Chapter Nineteen- Interregnum 2004 Part Three
Greg balanced the two cups of take-out coffee in one hand as he fished out his ID to swipe in through New Scotland Yard's security gates at reception. He'd got home late last night; Louise was already asleep and he tried not to wake her. He left before she was up- police had an earlier start than PR, so he routinely was up and out even before she got out of bed.
As he walked down the corridor to his office, he considered the previous night's events. He wondered how long it would take for his discussion with Sherlock to get back to his brother, and what would be relayed about it. He hoped that Sherlock would wake up this morning without regrets about his agreement. If he could show that he was willing to respond to Doctor Cohen and the other staff at the clinic, then just maybe Lestrade could help him get better. But, he still had to convince Mycroft Holmes.
As he opened the office door, he realised that it was already occupied. He smirked. "Good morning, Mr Holmes. I hope you didn't accept anyone's offer of coffee – the Yard's machine stuff is ghastly. I went to the trouble of getting you one when I got mine."
As he came around his desk to face Mycroft, he put down the two coffees. "You have your choice between black and no sugar, or one with milk. My guess is that you would prefer sugar but are trying to do without."
"Detective Inspector, how very kind." The elder Holmes was observing Greg. "You'd prefer the black coffee, I am sure."
Mycroft removed the plastic cap from the coffee with milk and brought it closer, for an exploratory sniff. "Kenyan Peaberry coffee. So, you frequent the Mozzo coffee bar on Tothill Street."
"I'm not even going to ask how you know; my guess is that Sherlock isn't the only one in your family who sees things that most people miss."
Greg settled himself in his chair and had a pull at his own coffee, but his eyes did not leave the face of the immaculately dressed younger man in the chair opposite. He waited. He needed to know what tack Mycroft was going to take, before deciding how to press Sherlock's case.
"Oh, I have help, Detective Inspector. For obvious reasons, you have been under surveillance for some time. It is only sensible to collect data before this discussion, which I hope you will admit is a rather civilised approach to a…hostage negotiation. A remarkable use of the phrase, I must admit."
Greg had guessed that it was likely his conversation with Sherlock last night would be monitored. Whilst he expected Doctor Cohen would be listening in, he wasn't sure if Mycroft would.
"At least, it got his attention."
"Oh, and it got mine, as well, I can assure you. It does raise an interesting question. You have denied that your interest in Sherlock is due to your wish to further your career. But, it is not clear what your motivations really are. So, before I can even begin a discussion with you, I need to know that."
"You heard what I said to Sherlock- I hate the waste."
"What you told him and what the truth is could be very different. There are many reasons why a man of your age could be...interested… in someone like Sherlock." He left it unsaid, but Lestrade suddenly picked up on the undercurrent.
He stifled a snort. "Relax, Mr Holmes, I am a happily married man, and not inclined that way, if you are implying what I think you are implying. I meant what I said. I hate the waste of talent. Maybe I take it personally, too. I don't want to see my nephew Sam end up on the roof of a building thinking about suicide, the way Sherlock has. And there are professional reasons, too. I don't expect you to get it, but I do love my job. I am reasonably good at it. I think it is a "good thing", something worthwhile. But I suppose like any ordinary journeyman, when I meet a master, it makes me sit up and take notice. Your brother is brilliant, an absolute genius, and I respect that. What he likes doing with that genius is solving cases, and he does it better than anyone I know or will ever know. So, yeah, when that goes off the rails, I get pissed off about it."
Greg took another pull of coffee, hoping the caffeine would kick in and sharpen his thinking. "As annoyed as I am that Sherlock would do something as stupid as drugs, and even more irritated that he would try to kill himself, I am also worried that you don't seem able to stop him from doing those things. So, forgive me, Mr Holmes, but I am going to stick my neck out and see if I can help."
Mycroft was watching him, carefully, but giving nothing away. Greg realised that he was in the presence of someone who did this as a living- negotiation and political manoeuvring. The man might be a decade younger than Greg, but he wore his responsibilities, rank and privilege as easily as his three piece suit . The DI decided he had no choice but to press on.
"So, just what have you got against Sherlock working on cases? You once implied that you thought it led him to temptation. But, he did drugs long before he did case work. And, if Doctor Cohen is to be believed, he tried to take his own life before when rehab didn't work- again, before he got involved in what you so patronisingly dismissed as 'puzzles'. So, what's the real worry?"
"My brother does not understand personal risk, Detective Inspector. He will put himself in harm's way repeatedly in an attempt to prove how clever he is. The adrenaline of solving crimes is something he enjoys, with little regard to his own well-being. He will not be content with desk work. That attitude is likely to get him killed. He's already proven that with that banker business."
"Pursuing criminals must be preferable to chasing his next hit, wouldn't you say? Forget about the social benefits, as I am sure Sherlock would; it's a damn sight safer than being high and living on the streets, not to mention getting so annoyed with you that he tries to top himself."
"Not doing anything of the sort would be safer still." There was a look of steel in those eyes now.
Lestrade was running out of arguments.
