Prompt from zanganito: Holmes gets a new case on New Year's Eve.
Congratulations to all of us who participated in this year's challenge, it's been lovely reading the stories, and also getting so many amazing comments! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, I appreciated every one of them.
Happy New Year, and I hope to see you again for December Challenge of Awesomeness 2021!
Holmes looked up from the telegram, clearly delighted. "A case, Watson, and it looks to be a most fascinating one!" He bounded out of his chair and over to the door, only stopping long enough to grab his coat, not even bothering to put it on. "Come along, Watson! I'll explain it all on the way!"
I admit I was disappointed at the idea of being out on the cold streets of London on New Year's Eve, rather than being at a party with friends or even just comfortably at home with Holmes, but I did not let my disappointment stop me. I knew Holmes cared little for such occasions, and accompanying him in a case was one of my greatest pleasures. "I'll grab my coat and be right behind you."
Several hours later found us down at the docks, searching for a man who had kidnapped his employer's young child, a connection only discovered when Holmes had observed the faint streaks of plum jam on the mantlepiece and the faintest imprint of a shoe at the servant's door. We did not believe he would harm the child, but the child's parents were very anxious to have him returned, and so, at nearly midnight on New Year's Eve, we were far from home and busily searching for any trace of man or child.
As we searched, I kept a keen eye on my watch. Even if I was doing nothing in particular to celebrate it, I still wanted to mark the moment to say goodbye to the old year and welcome in a new one.
I watched the seconds hand tick around for the final minute of the year, counting under my breath, "Five, four, three, two, one, and a happy new year."
Holmes appeared at my side and I stumbled, caught by surprise. "Did you see something, Watson?"
"No, just counting off the seconds." His expression hastened me to explain, "It's just turned midnight, Holmes. Happy New Year."
"Of course." He did not return the felicitations, and I did not expect him to. I did expect we would return to searching, but he hesitated. "Did you have plans, Watson?"
"Nothing that couldn't be missed." He still looked slightly discomfited, and the rare show of emotion brought an immediate burst of fondness to my heart. I smiled at him and said, "They do say you should start the year as you mean to continue it, and I can't think of anything I'd rather do more than spend the rest of the year here in London with you."
