The Moment of Realisation.

As we entered the room his eyes darted everywhere, the walls, the floor, the window, the furniture, then they seemed to look onwards to the very moisture in the air. He barely looked at the corpse.

I however went forwards to do my duty and examine what was left.

"Watson, I need to know if she….Watson?"

I was attempting to stop the heaving of my stomach.

"If you intend to vomit, please do so away from the evidence and me." (He had been in a foul temper since we had arrived, snapping at everyone and finding fault with everything.)

Surprisingly the new constable Peterson came forward, "just over ere Miss, behind this ere door there's a closet, I used it myself after I found her, it as a flush-"

"and do hurry up, you may be needed."

Holmes and I exchanged glares, "thank you, I shall manage quite well, a few deep breaths is all that is needed." I proceeded to take said breaths, yet the smell caused my stomach to heave again.

"Please spare us your valiancy, use the facility and have done with it."

Lestrade also came forward and placed his hand on my shoulder. "Come outside Miss Watson and into the hallway, it's a bit stuffy in ere."

" Thank you Inspector, you are right, perhaps I should accustom myself slowly to the unpleasantness."

Holmes snorted at that remark, pushed past us and continued his examination, stopping only to throw my medical bag after me and away from his crime scene, it was a clear indication of his opinion on my worth. Lestrade however lingered in the hall, he picked up the bag and placed it gently at my feet, hesitant to leave.

"Footprints excluding your men Lestrade?" Since an immediate response was not forthcoming, he stood and bellowed 'FOOTPRINTS.'

Lestrade now patted my hand and stumbled back into the room, "Only two sets Mr Holmes, excluding mine and Peterson's, these here… see…. the little ones are the young ladies and those bloody big things are his. The old girl that found er never entered, so nothing of hers. I believe she heard the commotion, came up and the door was open, she looked in and saw this and then ran away screaming. The whole neighbourhood was up and running in seconds, they are a tight bunch, but no one saw anything of interest. Would you like to speak to them?"

"Not at present, people still in shock are of little use. Yes, two sets, our large male murderer and his victim. These are the identical round toe, steel tips as he has sported before, he is possibly wearing the same clothes each time he strikes. A uniform of a sort. There is also that faint scent of burning oil in the room, was there alcohol on her lips?"

"For god's-sake Mr Olmes, no I an't got round to sniffing the ead for vapours, not sure where the bleeden ead is?"

"You have lost it, rather sloppy of you but not entirely unexpected."

At which point I finally marched back in, my sudden sickness expelled and was disappointed to see Lestrade looking about earnestly. "It is over by the window, half under the curtains Inspector, they seem to have stopped it rolling. There is a faint smell of alcohol emitting from her mouth and oddly her hair, it is what started my stomach. There is also a gin bottle against that wall, as there seems to be a tilt in the floor-."

"I know all this already Watson, the fact that our official investigating Detective has no idea is alarming."

"This room is horrible Holmes, your poor temper is merely adding to that, what is the problem?"

He turned and glared, "do not lecture me!" He moved quickly to the window and then turned back, "my 'problem' as you term it, is I am surrounded by incompetence so I bring assistance, only to find her useless too."

Lestrade held up his arm, "let's just stop that right now, we can all get along without the need for more unpleasantness."

Holmes turned his back to us, looked upwards and shaking his head he continued his examination in silence, his long spidery legs stepping across the floor carefully, almost dancing, yet assimilating the information as he progressed. "There is nothing new in his execution, same tools, same ritual of dismemberment, indeed much is the same as his other crimes, except in that this time he has been a little more violent."

"Worst I've seen for a while Mr Holmes."

"Yes Inspector, it is as through he were performing for an audience, indeed there are far more details here and very precise details."

"Just looks a bloody mess."

" To you, however to me these details are interesting."

"Anything in particular?" Lestrade pulled out his notebook and licked his pencil.

However Holmes seemed to be preoccupied, I followed his gaze only to realise he was staring at my posterior and rather blatantly too.

Lestrade had also noticed and was smiling.

I loudly cleared my throat.

He looked up, "have you caught a cold Watson?" Then he pointed to a bench,"sit here."

I was now blushing, angry and to my shame I was determined to lash back,"sit in all that blood and bits of flesh, no absolutely not! Mrs Hudson scrubs the stuff from your clothes, I have to do it myself."

"Please Madam do as I ask."

"Do not 'Madam' me Holmes, it will only further shorten my temper and being carted here after a full dinner to be confronted by this and your bloody poor temper coupled by that … that male arrogance, I am in no mood to be trifled with."

He simply raised his chin, spun on the one foot and then stalked back to the widow,(taking great care not to stand on anything important) and stood brooding.

