Fic: Accident Prevention: G
Oct. 9th, 2017 05:21 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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holmes_minorTitle: Accident Prevention
Form/Word count: 499
Characters/Pairing: Mr Sherlock Holmes, Dr John Watson, Inspector Lestrade, Pinkerton Agent Leverton
Rating: G
Warning/Content: A letter from a potential client raises suspicions in Holmes' mind.
“Mr Holmes, I’d like to thank you for your assistance in this matter.” Leverton, the Pinkerton agent, shook Holmes’ hand warmly.
“I was delighted to help,” Holmes replied. “It was an interesting case, with some unusual features.” He gestured to Leverton and Inspector Lestrade, who had accompanied him, to take a seat.
Mrs Hudson appeared with a tea tray, and once the tea had been poured and Leverton had complimented Mrs Hudson on her fruit cake, we continued to discuss the case.
“Smythe’s original letter had instantly raised my suspicions. Even Watson commented on the difference between the very English name of Rutherford-Smythe, and the number of American terms which featured in the letter. And whilst one would never disregard a payment just to meet a transatlantic ship and ensure the safe onward journey of a delicate wife, it did strike me as strange a detective should be called upon for such a task.”
“Although it would be reassuring to the wife to be met by someone as famous as yourself,” Lestrade said.
Holmes acknowledged the compliment, although no doubt noticing the slight hint of a grin on Lestrade’s face. The Yard detective knows Holmes is not immune to such comments.
“However,” Holmes continued, “I am not above being paid to act as witness to an event, which is what I suspect was the true nature of the event. Especially if I can possibly prevent the event from happening in the first place.”
Leverton chuckled. He had been after Smythe for a while, and appreciated Holmes being paid by the man to spoil his plan. “And then he sent you a telegram, telling you he had learnt his wife would receive bad news when she arrived, and he feared she would throw herself overboard.”
“Indeed,” Holmes agreed, “which was followed shortly by a second telegram saying he would endeavour to meet her himself, but nevertheless requesting I bring a life-saving donut with me as a precaution.”
“And meanwhile,” I added, “believing prevention is always better than cure, we had arranged for me to go aboard the ship as she entered the river mouth. This would mean I could either comfort the lady should there indeed be bad news, or, as seemed more likely, prevent anything untoward happening to her.”
“What I still don’t understand,” Lestrade said, “was why Smythe didn’t run when he realised his plan had been discovered. He just stood completely still, as if he was transfixed.”
Leverton too was puzzled, but shrugged his shoulders; since the outcome had been successful he wasn’t worried. “Oh, by the way, did you take along a life-saving donut? I didn’t see you with one.”
Holmes responded with an enigmatic smile.
We managed not to laugh until after Leverton and Lestrade had departed. The donut in question had been a ring doughnut which was being worn round the middle of the Ferret. (He had nibbled the inside sufficiently to get it on.) Clearly Smythe had never seen anything like it before.
Form/Word count: 499
Characters/Pairing: Mr Sherlock Holmes, Dr John Watson, Inspector Lestrade, Pinkerton Agent Leverton
Rating: G
Warning/Content: A letter from a potential client raises suspicions in Holmes' mind.
“Mr Holmes, I’d like to thank you for your assistance in this matter.” Leverton, the Pinkerton agent, shook Holmes’ hand warmly.
“I was delighted to help,” Holmes replied. “It was an interesting case, with some unusual features.” He gestured to Leverton and Inspector Lestrade, who had accompanied him, to take a seat.
Mrs Hudson appeared with a tea tray, and once the tea had been poured and Leverton had complimented Mrs Hudson on her fruit cake, we continued to discuss the case.
“Smythe’s original letter had instantly raised my suspicions. Even Watson commented on the difference between the very English name of Rutherford-Smythe, and the number of American terms which featured in the letter. And whilst one would never disregard a payment just to meet a transatlantic ship and ensure the safe onward journey of a delicate wife, it did strike me as strange a detective should be called upon for such a task.”
“Although it would be reassuring to the wife to be met by someone as famous as yourself,” Lestrade said.
Holmes acknowledged the compliment, although no doubt noticing the slight hint of a grin on Lestrade’s face. The Yard detective knows Holmes is not immune to such comments.
“However,” Holmes continued, “I am not above being paid to act as witness to an event, which is what I suspect was the true nature of the event. Especially if I can possibly prevent the event from happening in the first place.”
Leverton chuckled. He had been after Smythe for a while, and appreciated Holmes being paid by the man to spoil his plan. “And then he sent you a telegram, telling you he had learnt his wife would receive bad news when she arrived, and he feared she would throw herself overboard.”
“Indeed,” Holmes agreed, “which was followed shortly by a second telegram saying he would endeavour to meet her himself, but nevertheless requesting I bring a life-saving donut with me as a precaution.”
“And meanwhile,” I added, “believing prevention is always better than cure, we had arranged for me to go aboard the ship as she entered the river mouth. This would mean I could either comfort the lady should there indeed be bad news, or, as seemed more likely, prevent anything untoward happening to her.”
“What I still don’t understand,” Lestrade said, “was why Smythe didn’t run when he realised his plan had been discovered. He just stood completely still, as if he was transfixed.”
Leverton too was puzzled, but shrugged his shoulders; since the outcome had been successful he wasn’t worried. “Oh, by the way, did you take along a life-saving donut? I didn’t see you with one.”
Holmes responded with an enigmatic smile.
We managed not to laugh until after Leverton and Lestrade had departed. The donut in question had been a ring doughnut which was being worn round the middle of the Ferret. (He had nibbled the inside sufficiently to get it on.) Clearly Smythe had never seen anything like it before.
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Date: 2017-10-09 04:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-09 04:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-09 06:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-09 07:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-09 08:14 pm (UTC)And I did like that little moment of Lestrade teasing Holmes and it completely going over Holmes' head.
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Date: 2017-10-09 08:16 pm (UTC)Lestrade has got to know some of Holmes' foibles rather well.
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Date: 2017-10-17 12:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-17 10:22 am (UTC)