Sherlock - United Brothers

Chapter 5

Westminster; in Sherlock's eyes the very compound of this historical building, had successfully attracted his attention on many separate occasions every now and then, whenever he paid visits to it. However now on this fresh occasion, urgent matters needed addressing. For starters he was seeking to interview and analyze the behaviour of the office workers, who were friends with the now deceased Andrew Miller. He remained as optimistic as ever, on finding out as soon as possible about, whoever had the bona fide reason and had enough motivation to kill the victim.

As he and John walked beneath the huge building's front archway, the Consulting Detective's constantly functional mind began to start working like regular clockwise as usual, as visitors, security men and politicians hurried past him.

50 year old male." He glanced across fleetingly to his right hand side, to observe this person. "Non Smoker. Owns a Labrador" He could guess this because of the observable dog pores on this man's slightly creased waist length, trench coat. "Father of two. Hates his job." Once this man disappeared from view, amongst the crowd of people who were standing in the hallway, Sherlock gave a brief announcement, on where inside the building the both of them would now be heading off to.

"The Department of Research was the office that Andrew worked in. We need to ask his manager a few questions, hopefully he will be willing to co-operate with us." Sherlock looked around and then ahead of. He consciously tried to use his mind, in order to locate wherever this particular working department happened to be

"That's more like a task for Lestrade, would try if he's not getting the results he wants, with a case he's investigating." John made an interesting point regarding this thought. "So you haven't phoned him, to let him know, that you're planning to carry this investigation on behind his back." The former army medic felt his friend should have probably informed the police, with regards to this latest intriguing case. If he didn't bother to, then there were bound to be a few pissed off looking detectives.

"He'll know soon enough, what I'm up to. Well he always finds some way of pulling out, a trick of his own, when he gets curious." Sherlock didn't need telling, as he pretty much knew what Lestrade's expected might be like.

"Anyway so where is the Department of Research?" John asked, while his eyes searched for a possible board, that might perhaps list each and every office department on. He presumed that this outstretched and widened hallway, looked like a place you might easily get yourself lost within. Luckily for him, it was a very good job that Sherlock was casually standing alongside him then. He wouldn't possibly get them both absolutely lost, unless he got sidetracked or experienced a loss of concentration.

After much more considerable visualization, Sherlock knew exactly which direction they needed to take next. "Three corridors over on the far left hand side, pass the board meeting room and then it's the department next door to it." He gave a distinctive nod, gesturing in the direction of where he mentioned. The youngest Holmes brother therefore carried on pacing ahead of his friend, who followed behind him, as they walked straight on ahead in this so called direction.

xxxxxx

Back at Mycroft's office, he was sharing a conversation with a man named Gareth, who worked as a PA for one of Mycroft's fellow colleagues "Enemies prefer to keep you at arms length, they know your weakness and that helps them to use this to their advantage." Almost immediately he regretted saying a bit far too much than, he first expected himself to mention out aloud. No doubt plenty of concern and questions would be addressed for him by his many colleagues, he knew that they might most likely, question his state of mind.

"I wouldn't know this Mr Holmes, because I haven't come face to face with anyone acting suspiciously or who might hold a grudge against someone i know." Gareth was someone, who looked a tad unsure of himself and insecure, when discussing things he hadn't become adapted to, as of yet. Still he was only meant to be working as a trainee PA and undertaking routine tasks for Mycroft's colleague. A bright future obviously was still on the horizon for him, in which he would be embarking on over the next few years.

"You've got so much to be taught about, Gareth." Mycroft remarked, who always managed to have the unquestionable habit of being capable of guessing about which young, inexperienced office worker at the government department, would eventually succeed in their new-found yet promising career.

"I guess so." The junior PA smiled and then within a manner of moments , he left Mr Holmes alone with his many thoughts.

