Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

HOLMES SAT AT the far end of the communal table in their first-floor office space, with Poe and Marple on either side at the other end. They were all staring down at their laptops.

“I don’t understand,” said Virginia, in the seat at the opposite end of the table. “How are they keeping such a tight lid on this over there?” At Marple’s direction, Virginia had gathered everything she could find about the London hospital kidnappings. There wasn’t much.

“We Brits can be quite tight-lipped,” said Marple. “As long as somebody doesn’t leak it to Fleet Street, they might be able to contain it for a little longer.”

Baskerville lay under Virginia’s chair, panting loudly. From where Holmes sat, he could smell what the hound had for breakfast. He glanced absently at Virginia’s report, organized in a meticulous Google Docs template. But his mind was elsewhere—or nowhere. The buprenorphine had that effect, making him groggy and detached. Logically, he understood how critical this case was. But mentally, he was having a hard time mustering his mojo.

“All wealthy white families,” said Poe. “Same as here.”

“One of the mothers is the niece of an MP,” said Marple. “That may be how they’re controlling it. Claiming national security.”

“What do you think, Mr. Holmes?” asked Virginia.

“About what?” Holmes replied numbly.

“Do you have any theories? Anything else I should be searching for?”

Holmes stared at Virginia for a second, then looked at both of his partners. Apparently, they had not broken the news about his departure to their eager assistant. They had decided to leave it to him.

Fine. No time like the present. He closed the lid of his laptop.

“I guess you haven’t heard, Virginia,” he said. “I’m finished.”

“Finished?” Virginia wrinkled her brow and stared at him. “What do you mean, finished ?”

“I mean I’m finished with investigation, Virginia. Finished with the firm. I’m quitting.”

“We’re in discussions,” said Marple, clearly trying to soften the blow.

“There is no discussion,” said Holmes coldly.

Virginia pushed back from the table. “No! Mr. Holmes! You can’t !” Tears started to glisten in her eyes. “You’ve only just come back! You can’t leave again, not for good!”

“Yes, I can,” said Holmes. “Sorry.”

Virginia stared at him for a few seconds, shaking her head. Then she stood up and walked through the office toward the front door, wiping away tears with the back of her hand. Baskerville jumped to his feet and followed her.

“Virginia, wait!” Marple called out.

Too late. The door slammed.

Poe stared at Holmes. “Now look what you’ve done!”

“She’ll be fine,” said Holmes. “You all will. In fact, you’ll be far better off.”

Marple shifted to a chair closer to Holmes. She leaned her arms on the table and looked at him. “Brendan. Look. I know the stress you’re under—”

“You have no idea the stress I’m under!” Holmes shouted, pounding the table with his fist. “Tell me something, Margaret—have you ever been addicted to anything stronger than tea ?”

Marple rocked back. “I’m sorry. You’re right. Maybe I don’t understand.”

Poe leaned in. “Here’s what I understand, Brendan. We’ve got six missing babies—ten if you count the ones in London—and no real leads.”

“You’ve got the nurse,” said Holmes.

“Who most likely knows nothing,” said Poe. “They can hold her for drug possession, but they’ll have a hard time proving conspiracy to commit kidnapping unless they know who she conspired with. She’s a small fish.”

“A fingerling,” said Marple.

Holmes stared at the table. His muscles ached. He hadn’t slept well since leaving Lake View. His mouth felt dry. In his opinion, his withdrawal drug had all the negatives of an illegal drug habit with none of the positives. He no longer felt like himself.

Marple rested her hand gently on his wrist. “Brendan, please.”

Holmes jerked his hand away. He wasn’t about to fall for her soft touch. Or her tough love. Not this time.

“Help us crack this case,” said Poe. “Then you can leave. I’ll drive you to the airport myself. Muscle car of your choice.”

“For God’s sake, Brendan,” said Marple. “They’re babies !”

Holmes could feel his stomach churning. His skin itched under his suit. More than anything, he wanted this conversation to be over. But he knew his partners well enough to understand that they weren’t about to give up. They were as tenacious as he was. At least, as tenacious as he used to be. He looked at Marple, then at Poe.

“Just this case,” he muttered. “This one case. I work it my way. And then I’m gone.”

Silence all around.

Holmes could tell that his partners didn’t like the deal. But it was the only one on the table.