I immediately felt guilty, but stood firm, waiting quietly for a waspish retort.

"A medical opinion is somewhat useful, that is the only reason why you are here, however you can be dammed frustrating when you are stubborn. Now please spare me this delicate female performance and cooperate." He did not look at me but his wording was direct, "you are a nurse, blood is your business, your stomach is now empty, do as told."

Unable to move for fear of trampling over everything I balled my fists and stamped my foot in anger, "you are expecting too much of me sir and I will not as you say 'cooperate,' not unless you give me a jolly good reason for inconveniencing myself. I am not a dog to be ordered to heel and sit."

Lestrade had moved between us, "now, now, you are both at it again, what is all this about? We were all doing just fine yesterday, remember it was Christmas, peace and goodwill to all."

"Tell her that," I pointed at the torso, then looked away and held my stomach again.

"Watson, by reacting emotionally to this you are allowing our murderer to triumph, indeed he is creating the physical and mental response that he so craves. I refuse to indulge him. You-you have seen this carnage before, you have been on the battlefield, you have seen the horrors of war. Indeed I often hear the damage it has done to you from downstairs, nightmares riddled with fear and loathing. You, most if all should be hardened to this, still it repulses you enough to have a physical reaction. That is because this…. THIS… " he stormed into the centre of the room and held out his arms, "this has no purpose, no cunning motive, it has no courage, or pride or the senseless orders one receives to kill another for queen and country. This is nothing more than pure butchery for the sake of pleasure. It should not be treated with revulsion, but with strong determination, we must behave with reason and eliminate it, as one would a disease or vermin." He stopped suddenly realising he was shouting and took a moment to collect himself. "Watson, I have little patience but strong motives and valid reasons for my requests, so put aside your distaste, learn to trust me, stand firm and let us get the bloody job done."

"Dam-it Holmes, I want to co-operate, but there are bits of human organs just here and there," I pointed to the offending parts of the bench, "I would rather not sit over them thank you. Call it 'female' or weak or even 'frustrating', until I have some time to identify these human tissues, I would like to refrain from sitting on them. What is more, I would like to know why you insist on my cooperation, surely Lestrade could sit for you?"

Lestrade looked at his new trousers and automatically stepped backwards, then realising his error stopped and searched below his feet for damage.

Then Holmes purposefully pushed him aside, then stopping at the bench and raising his leg, he promptly kicked all bits of flesh off with the heal of his shoe.

"There, they are all gone, now sit!" It was said with such venom I did as I was told. "Perfect, now do behave." He then began looking keenly at the wall behind and next to me, carefully using his hands to trace the splattered blood marks "Notice Lestrade the area on the bench to the right of her is clean, very clean and in a triangular pattern, see the similarity with Watson's skirt, only smaller….much smaller, that is indeed worrying. Look also at the wall next to her."

"Eh?"

"Yes, her lower half in the seated position is larger, much larger, move into that area Watson."

"Must I?"

"Yes, it is clear of blood and flesh, yet that is the worrying factor. I wish to measure how large your…." (he stopped and looked again at my rear,) "your gluteus maximus is compared to this space, it may give me a clue to its origins. Oh and do be careful to not touch anything with your hands."

I closed my eyes and forced myself upwards and sideways.

"A little more… more, stop. Don't move your head, keep it still." Holmes seemed fascinated and took a tape from his pocket, measured my whole lower body, my head and shoulders and then parts of the bench and wall.

"Please tell me when I can stand?"

"Do keep quiet."

Lestrade had now needlessly licked his pencil once too often and was becoming impatient, "what is it Mr Holmes?"

"Yes Holmes, I am dashed uncomfortable." I looked at his face as it searched beyond me, then he looked sharply at the floor, threw himself on the ground and seemed to be searching for something.

"Holmes?"

"Quiet! These footprints are more pronounced, as though he were carrying something heavy." His head snapped up and his eyes locked with mine. For the first time I observed as the grey mirrored his mind, a keen working intelligence; bright with the sudden joy of realisation and then dull with a look of horror, the lighter silver hues almost shifting in tone to deep pools of coal grey. "Performing for an audience Watson, is that what I said earlier?" He scrambled upwards and looked across at the window in anguish, "good-god, there is someone else and she was made to witness this," he pointed to the floor.

Lestrade looked startled but sceptical, "A third person?"

"Yes, an 'audience.' A person much smaller than Watson, over three feet smaller, female and slimmer, also wearing a skirt, but with a coat and hat. Sitting right next to where Watson is now. Look behind her Lestrade, there is a faint silhouette, the wall is absent of blood splashes, the seat below is clear, the floor underneath is clean." A child, possibly a midget- no that possibility is eradicated by the presence of a doll in the street."

