This guy was incredible- either he really had the evidence to back that statement up- or else he was a really good liar. Yet he seemed so sure of himself, carrying himself with the confidence of an expert. And if he was an expert in forensics, I had definitely never heard of anyone as fast or efficient as this guy anywhere. My mind raced. Was he merely a detective, as Lestrade had said? Detectives usually don't possess this type of scientific knowledge; they leave that aspect to MEs- like me. Who was he?
"Dr. Watson?"
I snapped back to reality. "Yes?"
"I just asked if you wanted to know why I came to that conclusion."
I was intrigued. "Of course. I was just about to ask you that."
Holmes pried open her mouth. "What do you see?"
"Everything appears to be normal. Nothing obtruding the airway or the esophagus," I reported.
"Precisely. Now, think back to how she was found. What would you expect to find?"
Then it dawned on me. "She was supposed to have finished a whole bottle of aspirin..."
Holmes grinned. "Yes, and if she did, it would have taken her, even if she did slit her wrists- which we now know she didn't- at least an hour to die. During this time, her body wouldn't be able to handle it-"
"And she would have thrown it up- but it's all clean. No evidence of vomiting at all," I quickly finished.
"You catch on quick, doctor. And of course, in answer to your next question, externally there are no signs of bruising consistent with suffocation."
And a mind reader at that. "So poison would be the logical conclusion. A foreign substance in excess. Is there anything else that I should include in the preliminary findings before I do the actual autopsy tomorrow?" I offered, completely in awe of the man standing before me.
He shook his head. "No, that's it. Although I do need your help on something else doctor- if you'd be willing to bend the rules a bit. There are a few things I do need to clear up."
"What is it?"
"I need you to access the computer database for me. I'd usually ask Lestrade, but he's currently eliminating the possibility of a boyfriend as a potential suspect." The database was a gigantic, massive storage of case files online that allowed any law enforcement official (medical examiners and coroners included) to search and access records on previous and ongoing cases. If Holmes was asking me to access the database for him, then he wasn't law enforcement.
So who was he?
AN: Thanks to snowwolf, my faithful reviewer. This chapter is dedicated to her as "most" of it
is Lestrade-less. :)