A/N: Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read up to this point. Special shout-out to Ethelinda's Window for the helpful comments.

The Adventure of the Swinging Snitch - 5

"I'm going to contact Lestrade. I think he is going to want to know about this case."

"Why should he care about a paranoid eccentric committing suicide?"

"Blessington didn't commit suicide John. He was murdered. It was a very carefully planned, cold-blooded murder." Sherlock finished dialing and held up his hand to keep me from asking any further questions.

"Hello? May I speak to Inspector Lestrade, please? Tell him it's Sherlock Holmes, and it's urgent. Thank you." After a pause: "Hello? It's me. I'm here at the home of a client of mine who's just been murdered. The other resident of the house has just called it in. (pause) I wanted to alert you because if the murderers are who I think they are, you are going to have to move fast to have any hope of catching them. (pause) I strongly suspect the victim has a criminal record. Once you get a positive ID on him, you will probably know who the suspects are. (pause) I'll wait here for you, but you better get here quick before the regulars destroy all the evidence." Sherlock held the phone away from his ear while loud, angry noises came out of it. "Keep your hair on," Sherlock said after the noise stopped. "I've taken photos and observed everything. It'll be fine." There were more angry noises from the phone. "No of course I didn't touch anything, well, Dr. Watson touched the body to give me an approximate time of death."

I shot Sherlock a dirty look.

"OK, I'll text you the address and we'll wait for you. Thanks." Sherlock hung up. "Lestrade said he'd be here as soon as he could."

"Great! Is he going to arrest me for tampering with the evidence?"

"Doubtful. He'd arrest me before he would you."

"So what makes you think Blessington was murdered?"

"I don't think Blessington was murdered, John. I know he was."

"Fine! Care to explain?"

"I'll be happy to do so, but I'm going to wait for Lestrade so I only have to do it once."

Dr. Trevelyan rejoined us in the sitting room and informed us that the police were on their way so we moved back to the entrance hall to wait for them. It didn't take long. When they arrived, Sherlock advised them that Lestrade was on his way and not to take significant action until he got there.

As the officers walked upstairs with Dr. Trevelyan, Sherlock shot me a significant look. "Glad I took those pictures," he said with a mixture of amusement and disgust.

The officers were still in Blessington's bedroom when Lestrade arrived with Sergeant Donovan. After greetings were exchanged Sherlock asked where the forensics team was.

Lestrade said, "I told Anderson to get ready, but to wait until I call to come over. I wanted to hear your story before taking action."

Sherlock sighed. "OK, upstairs?"

We all nodded and proceeded up the stairs, I kept to the extreme right, as I had earlier.

Sherlock said, "Don't bother, John, they're hopelessly obliterated now."

Lestrade grimaced, but said nothing.

We assembled in the bedroom where Dr. Trevelyan was still speaking with the responding officers. As soon as Lestrade saw Blessington's body he stopped in shocked amazement.

"Hanging? Sherlock! He's hanged himself! Who commits murder by hanging?"

"That's what we need to find out!"

"Sherlock - " Lestrade started to protest.

Sherlock flushed with anger. "There were three strangers in this house last night. I have no doubt that two of them were Dr. Trevelyan's foreign patient and his secretary. The other one was a small, agile man, other than that I don't know anything about him. Those three men plotted and then committed this murder. I am more than happy to show you the evidence if you would bother to listen."

I had never seen Sherlock look so heated before. His anger is usually icy, rather than hot. I couldn't help thinking again that this case was affecting him in an odd way.

Lestrade rather coldly replied, "Remember Sherlock, you haven't told me anything yet. If you would care to explain everything I'm more than happy to listen."

Sherlock took a deep breath and briefly told Lestrade everything up to that point. Once that was done he pointed to Blessington's body.

"If you will look closely, you can see rope burns around his wrists and ankles. He was bound, and then unbound after the execution. I am fairly confident that after his body is cut down and his face...is examined you will find signs that he was gagged as well."

Now that Sherlock had pointed it out, I could clearly see the angry red marks around Blessington's wrists and ankles.

