was reading a new medical treatise on the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatism. Holmes, I remember, was doing one of his chemical experiments.
"In the evening, Miss Granger arrived at our rooms at about 6 o'clock. We then went to Covent Garden to listen to the Summer Music Festival. After that, we dined at a local restaurant before we parted ways. Miss Granger took a cab back to her lodgings, and I left Holmes, taking another cab back home. For the rest of the evening, I read a bit of my novel before retiring at about midnight."
"Where did Holmes go?" asked Lestrade distractedly, as he was scribbling down notes of my statement.
"He told me that he was going to visit his brother, Mycroft," I answered. "May I ask you a question?" I continued.
Lestrade glanced up from his notes, a little surprised at the question, but answered courteously, "Of course Dr. Watson, but I must warn you that it will have to be on the record."
"I would prefer it if it were not," I responded with a sigh. "Still, if it must be, then let it be so." I added quickly, seeing a frown on Lestrade's bulldog-like face starting to form. "Why have you asked me these questions about Holmes's whereabouts? Haven't you already interrogated him and come up with a statement of his movements throughout the day?"
"Well, we have," Lestrade answered the frown on his face changing into a small smile, "The reason I am asking you this is to make sure that his statement is true, and that the testimony collaborates with other witnesses, such as yourself."
"Now, continuing with the interrogation," continued Lestrade, "What were your actions today?"
"First of all, I'd like to say that Holmes returned after I retired. I am a sound sleeper so I do not know when he returned. When I walked into the living room this morning, I saw that Holmes was back and had already started to eat breakfast. I joined him and he commented upon the disappearance of his jack-knife. After breakfast, I had settled down to reading my medical treatise. Soon afterwards, Miss Granger called, closely followed by you. I think you can recall what happened."
At this, Lestrade looked up at me and raised one eyebrow, before commenting, "Yes, Dr. Watson, I can recall. You do not need to tell me what happened when I was present. What happened after you had left? Where did you go?"
"Holmes said that he was going to make some inquiries and recommended that I show Miss Granger some landmarks around London. She has not been here for a long time. I took her around London and showed some of the 'sites,' as the Americans call it, and we returned to Baker Street at around 6 o'clock. At that time, you came and made the arrest. Now you know everything."
"Thank you for you patience," said Lestrade gratefully, "I have but one more question to ask you. Is there any reason or circumstance in the past that would prompt Mr. Holmes into murdering Miss Stamford? Speak truthfully, now."
At this question, I became very angry, "Really, Inspector, I think that you can answer your own question!" I replied hotly.
"Doctor, please just answer the question!" countered Lestrade, becoming more impertinent each second.
"I think you should remember, since you were on the case, and it was barely a year ago when it happened!" I snapped. I then took a deep breath to steady my nerves, before continuing, "Julia Stamford aided the kidnapping of Holmes and his brother, Mycroft. That is the only reason I can think of, but it hardly constitutes as a valid motive for murder!"
"Thank you Dr. Watson, you have been very helpful. If you will now sign your statement, I will take you and Miss Granger to see the suspect."
"Holmes has helped you on countless cases and has brought and kept your reputation where it is." I remarked vehemently, "The least you can do is to call him by his name. You owe him that much."
"After what he has done, I do not owe him anything," replied Lestrade apathetically, before silently leading me outside.
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Chapter 7- Scotland Yard
"Well, this is certainly an unexpected predicament," commented Kathryn a moment later. "I suspect they will be back later to question us about his whereabouts."
"This is unbelievable!" I exclaimed when I had recovered from my initial shock. "Holmes would never have done anything of the sort! It is true that he bent the law a few times in the past, but it was all in the name of justice. I'm sure that he would never go as far as to kill anyone in cold blood!"
I stopped at this moment to see Kathryn's reaction to this. I was amazed at the composure that she kept through these singular circumstances. Indeed, she appeared to be unusually calm considering the given circumstances, as though she had expected this to happen.
Kathryn saw the surprise in my eyes and said simply, "You are very right to be astonished at my reaction, doctor. The reason why I anticipated this outcome is that Holmes had forewarned me of it. He suspected something of this manner would occur sooner or later."
"Wait a moment; you knew that this was going to happen?" I asked incredulously, raising my voice more than I ought to have. "This is just more excitement than I bargained for in a day. How could he have known unless he actually is guilty?"
"Calm yourself, doctor," said Kathryn sternly, "You of all people should know that Holmes would never have killed anyone. Inspector Lestrade seems to think otherwise, however, and the evidence is against him. It is our task to discover the truth and in doing so, we will either confirm or disprove his guilt, though my instinct points to the latter.
"Our first action is to go to Scotland Yard. If we are to help Holmes, we must get some answers from him as to why he has been acting so strangely."
We had set off once again in a hansom and within fifteen minutes, we arrived at New Scotland Yard. We were shown into Inspector Lestrade's office, and half an hour later, the detective was at the door and had motioned us into chairs.
"This is very unconventional for you to have come," he said after he took a seat. "Still, it saves me a trip down to Baker Street to interview you. After all, you were in the company of the suspect both before and after the crime was committed."
