Sherlock rubbed his fingers together as he stared inside the hospital room. Nurses and technicians pushed past him, threatening his toes with computers, test tube racks, and portable x-ray machines. Joan stood beside him. It had been an hour since they arrived, and the bustle had yet to slow. The verdict was out, however. Eleanor McNamara would survive. They would put her on suicide watch for the next three days, and then release her. Her head immobilized by the neck brace, she stared at the ceiling, paying no attention to beeping machines and tubes. Joan would have thought her dead if not for the pulse on the heart monitor.
Being in the hospital felt strange, and being on this side of the glass felt stranger. Joan glanced at Sherlock. He was squinting, doubtless turning some theory over in his mind. They waited.
Fifteen minutes later, the doctor stepped to the side. Detective Bell came up from behind the counter where he had been talking to a paramedic.
"Me first, or all at once?" He looked from Sherlock to Joan.
"All at once will do nicely." Sherlock said, knitting his eyebrows. They entered the room.
"Hello Mrs. McNamara." She blinked, and glanced at them, but said nothing. Detective Bell frowned. "Mrs. McNamara?"
"I didn't do it." Her voice was hoarse.
"Do what?"
"Murder Carl. I didn't I don't know why he said what he did." Her face remained blank. She was worlds away from the hysteric woman they had seen earlier, but Joan didn't know which was worse.
"Are you sure that the late Mr. McNamara was speaking about you? Forgive the indelicacy, but was there any other woman in his life?"
"No. I wish there was. But the only women he stayed in contact with in the end are me and Helen Lindbar." She coughed.
"And you're sure it's not Helen?" Detective Bell raised his eyebrows. A smile crawled across Eleanor McNamara's face.
"Yes, I'm sure." For the first time, her eyes turned to them. They welled up with tears. "Because I'm the one who gave him the heroin. That's why I have to die. Guilt stains me."
"Wait a second, Mrs. McNamara. You said a minute ago that you didn't kill him."
"I didn't murder him. I gave him the same thing I always do. Carl didn't know it was heroin, he thought it was his regular IV. But when the doctors told me he had no chance, I didn't want him to spend his last weeks in misery. So I didn't murder him. No one did. The package must have been mislabeled."
"Who gave you this package, Mrs. McNamara?" Sherlock's voice was barely audible. Joan glanced at him. His jaw was tense and eyes shimmering strangely in the half-lit room. She realized this case brought back memories of a different kind for him. Mrs. McNamara swallowed.
"I-I can't tell you that." To Joan's surprise, Sherlock squatted beside her bed.
"Mrs. McNamara, we have reason to believe that someone has severely wronged both you and your late husband, and many others like you. Your testimony is essential to this case. I do believe you are the only one in possession of this particular piece of information."
"You're right. Someone has wronged us. Someone who was supposed to be on our side. But that's all I'm going to tell you, unless you can promise me something."
"What is that, Mrs. McNamara? We've got the best witness protection plan in all of New York. You'll be completely anonymous." Eleanor smiled.
"They'll know it was me. He's right," she pointed to Sherlock. "I am the only one who has this information that I know of."
"What do you want then?"
"Extend my suicide watch. Please…I-I'm afraid. Of myself. And of…others." Her voice trembled. Sherlock put his hand on hers.
"I don't think that will be a problem, Mrs. McNamara, will it, detective?" Overcoming surprise, Detective Bell said,
"No, no, not at all. Just tell Mr. Holmes what he wants to know." He looked at Joan. She shrugged.
"Who gave you the heroin, Mrs. McNamara?"
"Helen Lindbar. But she got it from Adam."
"Adam Dromsky?"
"I don't know for sure. The name sounds familiar." Detective Bell tapped Joan. He was excited. He motioned for them to leave.
"Thank you, Mrs. McNamara. That'll be all for now."
"We will do our best for you and Carl, I promise. This isn't your fault. Don't blame yourself." Sherlock stood up. Eleanor smiled. The detectives left. Shutting the door behind Sherlock, Detective Bell said,
"Adam Dromsky. That's the CEO of Fortress."
"Where is Mrs. McNamara's doctor?" Sherlock walked away. Detective Bell and Joan stared after him.
"Doesn't he see the connection? If the same guy runs Panteras and Fortress, it's a huge scam. He sells a bunch of policies he knows will never be fulfilled. Even if no one investigating the crime suspects heroin, he, as the insurance company, can have them tested."
"I'm sure Sherlock realizes that. Maybe he thinks you can handle it."
"You know Sherlock, he never misses the end of a case. It's his big show, the great reveal." Joan shook her head.
"Not this time." She followed Sherlock. Detective Bell shrugged. Sherlock was sitting in the lobby staring at some potted plants. Joan sat down next to him.
"They're fake you know." He gestured toward the plants. Joan nodded.
"Did you find her doctor?"
"Oh, yes. He says that'll be fine." Sherlock adjusted the neck of his pinstripe shirt and looked down, fingers interlocked.
"Sherlock…"
"I'm alright Joan." He took a deep breath.
"You're not."
"Well, you didn't expect me to admit it, did you?" He smiled. She frowned.
"I'm serious, Sherlock."
"Anything that reminds me of my past addiction tends to make me weepy and threaten my masculinity." Joan shook her head.
"What you did back there wasn't for yourself, it was for her."
"Well, perhaps I evaluated the timing and decided that her need was greater than my own. Are we finished?" Sherlock put his hands on his knees. Joan nodded.
"Sure, whatever you want."
"You are no longer required to empathize with me Watson. We are partners." Sherlock stood up. Joan stood up too.
"That's fine. I just thought we were starting to be friends." She walked towards the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Panteras. I want to be there when they shut it down."
A month later they sat in Captain Gregson's office. Detective Bell was reading off the notes for the court case.
"Adam Dromsky's looking at life plus, as are a few of his top confederates. Helen Lindbar, maybe a month, jury will sympathize. Less for Eleanor McNamara. She's still under observation, but her sister from Ohio is in the city now, living with her. Once she gets the okay, it's likely they'll move back together. Total victims found, twenty-two and counting. We lost the drug trail at the state line of Virginia. This thing's been right under our nose for years." He glanced at Captain Gregson.
"I guess now you can say 'I told you so.' It's unbelievable that we missed it for so long."
"Dromsky was a clearly a man of genius." Sherlock said.
"You know, there's a memorial service for the victims this Saturday at five. Are we going?" Joan said. Sherlock shook his head.
"I'm busy."
"You know Mrs. McNamara asked specifically for you. She texted me. Here, look." Sherlock took her phone.
"Why does she have your number?" Joan shrugged.
"I always give my number to people who need to talk."
Dr. Watson, I'd like to invite you and Mr. Holmes to the memorial service. Don't feel obligated to come, I understand that you're busy. If you don't come, I'd just like to say thank you. I truly believe that I owe you my life and conscience. If I had anything more to give you, I would. Eleanor McNamara.
Sherlock stared at the text for a moment. "Perhaps I'm not as busy as I thought." He handed Joan back her phone and smiled. She smiled back. "We could go I suppose." Sherlock continued. He looked her in the eye. "As friends."
THE END