4. Chapter 4 (1/2)

lestrade didn't utter a word as i ushered him into a cab. nor did he bother trying to protest when i insisted on helping him down once we reached his home. he was barely keeping himself together.

elisabeth smiled as she let us in. "hello, john." she greeted me as she took over the handling of her husband. "i'll just put him to bed." i watched as she began maneuvering her husband up the stairs with the grace and ease of a woman who has done so many times over the years. "it's late; perhaps you might stay with us tonight? the couch is comfortable." she offered.

i watched the two for a moment longer, then slipped into the kitchen to return the basket. i set it on the table, and made my way to the sitting room.

i took a seat on the couch. it was comfortable.

i wondered if i should accept elisabeth's hospitality. if lestrade was called in, it would be better if i were here. i would be able to make sure the man reached scotland yard safely; i really didn't like the idea of him wandering through london alone in his condition.

of course, i did have several medical visits to make tomorrow, and the thought of sleeping in my own bed was immensely appealing. and surely elisabeth could make her husband wait for me to get here if there were a call. gregson had assured me they would send for me as well, and i could simply stop here on the way to scotland yard.

elisabeth returned from putting her husband to bed. "he's out." she told me as she entered the sitting room. "thank you for going with him."

"not at all." i replied. "we couldn't have him loose in london in his condition."

she smiled at that, then asked. "will you stay the night?"

i shook my head. "i have my rounds to make in the morning, and i think it's best if i head home. thank you, though." she looked worried, and i added, "gregson said if they needed lestrade they'd let me know as well, so if that happens, i will stop by here on the way and your husband and i can go together."

she nodded, and relaxed a bit. "well, good night then, john."

"good night, elisabeth." i said.

i made it home without incident, and went to bed almost immediately. i had little trouble getting to sleep, for it had been a long day.

i started on my rounds after

eakfast the next morning, but my thoughts, whenever they were not occupied with dealing with the complaints of the people i was visiting, kept wandering back to this business at scotland yard.

why had hall shot superintendent marshall?

just what was it that lestrade was supposed to know?

i hoped that they wouldn't need the man today, but knew better than to expect as much. it had been clear enough last night that he would likely be needed before long; the other inspectors had seen lestrade's condition and would do what they could without him, but it would still be likely that he was called in.

i stopped by to see dr. mills after i finished my rounds. he looked tired, but waved me over. "he's alive, and still stable, if that's what you wanted to know." he said as i joined him.

i smiled. "i thought it might be nice to have good news if i was asked today." i admitted.

"and you will be, i'm sure." mills replied. "i saw lestrade yesterday. are you sure he should be up? he looked ready to collapse on the spot."

i sighed. "he shouldn't be up, but try telling him that. especially with what happened to the superintendent. i was lucky he was completely exhausted last night, or i doubt i would have managed to get him to go home."

"how is his arm? i noticed it was tied down?"

"his wife did that." i told him. "the woman knows her husband. there was no way he was getting that loose. i had enough trouble myself when i went to see how the injury was healing."

"and it's healing well?" mills asked.

"it's healing." i agreed. "it'll still be some time before we know if he'll ever be able to use it again, but it looks good so far."

"i'm glad to hear it." he said. i wasn't surprised. dr. mills and i may have disagreed over how to deal with lestrade's injury, and he may not have been happy when i had taken over, but mills was a doctor, and a good man. mills offered me a smile. "i have to admit that i was both surprised and pleased to see the inspector on his feet last night, even if he should have still been in bed. it meant that he was at least on the mend."

he wouldn't apologize. he had been acting as his conscience and his medical experience had led him. there was nothing to apologize for in that.

"i have to admit," i told him, "there were times when i wondered if i hadn't made the wrong choice. the infection alone…"

"it seems to be working out." mills assured me. "but i don't have to tell you to watch him all the same."

"no, you don't." i agreed. "but i'm getting sidetracked. marshall?"

"the man is weak, and it's still possible we might lose him. but his condition has been pretty stable, and we're doing everything we can." mills informed me, and i chuckled.

"spoken like a true doctor." i joked, and mills laughed.

"all right, well, we're supposed to be reassuring without getting people's hopes up, now aren't we?" he asked. "but as long as we don't get any nasty surprises, he should recover. how's that?"

i nodded. "i imagine you don't want visitors from the yard?"

mills frowned. "do you think they would visit him?"

i shook my head. "they'll ask after him, but they'll figure he'd appreciate them dealing with the situation than showing up and annoying him. and they'd be right. but if they get any leads, and want to question him…"