Thank you Can for your review once again! Thank you to everyone who has viewed too, i hope you enjoy the next installment.

2

Holmes and I caught the next train to Hertfordshire and secured rooms in the little village where Mr Callow had lived. We interviewed Mr Smith's mother and found out he was the local farm boy at Berry farm until the late owner died and Mr Callow purchased the property. He quickly sold the stock and laid off the staff making a lot of people angry as he had "effectively stolen their livelihoods" as Mrs Smith put it. When we asked what Mr Callow intended to do with the land, she claimed that he was going to demolish the farm house and create a grand country manor in its stead.

"Well Watson; It seems Mr Callow potentially upset a fair few people in this delightful village, what say we take a meal back at the inn and see who we can discover to gather more information from."

Once back at The White Hart (where we were staying the night) we began to mix with the locals. Holmes had kept our true identities unknown so that people could talk to us in confidence. We were posing as Mr Jones and Mr Wilkins, two farm hands looking for work in the local area. Holmes soon slipped into his role and began talking with several farm workers. Soon a heated discussion had begun; I sat back and listened to the proceedings.

"Yes, we came looking for work at Berry farm, we heard they were hiring?" Holmes asked the man nearest him.

"Don't know where you got that information mate. Berry farm closed three weeks ago when it changed ownership and we were all made redundant. It's been demolished now by that gentlemen Mr Callow, the one who was murdered three nights ago." The man explained. He was a stocky fellow, no more than thirty with sandy blonde hair.

"Murdered you say?" Uttered Holmes in mock surprise.

One of the lads perked up "Awful it was, stabbed. I can't say we'll miss him though eh lads?" Some of the men around the table nodded in agreement. Holmes singled out one older quiet gentleman at the back of the group who had not participated much in the conversation. "And what about you sir? Do you think he will be missed?"

"I don't think so seeing as he has ruined a lot of lives around here, I just feel sorry for poor Andrew, he is the one who will suffer, after being driven to kill him." The man put his cap on and rose from the table. "Well lads; I best be off now." And with that he left the inn.

"Who was that man? Any relation to Andrew?" Inquired Holmes.

"No, he was Andrews's old manager before he too was made redundant."

"Ah" said Holmes "Andrew was a good lad then before this horrible incident?"

"He always seemed like a good lad, hardworking, trustworthy and reliable; in fact he was one of Mike's best. That's why its such a shock like" the other men muttered in agreement. "You'd be hard pressed to find a man around here that really think Andrew did it but then he had his mother and sister to provide for after his passed passed away at the start of the year. I guess desperate times can change a man out of sheer need to survive and to provide for his family."

"Mike?" Holmes turned sharply, his full attention honed on the gentleman in the cap next to him. Pipe smoke billowed slowly across the table before he replied.

"Mike Dunn, the man who just left." Holmes nodded as I subtlety added a few shorthand notes to my notebook under the table.

"Well, my friend and I on that note; should retire also, we are due up early, so we best be off! I hope things improve for you all soon." Holmes stood and shook the men's hands in turn.

With the last few goodbyes', I smiled warmly as we stood up and retired to our rooms.

"Well Watson what did you make of that?" Asked Holmes once we were seated comfortably and his pipe lit.

"Well he certainly wasn't popular." I lit my own pipe shielding the match from the draft that threatened to extinguish it.

"Your deductions are spell binding, anything else?" He looked at me intently, his aquiline nose casting a long shadow across his face in the amber hues of the fire light.

A little miffed at his typical lack of grace I racked my brains a bit further. "Well the blonde man was certainly talkative enough and seemed to provide us with some useful background information."

"What about Mike Dunn?" Pressed Holmes.

"Well he was certainly a quiet character, he also didn't seem to fond of the whole affair." I remembered Mr Dunn's closed body language and his quick departure. "He left pretty sharply when Andrew's name was mentioned too."

"I agree and I think tomorrow we will find our man. We just need to make a few more deductions before drawing a conclusion."

"You sound so certain." I remarked as i exhaled another puff of smoke.

"Well, we have evidence, the murder weapon and motive. The game Watson, is well and truly afoot!" His eyes positively glittered with barely contained excitement and I knew that only one of us would truly sleep tonight.

We arose early the next morning and as I suspected Holmes was tense with anticipation. He had already been outside by the looks of things and was busy signing us out of the inn as I descended off the narrow staircase with my suitcase. "Ah! Watson time to make haste I'm afraid, we have a lot ahead of us today!"

We made our way to the train station and boarded the train. We traveled past rolling countryside for a short time before the train stopped at its first call. To my surprise Holmes rose to leave. "Holmes?"

"All will become clear Watson. Don't worry about our luggage I have arranged for it to be taken care of, right back to Baker Street." With that we disembarked at a tiny village station and got on a pony and trap which Holmes seemed to have arranged also. As we traveled Holmes began to fill me in on his latest escapades. "I have laid a trap for our killer. Today it will be announced in the village that a previously unknown heir of Mr Callow and his man servant will be arriving at Berry farm to continue on the family development. The killer had done his research and knew Mr Callow to be the last of his line; this new information is set to entice his curiosity and potentially will threaten the suspect once again as Mr Callow's cousin is keen to continue the development in Mr Callow's memory. Naturally; travelling from the north, they will arrive under darkness after a hard day's travel. Meanwhile Lestrade will be located in the keeper's cottage which is being used as the main accommodation at present." At this point Holmes stopped the trap. From the back of this, he pulled out a large carpet bag. Inside there was a suit, some other clothing, a walking stick and resting on top; My revolver. "Yes Watson" (interjected Holmes; whilst studying my grim expression) "I am afraid you may have use for it, this man is a very desperate man."

We walked off the road and into the edge of the woods to change into our disguises, I of course was the man servant and Holmes took on the role of the wealthy benefactor. When he reappeared, I hardly recognised him. As always, his disguises never failed to amaze me. He was no longer the thin, dark haired man I knew with the sharp faced features, aquiline nose and intelligent gaze. Instead, he was a man with a sizable paunch, golden hair and with the most outrageous moustache I had ever seen. He appeared to be under the influence of a good one too many whiskies in his demeanour. I laughed out loud! "Holmes! This I have to say; must be your most amusing get up as of yet! It's so unlike you." Holmes smiled and took a bow.

"And you Watson look perfect. If I were not who I am, I would struggle to recognise you but I can tell by your stance and the way you naturally favour your good knee without a strain in your features, as many a good man would have, that you are my friend John Watson." Feeling slightly unnerved that my disposition was so openly on display, I tried to correct my stance before walking back to the trap.