CHAPTER 2: A Meeting in Belgravia

''You are being unreasonable Jen.'', said DCI Fielding.

''No I'm not! The man is a genius! We have to use him! We need him!'', replied Jenny.

''Let me remind you that he contaminated our crime scene four days ago! We almost lost the important evidence that led us to the killer!''

''And let me remind you that if he wasn't there we would have lost the killer! Marian Murdoch would have vanished, if Sherlock didn't contaminate the scene, as you say! Gregory, please. You are a smart man. You know that we need all the help we can get. Crime never rests and we are getting tired every day. I'm not saying we are incapable, I'm just saying that Sherlock has a brilliant mind and we should use it.''

''Jen he's a drug addict!''

''He's doing really well! He doesn't need any drugs know that he has something to occupy his mind with. I'm also going to supervise him and since he lives at my house...''

''He lives with you!'', asked the DCI with surprise.

''Yeah, what's the problem with that?'', said Jenny arching her brow.

''Erm nothing, I'm just... are you dating him?''

''Of course not! He's staying at the guest room in my house until he finds a place of his own! I'm not into dating at this moment anyway.''

''So... so you wouldn't want to come down at the pub with me to have... you know... a beer perhaps? Later I mean!'', he said and ruffled his hair awkwardly. Jenny didn't seem to notice it.

''I don't like beer.'', she replied nonchalantly. ''So, what do you think?''

Fielding took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He sat back at his chair and looked at Jenny. ''What do you propose?'', he said finally.

''Let him be a member of my team. I'll supervise him and call him only in difficult cases. And I believe a salary would be nice!''

''Fine! But you will not bring him to a crime scene, unless he's sober as a judge! You will be fully responsible for him and if something happens you'll be the one to suffer the consequences!''

''Deal! Thanks for your time Greg!'', she said in a gleeful tone and left his office. She climbed down the stairs and reached her floor. When Sally Donovan, her Sergeant, saw her she got up from her chair and followed her in her office, closing the door.

''So how did it go?'', asked Sally eagerly, sitting on the edge of Jenny's desk.

''Good! Very good! When Sherlock sobers up, he'll be able to help us. Thank God I convinced him!'', she said, as she took some papers out of a file and sat at her chair.

''As if Chief was going to deny you anything! He totally fancies you!''

''What? What are you talking about?'', said Jenny and raised her eyes to look at her.

''Oh come on! As if you haven't seen it! Every time you step into his office or he comes around, he looks at you like he's ready to fall down on his knees and propose! The whole Yard knows it'', she said and laughed at the expression on Jenny's face.

''Sally please! Don't say those things in here! You know how people talk!'', she cried.

''You are an attractive, sexy woman. Of course there will be gossips, but there is no need to hide or being embarrassed about it!''

Truth to be told Jenny was indeed attractive. She was considered tall for a woman, about 5'9'', with curves, light olive skin tone, dark brown wavy hair, brown eyebrows, relatively full lips and chocolate eyes. Maybe her eyes and lips were her best feature.

''Thanks for the compliments dearest Sally! Now, of you go! You have work to do!'', she said and made a vague movement with her hand.

''Alright I'm leaving! Maybe we can go to a pub later and give you lessons on how to woo the DCI!''

''Out!'', said Jenny and showed her the door. Sally giggled and left her office. Jenny shook her head and turned on her laptop. ''Greg likes me? Have I been so blind? He's kind of cute though. Definitely charming! He has a nice accent and he looks like George Clooney now that his hair has gone gray. Pull yourself together Jenny, you cannot possible be thinking about your DCI!'', she thought and sighed once more, as she started typing some reports at her laptop.

The hours passed and before she knew, it was 6 o'clock in the evening. Seven straight hours of paperwork without any coffee! That was a new record for her! She stood up and stretched her back. She then rubbed her eyes and yawned, realizing that she needed a warm cup of cappuccino and maybe some scones with it. She grabbed her wallet, her mobile phone and coat and decided to pop up to a cafe near the Yard and have her break there.

The sky was cloudy the moment she left the Yard. It seemed that it would be yet another rainy day, but she didn't mind. She took her cell phone out of her pocket and sent a quick text to Sherlock.

-Congratulations! You are now an official member of DI Lestrade's team! I hope my house is not on fire! GL

-Good. No it isn't. SH

As she walked a few meters she noticed a black car approaching her. She didn't pay attention and continued. But then the car stopped next to her and a woman excited. The stranger stood in front of her, blocking the way. She was holding a Blackberry and didn't bother to look at Jenny, since her face was glued on the phone's screen.

''May I help you?'', Jenny said suspiciously.

''DI Lestrade please get in the car.''

