Sherlock Holmes and the Discarded Cigarette (7 page)

Chapter 23

 

Returning to 221 B Baker Street Holmes instructed me as to what we would need for tomorrows early vigil while he conducted scientific tests on the two discarded cigarettes that were in his keep.

“Our Druitt is a man of expensive tastes Watson” came Holmes voice from his laboratory “How so?” was my reply while checking the coal oil lamp. “Both cigarettes are labeled as Dunbar it is an extraordinary cross-cut English flake the result of a complex mixture of the finest Virginias, choice Turkish and Oriental tobaccos hard-pressed and broad-cut into thick flakes.”

“Where would Druitt have purchased them?” I asked my curiosity now piqued “An educated guess” my friend said. I already knew that he had fixed the shop where they had come from “J.F. Germain & Son pipe, cigarette tobaccos.” was Holmes answer. A visit later that day to that particular tobacconist would confirm both the product and its customer.

Chapter 24

 

During my bachelor day with Holmes I remembered be awakened early in the morning to pursue some clue or apprehend some criminal but these early risings had always happened just as the sun was lighting the eastern sky. This particular morning as I was feeling myself being gently jostled and Holmes telling me wake and get ready to go it was still dark outside.

Sitting up on Holmes chesterfield shaking off the effects of sleep I asked the obvious question “What time of the night is it Holmes?” “It's three in the morning Watson, and to answer your next question I want us to be waiting at Burke & Wills Removals and Storage before Druitt arrives.

It was an odd site as we both quietly stepped out the front door of 221 B Baker Street to know that only Holmes, myself and the hansom cab driver were the only ones awake and active at this early hour.

“Watson you first” as he pointed towards the interior of the cab I listened from inside as Holmes first gave directions to the driver as to our destination then instructions to pick up other fares later that morning.

We arrived just before four in the morning and as the last time the pad lock on the entry door proved to be no challenge. Closing the entry door behind us and once inside the ware house Holmes lit the coal oil lamp so we could find our way around in the pitch dark interior.

Walking around carefully Holmes stated to me “Watson we will need some sort of blind where we can see the area where the machines tracks were found but where you and I cannot be detected.”

Noticing a large collection of crates that were just a little more than waste high and wide enough for us not too be seen I pointed this “blind” out to Holmes. Going around Holmes and I crouched down and waited for Druitt's arrival. “Watson” Holmes asked did you bring your service revolver?” “I have a feeling that once Druitt has been found out he may not be too cooperative and may try to attempt an escape.”

I opened my coat just enough for Holmes to see the weapon. Pulling out his pocket watch from his vest and seeing what time it was Holmes extinguished the coal oil lamp and announced “I believe Druitt will be joining us shortly

Still finding the thought of a functioning time machine hard to believe and accept I fully expected the large vertical doors to start opening shortly and see a team of horses pulling a large goods wagon start to make its way inside.

Chapter 25

 

What we both witnessed next had never been seen by any one before except by the characters in Wells novel and after today would never be witnessed again. It as if one fire fly had some how gotten into the darkened ware house only to be joined by more and more. These insects seemed to bringing with them the energy one feels just before a lighting storm

They swirled around loosely for a short time then the different point of lights started to coalesce into a single source of light. It was at this point I expected to see and a feel a lightening bolt the bright light remained formless only for a short time then started to take shape.

Looking just over top of the crates at the phenomenon I asked Holmes “Is that Wells time machine?” My question was answered as the image of light started to take on more color and form.

I should say here that to truly appreciate this event the reader would have had to have been present with us that morning to witness this event. Words make a poor substitute but I shall try to tell you what I saw next.

Even before it came into final focus I could tell that the machine was constructed of brass tubes or rails. Even with out measuring it I tell it was the length and width we had determined from our last visit.

Not a lot of fine detail of the machine was still visible except for two facts, one I could just make out that there was some one (I assumed it was Druitt) operating the machines controls and two there was a large disk at the rear of the machine was seemed to slowing down while still rotating.

Still just looking over the top of the crate we saw the large disk almost stop its motion it was then that we knew we had our quarry. In front of us with out any doubt was Wells time machine. The mechanical drawings didn't give any real credit or justice as to what a piece of engineering it was or what a work of art it was.

As I had ascertained it was Druitt seated at the controls from what I could tell he was pushing down on a small crystal shaft obviously to stop the machine. Still mesmerized by this wonder I heard Holmes instruct me “Now is the moment Watson. Draw your service revolver.” Then we both reveled ourselves to Druitt from behind the crates where we had been hidden.

Surprised that Druitt hadn't seen our motion Holmes announced to him in a loud voice “Druitt remove you hands from the machines controls and place them in the air!” Looking both shocked and surprised Druitt failed to immediately react to Holmes instructions.

“Druitt” Holmes tried again “My friend Dr. Watson has a service revolver aimed at you and I should remind you that all his years in the army he has never missed his target.” With that Druitt placed both his hands in the air and awaited further instructions.

“Now you will slowly stand up, remove yourself from the machine and walk slowly in our direction.” Coming towards us in slow measured steps Druitt commented “Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson, what a pleasure to see you both again. I had counted on us never crossing paths after the Jack the Ripper business.”

“Well if not for at first glance a series of seemingly unconnected incidents we might not find ourselves here in this ware house at this early hour of the morning.” Holmes returned.

