Mike Ashley - The Mammoth Book of New Sherlock Holmes Adventures

"Do you have any idea as to the whereabouts of its erstwhile manager?" I asked.

" 'He is working as the deputy-manager at the Post Office,' I was told, and to these venerable premises I duly made my way. "There, an ancient Tamil identified himself as the one-time

proprietor of the shipping office. He proceeded to regale me with a catalogue of his mercantile misfortunes, until I could redirect his conversation towards more germane matters."

"I would surely have recalled if either of the Atkinsons had bought a ticket," he said, "especially in light of subsequent events."

"As I suspected," I murmured to myself. "Thank you for your time."

"However," he went on. "I do recall an occasion when someone from the Atkinsons' estate purchased two one-way tickets for Calcutta. I thought nothing of it at the time, though since I have wondered if it were at all relevant…"

"Can you describe this person?" I asked.

"He shook his head with an affect of great sadness. 'I am an old man, and my memory for faces fails me… However, I do recall that it was a young Sinhalese, and I wondered at the time now an estate worker might come by funds enough to purchase two such tickets.' "

"Can you recall the departure date of these tickets?" I asked.

"Now let me think," said the old man, rubbing his bristled chin. "Perhaps, if my memory serves me, around the middle of February."

"The middle of February, I mused: just two weeks after the disappearance of the brothers Atkinson."

"I thanked this veritable sage for his information and made my way to the waiting trap, confident that at last my enquiries were bearing fruit."

"More news awaited me upon my return to the estate. It was late afternoon and Trevor was seated upon the verandah with the first drink of the day at his elbow. 'Will you join me in a sundowner, Holmes?' said he. He despatched a boy with orders to fetch a second drink. "And how went your inquiries?' "

" 'As well, if not better, than expected.' I told him about the tickets purchased by the worker from this very estate."

" 'In that case the affair is solved!'Trevor cried. "The brothers left upon the boat bound for Calcutta!' "

"I rather think not," said I. "You see, Sergeant Mortimer had men checking all the ships leaving the island for two weeks after their disappearance."

"Then what the deuce became of them?"

"We sat in silence for some minutes before Trevor recalled

that he had news to impart. 'By the way, Holmes, you'll be glad to learn that the Anya girl gave birth at noon today. Mother and child fit and well. A little boy, so I'm told.' "

"I lowered my drink. 'I would like to pay them another visit,' I said."

"Trevor stared at me. 'I didn't have you down as a sentimental type, Holmes!' he laughed."

" 'I assure you that my interest is purely professional,' I said. `I suggest that we make haste.' "

Trevor eyed me dubiously. "Very well, Holmes. If you insist."

"He called the boy to ready the trap, and five minutes later we were rolling down the hillside towards the hospital bungalow."

"I took the opportunity to broach a rather delicate issue. 'Trevor,' said I, as my friend manhandled the reins and we rounded a sharp bend. 'I learned today that the brothers were in debt, and moreover were rather partial to an occasional flutter." '

"I recalled my friend's reaction, the day before, when I observed that their card games involved the exchange of money. `I put it to you that you played the brothers at cards for more than mere pennies.' "

"Trevor stiffened. He would not even glance at me. 'You're right, Holmes. I should have known better than to hope you might not find out…' "

"How much did you win from them over the course of your encounters?"

"Trevor huffed and puffed for some time, before muttering, 'Some £500, all told.' "

"Very well. That is all I wished to know. You obviously had an agreement, and after all the game was conducted between gentlemen."

"We continued the ride in uneasy silence. In due course we arrived at the hospital and hurried inside. The elderly doctor showed us to Anya's bed, beside which was a crib bearing the newborn baby."

"One glance at the infant was sufficient to confirm my suspicions. Beside me, Trevor gasped. 'Good God, man! I never thought…' "

"The sleeping child had skin a tone lighter than his mother's, though that was not the clincher. The boy also possessed a fine head of luxuriant blond curls."

"From the bed, Anya was staring at us, tears falling from her massive eyes."

" 'Bruce,' I asked her, 'or William?' "

"It was some minutes before she could master her emotions and bring herself to reply. 'Young master William,' she said. 'We were in love. He promised that when our baby was born, we would go away, far from here, and start a new life together.' "

"She broke down in another fit of tears, and I glanced at Trevor." 'But does this have any bearing on their whereabouts?' he asked.

" 'I think perhaps it might.' I turned to the young girl. 'I take it, Anya, that you conducted your affair with William elsewhere than the house?' "

"She nodded, sobbing. At last she said, 'We met every second day, at six, at the bungalow on MacPherson's Hill.' "

" `To MacPherson's Hill at once!' I said to Trevor."

"Anya grabbed my arm. 'William, Mr Holmes! Do you think…?' "

"I feared the worst, but of course did not inform her. 'We can but hope and pray,' I told her without conviction."

"We lost no time and hurried from the hospital. Trevor drove us at breakneck speed across the estate, each passing minute taking us higher and higher into the green-clad hills."

" 'I wish you'd tell me what you fear and suspect, Holmes!' he cried. 'I am almost beside myself with worry!' "

" 'I cannot be certain,' I told him, 'but I rather think that all is far from well.' "

"We came upon a rise, and Trevor indicated a small timber bungalow situated a hundred yards further along the ridge. He whipped the horse to greater speed and seconds later we careered to a halt outside the bungalow. We jumped down and made our way into the building."

"I looked about the tiny sitting room, while Trevor reconnoitred the adjacent sleeping chamber. 'Holmes!' came the sudden cry."

"I hurried into the bedroom and beheld, placed upon the counterpane in the centre of the bed, a hastily scrawled note."

"I picked up the note and read it. 'Much as I supposed,' I said to myself, passing Trevor the paper."

"He read aloud: My Dear Anya – make haste to Master Trevor with this note. Trevor – for Godsake help us! We were taken by bandits three mornings back. They hold us in the hills, demanding a ransom of some £500, to be left beside the well on Chatterjee Hill. If constables are present, they threaten to kill us. Trevor, I implore you – pay the ranson and we will reimburse you in due course. Please look after Anya until our release.' "

"Signed, William and Bruce Atkinson."

" 'But of course,' said I, 'the day after the brothers disappeared, Anya fell ill and could not make the usual rendezvous.' "

" 'Good God, man,' Trevor cried. 'What tragedy. They might lie dead with their throats cut as we speak. But what now? Do I go ahead and deliver the ransom?' "

" 'I rather think that it is too late in the day for that,' I said." "The kidnappers have despatched them already?"

"I refrained from answering him, but strode outside and climbed into the trap. Trevor rushed after me."

"I said, 'You mentioned yesterday that six months ago, shortly after the brothers disappeared, you locked the outbuildings on the eastern fringes of the estate -' "

"This I did. But I hardly see…"

"Get your men to open every one and search them thoroughly. Time is of the essence."