Chapter II

Sherlock Holmes always got up at five a.m. every day. Today was the same, as he awoke at five, on the dot. Being a gentleman, Holmes followed his morning routine. First he set the table with cups, plates, napkins, and silverware. Following that, he kindled the fire, assuring it's burning for another two or three hours. Next, he would take a shower, cleaning himself up for the new day. Then, he would collect the mail, setting it upon the table. Finally, he would snatch his violin and take a seat by the fireplace, playing until John Watson awoke.

However, the latter two would not go as planned, as when Holmes went down to collect the mail, there was none. "Interesting," remarked Holmes, standing in the hallway of the complex, just in front of the mail slots. "Most interesting indeed," he added, raising his hand to stroke his chin in perplexity.

Without further thought, Sherlock's hands jolted at the other two mail slots, to see them full. "Someone has taken my mail," he remarked as he straightened his back. "That is a crime against Her Majesty's government."

"So is reading other people's mail," replied Mrs. Hudson, the landlady, standing at her door. "What in the Dickens are you doing, Holmes?"

"Um," replied Holmes, without an explanation, "I was… Checking to see if all of the mail was gone."

"What!" exclaimed Mrs. Hudson, trotting over to see that the 221b slot was empty. "I don't know," she started, "I've never seen a completely empty mailbox!"

"Not to argue," replied Holmes, sticking his hand into the slot "but it's not completely empty." He then pulled out a small brass button.

"Oh my," responded Mrs. Hudson, "It must of fallen from on of the mailman's cufflinks." She then reached out her hand, "I'll take that, and give it to him when he returns."

Holmes just smiled, putting the button into his pocket. "I can't let you do that."

"And why not," angrily asked Mrs. Hudson.

"Technically," replied Holmes, "It is our mail…" With that Sherlock went back to his room, leaving Mrs. Hudson steaming in the hall.

John Watson had gotten up, as it was now half-passed seven. He was sitting at the table in front of the fireplace, eating freshly made pancakes. When Holmes opened the door, Watson greeted him with a "hello!"

"Oh," responded Holmes, peering at the mail on the table. "good morning."

Watson saw that his colleague was fixed on the mail. "Yes, I got the mail while you were in the shower. That's not a problem, is it?"

"No," replied Sherlock in a slightly depressed voice, "But I may owe Mrs. Hudson an apology."

The two laughed, as a similar incident had happened before. Then, they shared information about the previous day's work as they had their breakfast.

As it was Saturday, the 16th, neither of the two had to leave, so their breakfast conversation soon turned to an afternoon talk as the clock struck two. Everything was peaceful, and the temperature had started to rise. But, their average weekend would soon end, as the footsteps of a client were faintly heard walking up the staircase, towards their door…