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HAVING BEEN UP MOST of the prior night, Gregory allowed the staff to sleep a few more hours. Thus, Gregory was the only one awake, enjoying a cup of tea, when someone pounded on the front door at six o’clock. Since Gregory was dressed for the day, he opened the door. Upon recognizing the gentleman to be the head of Scotland Yard, he even managed to politely ask his purpose in pounding on the door at such an early hour.
“I need to speak to Xavier and Vic at once!”
“Sir, we have had a very trying night and my masters are asleep. Can you not return during proper hours?”
“No, I cannot. I must speak to Xavier and Vic at once. This is a matter of importance!” To prove it so, Barns pushed his way in and yelled for Xavier and Vic at the top of his lungs.
Gregory objected, but Barns only stormed up the stairs as he continued to call for Vic and Xavier, and given he was a great many years younger than Gregory; he reached the top of the stairs much sooner than the butler. Since he was not certain which room was Xavier’s and which was Vic’s, he just bellowed for them in the hall.
Soon Xavier stormed out.
“What the bloody hell are you carrying on about?”
“The four are plotting to remove me from my position and return Stone.”
“Well, to begin with, Vic insisted Stone sign a five-year agreement when he became a partner. So even if he wished to return to Scotland Yard, he cannot do so for at least four years and eleven months.”
Barns calmed. “Thank God.”
Vic spoke behind Barns. “Stone does not wish to ever return to Scotland Yard. He much prefers our quieter ways.”
“Quieter ways? Correct me if I was misinformed but wasn’t Jacko and Xavier almost murdered recently?”
Vic rolled her eyes. “We’ve had a lively time recently, but in none of the situations was Stone in danger.” She then sobered. “Are the four causing you serious problems?”
“Yes, they are rallying Parliament to reinstate Stone.”
“But aren’t two of the four the ones who killed your father?”
“Yes, but how does that impact anything? I am nothing like my father.”
“I agree. Your father was a cheat and a liar, the same as the four. You, however, are a brilliant and excellent leader of men. And I only expect you to get better in the future.”
Vic focused on Xavier. “Xavier, can you not rally the quality men in Parliament to make the four leave Barns alone, so he can do his job?”
“I have tried, but even the good men cling to the ways of the past.”
“This is absurd! The ways of the past will no longer do! Wait, didn’t a parliament member have a heart attack while he was promoting a bill recently?”
Xavier nodded. “Yes, but how is that going to help you?”
“Had Barns kept us in the past, there would have been no telephone line to the hospital and the fellow would have died long before help could have gotten to him.”
“But how did the telephone change anything,” Xavier challenged.
Barns spoke up. “Actually, it made a huge difference. Madison thought he only had indigestion, and thus ignored his symptoms. I however, disagreed and called for an ambulance. By the time he realized it was a heart attack, the ambulance and a doctor were already on site.”
“Well, that was lucky for Madison, but that sounds like a one-off.”
“I disagree. The ambulance does not stop and wait in traffic. All carriages and such must pull to the side and let the ambulance pass. Thus, it arrives much sooner than sending a patient to the hospital by carriage. And in Madison’s case, the doctor was certain he would have died had it not been for the ambulance’s quick arrival.”
Vic grinned at Barns. “From what I hear, your ability to track criminals has improved immensely with those fingerprint cards.”
Barns laughed softly. “Yes. Locating the proper person who committed the crime is becoming easier all the time. Our rate of catching criminals has doubled, and now we have high confidence that the person caught is the true criminal, given fingerprints are unique.
“While some of the judges refuse to accept fingerprints as a valid methodology to determine the criminal, I hope to soon get Parliament to establish fingerprints to be unique and a legitimate methodology to locate criminals.”
Vic nodded. “Be forewarned: I expect there will be criminals who will attempt to remove their fingerprints to avoid capture. Thus, any criminals with no viable prints should be sent directly to prison. If they are that desperate to avoid being printed, they are more than likely the worst of criminals.”
Xavier chuckled. “I will bring Barns’ excellent advancements to Parliament’s attention. While he is young, I will point out the value of having such a brilliant young man, who is still in the prime of his life, to oversee Scotland Yard. Having an intelligent young man is a far better solution to our growing problems, than a man beyond his prime years.”