“Watson how many times have I said that you see but do not observe?” asked Sherlock Holmes, interjecting into my thoughts.
Confused I looked up and asked, “What?”
“Well you have been staring at that stick for the past 2 hours and yet have not come up with any theories about the owner of this stick. You are seeing, but not observing,” Sherlock said, standing up and taking the stick in his hand.
“Really Holmes. Then what do you make of it?” I asked, somewhat miffed by his careless attitude. Yet again he had managed to make me feel like an imbecile. Sometimes I wondered why I still stood by him after so much time.
“Hmm…now that you ask, I cannot tell you much about the owner,” Sherlock started.
If I hadn’t been so used to his ways, I would have fallen for his tricks again. But I knew that he was about to astound me again, “Go on Holmes. I know you’ve got a lot to tell me about this owner.”
However, I was doomed not to learn about the owner of this stick, for there was a knock at the door. Sherlock simply shrugged, “maybe another time Watson”, put the stick down, and called out, “Enter.”
A middle-aged woman came in with Mrs. Hudson. The woman was sobbing and Mrs. Hudson was trying to calm her down. Sherlock pointed to the sofa and Mrs. Hudson steered the woman there, “There, there Emma. We’re here now. You tell Sherlock exactly what happened and I’m sure he will help you.” To Sherlock, she asked, pointedly, “Won’t you Sherlock?”
Sherlock usually lacked in the department of emotions and barbs, but somehow, here he caught on, and immediately agreed, “Of course I will Mrs. Hudson. Any friend of yours in need will get help from Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.”
I should have known then. He usually never mentioned me. But I guess I am an imbecile at times. Nonetheless, Mrs. Hudson managed to get Emma calmed down and then she told her story. I have presented it here word-for-word. Emma said, between sniffles, “My name is Emma Thatcher. My husband, Emil, and I have been married for 10 years now. Emil was a criminal lawyer and I would run the household. For the past few weeks, Emil had been very disturbed. Usually his cases didn’t disturb him so much, but his latest case was causing him many grey hairs. He was also staying up quite late into the night working on it. Or at least that’s what I think he was working on.”
Emma paused to catch her thoughts and Sherlock asked, “What was the case about?”
“I do not know all the details. Just that it was some type of a murder case. I think. Emil wouldn’t tell me much about his cases. I would just catch snippets here and there. Whatever it was, it was disturbing him a lot. He mentioned once or twice that he suspected his client wasn’t telling him the entire truth and that he had indeed committed the murder,” Emma replied.
“How did he die?” Sherlock asked.
Emma responded in a low voice, “The detectives are saying it was suicide.”
“But you think otherwise,” Sherlock prompted.
“My Emil was a good man. He was a happy man. This case had disturbed him, but not enough for him to kill himself. Oh, Mr. Holmes. I am sure that he could not kill himself. Please help me before his case is closed as a suicide,” Emma moaned.
“Why don’t you think it’s a suicide?” Sherlock asked.
“Because Emil would and could never kill himself. The detectives are saying that he shot himself, but Emil didn’t even have a gun! When I told them that, they said he could have bought it without telling me. But Mr. Holmes, Emil was in a jovial mood yesterday. Despite his biggest rival visiting him, despite his client visiting him, despite our fight, he was in a very happy mood,” Emma responded, earnestly.
“You said Emil was a criminal lawyer. What type of cases did he usually fight?”
“Murders mostly. Especially those that came out extra-marital affairs. He said that those were the worst kinds because they involved not only killing a person, but also killing trust and humanity,” Emma responded, in a low voice, wiping tears with her handkerchief.
There was a silence that engulfed the room after that. I expected Sherlock to ask more questions about the case, but instead he asked, “Who is investigating the case?”
“Detective Inspector Lestrade,” Emma replied.
“And has the body been moved? Or any evidence removed yet?” Sherlock asked.
“I don’t think so. When I left 20 minutes ago, everything was still in the room,” Emma responded.
“Ma’am please go back and let Lestrade know that you have hired me on the case. He will know to keep everything as is until I get there,” Sherlock instructed.
“That means you’ll take the case?” Emma asked, happily.
“Of course I will. I said as much earlier,” Sherlock said. Then he turned towards me, effectively dismissing Mrs. Hudson and Emma. Once the two had left, he said, “Watson I cannot leave these rooms.”
“But what about this case?” I demanded.
“I have already solved it,” Sherlock shrugged.
“What? But how? I heard the same details you heard and yet I have no idea who committed the murder,” I demanded. I knew that it was impossible for Sherlock to have already solved the case. He was fibbing.
“Because as usual you have not observed. But I cannot leave these rooms and catch the murderer. You know the case of the vanishing cat has been occupying my time and for that I have to be in these rooms all the time. Until I do not solve the case I cannot leave. You will have to do the groundwork for me. Find the evidence, question the suspects, and catch the murderer. Take that new assistant, whatever their name is. I will be here for consultations if you get stuck, but I cannot leave this room no matter what,” Sherlock said.
“But you accepted this case! Mrs. Thatcher will be expecting you there! And what about Mrs. Hudson?” I exclaimed. I didn’t bother providing Sherlock the new assistant’s name. Not that there was any assistant, it was just a wannabe Holmes that I had mentioned once in passing.
“I will explain the situation to Mrs. Hudson and Mrs. Thatcher will be happy to see you as well. Now go before Lestrade gives up waiting for me,” Sherlock all but pushed me out of the door.
I got out of the cab and turned to Player, “Remember keep your eyes open for any important clues. We have to solve this case together and show Holmes that we are no less than him.”
Lestrade came out of the house and sighed, “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson here to prove Scotland Yard idiots.”
“Lestrade you know that’s not what we do. We just help people out,” I objected.
“Yes and make Scotland Yard look like a bunch of fools. Fine. The crime scene is intact inside. You can only look, no touching, and no taking anything away,” Lestrade warned. Then he looked around, “Where’s Holmes?”
“Stuck in a pressing matter. It’ll just be myself and Player. He will help us, but we will have to go back to the rooms to call on his help,” I responded.
“Well good luck then,” Lestrade shrugged.
He stepped away and I made the way to the door, looking at the ground carefully for footprints, just like Sherlock always did. Not seeing any, I stepped into the house, followed by Player, and made my way to the crime scene, Emil’s study (or office).
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