Work Text:
Five years ago a young man appeared at the Yard. He had seen nine o'clock news report of a car accident and did not agree with it. We do occasionally get people in who doubt our investigations, usually friends or family members of the accused, or the type of people PC has taught me to call ‘confused’ and not ‘bollocking mad’. We never before got kids in whose eyes happen to have fallen on the report. His name was Sherlock Holmes and he had an air about him. I remember it well. He sat there, hands in the pockets of a thick tailored coat, smelling of cigarettes, but with a determined look in his eyes. In spite of his youthful features, that made him look like he had just come from school (he probably had), there was something serious about him.
We didn't think much of him at the time, but it was Friday afternoon and to be frank, we were in the mood for a laugh. He smiled, sat down in the hall and patiently waited his turn, while talking to anyone who was interested in hearing him talk. I remember the receptionist at the time calling him a truly charming and nice young man. I believe everyone who talked to him agreed.
Based solely on the short video the news had shown on the television, he offered us a detailed report of everything lacking and everything missed during the investigation. Without pauses, in quick succession, he set out his investigation. Less than a minute worth of footage of poor quality became more convincing evidence than the entire forensic report we had established. His conclusion; the car crash could have never been an accident.
Some of my colleagues did laugh, but somewhere during his speedy monologue, I had started taking him seriously. I reopened the case and an angry housewife was eventually convicted. The news report talked of new insights by anonymous source.
I received an e-mail after this second nine o'clock report, and half expected a demand that his name be attached to the investigation. It wasn't. He just sent the e-mail to inform me that he was a consulting detective and that he could be contacted if ever required.
I've been consulting him ever since.
He hasn't been called nice or charming by anyone at the Yard ever since.