holmes_minor | Fic: The Postcard: G

Title: The Postcard
Form/Word Count: 328
Characters/Pairing: Dr Watson, Sherlock Holmes
Rating: G
Warning/Content: Watson has received a postcard from the scene of a recent case.

I looked at the postcard which had arrived that morning, a pretty scene, blue sky, lovely beach, calm sea. It all looked idyllic and nothing like how I remembered it.

For a start the sky had been overcast all the time we were there, and I was very grateful for my raincoat. The sea was choppy and still showed evidence of the storm which had raged the previous week, and which had, apparently, led to the shipwreck of our client’s long-lost cousin. This so-called cousin claimed to be the son of the aunt of our client, who had emigrated some years earlier.

Holmes had been asked to help examine the claim, and, if necessary, prevent the other aunt, a maiden lady, from spending all her money in his support. It did seem fortuitous that he be shipwrecked close to where his family lived. And although the shipmates who Holmes could find all said that the cousin had been on the boat, further investigation revealed he had come on board at different ports, and Holmes suspected the crew had been bribed to say he was present. Given that their boat had indeed suffered as it tried to reach shelter, it was likely that the crew all appreciated this unexpected bonus to their meagre wages.

As for the sand, we had been forced to trudge through it one night, following the aunt who had been persuaded to meet the cousin at midnight at the far end of the bay. It was fortunate we did, because the cousin leapt out from behind some rocks and would have attacked the elderly lady (who was bringing him a significant amount of cash) had Holmes and I not been there to prevent it.

I looked again at the picture on the postcard, which could easily have been a different resort from the one we had visited and read the message on the back.

Hoping this reminds you of your time in our lovely town.