The Case of the Fallen Tycoon

By Richard Saw

Patrick O'Brien is about to give new meaning to the phrase 'gay business tycoon'. He's turned his small bar business into an internationally renowned design and licensing agency and now he's going public with the intention of turning his brand and the ideas everyone else is going to give him, into a multi-million dollar media empire. The fact that he's a nasty individual who no one in his right mind would trust, hasn't stopped his empire growing. That is, until he falls to his death from a second storey window... just minutes after his husband Toby Gibbs sold the vast portion of their shares to the mysterious Maxima Hedge Fund.
When Holmes’ most important client informs him that he has been the advisor behind Patrick's company going public and both Inspector Pomfrett - now with the City of London Economic Crimes Unit - and Detective Garrigues – lumbered with investigating the untimely demise of Patrick – wanting his help, there's nothing he can do, but throw himself whole-heartedly into an investigation marked with quite a few people who wanted Patrick dead.
Watson struggles to provide Holmes with his usual back-up as there are problems closer to home that need to be resolved forcing Holmes to seek help from someone whom he hasn't seen in years.
Holmes and Watson are back on board for their sixth adventure with the usual round of cocktails, investigations, gossip and of course hot sex. But why are they squeezing in an appointment at the Linley furniture boutique? And why are the staff at Diva wearing Lei's on Fijian night? These ... and many more important questions will be answered if you just read on.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Richard Saw
• Release date: Oct 5, 2015
• ISBN: 9781502964328

Richard Saw

Richard Saw is a long time London resident who fell in love with the city when he fled his native Australia in the vain hope that he’d land a real job. Author of ‘From Breakfast to Whenever: The Eating Guide to Soho’ and a struggling media executive, he started writing the Holmes & Watson novels as a love letter to the city, the men and the lifestyle he’d fallen in love with.

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The Case of the Fallen Tycoon

A Holmes & Watson Mystery

Richard Saw

Copyright © 2008 by Richard Saw

First published as an ebook in 2013

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

All characters and events in this publication other than those clearly in the public domain are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

That being said, some famous people do turn up in this and subsequent novels to add flavour or perspective.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the written permission of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binging or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent buyer.

ISBN-13: 978-1502964328 ISBN-10: 1502964325

Thank you to all those people who got slightly tipsy over lunch with me and told me stories which are included in one way or another in this book. I was serious when I told you …that’s going in my next novel.

Stay in touch with the author on Twitter @authorofholmes, search for Richard Saw on Facebook or if you’re looking for something a little naughtier, check out Todd Mitchell’s twitter account @gayjockgeek or the Tumblr account The Erotic Side of Holmes & Watson by searching for ‘authorinsearchof’.

Prologue

He’d endured so much for so long, he could barely remember what it had been like at the beginning. He’d imagined that at some time it had been wonderful and everything he’d ever wanted. It had to have been, otherwise why would anyone have got into a relationship if the beginning wasn’t tinted with roses?

But the time had come for him to resolve his situation. It had to occur face-to-face and he had to ensure that he wasn’t dissuaded. He was sure he’d tried to discuss things before but Patrick had many ways of avoiding conversations he didn’t like. Patrick would change the subject. Or would answer the questions with another question. Or he would go on the offensive. Patrick was a born political animal and whenever someone asked why he had been so successful, Patrick always pointed to his skill in negotiating. Of course anyone else could explain that it wasn’t the ‘win-win’ sort of negotiating that he undertook. Patrick always went for ‘win-lose’. And he made sure that the other party was aware they had been bested and Patrick had won.

And there was another thought in the head. Why had no one ever challenged Patrick? His reputation was so well-known in the gay world, surely someone would be prepared to take him on. But no. Time after time people had got into bed with Patrick – both physically and metaphorically – and come out the worst for wear. Well not anymore! The time had come to confront Patrick. And he was sure that he had the advantage. Patrick was too used to winning to expect resistance, especially from someone he was sure he’d bested long ago. At least he hoped that Patrick wasn’t prepared.

He made his excuses and left. He glanced up at the sky – the unseasonably bright and cheery morning seemed a good omen. A good omen for the first day of the rest of his life.

Chapter One

It was a dark February afternoon and the snow had begun to settle. A grey pall had hung over London for several days now and the sun had as of yet, failed to break through. And now the snow. It had sporadically fluttered down throughout the previous week but now it came down in sweeping cascades, settling on any surface it could find.

Holmes slumped in his lounge chair wearing naught but his dressing gown. The morning papers lay crumpled at his feet. He looked out the window at the falling snow, frowned and twisted to face the other direction. The streets around Baker St and Wimpole St had been gritted the night before. The grit had spread across some of the pavement and so some of the snow had melted and some had frozen, making the pavements dangerously unpredictable.

One figure managed to traverse the pathway, cautiously moving along, dodging the icy patches and the muddy puddles. His umbrella wobbled under the weight of the falling snow, his long black coat flicking from side to side as the edge became wet. John Watson shuddered at the cold. He fumed to himself about not choosing catching a cab. ‘What a foolish thought,’ he wondered, ‘Why did I walk in weather like this?’ He glanced down at his shoes, examining the stains with a horrified look before taking the stairs up to Holmes’ residence.

Watson hammered on the door, let himself in, seconds before he heard the strained voice of Holmes bleat, Oh, do come in.