Mycroft steepled his hands under his chin and contemplated the DI. "My brother could've been a Noble Prize winning chemist, if he wanted to be. He could also have been a professional classical violinist. He has the talent to be almost anything he wanted to be. But, you're telling me he wants to be a private detective."
"Yeah, I am. You heard it last night. He wants this. Enough to do whatever is necessary. Has he ever shown that degree of commitment to anything before? Could it be that you are just being a …snob about this? By stopping him you've backed him so far into a corner that the only way out is to kill himself. Geez, what other proof do you need to know that he really wants to do this?"
Mycroft did not answer. Greg felt frustrated. He was sure that the elder Holmes would have considered all these things. Clearly, he was intelligent; one didn't get to his position at his age without being shockingly bright. So, Greg couldn't figure it out. He took another sip from his now tepid coffee. And then the truth came to him, in a flash.
"You've already offered him case work, haven't you? Just with your service, backroom stuff, a desk job as a kind of analyst. And he's turned you down, hasn't he? Oh, my, now I get it- you want to keep him under your wing, and he's having none of it."
An eyebrow arched on Mycroft's otherwise inscrutable face. "Perhaps I have underestimated your intelligence, Detective Inspector Lestrade. Yes, you are correct. An offer was made and declined. Well, I say declined, although totally ignored is probably the more accurate description."
"How old is Sherlock?"
The question seemed to surprise Mycroft. "Twenty-five. I don't see the relevance of the question."
Greg stifled a smile. "Any twenty five year old would rather not work for a family member. And you're his brother, not his father, so he'd resent it even more. Because he is what he is, he will be more determined than most to show that he can be independent. It's not surprising that he turned you down. You shouldn't take it personally."
"He isn't capable of living independently, because of what he is. That much he has proven since he left university."
"Well, maybe that's because he hasn't found sufficient reason to stay clean and look after himself. If he wants the case work enough, he will do it. I have faith, Mr Holmes."
"With respect, Detective Inspector, you have very little experience of working with my brother, and even less of how well he can manage his own affairs."
"If he proves it by doing what is necessary to get out of that clinic, will you let him try this? I am prepared to keep my eye on him, as well as keep him busy with casework."
"Why would you do that?"
There was a sense of déjà vu for Greg, as he thought back to Sherlock's surprise last night, and his use of almost the same phrasing of the question. It made Greg wonder just what the hell the Holmes brothers' home life must have been like, that they would both be so suspicious. He realised that Mycroft was having trouble shaking off his worries about motivations, but he guessed he'd be as protective of Sam if their positions were reversed. "As I've said, I hate the thought of that talent going to waste. And, as he seems prepared to take it from me, I am willing to give him a steer once in a while. It would be only fair, given that it's my team that will benefit."
"You overestimate his ability to get on with others; he will disrupt your team, alienate everyone on it, you included, in short order. It won't last, and then he will be worse than back to square one."
Greg lost it. "Christ, give him a bloody chance! It can't get any worse than him trying to kill himself!"
It was as if he had slapped him. Mycroft Holmes looked shocked for a split second, before the mask slipped almost instantly back into place.
Greg decided that he had to make his point in a way that could not be misunderstood. He leaned forward, arms on the desk. "He's already shown you that he won't play it your way. Maybe this is just the challenge he needs to get himself sorted. And as for your idea that he will be too 'high maintenance' to handle, well, I've already seen some of that on the weekend when he was coming off of cocaine. I handled that OK. So did he. As for my team, well, they are my team and they will do what I bloody well tell them to do. Because of Sherlock, that team now has one of the best reputations in the Yard. Time they met the reason why. I can't imagine he'd have been the most popular boy in the schoolyard. I've watched my own nephew deal badly with that kind of bullying. So, if he's prickly to others, then I get that. I will protect my team, and I will protect him. I am a patient man, Mr Holmes. I've already demonstrated that, so you don't need to question my motives further."
Silence fell in the office. Mycroft put his coffee down, and then stood, pulling his jacket into line again. He picked up the briefcase and furled umbrella beside the chair. He then stopped for a moment, looked Lestrade in the eye and said quietly, "I will consider what you have said, Detective Inspector, and I may get back to you. Good day."
Greg watched him leave the office. I've given it my best shot, Sherlock. Let's hope it's enough.
oOo
A week later, he got his answer. He took a call on the way back from a crime scene. It was Doctor Cohen.
"Good afternoon, Detective Inspector Lestrade. Would you be prepared to come out to the clinic tomorrow with a couple of cold cases?"
He smiled. "Yes, of course, as long as Mycroft Holmes has agreed."
She laughed. "It was an interesting discussion, no doubt, but I believe this is the first time I've ever seen the Holmes brothers agree on something- that you are a pretty amazing hostage negotiator. And, for the record, I agree with that conclusion, so I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow."
author's note: That is the end of the Interregnum plot line. I will be interested to know if you think it is a realistic treatment of how Sherlock and Lestrade get to the point of working together, and what you think are the key features of their relationship that you would like to see developed. The next installment will start in a few day's time- as Sherlock starts working; it will be fun to explore early days of his relationship with Anderson and Donovan, as well as how Lestrade manages to keep an eye on Sherlock! This will carry on through Lestrade's first meeting of John, and beyond.
