The Autobiography of Mycroft Holmes

Chapter 17: The Stranger

It was early in May; the Friday before Lestrade's upcoming wedding. I even remember the day: May 2nd.

Lestrade's wedding was set to occur on May 9th, and the preparations were just coming to a close. I began to think after weeks of Gina's indecision that she had always meant to postpone it, regardless of whether or not there was a murder.

I had been elected to the Junior President position and made a Junior just before in an unceremonious manner being as it was an odd occurrence. Tom, as always, was my Vice leader.

On this day, Sherlock came with me to the Diogenes Club. It was not like she had not done it before, but I think it is very interesting to mention that she was there especially on this day since it coincidentally was also the day of the murder of another Senior in the Diogenes.

"So, why haven't you solved the case yet?" Sherlock asked me, when we had been in the Stranger's Room for a while.

"It's a complicated case. It will not be solved quickly. It needs time. This is a calculating mass murderer that we are dealing with. This is not a quickly solved case, sister, and you above all should realize this."

"Fine then," Sherlock said. "But if you need assistance, I'm not unavailable."

She was being evasive, like I was sometimes. She learned it from me, and I didn't like it at all.

"I'll consult you if necessary," I said, standing up. "It was nice to see you today, Sherlock," I said as if she did not live with me and saw me every day. I did not want more Diogenes members than necessary knowing I lived with my sister.

"Nice to be at the Club, Mycroft. You come here less than you used to."

"I've been busy."

"Clearly, you have," Sherlock said. "You're out on most nights."

Seeing Chris, I thought. But Sherlock didn't need to know I had a boyfriend. "I'm working," I said.

"On what?!" Sherlock asked me. "You're my bookkeeper! What else do you do?"

"Keep my books, too. I earn an income now, from the Diogenes Club. For use as a leader in the Club, but mostly as an incentive to stay in a leadership position at the Diogenes."

"Whatever," Sherlock stated passively. "I'm leaving. I'll go see Lestrade at New Scotland Yard."

"See you later at home," I said.

"Goodbye, Mycroft," Sherlock said, not knowing that I wouldn't be home for a long time, that I'd be detained for hours that night at the Club.

I stayed at the Diogenes Club all day. I spent my time in the Stranger's Room, introducing myself to other Club members that may not have known that I became the President of the Juniors while they weren't looking one day.

I got mixed reactions. Aside from some of the older members who thought it was, and I quote, "blasphemous" that a woman should hold a position of such honor, others were pleased and still others were disgusted that they were not notified that the position had been filled.

After a day of campaigning for a position I had already attained, I was exhausted. Once most of the members had left for the night, I walked back into the sanctorium to gather my things and leave. But that was when I noticed something interesting.

All of my things were gone. In fact, all the belongings of all the members that remained at the Club were gone from the sanctorium as well.

I called a security associate, who had no idea what he was doing and who in turn called another security associate, who in turn called the two Seniors who remained at the Club until now. They were Cedars and Barnett.