I hope it's acceptable.
Green Lane.
That name still remains with me brandishing a sting of fear with every remembrance.
It also marks one of Holmes's most convoluted cases and one that I tagged along with him on once more.
The case started with a cream envelope that arrived with the rest of the post early on a dreary October morning. As usual I opened the post for back then I was still living with Holmes in his Kensington apartments. This particular envelope seemed to stand out to me for it was cream and of obvious quality.
The address was handwritten and in a calligraphic pen.
I opened it hurriedly for I knew that this had the possibility of being one of Holmes's cases.
Inside were two small slips of paper which, upon removal, turned out to be a set of train tickets dated for that very day.
There was nothing else accompanying the tickets.
I discarded the envelope and then turned the tickets over to discover '21 Green Lane' written upon the back of each. I turned with interest to find Holmes once more seated in his chair.
"Holmes! You wouldn't believe what has been delivered this morning" I remarked only to find him staring intently at me in that unnerving way of his.
"I would guess a pair of train tickets perhaps" Holmes stated.
"What? How could you-" he cut short my surprised outburst with a wave of a hand.
"Relax Watson - I saw them in your hand".
I realized then that in my excitement I had been waving the tickets like a banner for Holmes to see.
"Ah. Yes. Of course" I replied.
Holmes stood from his seat with a groan.
"Let me see those Watson" he said whilst motioning to the tickets still in my left hand.
I gave them over and he soon had them on a table with his magnifying lens out.
"Westhumble" he murmured, for the tickets were to take us from Kensington to that place.
"It is as I expected." he said rather ominously.
"What is?" I replied for my curiosity had been piqued.
He looked up at me. "Well these train tickets were not ordered by me, or by you I presume from your reaction to them. And that is all that can be discovered."
As he turned away from his examination he raised a finger to the air and looked to me with a queer look in his eyes.
"Watson, my mother used to say never go down Green Lane'. It's something that I always remember and I never quite understood. Let us pray that this Green Lane is not the one she was referring to."
He put the lens down and sat back in his chair as if the matter was forgotten.
"But Holmes" I protested "surely we cannot ignore the tickets? Someone might be in desperate need of your services!"
Holmes sat in his chair and nodded slightly, more to himself than me I felt.
"Of course we are going Watson. Whatever made you think the opposite?" he said after a pause.
I felt relief sweep over me, partly that we could perhaps help someone but more that I would be accompanying Holmes on yet another adventure.
I had a peculiar feeling that the case would be more severe than normal and so I prepared my firearm for use later that day. 'Never go down Green Lane' seemed tor evolve around my head like a haunting carousel and I pondered upon what may lay ahead as I worked.
Holmes watched me with a slight smile as I oiled and armed the device before doing the same.
That simple act made me more nervous than any action could have for Holmes must have felt the ominous feeling too.
Needless to say lunch was a quiet affair of small sandwiches which neither of use enjoyed as we should perhaps have. I was quite relieved when the time came to leave the apartments and find our way to Westhumble.
From a quick look at a map it appeared that the place was a small village not overly arm from the outskirts of London but quite settled in the country. And I supposed that we would need to find our own way to 21 Green Lane wherever that might be.
Th train journey was quick and easy for our tickets allowed us to run the underground and then the overground by the very most efficient means.
After less than ten stops on the national rail service we were at Westhumble and on the precipice of adventure.
The station was the quaint type usually associated with the countryside, being two platforms and a small bridge to cross the rails. There was an insignificant ticket booth and then Holmes and I were outside in the grey October air.
The first thing that appealed to me was the peace of the place. From our outlook slightly upon a hill we could see over a large area of trees dotted with houses of various designs, all nestled among nature it seemed. The road in front of us had no traffic at the current time and the whole village carried an air of serenity.
It was impossible to imagine what purpose Holmes and I had been drawn to that place for. From our gentle walk through the lanes of Westhumble we were immersed into a country idyll. At one point we stopped at a neat cottage to ask for directions and soon we found ourselves at the start of Green Lane.
It is worthwhile to bear in mind that all throughout this journey the warning regarding Green Lane had been running through my mind. I was quite transfixed by it.
The lane itself was barely wider than an armspan and much too rough for traffic.
It was formed by two ancient brick walls running parallel with much bucking and unevenness apparent.
All was overhung by dark Yew trees which cast their twisted and bent limbs into the pathway.
It was truly a place that could inspire fear in one's heart.
Holmes, as ever, took the lead.
"Quite the mysterious place, this Green Lane" Holmes remarked as we set off once again.
