The Sign of Four - Part Six

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for just six pounds a month binge ad-free adventures in full and have access to so much more over at patreon.com forward slash sherlock and co

previously on sherlock and co my son my son is missing he told his friends he was with

mohinder singh he doesn't go to the school right we all discovered that he didn't have a job a part-time job that is He told us he did.

He just delivered a local magazine.

Train.

Train to Pondicherry.

Come on, go, go, go.

Welcome to Pondicherry.

Where are we going, Chuck?

And we are walking to the Hidden Temple.

The Hidden Temple?

Let's just exercise caution.

This door has trapped trespassers before.

The vines haven't grown much since the last visitor?

Correct.

Someone has been recently.

Just here?

Oh, he's put his hands in with the snakes.

Can I kick that one?

He's done nothing but hiss at me since I came in here.

You're right.

It's a door.

Let me close it back up.

It's a massacre.

What?

Where is it?

It's not here.

It's been taken.

The sign of four.

Mohinda Singh, Abdullah Khan, Dost Akbar.

Mary, when she was in Afghanistan on her first tour, she was kidnapped and held hostage in a cave.

The soldiers that had her, they were telling her that Abdullah Khan was coming.

Her dad, in the stories, the bad guy, he was called Dost.

So Abdullah Khan, Dost Akbar.

They're in the sign of four.

They're hunting her, and Captain Morstan knew they would come for her.

But who?

What?

When we first met Precia,

she claimed his friends had mentioned he'd been meeting a man named Mohinda Singh.

Okay, folks, the Z-Belt sign is now on as we complete our descent into London Heathrow.

Apologies for that bumpy first half of the flight.

We're coming in now now for some wet and windy weather, so you may get a few more lumps and bumps.

Cabin crew, prepare for landing.

There she is.

If London is a she.

Yeah, I think she's a she.

Yeah?

Sure.

She can be a she.

Oh, there's that dames.

Oh, it's so wriggly and twisty, isn't it?

Yeah, he is very indecisive.

Well, he is very lucky right now.

Is he?

Yes, because El Galleon and the Lufia is in town.

Oh

K.

It's amazing.

Big, beautiful Galleon from the 16th or 17th century, I don't remember.

Wow, that's done well to stay afloat.

It's a replica.

Oh.

But still,

I'm gonna visit before it sails out of my life.

Well, good on you.

I'll come along.

Yeah, definitely.

It's always quite nice when the plane has to circle a bit, isn't it?

Yeah, you get to see the sights, even if they are getting absolutely pelted with rain.

Yeah.

And in all that, down there, all those buildings, all those

people,

there's a boy missing.

I wish I could see him and pick him out like one of those claw machines.

Just plug him out of there like a teddy bear and take him home.

They never work those things, though, do they?

What?

The claw machines.

Mate of mine told me they can tweak the tension on them.

Oh, really?

The little alien things?

Alien things?

Yeah, with um, you know, a buzz buzz light chair?

Ah, right.

Yeah,

rigged.

Wow, the world is a sick place.

Telling you, mate.

We will find him.

I know.

Thank you, mate.

Thank you.

I'm waiting for one of you to open the door.

I didn't bring my keys.

Why not?

Because I was in India.

I don't need my keys in India.

Would you like me to make a hook device out of the wiring from this old TV cable that runs up the face of the property to then put through the top window and unlock?

No, I do not want you to make a hook device from the old TV cable that runs up the face of the property.

John, can you open the door, please?

I gave mine to Wiggins.

But he left here an hour ago.

So the hook device would be lowered through the slightly open top window, and then to reach and undo the latch.

Stop.

Just use your key.

I.

Oh, goddammit.

I put it in my little case that won't open because this stupid lock is broken.

Look, I am.

I am too tired for this.

I'm looked out of my stupid apartment and it's getting late.

I want to see my dog.

I want to change my clothes.

It's okay.

It's okay.

Could you make a hook device, please, mate?

Yep.

Mary

Oh, man,

Wow, dozed off.

Having dreams, are we?

Uh, yeah.

No.

Dunno.

Would have thought you'd seen enough of her these past few days.