"You don't seriously consider him as being capable of committing such a heinous crime?" I asked disbelievingly. "You should know, after working with him on so many cases that he is incapable of it."
"You may think that, but you cannot deny the evidence," countered Lestrade, "Mr. Holmes is our only suspect so far, and the case is overwhelmingly black against him. After all, Mr. Holmes is a very secretive person with many aspects of his personality unknown to any of us. You may not know him as well as you think you know him."
There was no answer to this that I could think of, so sombre silence hung over us for a while. It was Kathryn who broke the silence.
"Is it possible for us to see Mr. Holmes after the interview?" she asked quietly.
"I don't see why not," answered Lestrade. "I must warn you, however, that you will be under surveillance. I will take you myself after the interview."
As Lestrade had been speaking, Tobias Gregson entered the room quietly. He had apparently heard the news, and he was as shocked as we were. His usual neat, wavy flaxen hair was now discomposed and his normally vibrant face was now sallow and sunken in, making him look about twenty years older than he actually was.
"Miss Granger, this is Inspector Gregson, who is also working on this case. He will be interviewing you," said Lestrade.
"If you'll follow me, miss" Gregson said as he motioned for the door. Kathryn rose from her chair, and slowly walked out of the room, followed by the sombre inspector.
"Now," muttered Lestrade, after they had left, "Why don't I just interview you here?" He took out a piece of paper, his official notebook, and a thin, black fountain pen. He first scribbled down something on the piece of paper, before he started the interview. "Tell me, Dr. Watson," he began. "Has Mr. Holmes been acting strange lately?"
"Well, he has been a little preoccupied lately," I answered carefully, "but it's nothing out of the ordinary. He has many different moods and is preoccupied quite often."
"All right then," Lestrade continued. "What were your movements yesterday?"
"I was with Holmes for most of the day," I replied. "In the first part of the day, we were in our rooms. I was reading a new medical treatise on the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatism. Holmes, I remember, was doing one of his chemical experiments.
"In the evening, Miss Granger arrived at our rooms at about 6 o'clock. We then went to Covent Garden to listen to the Summer Music Festival. After that, we dined at a local restaurant before we parted ways. Miss Granger took a cab back to her lodgings, and I left Holmes, taking another cab back home. For the rest of the evening, I read a bit of my novel before retiring at about midnight."
"Where did Holmes go?" asked Lestrade distractedly, as he was scribbling down notes of my statement.
"He told me that he was going to visit his brother, Mycroft," I answered. "May I ask you a question?" I continued.
Lestrade glanced up from his notes, a little surprised at the question, but answered courteously, "Of course Dr. Watson, but I must warn you that it will have to be on the record."
"I would prefer it if it were not," I responded with a sigh. "Still, if it must be, then let it be so." I added quickly, seeing a frown on Lestrade's bulldog-like face starting to form. "Why have you asked me these questions about Holmes's whereabouts? Haven't you already interrogated him and come up with a statement of his movements throughout the day?"
"Well, we have," Lestrade answered the frown on his face changing into a small smile, "The reason I am asking you this is to make sure that his statement is true, and that the testimony collaborates with other witnesses, such as yourself."
"Now, continuing with the interrogation," continued Lestrade, "What were your actions today?"
"First of all, I'd like to say that Holmes returned after I retired. I am a sound sleeper so I do not know when he returned. When I walked into the living room this morning, I saw that Holmes was back and had already started to eat breakfast. I joined him and he commented upon the disappearance of his jack-knife. After breakfast, I had settled down to reading my medical treatise. Soon afterwards, Miss Granger called, closely followed by you. I think you can recall what happened."
At this, Lestrade looked up at me and raised one eyebrow, before commenting, "Yes, Dr. Watson, I can recall. You do not need to tell me what happened when I was present. What happened after you had left? Where did you go?"
"Holmes said that he was going to make some inquiries and recommended that I show Miss Granger some landmarks around London. She has not been here for a long time. I took her around London and showed some of the 'sites,' as the Americans call it, and we returned to Baker Street at around 6 o'clock. At that time, you came and made the arrest. Now you know everything."
"Thank you for you patience," said Lestrade gratefully, "I have but one more question to ask you. Is there any reason or circumstance in the past that would prompt Mr. Holmes into murdering Miss Stamford? Speak truthfully, now."
At this question, I became very angry, "Really, Inspector, I think that you can answer your own question!" I replied hotly.
"Doctor, please just answer the question!" countered Lestrade, becoming more impertinent each second.
"I think you should remember, since you were on the case, and it was barely a year ago when it happened!" I snapped. I then took a deep breath to steady my nerves, before continuing, "Julia Stamford aided the kidnapping of Holmes and his brother, Mycroft. That is the only reason I can think of, but it hardly constitutes as a valid motive for murder!"
"Thank you Dr. Watson, you have been very helpful. If you will now sign your statement, I will take you and Miss Granger to see the suspect."
"Holmes has helped you on countless cases and has brought and kept your reputation where it is." I remarked vehemently, "The least you can do is to call him by his name. You owe him that much."
"After what he has done, I do not owe him anything," replied Lestrade apathetically, before silently leading me outside.
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