"Thank you ma'am.
Yes, ma'am, I understand.
Have a good day."
John sat back in his office chair and leaned it back, huffing out a breath and combing his fingers through his short blonde hair.
"Rough check in was it?" Mary smiled a knowing smile to the man at the desk opposite hers.
John shook his head once in bemused agreement.
"It's like no one wants to claim this man. The lady who made the booking actually works for his brother, Mycroft Holmes. So she didn't give me anything. When I finitely got in touch with his brother, and let me just tell you, I'm pretty sure he runs the British government, the man simply said 'My brother is on a platform all his own. You would be wise to house him and let him be to himself.' What am I supposed to do with that?"
Mary chuckled softly, "Was there any other way to get more information? Anyone else you found in your digging?"
John nodded and scooted up to his desk again, "There were, though very few others. One of which was the literal head of Scotland Yard. This client knows some pretty big wigs. Can I just run with that and put pictures of famous people up for decorations and get him a lunch outing with the President while I'm at it?"
Mary smiled at his calamity, "Did he give you anything?"
"Who?" John rolled his head to one side and the other, trying to stretch out his tense muscles.
"The head of Scotland Yard." Mary giggled with her eyes twinkling.
John was sure she was enjoying this much more than he was. Mary worked in guest services for the hotel. Her job expectations were what John had originally believed his interview to be for. She would be in the lobby most of the day, making sure things were clean and presentable, checking in on guests, and offering assistance at the front desk for anyone looking for an excursion for the day or a suggestion for dinner. Mary said she enjoyed her job, and she always did it well, but it was more than clear that she loved John's job. She would make excuses to be in the office anytime she saw John working on a new client, she enjoyed hearing everything and anything he would tell her about the people he met and the things he learned. She often would try and dabble in whatever mission he had at the time.
"Yeah, well, at least a little more than the man's brother had. He himself didn't give me much outside of Mr. Holmes is 'A bit of a weirdo'. But he said one of his detectives would be able to give me more and he put me on extension to an inspector there at the Yard. From D.I. Lestrade I got a few things. That's his name, sorry. Gregory Lestrade. And from him I learned that Sherlock Holmes is a right bastard who doesn't care for any one or any thing excepting his violin and his work. He started going off on more expletives and I heard a bit of shouting in the background before he clicked off. Who knows what was going on there, working where he works."
Mary looked like she was positively going to jump out of her seat with excitement.
"What sort of work does he do? The client I mean. If Mr. Lestrade claims that his work is one of the only things he cares about."
John nodded at that, finitely glad he had found something of substance to add to that fact.
"He seems to be a scientist of some sort. And he likes to do sleuthing. He has a website, actually."
At this John pushed his computer screens out a bit so Mary could observe his find.
"The Science of Deduction." John finished with flourish.
Mary was out of her seat and at his desk in an instant. More than excited to scroll down columns and columns of numbers and statistics that cluttered the site.
"Types of tobacco ash"
"Perfumes"
"Coagulation of saliva after death?" Mary whispered off titles one by one as she read down the site.
"He certainly seems like a colorful man." She stood back a bit from hovering over the computer keys, crossing her arms and leaning on one foot more heavily letting the other stretch out before her in a relaxed manner.
John snickered for the first time of the conversation. Taking a moment to appreciate how unique his client was.
"Yeah, I would imagine so. Reading through all of these, I know I definitely feel like a complete moron. The man is so meticulous, over things I have never even given a second thought to in my life."
Mary tilted her head, "Did you get anything else that you could use from these? Other than determining if he's a pilot by his left thumb."
John laughed a bit, "I think I can be fairly sure that he's not right now. But I did find his address, and in his blog he had mentioned a housekeeper. So I dug around and found her phone number to follow up with her. She was the call I was just finishing as you came in actually."
John leaned back in his seat and clasped his hands together, "She seems like a very sweet older lady, likes to talk. Though, I was thoroughly reprimanded for addressing her as Mr. Holmes's housekeeper. She made it very, very clear that she is definitely not his housekeeper. To make sure I got it right, she came back to it several times throughout the conversation."
John chucked fondly remember the insistence of the sweet lady on the phone.
"But she was exceedingly helpful. She was more than willing to answer all of my questions. I think I have a pretty good direction for where to go setting up Mr. Holmes's accommodations now."
John smiled in self satisfaction and looked up at Mary to see a smile on her face too.
"Good! I think you're going to enjoy this one. There's just something about him."
Her smile took a wistful quality to it and she gazed for a moment into the middle distance.
"Seems a lot like someone you need."
With that she gave him another smile and strolled out of the offices back to the main lobby.
John huffed a chuckle.
Someone I need. What was that supposed to imply?
Grabbing the now full manila file on the client, John slid out of his chair gracefully and set course for the Woman's office.
Someone I need. The thought rang in his head. He already had a wonderful string of lovers, he was happy in his job, comfortable in his place in life. Someone I need.
Suddenly the three days until Mr. Holmes arrived seemed like far too long.
What I need is another adventure.