I wasn't dreaming about her.

You just said her name.

Different Mary.

Oh, I'm sure.

Yeah, actually.

Which Mary was it then?

Mary.

Mary.

Mary, the Virgin Mary, the Jesus' mum.

You were dreaming about Jesus's mum.

Yes.

You're happy saying that on the podcast are you?

No, wait, not his mum, not his mum.

No, actually,

I think it was Mary Berry.

These lies aren't even fooling Archie.

Oh, blimey.

Oh, surely out for the count then.

That was a lot longer than a power nap, wasn't it?

What sort of time span would be considered a power nap?

Uh five minutes.

Then, yes, it was longer.

Longer by how much?

Three hours and twenty-one minutes.

Oh.

Wow, yeah, okay, slightly overdid it.

Um, there.

What time?

You're wearing it then?

Hmm?

Your heirloom.

Uh, haha, yeah.

Yeah, I am.

Good for you.

Thanks.

Maybe you should have a light.

Okay.

You're still in the same clothes.

Have you been awake this whole time?

I

have.

Thought it was a fairly straightforward question.

In times like this,

my monotropic mind can run and run.

It can feel infant.

Or at least devoid of time.

Your monotropic mind?

Yes.

You

and most people, in fact, have polytropic minds.

Focus is a hard-fought task.

Thoughts are splintered and competing.

Oh, I know, mate.

You don't have to tell me twice.

Well, I mean, actually, you do have to tell me twice a lot of the time, because I'm, you know, distracted.

You know, maybe even three or four times, to be honest.

And what about you?

I can have polytropic moments, yes.

But otherwise, thoughts, concepts, and postulation run in a single unbroken line.

I work through every perception individually.

Is this why you eat things in a certain order?

I do.

Yeah.

Do you have an example?

Well, on the flight, you had ravioli.

Tortellini.

Fine, yeah, same thing.

Different shape, size, texture, and name, but fine.

Right, sure, yeah.

Anyway, you unpacked the tortellini.

You know, you took out the innards and put them to one side, and then the pasta shells on the other side.

You ate the pasta shells first, and then the innards.

Uh doesn't everyone do that?

Uh no.

Oh.

I mean sometimes when you're making it, the bits can fall out, which is really annoying, you know, especially in the pot and it turns you past the water or google.

Can we stop talking about Tortellini?

Yeah.

What do you want to talk about?

I don't really wish to talk.

Sure.

Seem like you've got a lot on your monotropic mind.

What you thinking?

I am thinking

about our failings as an organisation.

Come on.

Only 1% of people that have been missing longer than a week are ever found, Watson.

And that's in adults.

What?

What's the rate in missing kids?

Not something I wish to speak aloud at this point.

May have

buggered this up with that excursion to India.

What are you on about?

We've got a ton of information and nearly caught a killer.

I suppose I just feel responsible.

Sherlock, look at me.

Look at me, mate.

Sorry, John.

Just feel like shutting down a bit.

Hey, no, that's okay.

Don't.

Yeah, just um, I understand.

You're okay, though, right?

Are you stewing or

yay, nay?

Do you want to scoop out some of that thought stew and put it in my bowl?

I'm very tired, sorry.

It had been gone for some time.

The Suricula?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, Yeah, it had.

Dust had collected.

Yet.

The sign of four

didn't know that.

The defenders of the temple didn't know that.

But somebody did.

Get your laptop.

Okay, okay.

Um,

Windows update.

Nope.

Bugger off.

Oh, just bugger.

Okay, fine.

Remind me later.

Fine, okay.

Uh, laptop is on, fired up, and ready to go.

What do you want?

The audio from Mary's meeting with Sholto.

Audio from Mary's meeting with Sholto.

That'll be right with you, sir.

One moment.

Right.

Um, let's have you

here.

Play it.

And play.

He has one of your diamonds.

What?

Some investigators found it in his house.

Ah, wait, who's the star?

No, this is fine.

I sent everything to you.

Do you have it?

Oh no,

no, no, no, no, no, no.

Mary, listen to me.

Lead.