"What doll?"

"Dropped, but we must not go outside again." He now looked at the floor and following a set of unseen footprints he reached the door, then beyond until we could only hear him mumbling in the hallway. Lestrade looked to me for enlightenment and my only response was to shrug my shoulders , I knew he was close to an important discovery, but as to what I had no idea.

"Come now Mr Holmes, what have you discovered and what is all this about a child? Miss Watson and myself are clearly puzzled."

Holmes presently appeared again and holding up a tiny scarlet bow which he carefully gave to Lestrade,"from the dress."'

"From the victims clothes?"

"The dolls dress!"

"WHAT doll?"

"A third person was in this room, an innocent witness to these events and possibly still alive. She is young and very frightened, as I believe this was her mother. The murderer has kept the young female as a useful hostage." He moved back to the window for a second and then stepped sharply backwards. "Good, your men are using the entrance opposite as a refugee from the cold, two of them have taken the opportunity to smoke."

"Have they by-gud, I'll see to that-"

"STOP! Please do not move Inspector." He had held his hand up in earnest, "they need to stay right there. You see, I do believe she is still with him, they are close, within view of this very window." He looked at me, "there is a dim light in the building opposite, first floor, third window from the left. Not unusual you would think, but a person is holding a London railway Triple Aspect lantern, the signature light distribution is unique, there are also the faint hues of the red and green filters. They are using it indoors and have been constantly watching this building. Of course that is the burning paraffin smell that I keep detecting, it was foolish of me to not identify it immediately. Indeed, when I move to the window they are withdrawing quickly, but still watching, please refine from looking Lestrade, do not move. At the buildings door is a discarded doll, I noticed it as we arrived, on top of the snow so recently dropped, hand painted porcelain and rather expensive, so not nonchalantly discarded." Before Lestrade could ask he added, "I did not mention this as I place these observations aside, unless of course they become useful, empathising such details at the time would only confuse the investigation. It would be impossible for me to report everything I see, as I see so much. Of course there is a system of filing this information in my brain, oftentimes there is a slight backlog due to the sheer amount of facts." He now held his arm out and I took it, quickly pulling myself up and moving as far away from the bench as I could, (I resisted the urge to wipe my skirts.) "If I display signs of annoyance, it is my inability at times to clear the mind of these trivialities and root out the actual useful clues."

I took this as a way of explaining his poor mood and lowered my head in acknowledgment. "But why bother to take a child Holmes, why not just kill her here."

"The child is a helpless female, his preferred choice of target and thus another possible victim. There would be a certain advantage of acquiring this fresh meat, to be taken away and experienced later."

"That is a horrible thing to say."

"Yet an honest answer. So he has a hostage and therefore was unable to escape quickly and securely. As you say Lestrade, the neighbourhood was alert quite quickly and therefore he was forced to take shelter close-by. He has not yet moved, so he may be weary of alerting others in that house. Indeed perhaps he remains to witness the aftermath, an element of egotism or perhaps to be certain of-no wait!" (He held his hand to his head,) "facts, facts, facts… YES! The back doors are gone! If I am not mistaken there is only one means of entry or exit from that building, the rear of Poppin's Court having been walled off to create new flats along St Brides Street. Watson remember when you showed interest in renting diggs in Fleet Street and I discovered the whole area was a death trap due to an unscrupulous landlord, so it would be a death trap on both sides, both Poppins Court and Brides Street at the back, only one door on each building, with no means of escape in a potential emergency? Ar-hah, he is trapped in there."

"So you actually went to investigate those rooms?"

"Certainly, Mrs Hudson would never have forgiven me if you had experienced anything unfortunate at a new accommodation though lack of foresight. I would also like to point out that your natural optimism is all well and good, but you fail to see signs of corruption and danger around you, as you have failed to see tonight."

"And you see it everywhere?"