Mycroft was getting ready to make an important phone call to his brother, concerning certain surprising information he had uncovered about the homeless network. One or two individuals weren't as straightforward nor truthful as they claimed, according to financial forms or living accommodation forms they handed into the government, when being investigated for criminal activities. He had delved furthermore into these two individuals backgrounds and before he knew it, he discovered more criminal convictions against the two men. Unfortunately it couldn't be determined whether or not, they were simply two people, who just wanted to turn their lives around for the better by joining the homeless network or if they perhaps hadn't learned from their mistakes and hid themselves amongst this group of many people.

When he did eventually make the phone call to 221b Baker Street, around 10 minutes or so later. He soon found out that his younger brother wasn't the voice on the end of the phone, it was Mrs Hudson.

"Mrs Hudson, is my brother behaving petulantly, by not answering the phone to me?" This was always the typically behaved manner of Sherlock's, a few times whenever he conveniently attempted to get in contact with him.

"Oh I'm afraid he's not here at the moment, Mycroft. He and John left here about over an hour ago." She was able to remember overhearing her tenants, talking in the hallway about what seemed to be a new case.

"Well did the two of them say where they were going?"

"Houses of Parliament or Westminster, I'm sure I overheard Sherlock mentioning one of those two places. He never likes me eavesdropping when he's with a client or when he's relaxing." She responded quickly to his impromptu question.

"I should have guessed that my brother, has the lesser amount of patience like a chimpanzee." He described his genuine thought, in an ironic manner of speaking. He didn't mean to offend or anything with his remark but he did happen to feel extremely annoyed right now. He decided not to waste more of Mrs Hudson's time and so chose to end this brief phone call.

He didn't particularly enjoy being kept in the dark regarding this matter by his dearest brother, as he believed this looked more like a stubbornly, foolish move made by him.

xxxxxx

Howard Buxton-Thomas; a much respected and reverent manager of the Department of Research, wasn't best pleased after having a conversation disrupted by a talkative and inquiring Sherlock, who hadn't chosen to informally introduce himself yet to this man.

"Yes may I help you Mr...?"

"Holmes, Sherlock Holmes, this is my...friend Dr John Watson." Both John's eyebrows raised with such unpretentious surprise, as he began to take his friend's words on board and then tried to search for the right words to respond with, not that he considered opting to impress his trusty friend with whatever he thought about getting off his chest. Normally it certainly would be an belligerent challenge, with John defiantly standing his ground and pointing out that Sherlock needs to pay more close enough attention, to what stories his clients were trying to tell him.

"Hmm...that name sounds very familiar, your friend here, he runs some sort of internet blog doesn't he?" Sherlock looked unusually reticently, as he chose not to answer this considerate question which was put to him. It mattered more for John, to confirm this instead.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." John said, the trained former Army Medic then turned away momentarily, flashing an unhappy look at his friend, also giving a shake off the head.

"We're here to ask you a couple of questions regarding a man called Andrew Miller, who we happen to know worked for you, for a short period. Did he ever upset anyone he worked alongside? Did he get along with colleagues?" Sherlock followed his usual strategic pattern of questioning.

"He was a good man, who wouldn't hurt a fly. He would always stay out of trouble whenever it occurred in this office or outside of the building." Howard answered, with such self-control and composure. There was nothing there to suggest at that moment, to suggest that he might be deliberately lying through his teeth. The uniqueness of his body language, surprisingly left Sherlock convinced that this man was telling the truth.

"Married with three children. Experienced golfer." Sherlock quickly acknowledged Howard's golfing shoes, placed by the cabinet drawers, in the corner of his office. "Business partner?" A golden plaque interestingly caught his attention before he was able to pick up on anything else, that may perhaps raise some debatable questions.

"Business Partner?" Sherlock asked.

"Erm...yes...Michael Barnes. He's on holiday in Paris at the moment, with his wife." Howard responded, still he was capably calm when boiled down to, giving a simply, straight forward answer. "We're you hoping for a chance, to get to speak to him as well Mr Holmes?" He positioned himself more forward while seated behind his smallish desk. Still no hint of flinching nor tension within his body language.