John walked into the lounge, noting that few of the lights were illuminated and looked at Holmes, slumped in his chair, before taking in the mutinously tied dressing gown and the crumbled real estate section of the newspapers at his feet. Holmes’ expression was one of boredom crossed with frustration. Watson was aware that Holmes had been ill for well over a week but he knew that there were few things in life as pointless as trying to encourage the great Holmes out of his depression if he so wished to wallow in it.

So, the good Doctor began cautiously. How are you?

Holmes shrugged his shoulders, twitched and indicated towards a side table. Watson observed the full effect of Holmes’ drug paraphernalia.

Oh for fuck sake Stephen. All you’ve got is a touch of the ‘flu, Watson roared. Did you think that you would cure yourself with lines of cocaine?

No, Holmes weakly replied. I think there’s some vodka around as well.

***

I’m just updating your diary. Are you going to the launch party this evening? Mrs Hudson said, as she poked her head around the door of Holmes’ office.

Mrs Hudson! Holmes remonstrated.

Celine, she corrected.

Mrs Hudson, Holmes continued as if she hadn’t spoken. I could have been on the phone or with someone. And you just burst in and…

But you weren’t, Celine replied and walked in.

But if I was, Holmes tried to take control of the conversation again.

But you weren’t, Celine replied cheekily. Holmes, I’ve worked with you...

For me!

With you, she continued, ignoring him. For years. And I will be with you when they add the ‘& Holmes’ to the name outside. And without my skills at managing your team you would not be the only non-named partner in the history of F, P & H. And I know when you are on the phone.

Anyway! sighed Holmes, not wanting to admit he was still a little exhausted from the ‘flu. Which launch would that be?

SIMBOT. It’s going public on AIM, Celine replied. And you’ve been invited. As has every power gay in ‘The City’ I imagine.

Who again?

Celine looked at Holmes with an exasperated expression that so often found its way to her face when talking to her boss and wondered what on earth the first non-named partner of Fothergill, Patricks & Havers was up to. SIMBOT is that company founded by Patrick O’Brien – he’s Irish, you’ve known him for years, remember… yes, now you remember, she paused, perturbed to realise that Holmes was humouring her.

Holmes smiled. Everyone tells me that I don’t use your business acumen enough. That I need to delegate more than just administration to you. So come on, tell me everything you know about SIMBOT.

SIMBOT, Celine began, sitting down in the chair in front of his desk, carefully flattening her skirt and placing one Tory Burgh-clad foot by the side of the other and began speaking as if reciting from a press release, Stands – as you well know – for Sporty-Indie-Muscle-Bear-Opera-Twink. It’s Patrick’s silly acronym for a gay website he set up years ago.

And? Holmes lifted his eyes. Oh do tell me what happened after that?

But you know all this, Celine protested.

Yes but I just love to hear you tell me, Holmes teased. Go on, like I said. You never know, you might surprise, his eyes focused on her and he waved his hand in an encouraging gesture even if his demeanour suggested otherwise.

Mrs Hudson paused for a moment, took a deep breath and then continued. "Patrick was one of the first people to understand social networking on the Internet. It was in the early days of the web I believe and his site was very much about sex. He’s since sold the original idea, I think it got absorbed or closed down by Gaydar or someone like that. You know it’s appalling that I know all this. I really do blame you. Anyway when it was running, he used the site to publicise some club nights and parties that he had been paid to organise. The first couple proved to be a success and so he started to name them after SIMBOT, despite the complaints of his business partners, I might add. He then opened a bar under the same name in Dalston, though it’s unclear if it was actually a gay bar or not. He still owns the bar but it’s called something different now and no longer attracts the dregs of the hipsters like it used to.

Anyway, at the bar one night, Mrs Hudson continued, "Legend has it that he met his future partner and soul mate, Toby Gibbs. Toby apparently had money and connections. He introduced Patrick around, the bar became more popular and Toby then suggested they merchandise the funky designs Patrick had created for his bar staff to wear. Toby shows them around and within a short time the men’s fashion buyer from Galleries Lafayette has snapped them up. Just as the brand was taking off, Patrick sells the designs to Puma – takes the cash – and yet somehow ensured that the brand name remains in his hands. There were brief attempts at litigation but he fought them off and in spite of this, the success was good enough to ensure a string of commissions and licensing deals in top-end locations. And since then there have been occasional SIMBOT lines in Selfridges, Lord & Taylor and even some Tokyo department stores.

He’s re-focused on his online content recently. In fact he upset lots of retailers by pulling all of his clothing designs from their stores and selling everything himself. Of course there’s lots of user-generated creative content on his websites and he’s not above monetising that either.

So? Holmes asked, unwilling to admit how impressed he was. What’s his plan now that he’s gone public?

Please Holmes, that’s easy! Challenge me, Celine smiled, knowing that she had impressed. "The plan is to use the capital he raises with the IPO to create his own pay-tv channel, though it’s not clear if he wants to eventually sell it to broadcasters or to run it just on the web. Linear channels are dead as you know. He claims to have plenty of content already lined up – at least that’s what his Twitter feed says – and ‘content is king’, all the media lawyers tell me! It’s quite mixed, a little ‘gay’ but more fashion and music focused. He claims the word on the street for his lead-show is something called ‘The Elton & Tom Show’ – hosted by Elton John and Tom Ford as our dear, beloved Patrick claims he’s good friends with both of them. He’s also mentioned indiscreetly in interviews that