Lestrade said, "Why bother to do a sloppy job of making it look like a suicide if they know we will find out the truth?"

Sherlock replied, "Every minute they fool the police is another minute they have to make their escape."

Dr. Trevelyan spoke in a quavering voice, "But how did they get in? All the windows and doors were locked."

"They were very clever, and quite determined. Follow me downstairs," said Sherlock.

We gathered again in the entrance hall. Sherlock pointed to a large, double hung window.

"That was the primary point of entry and exit."

"How?" asked Dr. Trevelyan. "It was locked when we went to bed last night, and it is still locked now!"

Sherlock smiled. "Last night while you were with your 'patient' the secretary not only went up to Blessington's room, but he let in the third conspirator, the small man, through this window. The window was then re-locked. The small man hid in the house until the two of you went to bed. Once you were safely asleep, the small man returned to this window and let the other two back in. After the deed was done, the other two exited via this window, and the small man locked it behind them. There are traces of footprints on the windowsill, if anyone would like to take a look."

We each peered at the sill, and sure enough, there were smudges of mud on it.

Lestrade asked sharply, "So where is the small man now?"

"Ah, he exited another way. Follow me!" Sherlock strode off in the direction of the kitchen, and stopped in front of a door.

"The cellar?" questioned Dr. Trevelyan.

"Yes."

"But how?"

"Dr. Trevelyan, surely you know your own house better than that! There is a small window, just at ground level. It was a bit of a squeeze, even for the small man, but it really was quite easy. If you go outside, you can see where he dragged his body along the ground as he climbed out, and the window is still unlocked, as he could not lock it behind him."

As Sherlock was speaking we were descending the stairs into the cellar. Sherlock pointed up at the small window near the top of the wall, which was just at ground level. The lock was clearly unlatched.

"You may or may not find fingerprints on it. I have the feeling that these gentlemen were not overly concerned about the issue."

Dr. Trevelyan was clearly shaken. "So he was here in the house the whole time?"

"Yes, he was here hiding while Dr. Watson and I visited. You know, doctor, the sedative you took last night may very well have saved your life. If you had discovered the criminals, they would not have hesitated to kill you. In fact, you should count yourself lucky they didn't do it out of an abundance of caution."

For a moment, I thought the poor psychiatrist might faint, but he pulled himself together and asked, "Who did this? Who were they?"

Sherlock looked at Lestrade. "Cut the body down, run his prints. I think that will probably provide the answers."

Lestrade nodded and then said, "But what was the purpose of the psychiatric appointments?"

Sherlock sighed. "It got them into the house. The first appointment, I believe, was merely to case the place. However, I suspect that if Blessington had been home, they might have just killed him then. The second time it was to get the confederate inside and to make a final check for their planned execution. They might have tested out the strength of that hook in Blessington's ceiling that they used to run the noose through. Dr. Trevelyan, was there a large chandelier that used to hang there?"

"Yes, a very old-fashioned heavy thing that Mr. Blessington had removed after we moved in."

Sherlock shrugged. "Made it easy for them, then." He took a deep breath. "Well, I believe I'm done here. Dr. Trevelyan, I think you can relax. If the men didn't bother to kill you last night, I doubt you need worry for the future. Actually, I suspect the murderers are already out of the country. Lestrade, please let me know as soon as you get a make on Blessington. I would like to see the loose ends tied up, if possible. However, I'm letting you know right now that I'm not inclined to pursue these men myself."

Lestrade quirked an eyebrow up in surprise then asked, "But Sherlock, why on earth would they hang Blessington?"

"That I do intend to find out, if at all possible," Sherlock replied. "You can best help me with that by providing me with Blessington's true name. Goodbye Dr. Trevelyan, call me if you need anything. Lestrade, thanks and please keep me up to date."

I said my goodbyes and followed Sherlock back up the cellar stairs and out of the house. Sherlock was striding quickly toward the street, I had to jog to keep up with him. Just as he reached the front shrubbery, he stopped and violently threw up into the bushes.