Her tone although polite was firm and made her realize that there was no other option than to follow her. Still... she wasn't going to give up so easily.

''No...Goodbye!''

As she walked past her, two tall and muscular men dressed in suits appeared in front of her.

''It is best if you follow us without incident.'', said the woman from behind. Jenny sighed and mentally cursed that she didn't have her gun. She got inside the car and was followed by the woman, who gracefully placed herself at the opposite seats.

As the car drove, Jenny let out a breath. The woman was still tapping at her phone, which made Jenny slightly anxious and irritated.

-We are on our way. A

-Excellent! MH

''Is there a point in asking where are you taking me?''

''No.'', said the woman with a smile. ''But you will find out soon.''

''OK.'', replied Jenny since she realized that this woman wasn't going to tell her a thing. ''At least we're still in London!'', she thought as she watched the people moving, shopping and interacting with each other. It was now raining and the sky was darker than before.

''Who could the abductor be? Clearly not that woman, she's merely a messenger. Is he a man or a woman? Who knows? Someone I've put in jail? It could be. Well, there is only one way to find out and that is to wait.'', thought Jenny. ''What was I thinking when I got inside that car? But I didn't have a choice, did I?''

Lost in her thoughts, Jenny didn't realize that the car finally came to a halt in front of a large building.

''We have arrived.'', said the woman and a man with an umbrella opened the door for her. Jenny followed her and only then realized where they were.

''Oh. My. God!'', she thought. They were standing in front of a large white stucco house in the district of Belgravia. Jenny had been here only once in her life and that was two years ago, when she was undercover in the Austrian Embassy investigating the murder of a French banker who was involved in illegal adoptions. She took a quick glance around and saw that the street was quiet, except for some people with umbrellas who were walking hastily.

''Inspector please follow me.'', said the woman who was already at the door of the building. Jenny walked up the stairs and followed her inside the building, which turned out to be an office. Many employees were at their desks typing quickly and talking to the phone. Jenny tried to listen to them in order to understand the nature of the abductor or maybe hear his name. Unfortunately, most of the people around where speaking in German, Spanish, Italian and pretty much every language except for English and French, which Jenny understood. She obediently followed the woman at the end of the room and got inside the elevator. The woman pressed the button to the fourth floor and turned her attention to her precious cell phone once again.

''Aren't you tired with that thing all day?'', asked Jenny, who was pretty annoyed by the constant tapping.

''That's my job, Inspector.'', she merely replied. There was a soft bell sound and the doors opened.

''Go on.'', she said. ''He will be with you in a minute.''

''So he's a man.'', thought Jenny as she walked inside the room. ''Wait...'', she said, but the doors of the elevator closed before she could ask a thing. She quickly pushed the button but nothing happened. She pushed it once more and saw nothing, not even an indication that the lift was going done or up. ''Fuck!'', she cursed ''They must have locked it!''

She was now feeling anxious and a little frightened. She wasn't afraid before, not even when she walked inside the building, but now the thought of confining with a stranger in a room brought chills down her spine. She took her coat of, since the room was warm enough, and placed it in the back of the couch that was near the windows. She hugged herself and sighed. The warmth of her body combined with that of her dark red cashmere jumper was quite soothing. She looked outside the window and saw the street. ''Bloody hell who is that man?'', she thought and took a look around the room.

It was mostly covered in wood and there were lamps on the walls, producing a soft light. Two big windows covered the wall which faced the street. There was also a big fireplace and in front of that a dark brown mahogany desk. She quickly examined it but there were no pictures or anything that could reveal the identity of the person.

Her attention was caught by the bookcases. If there was a clue, maybe she could find it in those books. Most of them were about politics, science, chemistry and philosophy and the majority of them were in Latin and German. She tried to picture what kind of man was her mysterious abductor. ''Quite educated considering those books.'', she thought. She could also see some literature books, mostly British and also a copy of Victor Hugo's, Les Miserables.

''Very old judging by the cover. So the man speaks Latin, German and French. Also, that office is located in one of the wealthiest districts in the world and the employees are polyglots. Could he be a politician? A businessman? Oh, where is Sherlock when you need him!''

She suddenly felt a presence and turned abruptly. The man was standing just a meter away from her. He was tall and lean and dressed impeccably. He was wearing a grey three piece suit with a red striped tie and his hands were placed inside his pockets. He had auburn hair, sharp nose and piercing blue eyes. He smiled at her revealing his pearly teeth.

''Nice collection, isn't it?'', he said in a mellow voice.

''Who are you?'', asked Jenny calmly, trying to hide her anxiety.

''All in good time Inspector. Now...'', he said and went to sit at his office chair. ''Please sit down. Our meeting is going to be fairly long, I wouldn't want you to get tired.''

