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From time to time, Holmes has visitors who come to seek his advice and, upon receiving his advice, linger indefinitely. Their questions are rarely difficult enough to need any outside opinion, much less Holmes', so I believe they come only in order to say they've conversed with the famed Sherlock Holmes. It is Holmes' practice to treat them brusquely until they finally leave, but that tactic is not always successful and has, on one or two occasions, nearly led to an exchange of blows.
A particularly annoying visitor once ignored all attempts from either of us to escort him out. A fastidiously dressed man with a whining voice, he evidently enjoyed hearing himself talk enough that our lack of response mattered not. Holmes became more agitated the longer the man remained, and seemed perilously close to physically removing him from the building.
With an exquisite sense of timing, Spencer trotted into the room, carrying something in his mouth. He disappeared from my sight for a moment, then reappeared, headed straight for our unwelcome guest. Spencer dropped his burden at the man's feet and sat down beside it, gazing up at the man expectantly.
It took a moment for the man to notice and when he did, he sprang up out of the chair and across the room in the blink of an eye, screeching most unbecomingly about the dead mouse and how he could not believe that we allow animals in the house. He took himself out the door without delay, though he continued railing about "that dirty cat" until the front door closed behind him.
Spencer meowed and jumped up onto the chair the man had vacated.
"Could he be trained to do that on command?" Holmes asked with a wicked gleam in his eye.
I could only laugh. "I would love to see you try."