Prompt from V Tsuion: An apocalypse
The Interconnectedness of Detectives
"You are sure of this, Mr. Gently?"
"As sure as I can be, Mr. Holmes." The short, rather pudgy man in the old brown suit fidgeted in his chair, attempting to light a rather battered cigarette, a French brand he preferred. He scowled at the cigarette, apparently decided it was rather too battered to light, and cast it into the fire, fishing another from his pocket. This one, less battered, he succeeded in lighting.
"How can you be sure, Mr. Gently?" Holmes pressed.
"Well, sir, I do not concern myself with little trifles as you do," said Gently, waving his cigarette airily. "I rely on the interconnectedness of all things."
Holmes gave him a level look.
"I take a holistic approach to solving mysteries, Mr. Holmes," Gently went on. "When I see a series of crimes that are seemingly unrelated, perpetrated by different criminals and yet involve the same elements, I begin to wonder."
Holmes settled back in his chair, concentrating on what the ridiculous man was saying.
"Take the Covent Garden burglaries, as example," Gently said. "Twelve burglaries. Mostly jewels and silverware stolen. Several men and one woman have been arrested. Different criminals and yet the method of entry was the same. Same sort of items stolen, too. It makes me wonder if there is a school for burglars."
"I see your point," said Holmes, reaching for his pipe and the Persian slipper with his tobacco. "And this line of reasoning brought you here to consult with me? Why not go to Scotland Yard?"
Mr. Gently snorted and gave out a rueful chuckle. Holmes raised his eyebrows, a very slight smile gracing his lips.
"Mr. Holmes, I do not enjoy the level of respect you have attained," Gently said. "The good inspectors would scoff at me and give the matter no further consideration."
"I can understand that," said Holmes. "It took many years and repeated successes to convince the professionals of the effectiveness of my methods."
"I fear they will never accept the effectiveness of mine," Mr. Gently said, flicking the stub of his cigarette into the fire.
"What other evidence have you to support your conclusion?" Holmes asked, puffing his pipe to life.
"In the last three years, four MPs have suddenly changed their positions on different matters in Parliament. One on the allocation of funds for the Navy. Two on trade agreements. The sudden and inexplicable changes of heart swung the vote in favor of the Conservatives all three times. Newspaper editorials by well-known journalists suddenly changed tone, going from supporting the actions of certain politicians to opposing them, literally overnight. A road project meant to repair a series of streets was halted when the repair crews reached the same roadway. The repairs were stopped and never taken up again."
"These hardly seem related, Mr. Gently," Holmes said.
"They are related in that the reasons behind them are inexplicable, Mr. Holmes." Mr. Gently leaned forward in his chair. In spite of his rather thick, metal framed glasses, his gaze was riveting. "Somewhere there is someone pulling strings. Someone has organized the low criminals and is influencing the holders of public office."
Holmes pondered the ridiculous little man. He was quite serious, and yet had no actual evidence.
"Very well, Mr. Gently," said Holmes after a time. "I will look into your idea of a puppet master. If he exists, I will do all in my power to drag him onto center stage and expose him."
"That is a relief, Mr. Holmes." Dirk Gently rose, fishing in his pocket for another French cigarette. "I will leave the matter in your most capable hands. Do call if you need me. I am on Peckender Street. For now, you must excuse me. I have another case."
"Oh? Is it interesting?" Holmes rose to escort his guest to the door.
"Not in your line, I'm afraid," Gently said. "Only a missing cat. Not very interesting, but it pays the bills. Good afternoon, sir."
Holmes stood in his doorway, watching as the funny fellow in the tattered suit descended the staircase. Who would ever guess such a creature could put together the existence of the organization Holmes had been convinced for years was working in the shadows? And yet, the little man's conclusions, regardless of how they came about, supported his own. Holmes closed the door and went to his commonplace books. Research was vital now. He would see just how many events might be connected by the same string, and who was at the end, pulling it.
AN: Dirk Gently is a creation of the late, great Douglas Adams. Though Adams is most famous for his 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' series, his holistic detective is equally worthy of note. Sadly, only two Dirk Gently books were completed before the author's untimely death. I dedicate this chapter to his memory.
Apocalypse: Translated from Greek: A disclosure of knowledge. This sense of the word did not reach the English language until the 14th century and has passed from popular awareness.
Modern usage involves a world-changing cataclysmic event such as a plague or a massive extraterrestrial body impacting the Earth. Strange how the meaning of the word has warped almost to the point of being unrelated to its origin.