"Indeed. Rather unnerving " I replied with belief.
"Nonsense Watson. One might only be unnerved if one was susceptible to flights of fancy." He stated, turning to look at me for a second before continuing.
"I daresay we are both not of that disposition."
I smothered my thoughts and followed behind as we traversed the dark and very quiet pathway as it twisted and turned through Westhumble without break except for high wooden doors built into the walls for the use of houses along the route of Green Lane.
When we arrived at number twenty one it was obvious that something was amiss.
As we entered through the numbered gate, conveniently left unlocked, a shocking sight met both of our eyes.
A large plain garden stretched ahead for fifty feet or so without interruption until it reached a newly tarmacked area. Where to either side of the garden large houses rose from the ground, at number twenty one all was flat.
It seemed as if there had never been a house there.
I turned to Holmes with shock as he surveyed the land and said "Oh my! What is this all about I wonder?"
Holmes looked ahead still and said simply "Look!".
I too looked ahead and indeed it appeared that something even stranger than the tarmacked land was ahead of us.
For, sitting on a still rocking chair was an old grey haired lady.
I took off after Holmes who was quickly striding along the concrete path that cut through the grass and onto the tarmac.
Soon we reached the lady who seemed to be watching us with merry eyes.
Hokmes put forward a hand which she took.
"Sherlock Holmes at your service ma'am. How can I be of help?"
She shook the hand and let go before letting out a soft sigh.
"I am so glad you made it Mr Holmes." she said in a quiet yet friendly voice.
"You see, I'm in quite the predicament here. I would offer you a seat but alas! They've all gone."
I watched the old lady with great surprise for the recent circumstances felt too surreal to be true.
Holmes continued the conversation in my stead.
"What do you mean 'gone'? Are you saying that they were removed? And I take it that you owned a house here Ms-"
"Violet Buchanan, please. And indeed you are correct in your assumptions. I feel certain that I contacted the best person. You seem very astute Mr Holmes."
Holmes nodded acceptance to the compliment.
"I do not really know what has happened" she started and looked for a moment weary.
It was almost heartbreaking to see the old lady, who must be at least eighty, sitting in a chair outside with no house around her.
"I was in hospital you see. A hip operation, nothing special. I went in on my own as I have done for the last fifty years or more and all went fine. A bit of n ache and a rather boring week but now I am out.
I left the hospital and returned here by taxi but when the car stopped outside my house I saw that I had a house no longer."
Se sighed again and turned to look at me quite intensely.
"The driver must have thought me quite mad!" she remarked with a laugh before looking to Holmes once more.
I began to warm to this enigmatic lady then.
"It was gone. I had left my family home, inherited from my father and in the family for two hundred years, and returned to nothing.
No furniture, no jewelry. Nothing. It was enough to make me nearly believe that I had lost my mind."
She looked around her at the tarmacked plot.
"But I have lived here all my life and I know one or two things.
I saw the muddied curbs and the dusty road and I knew that it had been done by someone."
Holmes nodded several times during the story but suddenly interrupted her.
"Please Violet, be quite frank with your assertion. What do you think happened?"
She herself nodded.
"I think, with strong certainty, that my house was destroyed Mr Holmes."
Her steely blue eyes embodied her righteous anger and I almost stepped back then with fear at her emotion.
"I had imagined the very same thing Ms Buchanan. But please, who and what reason?"
She shook her head then and seemed suddenly less certain than several seconds back.
"I have no idea really. An inkling perhaps that the neighbours wanted me gone but that is all.
I was the town mayor once and now I hold the position of Neighbourhood Watch Chief so I have a few people who may want to dirty my name.
Anyhow I'm out of my home and I'm planning to move into residential housing. I know it's what they want but I can't face starting again at my age."
Holmes started around us as I shivered for it was a chilly day.
"I think that the neighbours might have done this but it is much more likely to be someone else with real reason. If you could give me until tomorrow afternoon I think I can give you some answers."
I looked quickly at Holmes but saw that he wasn't lying. He had his serious face upon him and I felt proud that he saw an answer to this impossible case.
"Of course Mr Holmes. That is quite excellent.
I shall be staying at the Kingdom Arms here in Westhumble. Room one. Please feel free to join me at any time in the afternoon."
"Very well." replied Holmes and we said goodbye and left the old lady sitting in her chair on the hard tarmac.
The journey back was rather solemn and full of thought and by the time we reached Holmes' apartment I felt quite wretched.
"Whatever can we do for the lady?" I blurted out once we had settled down. It seemed impossible that we could help her.
