Part 16 (2/2)
I was still so to the conversation I hadof the story It seemed to me that Xavier Gray had been the victi of thieves had set upon him and his family in the street His family had been brutally murdered before his very eyes, and as a consequence his mind had snapped He had stolen the experioverne It was a shocking tale, and I felt no small measure of pity for the wretch I cannot say I wouldn't have done the same in his circuainst the front door, down in the street below
”Mycroft,” said Hol to welcome his brother
We re into the hallway downstairs ”I' as he downed the remains of his second brandy
”So am I,” he replied, and I knew the words were not really intended for me
Mycroft entered the rooain found myself taken aback by the sheer presence of the man He was heavyset, with an ample waist and a broad, barrel-like chest, and taller even than his brother He looked decidedly put out at finding himself there at Baker Street at nearly three o'clock in the , and his forehead was furrowed in a deep frown
”Watson,” he said, levelly, by way of greeting ”I understand my thanks are in order?” His tone was business-like and clipped
I ss ”You're welcome,” I said ”I did only what I felt was necessary”
”You didto Gray, as still sitting in the ar, Gray It's over now”
Xavier Gray looked up to aze ”Is it?” he asked, softly, before placing his glass on the side table and getting to his feet ”I don't think it shall ever be over”
Mycroft didn't respond, other than to place a firm hand on Gray's shoulder and to steer hiht, Dr Watson,” he said, without glancing back ”Until next tie into their waiting carriage, before returning to the drawing room, a sullen expression on his face ”A dark business, Watson,” he said, quietly ”A dark business indeed”
”I' a yawn
”Oh, I think for Mr Xavier Gray, Watson, the pain is only just beginning”
On that note, I repaired toand restful sleep
The nextI arose late to find Holmes had been up and about for hours Indeed, I had my suspicions that, as I kneont to do, he had not visited his bed at all
”Ah, Watson!” he said jovially as I pokedwith theaith a pair of silver scissors, taking cuttings for his scrapbooks
”Morning, Holmes,” I said, somewhat taken aback by his jollity ”Come and sit down, Watson! We'll have Mrs Hudson rustle you up a late breakfast” The thought was
”Tell me, Holmes, have you had word from Mycroft?”
Holmes nodded ”Indeed I have, Watson” He returned to his clippings
”And?” I prolanced up from The Times with a mildly confused expression
”Xavier Gray?” I said ”There are those of us still anxious to understand his story,” I said, taking a seat opposite him ”As well as your role in the matter,” I added, for in truth that was my real motivation
Holmes set down his scissors ”Ah, yes Of course Xavier Gray, Watson, was a governhly sensitive projects in the area of o, he suddenly disappeared”
”Disappeared?” I echoed
”Quite so,” replied Holmes ”His superiors were, of course, concerned for the man, and even more for the sensitive information he was party to Had he defected? Had he been captured and taken prisoner? The usualHis hoone, too”
”And noe knohy,” I said, gravely
”Indeed But at the ti hiht have gone Mycroft feared he ht have fled son agency, taking his faate”
”And?”
”I soon discovered what the others had, of course,boys-had been horrifically murdered just days prior to his disappearance It appeared to be the work of the cri I spoke of, The Order of the Red Hand, a network of robbers and thieves who had set upon them in the street and cleared out their pockets before disappearing The bodies were still lying unidentified in the ue”
”But why did Gray believe he was under suspicion? Last night he was most anxious to clear his name when you raised the matter”
”Once I had discovered the truth about his fauilt, despite my evidence to the contrary They siht flee in the after events, unless he was himself the killer or somehow connected with the perpetrators”
”That's preposterous!” I said
Holhed ”An all-too-familiar story, I fear, Watson”
”One can hardly bla matters into his own hands when faced with that as an alternative I should iht have chosen to do the sas, Watson, as you well know”
”Indeed,” I said, quietly ”What will happen to Gray now?”
”Most likely an institution, I'd wager At least until he's had time to recover from the shock and torment that drove him to such extreine that, when he attacked Sir Maurice, Miss Hobbes and I, he'd mistaken us for the very same criminals who had attacked and killed his family Particularly when Newbury tossed a flare in his direction”
”I believe you'd be safe in that assuine he saw only what his shattered mind had conjured”
”And what of the Order of the Red Hand?”
”Ah,” said Holhtly ”Their story is far froain I aht,” I said, knowingly ”Well, that's an end to a reh ”And a most satisfactory resolution For both of us”
”Indeed,” said Hol to the fireplace to search for his pipe and Persian slipper ”I believe the old adage, Watson, is 'to kill two birds with one stone'”
”Quite so,” I agreed ”It is al doubt that had been plaguing”It is al”
”Really, Watson?” said Hol ”You do have a tendency towards the fanciful”
”Hht while all of the excite to his seat and beginning to”A violin concerto German It was quite exquisite, Watson The coht It was truly not to be missed Not under any circumstances”