“Watson, keep your service revolver pointed at Druitt while I go to investigate the extent of the damage he may have already done to the art world.” With that both Druitt and I watched Holmes approach the time machine.

Chapter 26

 

First he stepped onto the machine and sat down on the chair Druitt had occupied upon his most spectacular arrival. Holmes then delicately touched all of the controls in front of him wisely understanding that he did not know their function or what might happen if he activated any of them.

He then turned around to notice a small collection of oil paintings that had been secured to the back of the operator's seat. Untying the cord that had held them there, he looked in turn to each one then looked directly at Druitt asking “Originals or copies?”

Druitt answered some what cryptically “Mr. Holmes in front of you there is a panel with two dates, one is my departure date and one is my arrival date. Read the date on the left then the one on the right that should answer your question.

Carefully putting the paintings back down Holmes turned around and followed Druitt's instructions. I held my breath while I waited to hear Holmes answer. I could tell he was having problems with the evidence the two panels were now presenting him with.

Then coldly and logically Holmes stated the date 1895 then followed with the date 1995. Already sensing my disbelief Druitt calmly said “Yes Dr. Watson with this remarkable machine I have traveled 100 years into the future. After I had it shipped from the continent and assembled here I wasn't too sure just how much potential it might have or be capable of. So my first few voyages were limited first to just a day then week, I thought of these early trips as voyages of exploration.

“Part of these early voyages of exploration was to see what this part of the city would look like in say a day or in year's time, but also to see if this particular ware house would still be here in whatever time I chose to travel to. It would make for very unnecessary complications to my plans for any one in the future to know about my machine and my uses for it.”

“When I was confident enough about my machines capabilities I went ahead 100 years. Fortune one hundred years in the future smiled on me Dr. Watson for although being a little worse for ware Burke & Wills Removals and Storage was still located here in 1995”.

Chapter 27

 

I took umbrage that Druitt had referred to Wells machine as his own then commented on his bold and still some what unbelievable statement “Obviously with criminal intent” I muttered. Almost as if he had heard my comment or had read my thoughts Druitt continued “It wasn't too long before I realized the true potential of Mr. Wells's machine in connection to my profession.”

“Art forgery in this time has reached a certain level of perfection, but there is the matter of how long it takes to produce a copy. I doubt that you are aware of the fact that creating a reasonable copy is a time consuming process, and for me anyway Dr. Watson volume is my prime consideration.”

Despite the fact that I still had my service revolver pointed at him I could hear the sound of Druitt's voice get a bit cocky as if he was proud of what he had accomplished. I cut him off sharply by saying “How is the time machine connected with the forgeries.”

Then before he began again a cold feeling ran down me when I remembered what Jeffery Daniels the young art restorer had told us about the forged Hughes painting
“Gentlemen in all my years as an art restorer I have used and worked with many different types and kinds of pigments and oil paints, but there is nothing in these paints used that I can even come close to identifying.”

Then in a moment of inspiration I deduced “You went far enough ahead in time to where you could locate resources and art forgers not unlike yourself to have copies that could be produced fairly quickly then brought back to this time to sell.” Druitt acknowledged my observation with “You would be surprised Dr. Watson how fast a good copy of a painting such as, say The Long Goodbye by Hughes can be produced in the year 1995. And more so the number of art forgers who in that time are willing to carry out such a lucrative enterprise.”

Chapter 28

 

Then Holmes coming back from the time machine to where we were both standing continued on the trail. “It was a brilliant plan no doubt, but it came to an end when a young art restorer could not identify the composition of the pigments in the oils that were used to paint the forged Hughes.

“Having knowledge of your criminal career and the fact you had dealings with the ex Mrs. Wells and what she was willing to part with no doubt for a considerable amount of money it was only a matter of time when our paths would cross.” There was a moment of silence when Holmes and I heard an authoritative knock on the entrance door.

Holmes then pulled out his watch from his vest pocket then announced “Ah right on time. That should be the Metropolitan Police for our art forger” “Watson would you please escort Druitt to the trades man door and into their custody. Having to explain where these forged paintings came from will be tricky enough but having to explain the existence of a functioning time machine might be next to impossible.

While I escorted Druitt out of the ware house and into the hands of the waiting Metropolitan Police Holmes went back to remove the forged paintings still located behind the operators seat and no doubt to decide the fate of Wells functioning time machine.

Having transferred custody, seeing Druitt was being placed in the police wagon and starting its return journey back towards its final destination I too starting have questions to about the fate of such an elegant and technological wonder.

Chapter 29

 

Walking back into the warehouse I saw my friend deep in study about how one went about traveling into the future. I stood quietly beside him until he was ready to share any observations he might have “It is almost miraculous how a set of mechanical drawing can become what we see before us isn't it Watson”

Asking the obvious “What's to done with it then?” “I think that should be decided by its creator who should be joining us shortly.” Holmes answered.” You have invited Wells here. You were very confident then that you would apprehend Druitt then” Holmes smiled the briefest of smiles then said “You can...never foretell what any one man will do, but you can say with precision what an average number will be up to. Individuals vary, but percentages remain constant.”

A softer knock on the entrance door told of us Wells arrival. “Watson if would be so kind as to let Mr. Wells in and prepare him for the inevitable shock he is about to experience.” So as instructed I went to the entrance door opened it and invited Wells inside.