Sherlock Holmes: The Dark Reckoning Read Online Free PDF Page A

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Lestrade.  Watson sat in his favourite chair, keen to find out the purpose of
Lestrade’s visit.
    The inspector gave a sigh of relief as he sat, since this
was the first time he had done so all day, and it was now approaching 2:20pm,
according to the clock on the mantle piece.  Lestrade noticed that there was a
peaceful atmosphere to the room; a halcyon tranquillity that he found most
welcoming.  He looked around and noted that it hadn’t changed much since his
last visit.  Books were still scattered everywhere.  Despite that, the overall
appearance of the room was tidy – probably due to Mrs. Hudson’s constant
attempts to tidy up after Holmes.
    “What can the good doctor and I do for you, Lestrade?” asked
Holmes.
    “Well, Holmes…”
    There was a rap on the door, so Watson went and opened it.  Mrs.
Hudson was standing outside with a tray.  She smiled at the doctor, as he
thanked her for the tea and took the tray she was carrying.  She closed the
door as Watson set the tray down on the table, poured three cups of tea and
handed them out.
    “Please, go on Lestrade.  You were about to tell us
something,” said Watson, returning to his chair.
    “We believe we’ve found the murder weapon!”  There was a
triumphant tone evident in the inspector’s voice.
    “Really!” exclaimed Holmes, smiling mockingly at Watson, who
sat looking both confused and amazed that Holmes had known this was going to
happen.
    Watson turned to the inspector and asked, “Where was it,
Lestrade?”
    “We found it in Hyde Park, in some bushes about 50 yards
from where the body was discovered.”
    “Is the weapon a meat cleaver, as suspected?” added Watson
    “Yes, it’s a meat cleaver alright.  It looks to be new, or
very nearly new.”
    A sudden idea came to Watson, prompting him to ask another
question, “Are you able to say where this meat cleaver was purchased?”
    “Yes, it was sold by a shop called Smiths, located in Coventry Street.  It’s still got the price label on it.  We’ve asked the staff at Smiths if
anyone could remember who it was sold to.  Nobody was sure, but one of them,
remembered a man with dark hair, who was tall and of medium build, that
purchased a cleaver last week.  There was something about this man that seemed
a bit sinister, apparently.  Oh, and he had a Cockney accent.  I don’t think
this information will be of much use to us as…”
    “May we see it now, Lestrade?” interjected Holmes.
    “How do you know I have it here?”
    “The way in which you have been fiddling with that box
suggests you are keen to display its contents to us.”
    Lestrade opened the box to reveal the blood-stained
instrument.
    “May I?” asked Holmes, indicating that he wished to handle
the weapon.
    “By all means, Holmes,” replied the inspector.
    Holmes took the weapon and looked at the blood, now dried,
on the blade.  Two very faint lines of dried blood were visible, confirming
that two cuts had occurred, each having travelled further into the neck.  The
edge of the blade was blunted and deformed, possibly where it had struck the
spine several times.  There was also blood on the handle, which could have belonged
to the murderer, as it was close to a splinter in the wood.
    “I find it odd that the price label was left on the weapon,”
remarked Holmes, thoughtfully, as he continued to examine the meat cleaver.  “Our
murderer may have a cut and, possibly, a splinter in the palm of his right
hand,” stated Holmes, still looking closely at the weapon. 
    “How do you know that?” questioned Lestrade.
    “If you look here, Inspector, you will see blood around this
splinter.  Furthermore, a fragment of the splinter is missing.”
    “I see,” acknowledged Lestrade, whilst examining the
handle.  After they had finished examining the meat cleaver, Holmes told
Lestrade everything he knew of the case.  Although Lestrade tried to
reciprocate, Holmes and Watson learned very little from the