the great stone caper CH.3

I had risen earlier then the usual hour, quickly got myself together, and scribbled a note to Mrs. Hudson letting her know of my whereabouts for the day--being that she was still coping with the shock of Holmes being arrested--I didn't want to send her spiraling back to her hysterical state. She'd probably be struck by brain fever if I were not to explain as to why I had vanished.
These were the thoughts that were fermenting in my mind as I placed the scribbled note on the end table near the door. I headed swiftly out the door and called for a hansom. "To Scotland yard." I say to the cabby and I was off.
Upon arriving, I found there to be many, if not the majority, of the policemen to be missing from the building(being so early), though I did manage to bump into Lestrade as I was walking down the corridor.
"Good morning, Lestrade." said I, with a tip of my hat. "Good dawn is more like it." Lestrade retorted with a yawn. He blinked a few times, then his eyes became wide, "Oh, Watson, do excuse me for the unruly behavior. It's quite blatant that I am not a morning person." He stated in a rather hoarse tone. The darkness of his eyes were emphasized by the fact that he had bags beneath them.
"Why are you awake at this hour, especially if you don't desire to be?" said I.
"Well unlike you, Doctor, my day begins at this hour on a regular basis. It may not be the most comforting, but it is my duties." His tone sounded as if it struck a bit of a nerve, though he restrained it. "But I don't see many other officers in the building currently."
His cheeks turned a tint of scarlet. "I'm quite certain that you didn't come here to pester me, so what is it that you want?" He said sharply.
I smiled, "Forgive me for coming off as rather irksome, but I'd like to visit Holmes."
He smirked "I should've thought as much-"
"But you didn't, did you?"
His smirk disappeared. "You've been around that 'smart 'aleck, as the Americans would say, too much for your own good."
"That may be, though I'd like to get to the bottom of this grizzly business."
Lestrade laughed "What do I care? The man is getting fitted for his noose, anyway."
My mouth hung agape, which seemed to make the ends of Lestrade's mouth curl. "How could he be getting sent to the gallows if he was only arrested for a day?" My voice was filled with aspiration.
"We've managed to gain enough evidence to not even need a trial or at least a very long one, and did it the same day of his arrest." His voice was a snowball of pride, getting larger and larger as he continued. "His life is now hanging on a string, waiting to be cut," Lestrade bent over and then whispered in my ear, "The only thing keeping him alive is the large line of convicts expecting death row."
He moved back over to his original position. There was a bit of a silence between the two of us due to the fact that I was so overcome by shock, that I didn't quite know how to respond. I was just amazed that I myself wasn't struck by brain fever.
Finally, Lestrade pulled his pocket watch out by the fob, glanced at it, and placed it back in his pocket. "Well if you're just going to be sitting there like a vegetable, I shall be on my way."
I had awoken from my trance and stared at him for a few extra moments. He gave me a look of uneasiness, "So?" said he.
"Will I be able to see him?"
"You know my answer."
"Oh."
"Continue down the corridor, second hand to the right, third to last in the hall."
"Thank you," I spoke with a low and light tone--like a child when they know they are being punished--turned and continued down the hall. Looking over my shoulder, I could see Lestrade's ferret like silhouette in the dimly lit hall shrink as I walked down it.