Fic: The Case of the Stationary Cyclist

[smallhobbit]

Title: The Case of the Stationary Cyclist
Form/Word Count: 479
Characters/Pairing: John Watson, Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Lestrade
Rating: G
Warning/Content: Watson recounts a tale

Nowhere have I recorded the case of the stationary cyclist.  This is perhaps because Holmes had little input into the case, although his contribution was certainly vital to solving it and preventing what might have been a considerable scandal.

For a few weeks, Scotland Yard had been aware that one of our major banks was being systematically robbed, not of particularly large sums of money it is true, but sufficient to have caused the chairman to call in the authorities, who had, as yet, found no trace of how it was being done.  The major concern was that the bank was soon to receive some jewellery which was to be held in its vaults for a foreign power.  Were that to also disappear then this could potentially lead to a diplomatic incident, but, in the meantime, it was essential nothing leak out about what was happening.

Holmes was called in and having taken a look commented that he could see one gentleman who appeared to be seated at a window in a nearby house, yet what sitting at a peculiar angle.  He arranged for us to visit this gentleman, who invited us in and took us up to see his novel form of exercise machine.  It was a bicycle, but so constructed that it was immobile, but one could pedal and thus exercise one’s legs without any forward motion.  “Particularly ideal when the weather is inclement,” he told us.

Holmes expressed a great interest in the machine and said it would be perfect for us to use for exercise within our rooms.  I did not comment, contenting myself with wondering how Mrs Hudson would react at finding such a contraption occupying a considerable amount of floor space.

After we had left, Holmes instructed our cab to take us to Scotland Yard, where he explained to Lestrade what was happening.  The ‘cyclist’ had an excellent view of the back of the bank and by means of some wires, messages could be conveyed to his associates who could then slip inside at appropriate moments and take a little money.  These were clearly practice runs for when the jewellery arrived.  He was of the opinion that it need not always be the same cyclist, for so long as they were similarly clothed it would be impossible to tell who it was.

Lestrade therefore arranged for a return visit.  We entered the house, and the householder was placed under arrest.  Holmes hurried upstairs and clothed himself as the man had done and began to cycle.  At a suitable moment he sent a message via the contraption attached the machine.  The man’s associates entered the bank, to be arrested by Lestrade’s men who were waiting for them.

And thus the stationary cyclist was deprived of his peculiar form of exercise for a number of years.

Comments

[debriswoman]

Very ingenious :-)

[smallhobbit]

It took a Sherlock Holmes to spot what was going on!

[scfrankles]

"The Stationary Cyclist" is such a great twist on "The Solitary Cyclist" ^___^ And I know it would be an immobile "safety" bicycle, but I'm amusing myself imagining it to be an exercise penny-farthing ^___^

Also, happy birthday! I hope you're having a lovely day ^_^

[smallhobbit]

Thank you - I'm glad you liked it. I'm not convinced of the merits of an exercise penny-farthing.

And thank you to for the good wishes. It's been a good day.

[gardnerhill]

There's Sherlock Holmes again, pedaling his detective services.

[smallhobbit]

That man gets everywhere 😁