Read Online A Farewell to Baker Street by Mark Mower - Free Book Online

announcement. Frederick Godbold, the youngest of the three brothers, swayed as if he was about to faint. Violet Trelawney looked close to tears and even Inspector Lestrade appeared to be astonished by the revelation. Of those present, it was Archibald Cartwright who remained the most composed of the group.
    â€œSir, you seem to be forgetting that I have a solid alibi for where I was at the time of the shooting. Miss Trelawney has confirmed that we arrived at the office together. Having given her a few tasks for completion, I withdrew to the back room. I only emerged from the room after I had heard the shot on the first floor. I think you will agree that if I had tried to leave the office by passing through Miss Trelawney’s room, my secretary would, without doubt, have seen me.”
    Holmes reflected on Cartwright’s words for a couple of seconds and then responded. “Yes, Mr Cartwright. There is a perfect logic to what you have said. And yet, it does not provide you with an alibi at all. I suggest that our party of four takes that trip to the third floor. All will become clearer as we travel up through the building.”
    Leaving the others in the lobby, Holmes and I escorted Lestrade and Cartwright towards the lift. We were safely ensconced within the elevator when Holmes began his narrative. “Gentlemen, Violet Trelawney was employed by Archibald Cartwright less than a week ago. Her excellent references spoke for her. He took her on because she was both hardworking and honest - not because he needed a secretary, but because she would provide him with an almost perfect alibi.”
    I could see Cartwright grinding his teeth, his jaw set hard and his eyes fixed firmly on the floor of the lift. Holmes operated a lever for the third floor and with a sudden jolt the mechanism was propelled into action, accompanied by a loud hiss and the noisy whirring of the machinery above and below us. I felt somewhat unnerved and momentarily dizzy as we began to ascend upwards.
    Holmes raised his voice above the level of the clatter. “Miss Trelawney stated that when she emerged from the ladies washroom on the fateful morning, Mr Cartwright was waiting for her at the entrance to this lift. It is my contention that this was no coincidence. He planned it that way. It was essential that he take control of the lift and ensure that it was not the lever to their third floor office that was engaged, but the lever to the fourth floor instead. Miss Trelawney described him as being more lively than usual. His idle banter provided a cover for the deception he was perpetrating. The intention was to convince her that she was heading towards the third floor office as she had done every day since entering his employment.”
    The lift stopped at the third floor. Holmes pulled the large iron gate aside and beckoned for us to step out of the lift. We were faced with a solid looking oak door and along a long wall to the left of this was arranged a curious mixture of pots and stands of varying heights. A profusion of plant life filled the space and of those I recognised I could make out Kentia Palms and Sword Ferns and at least one large Yucca.
    â€œA pretty display, eh, Inspector?”
    Lestrade smiled weakly. “Yes, Mr Holmes. An odd assortment if you ask me. And exactly the same display on each of the first four upper floors.”
    â€œPatently. And on my earlier tour with the concierge, I was told that Mr Cartwright had paid a handsome sum for a local horticulturist to come in and assemble the collections only a week ago. Just before Miss Trelawney started work in fact.”
    â€œAnd is there any significance in that, Holmes?” I asked, unsure where he was heading with his observations.
    â€œYes. This was a key part of Mr Cartwright’s diabolical scheme. Let us head up to the fourth floor and you will see why this was important.”
    Some minutes later we re-emerged from the lift to face an almost identical