Author's note. Just wrapping things up. At least, as much as is possible with this train wreck of an ending. Ah well, you cannot win them all.
"Are you keeping Cratchett?" I asked as I set a cup of tea down in front of Lestrade and took a seat in front of his desk.
"I'm supposed to be running him off." Lestrade grumbled in reply. "His father wants him to find a better career."
"Your Rookie saved my life." I said, eliciting a glare from the older Inspector.
"After you let him get stabbed." Lestrade said coolly. "Watson was waiting for you."
I did not reply. Lestrade took a drink of the offered tea. "I told Marshall we had no reason to fire Cratchett." Lestrade finally said.
"That's good." I fell silent again.
Lestrade went back to his paperwork. He was waiting, though. Since he had not dismissed me, he was still waiting.
I sighed. "It doesn't feel right." I finally said. Lestrade looked up and set aside his pencil.
"What?" He asked.
"The case." I frowned. "I don't like how it ended. It feels wrong somehow."
Lestrade just looked at me. I wondered if he even knew what I was talking about. Maybe for him any case he closed was a good one. Maybe I was being picky. Maybe I just wished I had figured it out sooner, or at least did not feel like I had accidentally stumbled on the solution.
The man took another drink of his tea and looked down at his paperwork. I figured that was it, but then he looked back up to me.
"Watson killed him?" He asked. I nodded. "No doubts about that?"
I shook my head. "He confessed." Lestrade nodded. Then he sighed.
"Some cases are like that." He said bluntly. "It happens."
That did not make me feel any better.