Viceroy's Personal Assistant

There was havoc in the streets of London. The Viceroy went missing. Major detectives were employed for the task to unveil the kidnapper. A handsome amount was promised. Sir Sherlock Holmes, was aware of what was happening in the streets that time, so he simply called upon Dr. Watson for a drink. After his evening practice, Dr. Watson reached Holmes and they spent a lovely evening together discussing the ongoing events.

Holmes told Watson about the disappeared Viceroy and Watson was really taken aback when Holmes told him that for the handsome prize money, over fifteen detectives had come to him begging his help.

Well, they all had failed in their attempts to find the Viceroy and now the Queen herself wrote to Holmes to take up the matter. So, Watson had been called for some personal assistance by Holmes and they both went off to stroll over Baker Street and see the beautifully snowing snow flakes in the new moon of mid-January.

While strolling across the street, Holmes noticed that Mr. Helmuth, the missing Viceroy's personal assistant, was out so late on such a snowy night. Holmes asked Mr. Helmuth "Hello Gentleman! Where have you been so late on this wintry night? " Mr. Helmuth replied, "Ohh Dear, What a poor day it had been. I had boarded the wrong bus while moving with the crowd on the platform and reached some place far away. Fortunately, I found some ex-colleagues with whom I later fell in an utter discussion."

"Well enough, you are finally back home. Did your friends drop you here? "

"Ohh no friend, we just had a drink and discussed about my new job with Mr. Fin and that was all when I bid them and returned. "

"Did you tell them about the disappearance of Mr. Fin, the missing Viceroy, if I am not mistaken, Mr. Helmuth?"

Helmuth tried to change the topic and wanted to leave as soon as possible as he never spoke to Holmes about his person matters, but Holmes wanted him to speak to Helmuth about the Viceroy as things were happening with him since Helmuth had taken up the job of being his personal assistant.

He simply said "No, they were already aware of it" and left saying a good night to both of us.

Holmes decided to return back home as we bid Mr. Helmuth.

Reaching back, Holmes lighted a cigar and the fireplace and moving back and forth said, "Watson, I am afraid that this man, Helmuth has something to do with the disappearance of the great Viceroy. May we take up the matter again tomorrow. I want you here by half past five, dressed as a normal person and not as a doctor. Good Night. And you may leave now."

The next day, Holmes took me to the Viceroy's office where we found Helmuth lying dead. The case had become even more complicated. Holmes examined Helmuth's uniform and found some notes on a crinkly piece of yellow sheet. On it, it was written:

"See me at the cigarette shop at 7 p.m. alone and without anyone's notice. Also make sure that you are not there in your uniform. Make sure that you bring this letter along. A car will be sent at the cigarette shop to pick you. Come in that and meet me. I am not sharing my address over here. Good Day"

Greffton Fin

(Signed)

Watson was shocked to see that it was a letter by the Viceroy's brother who wanted to meet him. And also Helmuth had been shot dead before he could have a meeting with the Viceroy's brother. Holmes was now a bit more clear about his next step. He told Watson to leave for his house and have the meal while he will be back after dinner time.

As per the letter, Holmes dressed as Helmuth and reached the cigarette shop and sat in the car which had been sent there by Greffton. Greffton was not shocked when he saw that it was not Helmuth but someone else. He greeted Holmes and sat with him for a chat. Greffton told Holmes that it had been a week that his brother had not been seen and now he himself had started doubting the new assistant, Helmuth. Helmuth's attitude did not change when he was told of the missing Viceroy. He continued his daily routine and Started sitting on the Viceroy's desk himself.

Greffton spoke all that with an emotion of revenge. And disclosed that Helmuth was murdered by one of his men. He gave the reason that if anyone would be against him, would check his uniform for sure for any message by the rivals of the Viceroy. And it was Holmes, luckily and Greffton promised a hefth amount for finding out his brother.

Back home, Holmes elaborated the whole scene to Dr. Watson who was eagerly listening to all that happened. Now, Holmes decided to board the wrong bus, as by Mr. Helmuth and see if his friends we're there again. To recognise his friends, he took with him, a photo of Mr. Helmuth.

Travelling different wrong paths for the first two days, Holmes was in a state of rage and now he was really furious. He on the third day was able to find Helmuth's friends and the next few days as well, he met them at the same place (at the Crossroad Bar) and became a group member. They told Holmes about themselves, all that Holmes asked and that too, all truth as they were drunk!!

Holmes was happy meeting a group of foolish but smart people.

They were actually the one who had planned the Viceroy's Kidnapping in such a way that no one got to know about it. They entered his office at night, when Helmuth had insisted him to complete the work which could hardly take half an hour. The two shut all the guards out and were alone in the office. Helmuth's friends we're happy as they had found their task easy now. They just put the chloroform and took him out from the same way they had came in.

Holmes was delighted but was not able to detect where they had kept the Viceroy. He checked out the residence of each and every group member but could not detect anything regarding the matter.

He then decided to visit Mr. Greffton.

Meeting him, he shared about Helmuth's group of friends whom he frequently contacted and supported for the kidnapping of the Viceroy.

Greffton was shocked.

Holmes had to calm him down and ask the details of what all places did Helmuth visit during his shift with his brother. Greffton could not say anything, but he remembered that the day before his brother disapeared, Greffton visited his office for tea. He remembered that Helmuth took permission for visiting a nearby hotel where a friend of his was staying.

Holmes thanked him and went to all the hotels near the Viceroy's office. There were as many as 23 hotels. He visited them one by one. Only in the last hotel, named Crossy Nights, he could find evidences of finding the Viceroy as he found one of the members of Helmuth's group working there as a waiter and smiling at him as if everything was okay with him. He suddenly ran towards the kitchen door in a panic when he saw Holmes. Holmes' eyes brightened up after seeing him run away. He asked the hotel desk if that waiter owned any room there. And he was right guessing it. The Viceroy was being taken care of by the waiter and was going to be killed in the next few days by that group just for the sake of getting money from the queen, not as a reward, but as a ransom for getting back such a nice minded and hardworking Viceroy.

Holmes got the gang arrested that very day and disclosed the whole incident to the media. He got honored by the queen, the Viceroy, the Viceroy's brother and also by Dr. Watson.

His buddy, Dr. Watson had been waiting for him to complete this task and spend a happy evening with him and when Holmes was back, Watson greeted him, by offering a bottle of whiskey and saying, " Today it's my turn and you cannot leave by simply saying that I have another case to solve..... "

Holmes replied, "Well my dear Watson, I never know how do you get to know of my work even before I tell you about it, but actually it is true that I am already up with another mystery to solve. "

After a long silence, Holmes said, "Okay, I am going to have it with you, fine..... "

And they both laughed heartily, singing their favourite song and celebrating Holmes' another victory......