The Preci.ous.se Stone

Visiting Anti Villa

The next morning, as I was waiting downstairs, Holmes sat down silently as usual. We were going to the Anti Villa that morning. On our way, Holmes asked me to stay close to him, wherever he goes. This seemed quite suspicious. But, I had no issues. On reaching Anti Villa, we were given our ID cards and were allowed to enter the grounds.

The sight was magnificent, the buildings were situated at one end of the property near the mountain, and there were all types of farms on a small scale to support every individual who lived on that land. The variety and the way the work was organized were a sight to behold. The house was quite a mansion, a very rare concept in its design and orientation. The front of the house had many windows and balconies, and the main door itself was made from the best wood in the world. The house was painted with red bricks and white linings near the edges and separated. It had six floors and a basement. The area near the house had a beautiful and carefully designed garden. The front porch of the house and a separate section for parking and mechanics. We were allowed in the mansion by the doorkeeper.

On entering the mansion the sight that unfolded in front of us was mesmerizing. The mansion was made of complete white, it was a 6-story tower and each floor had 4 bedrooms and 2 study rooms. The top floor was the private floor, which belonged only to Mr. Kareja.

He had his bedrooms modified, creating separate living quarters with all the amenities like healthcare, living room, bedroom, and dining room. He had even modified his study rooms. There is no entry door for his second study room, the only way to access it is by the first study room. Here, Mr. Kareja keeps his journals, his family history, and all the important documents in the most cautious and danger-proof method. He is said to have built the only library, which was accessible only by him till he was alive, and the documents were never affected by any force of nature. His rules were strict and no one in his family heredity could alter them. This would prove to be a great place for my colleague.

Holmes told the family that he will be staying with them in the building for a couple of weeks, and he even asked me to stay. Mr. Rahul Kareja was quite concerned with this arrangement but agreed to Holmes's request. Mr. Rahul Kareja had only one request, that is to submit my weapons and ammunition at the door, to keep everyone safe. Before I could submit them, Holmes took out some form of a badge and covered my weapons. I wanted to ask him but held myself back for the time being. Later, Holmes assured Mr. Rahul Kareja, that he is responsible for any action committed by me. On hearing this, all the members present over there were relaxed.

During lunch, Mr. Rahul Kareja asked Holmes, " Mr. Holmes, your work is well known to all of us present over here. Our deceased father also had a chronicle about you, your family, and your cases. We believed it to be his other expertise, other than cutting stones. " While saying the last sentence, his face lowered a bit. That sentence did mean something to the Kareja family.

Later, the family broke the silence and asked about me. Here, Holmes held my hand, to stay silent and said," This is Dr. Paul, my close companion, and friend. He is a famous doctor and author. " Later, we were shown the family tree showcasing the whole family line. Something was not making sense in that tree, but I couldn't find it. Seeing my expression, Holmes was just smiling.

After having lunch, Holmes asked the family to shift his living quarters on the top floor of the astronomy tower. Mr. Rahul Kareja informed Holmes that there are no living quarters in the astronomy tower. Holmes just smiled and assured him of a spacious room in the astronomy tower. He asked all of them to follow him.