Father Storozhev

Twilight was descending, and I thanked nature for its long, summer days in this clime, as Holmes, Thomas and I went touring. Of course, our first stop was the church of Father Storozhev.

“Welcome, my sons, I have been expecting you.” “Indeed?” said Holmes. Thomas continued to translate.

“My son, I knew you understood my meaning before, and I have just seen your Comrade Colonel and his man go off with Yurovsky. I knew you would be here shortly.”

“Perhaps Father Storozhev should take up consulting detective work,” Holmes said to me under his breath.

The Father showed us into his tiny office where we all sat and shared a glass of cool water.

“Now, my sons, please tell me, who you truly are?”

“Who we are is not important, Father. But you were correct before in your supposition, we are here to rescue the Imperial Family.”

“You have not gotten off to a healthy beginning. However, there is an old Russian saying, ‘A day cannot be judged by its morning.’ I shall help in every way.”

“Then tell us, please, Father, the tunnel or passageway you alluded to before, where is it, preciselyt?”

“It is beneath you, my sons. As I said earlier, all of Ekaterinburg is built over mine shafts and tunnels. When Professor Ipatiev built his house, some workers, members of my church, informed me that they had discovered an old passageway leading from a half-basement under the Ipatiev House which would connect with various tunnels my church had been built over.

“In fact, Mr. Holmes, should you remove your chair and pull back the rug, you shall find a concealed door. It is masked as boards with bolts.”

Holmes immediately did so as Thomas, the Father and I watched. Holmes requested a candle from the Father so he could see down the shaft. He was delighted to find an ancient wooden ladder there, still serviceable, though barely so. He slowly and cautiously disappeared into the hole for a few minutes and was then back. “Well, it’s broad enough for four abreast.”

“Yes,” said Father Storozhev, “and let me give you the diagram the men in my flock gave me. It will show you exactly how to get to the Ipatiev House.

“If you can plan some escape for the Imperial Family using this information, we shall truly be blessed by God.”

“I should hope we can, Father, but I’m afraid we’ll need more than information. Thomas, are the men Preston mentioned still about?”

“I should think so.”

“How many were there, Preston didn’t say.”

“I think about thirty or so.”

“That should be enough, I think. Do you have a signal of some sort to call them together?”

“I believe so; I wasn’t privy to particular arrangements.”

“That’s all right, we can get the particulars from Preston upon our return. What about the leader of the group? Who was he?”

“Unfortunately, I believe Relinsky was to take immediate command. But of course that’s impossible now.”

“True,” said Holmes. “There is no other within your group you can trust for command?”

“Not that I know of. What about yourself, Mr. Holmes?”

“No, I am not a military man. Besides, I shall be busy with other things, as shall Dr. Watson. If only there was another we could trust to take command of your men, our task would be made more hopeful of success.”

It was then, from behind us, we heard a hoarse voice with a thick Russian accent ask, “What about me, Comrades?”

Holmes and I turned to see the bald head and smiling face of Stravitski.