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“Okay, Sherlock, we’re in the middle of Oxford, standing outside a department store. Why have I had to get up early on my day off so that you can go Christmas shopping?” Greg Lestrade grumbled.
“Because I always buy Mycroft’s Christmas present here.”
“I didn’t even know you bought him a present.”
“It is traditional at Christmas to buy one’s relatives a present to show how much you value them.”
“What did you buy him last year?”
“A bicycle bell.”
“You came to Oxford to buy him a bicycle bell?”
“I didn’t know that that was what I would be buying him when I came. That’s where the excitement comes in.”
“Right. And why am I here with you?”
“Because it is also traditional to share festive activities with those we love.”
“Some people go to carol concerts or the pantomime together; I get to go shopping to buy Mycroft a bicycle bell.”
“Obviously we won’t be buying him a bicycle bell; he still has the one I bought him last year.”
“Obviously!”
“Part of my tradition is to stop at a teashop before going to choose a suitable gift.”
“That sounds more like it.”
Sherlock led the way towards the teashop. As they rounded the corner, they saw the familiar non-festive decoration of blue and white police tape near a bookshop at the end of the road. Greg put out an arm to restrain his companion, but he was too late. Sherlock was already striding down the road towards it.
Just inside the tape, looking in at the shop window, were two men.
The older one was saying “I don’t get it. Why have a display of Greek myths and legends and then leave a traveller’s guide to France in the middle of it?”
“That guide wasn’t there when I came past yesterday, it must have been added after the shop closed,” his companion replied.
“He was leaving a message for someone he saw as Paris,” Sherlock informed them.
“Of course”, the younger of the two continued. “Wilson must have seen himself as Menelaus and whoever had gone off with his wife, who was actually called Helen, he would have considered to be Paris. I was in the shop a couple of days ago and Wilson was making no secret of his anger at Helen leaving him.”
The two men had turned round and were now looking at Sherlock, who had ducked under the tape to join them.
“And who exactly are you?” the older asked.
Greg hastily produced his warrant card. “I’m D I Greg Lestrade from Scotland Yard and this is Sherlock Holmes. We were just passing by and we’re leaving now.”
He emphasised the final word and tried to pull Sherlock away.
“I’m D S James Hathaway, and this my guv’nor D I Robbie Lewis. I don’t suppose you’d take a quick look inside. Since Wilson was leaving a message in the shop window, I think it’s possible that the books that have been strewn around inside the shop aren’t completely random, but do in fact contain a further message that might give us the real name of the man Wilson thought of as Paris.”
Sherlock practically bounced at the invitation and he and Hathaway entered the shop together. Greg and Lewis followed, exchanging a glance that instantly told the other that this wasn’t the first time that it had happened.
They then listened as Sherlock and Hathaway traded Greek and Roman myths, with a few Norse ones thrown in. At one point the Valkyrie were mentioned and Lewis began singing Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyrie. Greg grinned, which earned both him and Lewis a glare from the other two. Eventually they settled on a name for the murderer and Hathaway gave orders for uniform to pick him up.
Lewis turned to Greg. “That’s us finished here, then. We’ll be getting back to the station. I don’t know what time you were planning on leaving, but if you’re still around after six this evening, you’d be welcome to join us for a drink.”
Greg looked at Sherlock, who shrugged in a non-committal way.
“Thank you, that would be good,” he replied.
Greg and Sherlock watched as Lewis and Hathaway got into their car and drove off.
“You don’t mind going for a drink, do you?” Greg asked Sherlock.
“I don’t have any pressing engagements in London this evening, so I have no objection.”
“Good. Any chance we can try out your tea shop now?”
“Yes, and after that we can buy Mycroft his present. You can help me choose between cycling clips or a yoyo for him.”