He came over to look at me intently again, "yes in everything and everyone, constantly." Then for the first time Sherlock Holmes voluntary chose to touch me, lightly and with a gentle tap on the nose, as one would a wayward child, "but thankfully corruption is not always a prerequisite to existence. It is a rare and valuable commodity to find someone that can be totally trusted, with motives that are both transparent and pure. Indeed someone whose primary objective is to offer goodness to others," his gaze intensified, "it is rare gift indeed. There is no fault to be found except in naivety, yet such ignorance is useful as it can be manipulated for a greater good. However it is all a matter of trust, knowing a person is trustworthy is not quite the same as having the secure knowledge they will trust you. You must learn to trust the world again Jane Hillary Watson and those of us in it who have hope, hope for that same goodness you offer so freely." He turned to address Lestrade, "of course there is a distinct possibility I am mistaken and that light is just a curious innocent, he may actually be a railway employee and have no gas fitted, but the odds are against that and we must also be certain. If we are careful and think cleverly we have a chance. Now we must not dash out, he will not kill her until he is cornered, as she is a valuable commodity and a possible shield. So we have some small amount of time, but we must use it wisely. Yes, I do believe there is some hope, have you a revolver Lestrade? Good give it here, let us assume that he is not armed with anything more lethal than his meat cleaver and sword. Peterson…. PETERSON, ah there you are, do be a good fellow and remove your uniform. Lestrade you must go down and talk to the other men, do it quietly, no sudden fuss, indeed I would be most grateful if you could loudly instruct them to search for signs of a carriage in the street. "

"But you have already established there was no carriage in the street."

"So I have. Ask another of your officers for a smoke and you must stay with him directly outside the door of that building, do not move. Try to be vocal about your dissatisfaction with my methods and express your concern that I believe the murderer is a jealous lover, that he has taken flight in said carriage and may be miles away, but keep your voice normal and even." He began to remove his coat, scarf and jacket, which I thought rather odd, however it was when he started to unbutton his spats and boots that Lestrade looked at me in slight panic. "Mr Olmes what are you up to?"

Holmes looked behind himself, "Peterson, why are you still standing there? I will need your trousers, that coat and boots, hat too…. Come along my-boy."

"If you insist on stripping my men Olmes, I would appreciate a reason-"

"Do not be concerned Inspector, you see I will have to enter that building in order to retrieve the child. So whilst outside I will follow you, however I will be wearing Peterson's entire uniform and therefore easily mistaken for yet another Policeman. There will no suspicious consulting Detective to put him on guard. You are to call me over to you and then direct me around the corner to also check for carriage marks, but in the area leading to St Brides Street. I must come right up to you to hear this, as I need to calculate the length of the building when I move away, I will do so by carefully measuring my strides. On that corner there are a set of lower basement windows, using one I can easily force an entrance. I will then make my way upstairs, across and through to the appropriate apartment using my calculations. This is my plan, now is everyone in agreement?"

'Everyone' in the room, (namely myself and Lestrade, as Peterson had decided to hide to undress) just stared in silent awe.

"I will take that as an general consensus. Good, so before I give anymore instructions, no-one is to mention the window, go near it or look towards it, do not even look at the building. Lestrade I know it is tempting for you to barge in there and catch our man, but remember he has a small child as a hostage. At present we have an advantage, that is he is unaware of our intelligence and I wish to retain that advantage for the next fifteen minutes, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Mr Holmes."

"Well off you go. Watson I am about to remove my trousers, do look the other way. It is getting rather chilly and I need that uniform, where the devil has he gone with it?"

"Must you go in there alone, you are a 'consulting detective' not a trained military officer and he is rather dangerous. Look at what he can do."

"So am I, dangerous and determined. If I can get to him unawares, with the child more than a foot away, then the odds are certainly in my favour. Ah, the uniform at last." I waited silently for him to tell me to turn, but he eventually pushed past. Then before entirely walking away he turned, "nevertheless I would be most grateful if you wait in a room downstairs and prepare yourself to deal with sword injuries, possible deep cuts or (god-forbid) the severing of limbs. We may need that needle of yours again. Do not look so downcast old-girl, remember that word, 'trust', trust me." Then he gave me a rare smile and disappeared.

I sat alone and waited, not entirely sure for what. Meanwhile I had opened my case to see what would be useful.

Time seemed to stretch itself around noises; the closing of a door, the whispers of voices about the house, the distant bark of a dog and the clanging as the suture needle fell from my shaking hands and onto the stone floor. Finally I acknowledged the dreaded feeling of absolute and overpowering guilt and when the expected gunshot finally smashed through the frozen silence, I realised I had been squeezing my eyes shut so tight that they hurt and resolving myself to never again question his orders or directions. I knew he was a genius, but I had only just realised at what level his mind was capable of working.

If he did manage to come out of that building alive, I resolved to follow him regardless. No matter how difficult, misogynistic, demanding or how bloody arrogant, I would serve him.

ooooooooooooo00000000000OOOOOOOOOO0000000000oooooooooooo

This is meant as a follow-on story to 'Intellectual Eye,' a story from years ago in My 'My Dear Miss Watson.'

I have stopped hating 'The Escapades' and begun to have some sympathy for the poor neglected stories.

I now also have a sudden interest in visiting London only to see what St Brides Street looks like, having spent some time researching the place in old maps

Usual warning applies, author has dyslexia so please feedback with errors.

Tegan