They they

may come

for

the temple.

They

put it back.

Eight seconds.

Ah, thank you.

Mary,

look at me.

Do you have it or not?

Have what?

What is it?

Waiter's voice?

That's our killer.

No, no, no.

It is.

But

it's disguised anyway.

Listen to Sholter.

Listen to me.

Do you have it or not?

Look at me.

Do you have it or not?

Yeah, he's talking about the little diamonds he sent.

Is he?

Yeah, because the previous thing she said.

But why would his concern be the smaller diamonds, of which he sent numerous?

Yeah.

No.

He doesn't have the Suricula.

And the killer now knows he doesn't have it because he's at the table during this part of the conversation.

Okay.

The sign of four went to the temple to find it.

It wasn't there.

Then they came for Sholto.

We saw signs of torture in the dead, did we not?

Uh yes, strangulation, burnings.

Maybe one of them directed the four to Sholto.

That he had the diamond.

He's from Pondicherry.

He and Morstan obviously had this powerful bond over safeguarding the Suricula.

They didn't want it to be in potentially corrupt government hands, or the hands of the four.

What

what is it?

The killer knew.

Knew what?

Knew where Sholto would be and when.

And Indian police say Mary's water was also poison.

A Sholto and the Morstan together.

Defenders of the duel against the sign of four.

A two for one for our killer.

It's not Captain Arthur Morstan, it's Mary.

Heirlooms, Watson.

Heirlooms.

Don't you see?

It's about continuity, birthrights.

This matters to the people who revere the stone.

But Mary doesn't know anything about it.

Because her father was killed, Watson.

He left clues.

The story.

They're just bedtime stories.

Come on.

So, you're saying she knows more than she's letting out.

That's not what I'm suggesting.

Sholto knew it all.

Mary didn't know enough.

Do you have it or not?

That's what he asked her.

So Sholto doesn't have it.

The people of Pondicherry don't have it.

The sign of four don't have it.

But who does?

But murder.

Killing Mary Morstan and Sholto.

That wouldn't allow the four access to the stone.

You kill to eliminate threats.

To tie up loose ends, to settle grudges.

Do we think Mary has the Surakula or not?

Is this why you don't like her?

I never said I didn't like her.

Or uh wait, did I?

It's possible it slipped out.

No, you didn't.

Good.

Jonathan Small told us that the bond between the Sholtos and Morstans went went back over a century.

If Mary was ever intended to receive the Surakula, to become its guardian.

I don't think she is, mate.

Just saying.

Remember his words, Watson.

Sholtos' words.

Do you have it or not?

Exactly.

She's not lying to us, Sherlock.

Is she not?

She's not.

Time will tell.

No, I will tell.

I'm telling you now, she's not lying.

She's not.

It nearly slipped out again.

Well, stop it.

I like her.

Yes, I've noticed.

Cow, don't kick me.

You deserve it.

On the killer thing.

Yes.

I'm just putting it out there.

Only a handful of people knew that Sholto and Mary would be.

Indeed.

And according to Sholto, our killer is white.

Exactly.

Abdullah Khan, Dost Akbar, and Mohinda Singh.

They don't sound like white guys to me.

Our fourth member is white then.

And look at the people who knew.

I remember what happened in there.

Agent Jones, a white guy, stood up and left, and we haven't seen him since.

Yes.

And that is a thought, Watson, that competes in my mind.

Its cries for attention get louder and louder.

How do we know he's an Interpol agent anyway?

I mean, like you pointed out, he faked the gun.

What else can he fake?

Can he fool Tom Gregson?

Well, he's Tom Gregson, he's not Stephen Hawking.

What are you doing?

Pacing in thought.

Do it in the pacing area.

But the luggage is in the way.

Then move it.

Nope.

I'd rather pace here.

God's sake.

Keep that area clear for pacing in thought, and you never use it.

The priority is Tonga.

Correct.

Think back to the temple.

The names.

Tonga lied to his parents, claiming he had a job.

Police investigations led to somebody named Mohinda Singh.

Right, how do they know that?

Tonga's friends reported it.

And they said Mohinda didn't go to the school.

