4 A Meeting with Lestrade

Chapter 4 A Meeting with Lestrade Sherlock Holmes had taken notes during our interview with Mr. Harding, and I could see he was thoroughly satisfied with the progress of the investigation. He made no comment, however, except that if we didn't hurry, we'd be late for our appointment with Lestrade. When we reached Baker Street, the policeman was already in Holmes's study, pacing around. "Well?" he asked. "Made any breakthroughs, Mr. Holmes?"

"We've had a busy day, and not a wasted one. We've traced the source and journey of each bust." "You're still concerned with the busts!" cried Lestrade. "Well, you have your methods, Mr. Holmes, and it's not for me to criticize, but I think I've accomplished a great deal more than you today. I've identified the dead man." "Well done, Lestrade!" "And found the cause of the crime." "That's splendid!"

"I have an informant in London's Italian Quarter by the name of Collini. He identified the dead man as Pietro Venucci of Naples, one of the most notorious assassins in London, with connections to the Mafia, the secret crime organization. Now you see how the whole affair starts to make sense. "The fellow in the photograph is probably Italian, too, and a member of the Mafia. I suppose he must have broken the rules and Pietro was sent to kill him. He had the photograph in his pocket so he could identify his victim. He must have ambushed the fellow as he came out

of the house. In the scuffle that followed, the man killed Pietro. How's that, Mr. Holmes?" Holmes applauded. "Excellent, Lestrade, excellent!" he cried. "But I think I missed the part where you explained about the destruction of the busts." "The busts! Will you never stop talking about them? What does the breaking of a few plaster statues matter next to murder? It's murder we're investigating here and I'm steadily drawing all the threads together." "So, what's the next stage?" "It's very simple. I shall go to the Italian Quarter with Signor Collini, find the man in the

photograph, and arrest him on a charge of murder. Will you come with us?" "I think not. I have a feeling we'll be able to find your man by a simpler means." "In the Italian Quarter?" "No, in Chiswick. If you'll come with me to Chiswick tonight, Lestrade, I'll accompany you to the Italian tomorrow." happily Quarter "Very well," huffed Lestrade. there's no harm in a short delay." "I suppose "Good. Now, I think a few hours' sleep would do us all good, for I don't propose leaving before eleven o'clock and it's unlikely we'll be back before morning. Watson, would you please ring for an express messenger? I have an urgent letter to send." Holmes spent most of that evening rummaging through his boxes of old daily newspapers, which he kept in his junk room. When he finally emerged, he had a triumphant gleam in his eye, but he said nothing to either of us about what he'd been researching.

For my own part, I had carefully followed the steps of this complex case, but couldn't yet see where it was heading. What I did understand was that Holmes expected the criminal to target the two remaining busts, one of which, I remembered, was in Chiswick. No doubt, the plan was to catch him in the act. I wasn't surprised when he suggested I take my revolver with me. I had to admire the cunning with which my friend had inserted that story in the newspaper so the culprit would feel he could continue with his operations with no threat from the police.