House Call

It was around midnight at 13 Paternoster Row, and the Great Detective was, for the first time ever, stumped. She had gone through all possibilities of what could be going on in Epping Forest. "It makes no sense!" She exclaimed, clearing everything from her desk in fury. She put her head on the table. "How? How could this be happening?" She heard someone enter. Her tongue told her it was her butler. "Unless you have an answer to this case, please leave me alone!" She said impatiently.

"You let your wife in here even though she had no solution!"

"Yes, but that was for… different reasons."

"Please, do not feel like you need to elaborate on that. You two already confuse me in enough ways. I don't need to be thinking about that. Anyway, I may have a solution to your problem."

The Great Detective stood and paced about the room. "What do you suggest I do?"

"Simple. Make a phone call."

"To whom? If I can't solve this case, then who can?"

"Yes. I'm sure he can."

"What do you-?" Realizing what Strax was saying, she smiled. "Make the call." The butler exited the room to do that. The Great Detective stared out the window, waiting. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. He never took more than five to arrive. Four seconds. "Come on. Where are you?"

Then she heard it. That familiar whooshing sound as a big, blue box appeared across the street. The Great Detective called for her butler and wife to join her outside as the box finished materializing. An unfamiliar face popped out of the doors. That was normal of course. "You're half a second late, old friend." The Great Detective taunted. Her friend ignored the statement.

"Hello there Vastra, Jenny, Strax." The Doctor said in his usual jovial voice. "You ordered a house call?"