Jenny reluctantly sat at the opposite chair and looked the man, who was still smiling.

''Tell me Inspector, what is your connection to Sherlock Holmes?'', he finally said.

Jenny was surprised, but tried not to show it. ''If you don't tell me who you are, I'm not going to answer any of your questions.'', she said in a neutral tone.

''Oh I see! Quid pro quo.''

''Exactly.''

''I have other means of persuasion.'', he said and the smile disappeared from his face. Jenny swallowed, suddenly feeling her throat dry. She didn't flinch though.

''I'm waiting for you to tell me who you are. Use any means you have.'', Jenny said and crossed her arms and legs.

''Very well.'', he said and withdrew a file from the desk drawer. He opened it and read.

''Sophie Lestrade, age thirty five, single mother, works as an editor in the fashion magazine Marie Claire. She lives with her six year old daughter Cecilia in Paris in Rue Montague, number 23, very nice flat.''

He looked from the file and smiled at Jenny, who was now pale. He continued.

''She was married to Francesco Moretti until two years ago. He's an architect who works and lives in Tuscany since the divorce. He visits his daughter twice a month. He also spends the summers with her in Italy. Quite talented man and I dare say, your little niece got her drawing skills from her father. Shall I continue?''

By now the vitality in Jenny's face has been drained. She then saw the smile in the man's face and curled her toes inside her boots in order to ease the urge to jump, pin him against the floor and start beating him until that smirk disappeared from his lips. She merely took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

''What do you want?''

The glee on the man's face was obvious. It seemed that his plan had worked and so he closed the file and placed it back in the drawer. He then brought his elbows to the desk, entangling his fingers and lightly placing his chin above them. His eyes were penetrating and Jenny couldn't bear to meet his gaze. She decided that her shoes were a much more interesting sight.

''I have a proposition to make, Inspector.'', he said.

''What kind of proposition?''

''I'm willing to give you a meaningful sum of money and I want you to provide me with information about Sherlock.''

''No.'', she merely replied without looking at him.

''Why not?''

''Because it's not my policy to accept bribes, I don't need any money and also, I'm not willing to spy on Sherlock.'', she replied coldly. Her gaze was still on the ground, as she felt a lump on her throat chocking her. She knew very well what that man could do to her or her family, but for some reason she couldn't go against her principals. She had never accepted a bribe and never betrayed someone who trusted her. Sherlock trusted her. He didn't consider her a friend, not yet at least, but he wanted to get clean from drugs and start a new life and for that he had chosen Jenny to help him. And she was not willing to betray him.

''I don't know if you're a fool or you don't understand the situation, but let me inform you that what I've just read to you is the tip of the iceberg. I know every little detail of your life. I know which primary school you attended in France before you came to England, I know the name of your first pet, I even know how you drink your coffee.'', he said smugly.

''Great!'', she answered and finally looked at him furiously. ''Keep those information, my answer remains the same.'' The man was oddly quiet. ''I can see why he likes you.'', he said after a while. '' I have to admit, I'm quite fascinated myself!''

Jenny's face twisted in bewilderment. ''I'm sorry, do you find this fascinating?'', she cried.

''Not at all, I'm just pointing out the obvious.''

''Who are you?'', she asked once again. ''I'm tired of playing games! You kidnapped me and threatened me, I believe I deserve to know the reason why!''

''I'm Mycroft Holmes. Sherlock's older brother, by seven years.''

Jenny's eyes were now wide with amazement. ''Brother.'', she said, more like vocalized her thoughts.

''Yes. I'm his brother. And the reason I kidnapped you is that I worry about him... constantly.'', he continued with a soft tone in his voice. ''I understand your astonishment, but let me give you an advice about my baby brother. Don't trust him. Save yourself the pain of failure Inspector and choose the right ally.''

He sat back at his chair and observed her. After a few moment, Jenny stood up and faced him. ''I choose Sherlock.'', she simply said. She picked her coat from the couch and approached the elevator.

''Until next time.'', said Mycroft the moment Jenny pressed the button.

''There won't be a next time Mr. Holmes.'', she said without turning to look at him.

''Don't be so sure.'', he replied as she got inside the elevator and took one last look of the man, before the doors closed.

Jenny was standing outside the building. The street was quiet and dark, only lighted by the street lamps. By now the rain had stopped and everything was drenched. She took a deep breath and let hot tears roll from her eyes. She was holding them back for far too long. She did not cry or sob. There were just quiet tears of fear and anger rolling down her cheeks. The black car pulled in front of her. She quickly wiped her eyes and sniffed. She didn't wait for anyone this time to tell her to get in. Inside she found the woman typing at her phone.

''Where to?'', she said.

''Scotland Yard, please.'', replied Jenny and the car drove off.