Correct.

But this incomplete assumption has skewered this entire investigation.

He didn't go to the school because he's not a child.

He's a grown man.

and a member of the sign of four as we discovered in the temple.

Then we need to tell the police that he wasn't just hanging out with some cool boy from another school.

An adult male was in contact frequently with a missing boy.

I've messaged Gregson that already.

Oh, uh, well done.

But how did he

convince Tonga?

Aside from money,

brainwashing?

Brainwashing.

Tonga had cash.

And a photo of Mary.

And a travel card.

Diamonds had been taken from her.

He was obviously being used by the four

to monitor Mary, to take from her whenever this correspondence from Sholto would arrive.

They knew its value.

How do you get a 14-year-old boy on your side?

Money, yes.

But you stir them up.

Appeal to fledgling shoots of anger and mistrust of...

of perceived enemies of his identity.

Fill him with nationalist fury.

They whipped whipped him up against the Morstan attachment to this talisman of his country's heritage, then paid him off.

He was the shadow that hunted Mary all this time.

But the trust,

the money,

and only went so far.

Because he took a diamond for himself.

That he did, Watson, as we discovered in his little music box.

And the sign of four do not forgive such a transgression.

Their retribution, as we have witnessed, will be dark, brutal, and bloody.

Yeah.

God.

Well, let's let's keep thinking on this.

This is good.

This is good detectiving.

In the meantime, I better feed Arch.

I think I slept through this dinner time.

Well, well, well, what will it be this evening, Archie boy?

I've got I've got two choices, sir.

It's it's mushy chicken and some jelly, I think.

And then there's some beef sludge with peas.

So what are we thinking?

I mean, this one pairs well with a lovely crisp white, I believe.

Or, of course, yeah, a bowl of water.

Okay, yeah, okey-dokie.

Mushy chicken it is.

Yummy, yummy, yum, yum, yum.

Oh, God, he loves that stuff.

You know, the problem is it sticks to the bowl and then you get flies if you turn it's gone.

Yeah, Sherlock's gone.

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$12.99 for this umbrella, everybody, $12.99.

Couple of things.

it has the build quality of an umbrella that should cost $1.99 and secondly it's a coronation umbrella of King Charles so

it's not even particularly new

I probably look like a bit of a dick holding it but it was that or a purple one that said it's giving rainy day vibes which

yeah no thanks so

anyway here I am in Hounslow at West Hounslow or Hounslow West to be exact.

It's 10 o'clock at night and I am soaking wet.

So

yeah I got a message from Sherlock saying he's in Hounslow but I did remind him that we have a podcast that documents our adventures and it's not great when he disappears without warning so I followed him here and now he's not answering his phone.

So you know, John Podcast Watson is going to have to do a little bit of deducing himself.

How is he going to do do that?

I hear you ask.

Well,

I don't know, so just give me a second.

There's no way he's gone to the bajwoods.

That's the family, of course, Tonga's family.

There's no way they would have let him in at this hour.

So,

why is he here?

Why is he here?

Well, why?

Why are we all here?

Hey,

um,

There's nothing really open, apart from your odd convenience stores, a pub over there, corner shop, news agents type.

Wait.

Wait, then.

Magazine.

Tonga's apparent job.

He delivered a magazine.

God, I wish my jet lag brain could cope better with this.

So.

Right.

Okay.

Let me

go into this one here Hounds Low News

Hi hi there

Have you seen a guy come in here?

Tall lean

Long coat evasive but curious manner kind of an intense stare from time to time earlier

20 minutes ago.

Oh, okay, um

what did he do?

Are you gonna buy anything?

Yeah.

Um.

What then?

Um.

This.

Chewing gum.

That's seventyp,

so.

Yeah.

What?

You're gonna buy anything else?

Will you tell me where he went if I do?

Mm-hmm.

Cool.

Right.

Uh I will get um

that

and

uh some lottery tickets.

Five, yeah.

Well, I was gonna go one.

But, yeah, five.

Yes.

Two pound each.

Lovely.

Let's send seventy, please, sir.

He loads of the magazines.

