~~~
It was the summer of June 1902.
And, there was a knock on the door, at 221B Baker Street.
As Mr. Holmes opened the door, he was surprised to see nobody, but something on the door - mat.
A Letter.
It read...
From,
Nathan Garrideb
136 Little Ryder Street
To,
Detective Sherlock Holmes
221B Baker Street
Respected Sir
It is with utmost urgency that I'm writing to you.
I'm Nathan Garrideb, and I'm in need of your help - to find another man, with the same surname as mine.
I was approached by a certain Mr. John Garrideb of Kansas, who said that he needs to find others with the same last name.
I cannot disclose further details in writing.
I request you to come and meet me, at the aforesaid address.
Thanks and Oblige
Nathan Garrideb
~~~
Just as Sherlock was about to inform Watson, of the entire episode, someone came visiting.
It was Mr. John Garrideb.
And, he was seemingly annoyed of the fact that Nathan involved Holmes in the situation.
Claiming to be a lawyer, he spun a story for Sherlock to figure.
He spoke ill of a certain Alexander Hamilton Garrideb, a millionaire land tycoon he met in Kansas...
Claiming that Hamilton Garrideb bequeathed his $15,000,000 estate to John Garrideb on the provision that he find two more Garridebs to share it with equally.
And thus, John had come to England to seek out people with the name, having failed in his own country.
So far, he had managed to find only Nathan.
During the interview, Holmes detected many discrepancies in John Garrideb's story, but decided not to confront him.
~~~
After John left Baker Street...
Sherlock took to contemplating towards what he had just narrated.
John's story piqued Holmes' interest, and he decided to contact Nathan Garrideb to investigate further.
Upon arrival at Little Ryder Street, Holmes observed a nameplate displaying Nathan Garrideb outside the house.
It had obviously been there for years; so Holmes concluded that Garrideb was at least Nathan's true surname.
~~~
It turned out that Nathan Garrideb was an elderly eccentric - who collected everything from ancient coins to old bones.
Garrideb's house looked like a small Museum.
He was obviously a serious collector, but had nothing of great value in his collection.
Holmes found out that John Garrideb had never asked for any money, nor had he suggested any course of action.
Nathan Garrideb had no reason, it seemed, to be suspicious of John Garrideb.
This puzzled Holmes. :(
~~~
Meanwhile, Watson had lost consciousness and had to be shifted to Nathan's bedroom and a doctor had to be called for.
Watson had supposedly collapsed owing to work stress.
The doctor advised Holmes to let Watson take rest for the day.
~~~
Sherlock decided to proceed with the case on his own, as two different versions of the same story were perplexing him to no end.
~~~
Midst the entire confusion of events, John Garrideb arrived in a most jolly mood!
He had apparently found a third Garrideb, as proof of which he showed Holmes a newspaper advertisement purportedly placed by a Howard Garrideb in the course of his everyday business.
Holmes spotted instantly that John Garrideb had placed the advertisement himself from various Americanisms in the spelling and wording.
~~~
Despite Nathan Garrideb's objections - for he was a man who very seldom went out - John Garrideb insisted that Nathan go to Birmingham and meet this Howard Garrideb.
~~~
It had now become clear to Holmes what the "rigmarole of lies" was all about.
John Garrideb wanted Nathan Garrideb to be out of his house for a while.
~~~
Meanwhile, Watson had got up from a disturbed rest...
Made his way to Baker Street...
And...
He detailed the entire account to Holmes.
According to Watson, he'd solved the entire case, in his dream, over the course of the night!
Mr. Holmes,
What I am just about to narrate to you may baffle you to a large extent.
It is an unbelievable feat for me too, to have achieved.
I've been able to crack this entire Garrideb Triangle in my sleep, with the aid of a certain smartphone!
It introduced itself as Mr. Zen and guided me around this entire mystery.
It said, it had three Unique Characteristics which could help me bust the villian!
~~~
I Could...
See, What Others Couldn't See...
Quite Magically, it placed itself on the palm of my hand and started flashing pictures with the blink of an eye.
Each time I blinked, a new picture flashed. It said it was owing to its unique UI.
Whatever that may be, I saw Inspector Lestrade, talking to you, and identifying John Garrideb as James Winter alias Morecroft alias "Killer" Evans.
I could see him escape prison. I also saw how he killed a certain Mr. Rodger Presbury, a Chicago forger whose description, Mr. Zen showed, matched that of the former occupant of Nathan Garrideb's room.
~~~
I Could...
Do, What Others Couldn't Do...
The very next moment, I was there, with you, Mr. Holmes, armed with revolvers, at Garrideb's House.
We did not have to wait long before Winter showed up.
From our hiding place, we saw the criminal use a crowbar to open a trapdoor revealing a little cellar.
We captured Winter, but not before he managed to shoot twice, striking me in the leg.
~~~
And, in my dream...
With Mr. Zen...
You Could...
Feel, What Others Couldn't Feel...
~~~
You were distraught over my injury, and struck Winter on the head with the butt of a gun hard enough to draw blood, vowing that the villain would have never left the house alive if he had killed me.
Fortunately, my wound was superficial.
~~~
I, again...
Saw The Unexpected!
The little cellar contained a printing press and stacks of counterfeit banknotes, hidden there by Presbury, the man that Winter had killed.
Winter was sent back to prison.
Nathan Garrideb ended up in a nursing home, so great is his disappointment, but many CID men were pleased that Presbury's equipment had at last been found.
I seemed the happiest at the adventure's outcome despite being hurt, declaring,
"It was worth a wound, it was worth many wounds, to know the depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask.", from the sight of Holmes's panic and rage over his friend's shooting.
~~~
Mr. Sherlock Holmes, was indeed baffled!
Watson WAS NOT there, in the entire proceeding of events that took place across the entire day!
Yet, Watson WAS there.
He'd witnessed, together with Sherlock, what Holmes had witnessed alone.
What he'd accounted for, was absolutely true.
Winter was in prison, at the end of the day.
~~~
But, how did Watson get to know of all this and be present at the moment was the question!
All Mr. Holmes knew was that the Garrideb Triangle was solved...
And Watson was safe! :)
Maybe, it was another mystery.
Another challenge, for Watson and Holmes to solve...
~~~
Invisibility, Yet Accountability...
A Dream Catcher, Turning Events To Reality...
Whoever This Mr. Zen Was...
Even In Watson's Sleep...
He Was A Super Hero.
It Was A Super Phone! :D
~~~
This post is a part of
In Search Of Incredible Contest by
ASUS India in association with
IndiBlogger.
The plot of the mystery has been adapted as per the one given on
Wikipedia to highlight the Zenfone's super power.