"Calm yourself Watson. It's all quite in control. Don't worry too much about Ms Buchanan. She isn't worrying too much herself. It is saddening but we will find out the culprit don't you worry."
"You have an idea then?" I prompted Holmes.
"Perhaps" he replied and would say no more.
That evening Holes phoned several different people, looked over several documents and printed papers and harrumphed a lot too. By the time I went to bed I was no closer to working out what had happened and I just hoped that Holmes was.
* * *
The morning dawned bright and fresh and Holmes seemed in a good mood.
"Today Watson we are to visit the town hall of Westhumble for some records that will prove rather vital."
I said nothing but nodded and so by lunch time we had arrived at a rather grand building in the centre of quiet Westhumble.
The case was weighing heavily upon me and I felt somewhat relieved that we were back at the crime centre so to speak.
After speaking with the reception staff we were lead to a library like room and to a table with a great plan laid out upon it. I tried to make sense of it but could only identify that it was some sort of map of the village.
"It's the fracking map!" Holmes exclaimed after several minutes of me asking and him not replying so deep was he in concentration.
I stepped back and opened my mouth in shock.
"Holmes! There's no need for that!"
"There is Watson. It's quite the most important thing we could use."
His tone was cheerful and I felt greatly annoyed by his rudeness.
We left after a short while and Homes informed me that he needed to make some calls.
We agreed to meet at the inn that Ms Buchanan was staying at and so, after ambling down quiet lanes, I found myself at the Kingdom Arms and face to face with Holmes once again.
"We need to speak to Violet now. She's behind all of this Watson. It's quite obvious."
I couldn't believe that the old lady was anything but innocent but I followed Holmes to her room and took a back seat.
"Hello Violet" Holmes said as she ushered us in. "Had a nice day?"
"Well, quite so far. Do you have an idea then about this business?" We took seats opposite her in the corner of her suite. The opulent surroundings felt incongruous with the discussion that was about to go ahead.
"We have discovered something but I would like to ask you first of all something if that's okay?"
Holmes' voice was quiet and dangerous.
"Of course" she replied rather briskly.
"What do you know of fracking?" he asked.
"Holmes!" I exclaimed but he hushed me with a waved hand and went on.
"Ring any bells Ms Buchanan?"
"I don't have the foggiest what-" she began but was cut off by Holmes who stood quickly and began to pace.
"Don't lie Violet. I know you are trying to deceive us but I'm not sure why.
You discovered through an internet search that your home was sitting upon an ideal site for fracking on a small scale.
The neighbours weren't happy when you approached them with the idea of selling up so you decided that your house would be removed first and then progress could being. Soon, you hoped, they would need to move out and away from the fracking site.
You had the council's backing however and so they couldn't do anything to stop you.
It must have paid well for you to sell your home or perhaps you fell out with your family and so didn't want to own the house anyway?"
Violet's expression changed hugely during Holmes' speech, going from confidence to fear and then anger.
He pushed on over her denials and she sat back unhappily.
"Regardless, you had a nice little deal. The only thing left was to maintain your crystal clean image."
He stopped and look closely at her face.
"You wanted no-one to know that you sold out. You wanted to be blameless."
He stood again and continued pacing.
"And by calling me out you hoped for the official stamp of innocence. Well you won't be getting it! In fact you will be lucky to escape jail."
Then he turned to me with his powerful eyes and said "Watson. We are going."
I followed him out and took one last look back to see the old lady crying softly in her chair.
* * *
Once we were back at Holmes' apartments I sat down and still felt somewhat unsettled.
Even though the case was closed, I didn't feel happy with the result. Looking across at Holmes however told me he was content for he had his pipe in mouth and eyes focused upon a newspaper.
I tried to get into the tatty yellow-covered novel that I was reading but my mind was elsewhere and so I sat in silence and wondered about the day's events.
"I say Holmes. Today's case was quite a shocker, wasn't it?"
When he looked up at me it was with vague annoyance.
"Well, only if you expect some people to commit crimes more than others."
I nodded for it made sense.
"I suppose I was fooled by appearance but I don't think that's something I can ever change."
Holmes shook his head. "Of course you can change that Watson. If you're to be of help to me in my cases I will need sounds judgement." Then he went back to his paper.
I did want to help him with his cases for they were far more exciting than anything I would normally have done.
But still I felt the niggle of doubt that I could change or be of help to the great Sherlock Holmes.
"I will try my best Holmes" I replied and by recording this most shocking of cases I hope that I have helped in someway.
No comments:
Post a Comment