I didn't get any of them.

When he left the shop, he went right down that way.

Wonderful.

Thank you, mate.

Not bad.

Not bad.

Only cost me 10.70, and I nabbed myself a bit of info.

So, down the street, this way.

Apparently, I'll hit another couple of shops on the way and soon enough I will track him down.

Can't wait to see his face when he realises I tracked him.

Although tell you what, I hope he hasn't gone too far.

This whole bribery thing could cost me a f ⁇ ing.

The pineapple vape juice, how much is that?

E-liquid.

E-liquid.

Who's calling it that?

Alright, fine.

The pineapple E-liquid.

It's six quid.

Great, I'll get that too, please.

Phone charger, yep, and the lighter, please.

I think he crossed the street and went in that one.

Great, thanks.

You know these cans are not to be sold separately, by the way.

So yeah, the Daily Mirror and the Telegraph too, please.

Sorry, could I get a bag?

Sake, Sherlock.

And the energy drink, too.

I've already told you where they went.

Yeah, I'm just.

I'm absolutely fing hell.

Three quid for a bag of MMs.

Market inflation.

Yeah, sorry, I didn't realise, you know, global market exposure to the MM was so volatile.

God's sake.

He's at the back.

It.

What?

Your man.

He's at the back of the shop.

Oh.

With the magazines.

Cool.

Thank you.

These are out of date.

They went off in 2021.

We don't have a return policy.

Yeah, I'm sure.

Yeah.

2021 MMs with 2024 prices.

Thanks, mate.

Thanks a lot.

Very good, Watson.

Yeah, thanks.

You pieced it together.

Yeah, and I bought you some MMs as well, actually.

Thank you.

Very kind.

You're welcome.

Been shopping?

Uh, yeah.

Yeah, want anything?

Yeah, daily mirror, mints, pineapple e-liquid.

By the way, bloke behind the counter, honestly, some people.

You have a grudge against the most important person so far in this case, Watson.

I do.

He recognises Tonga Bajois.

The boy was telling the truth.

He did have a job.

Really?

Yes.

Once a week, he'd park his bike outside, collect a local magazine, and distribute it to the residents who were paid subscribers.

A paper round?

Almost.

Much lighter workload with such a small circular, and one that could take place after school, rather than before it.

Has the guy told the police this?

Indeed, he has.

And

the police, quite rightly, point out that the timeframes don't match the demand of the circular.

Meaning, there were only two subscribers to the magazine.

Meaning, Tonga's work would be completed within 20 minutes.

But he would disappear for hours.

Hence, why they began looking into gang-related activity.

A rabbit hole that will take some time to burrow out of, let me tell you.

I see.

So we are looking for an exceptionally dull magazine.

We are.

A spectator down there?

Thoughts?

I prefer this shelf here.

Can't the guy behind the counter just tell us, or have I got to to buy 40 quid worth of Arab?

He can't recall, but if we scan the barcodes, he can tell us the recipients of the subscribed copies.

Lubbly jubbly.

And looky here, Watson.

What's that?

Three editions of Hounslow, Feltam, and Brentford Chronicle.

One for this week, one for the week before,

and one for the week before that.

Tonga didn't deliver these issues because he'd gone missing.

And nobody came to claim me.

Chop, chop.

Hello again.

Yeah.

Could you scan this, please?

I need to confirm a subscription.

Uh, yep, this is the one.

Two subscribers there.

Let me see.

Mrs.

G.

Balakrishnan

and Mr.

M.

Singh.

34 Heathdale Avenue.

Let's go pay him a visit.

I'll call the police.

And I'll have an MM to celebrate.

oh, oh, good lord.

28.

30.

32.

Here.

Here.

Where are the bloody police?

Did you call them?

Yes, I called them.

Bugger.

It's okay, just we can wait here.

I fear we cannot wait much longer.

Hey, it's gonna be a couple of minutes at best.

Just get off his lord.

Look, Watson.

Turf.

Removed

Here from the front garden.

Maybe he's doing a flower bed.

I don't know.

Follow me.

Lose the umbrella.

Sherlock.

