Young Sherlock Holmes: Knife Edge Read Online Free PDF Page A

that they believe are unimportant but which, if I saw them, would lead me to come to important conclusions.
Death
is important because a significant number of my agents have a habit of ceasing toexist before they can give their reports to me.’ Sherlock glanced at Mycroft, shocked, and his
brother continued: ‘I do not wish to sound callous. I know they have loved ones, and families who will miss them. The problem is that the nature of this business means that many of them work
in dangerous, out-of-the-way places where accidents often happen to people or where they catch strange foreigndiseases. Others have a habit of getting caught while infiltrating government
buildings in various capital cities around the world and being killed either while trying to escape or, shortly afterwards, by hanging or by firing squad. It is, regrettably, a risk that the job
entails. They all know that it might happen.’
    Sherlock found a vision of his friend Rufus Stone flashing in front ofhis eyes. He knew that Rufus had been, and indeed still was, an agent of his brother. Had Rufus been sent into some of
these dangerous situations that his brother was talking about? Was there a chance that he could have been, still might be, killed? He decided not to ask.
    ‘I suppose that the problem there is that when they die, the information in their heads dies with them?’
    ‘Indeed.It happens all too often.’
    Sherlock had a sudden sense of where Mycroft was heading. ‘And if there were some means of contacting them
after
their deaths, you might be able to retrieve the information they
have learned and make use of it?’ he asked. He was taken aback by the scale of Mycroft’s vision. Was it likely that something like that could be done? Was it even conceivable?
    ‘I understandyour scepticism. Nobody has ever managed to demonstrate communication with the dead in conditions other than a badly lit room when everyone is holding hands and facing into
the centre. The trouble is that the British Government has been approached by a man, a medium, who currently resides in Ireland. His name is Ambrose Albano, and he claims that he can find any
recently deceased spiritand establish a two-way communication with it.
If
his claims are true, and I do appreciate the enormity of what lies behind the word “if”, then the
government which controls, or even first exploits, that means of communication would have an advantage over the rest of the world that would be difficult to eradicate.’
    ‘And that is why you are here – to look into his claims?’
    ‘Indeed. Iam sceptical, and my lords and masters know that, but when I protested about being sent all the way here they pointed out that if a sceptic such as me could be persuaded then
the claim
must
be true. Sadly I could not argue with their logic.’
    ‘Couldn’t this medium have travelled to London? He could demonstrate his skills in front of a much larger audience then.’
    Mycroft nodded. ‘I didmake that point, along with the associated point that his insistence on being examined in Ireland strongly suggested that he wanted to control the environment in
which he was tested, but my arguments fell on deaf ears. He does not travel, we were told – something to do with a head injury he once received and which is connected in some strange ways
with his spiritualist skills. No, despite mywell-known dislike of travelling I found myself forced into planning a little jaunt across the Irish Sea.’
    ‘How did he end up at Cloon Ard Castle?’
    ‘I understand that Sir Shadrach Quintillan, whose castle it is, has become his protector and patron.’
    ‘I’ve never heard of him.’
    There is no reason why you should have – the title is not hereditary, and was awarded for services renderedto the Royal Family. He is, however, an interesting man, as you will discover
when we meet him – which will be this afternoon when we travel up to the castle.’
    ‘And what is my role in this likely to