"Honestly not really, but if he does return early from holiday, I can give you this number for him to ring." Sherlock lightly gritted his teeth together for a second or two before producing an handwritten card, with contact details displayed on it. "It's highly important that he chooses to contact me or Gregory Lestrade." John reacted with absolute surprise, as soon as he overheard his friend, correctly pronouncing DI Lestrade's first name. He took at least five minutes to gather this, this left an oblivious Sherlock wondering, why on earth on was John thoughtfully smiling to himself. Hadn't he cottoned on to the fact, that this occasionally bothered him whenever he was playing his violin in the study room.

"I'll make sure I do Mr Holmes. I'm sorry I can't you help as much, with your investigation. I hope you find whoever was responsible for killing Andrew." Howard mentioned as he was saying goodbye to his two visitors. They all exchanged brief smiles between one another, before Sherlock and John then, left this widened and spacious office.

"Did you really think he was telling us the truth, just now?" John asked, he looked slightly unsure, for some unexplained reason. He carefully looked back over his left shoulder, wondering if Howard might reveal his true colors, by making a phone call to his business partner Michael.

"He didn't blink at any given time, while we were in his office. I'm afraid I actually don't suspect him of being involved with Andrew's murder. One important thing John, one slip that the killer gives away...is his or her alibi, on the night of the crime. That's one thing I've always happened to know, when someone reveals themselves to be the killer." Sherlock suddenly admitted to John, enlightening him about how now and again he preferred to genuinely use the good old fashioned way of working out, how a silent killer might make the mistake of revealing their identity. The forensics side of everything tended to help more, if the killer was clever enough to cover his or her tracks.

"Do you think Michael could be responsible for what happened to Andrew? I mean he's not here, for starters. What if perhaps, he knew who had committed the murder but the killer knew that Michael had seen what happened and so perhaps he's starting blackmailing him. Michael could have gotten scared and so he's probably decided to take his family on holiday, gets to spend plenty of time with them. So that might obviously help to take the weight of pressure of his shoulders. What?" John gave an nonplussed look, as soon as he caught a glimpse of his friend's impressed reaction, to the thought-provoking comments he had just made.

"You know that's the best speculative suggestion I've heard, with regards to this case. It's worth checking out the backgrounds of anyone who works closely to Michael Barnes." Sherlock commented, as he meticulously readjusted his scarf around his neck. They both affirmatively exchanged confident smiles between each other, before finally leaving through the front entrance of the Westminster Building. At the back of Sherlock's mind, questions were being cast, as he sidestepped past a 27 year old man, wearing glasses, who had given the famous Baker Street Detective a reason to suspect that he might be going to visit the Department of Research. The mysterious backpack, which he was wearing, soon enough set alarms bells off in Sherlock's mind.

"Sherlock what's the matter?"

"We need to go back and get security on alert, someone's out to make their intentions known." Sherlock and John turned back from where they walked from, quickly enough they were able to catch up with this mysterious individual. Both men began to wonder just how dangerous and threatening this man's intentions might truly be. Not wanting to wait another moment longer, John chose to phone Lestrade and inform of what was currently now going on.

"Okay I'll come as soon as possible. Can you tell Sherlock, he's lucky that I'm not going to tell his brother about how he shouldn't have trespassed his way into the Houses of Parliament."

"I'm sure he's very well aware of how wrong he's been in trespassing through the corridors of this building." John said, before ending the call. Knowing how worrying and nerve-wracking this might become, John offered to step up as he made another suggestion. "I served in the Afghanistan conflict, as an officer and an Army Doctor. If the worst happens, I'm offering to talk this man into going against whatever he's come here to try and achieve for himself. I've had dealt with a situation like this before."

"You're actually willing to do this." Sherlock asked.

"Oh yes, if it means having to possibly protect everyone in this building. Then I suppose it's up to me then. To put my experience and knowledge to test." John didn't look too nervous about this possibility, if truth be told, he felt quite determined.

End of Chapter

All Reviews are welcome