I'm not going into the house.

Where are you going then?

Into the back garden.

What?

Why?

We will merely walk down the side path of the house.

I won't touch anything.

I won't break anything.

Just

wait for the police, then we can do whatever you want to do.

I think we both know the police won't section that.

Sherlock!

Please!

You see, on the path here,

clumps of dirt.

The lawn turf was moved back here.

Yeah, that's not amazing, mate, to be honest.

Oh, but it is.

Wait, what was he planting?

This time of year?

Who do I look like to you, Monty Don?

I don't know, Sherlock.

He wanted additional grass to cover

a burial.

You're not serious.

Look, you see?

The patchwork of transplanted grass.

Not enough sunlight at all for it to actually take.

Seems waterlogged as well.

Pass me the shovel.

By the back door.

I.

Mate, Watson.

Fine, fine.

Hello, listeners.

Yep, I know.

Right, but it's not breaking and entering, is it?

Just the trespassing tonight, right when the police are gonna show up, so yeah, it looks like I'll be able to catch up on my sleep in a prison cell.

So that's nice, isn't it?

There's no sign of anyone in the house, which is a relief.

No lights on.

It's a fairly basic terraced house, front garden, back garden, as you've heard.

Um,

gonna go give him this shovel, although might accidentally smack him over the head with it.

Who knows?

Here, who are you talking to?

Listeners.

Oh,

lovely.

Give them my best.

No,

what are you looking for?

I'd like to see what Mr.

Mohinda Singh is up to.

What do you think this could be?

Sherlock,

what do you think

is under here?

As I have mentioned before,

I'd rather not verbalize the thought.

Oh, God.

What was that?

I think it's

hold on.

help me,

come on,

come on,

lift it,

Tonga's bike.

Oh, please, God, no!

I don't think he's down there with it.

You don't?

He doesn't smell that way, anyway.

What do we do?

We rescue him.

All good.

Yeah, we're good.

Now,

what do you reckon?

Wait for him to come down.

No car.

No lights.

No bins collected.

Post not picked up.

I think we have an empty house, Watson.

Good.

Good.

Just.

One last look before I step over the threshold to see if there's police yet.

Nope.

Great.

Okay.

Ah, crime it is.

Here we go.

What are you thinking?

Before correct.

And the boy has been kidnapped and taken into this house.

You have to think like the kidnapper.

We don't want to disturb too much of the scene.

Where would you take him?

Um

basement?

There's no basement.

Okay, uh bedroom.

Which one?

I don't know.

Does it matter?

To you?

The kidnapper?

It does.

The boy could be loud.

But it's a terraced house.

Neighbours attached on both sides.

But the wall that's shared with number thirty-two offers an opportunity.

Why?

Um, cause

they're

deaf.

Elderly deaf neighbors.

No?

How would I have deduced that?

I don't know, you deduce loads of stuff.

It's for sale and has been for a while.

Yeah, not surprised in this market, so it's empty then.

Exactly.

Which gives us this bedroom just here,

the bedroom that has a lock

on this side of the door.

It's unlocked, though.

Then I fear

our rescue operation may be a little late.

Okay,

right.

Well,

here we go.

Good luck.

And to you.

Holy shit.

He's gone.

But he was here.

They had somebody here.

Against their will.

Look, the cuffs.

Made from rope.

And the mattress on the floor.

Small amount of blood.

A minor injury, I'd say.

Curtains closed and untouched for a long while.

Windows locked and barred.

Some plates here, a few crumbs and stuff, so they were feeding him.

They want to keep him alive, then.

Or at least they wanted to for a time.

Sherlock, look.

What is it?

Do you know what this is?

A hat.

It's a Chelsea hat.

Tonga is a Chelsea fan.

What are you doing?

Examining

the floor.

The walls.

They moved him.

He was dragged out by his hair.

A few here

and here.

He kicked out, caught this plug socket here.

As they got him off the mattress, he scratched the floorboards as he was dragged towards the doorway.

But

where did they drag him to?

Binge This Adventure, right the way up to part 10, now available in full at patreon.com forward slash Sherlock and Clutch.