As we stumbled into the café, I looked up at Mario behind the counter, and smiled

"Alright Doc? Got another patient?" he asked in his broad east London accent.

"Yeah sorry about this mate, but this guys had a run in with Dall's gang and I want to have a look in the light"

"S'right, I'll get you a cuppa, on the house"

I was shocked as the young man lurched out of my grasp and manoeuvred himself into a chair, directly below an electric spot light. It's the chair I normally try and get my patients on, the brightest in the room, and I thanked the powers that be for the man's lucky fall.

"It wasn't luck, Doctor" The man suddenly slurred

"Pardon?"

"I didn't choose this seat by luck, I chose it by design, and it's clearly the chair you would have chosen"

I cursed, I hadn't realised I had spoken out-loud. That's a terrible sign, we you start vocalising your thoughts you are losing your boundaries and descending into madness.

"You didn't say anything out-loud" the strange man continued "You needn't worry about your sanity, I just observed" he shrugged at my open mouth "You know this place and come here often, you'd clearly need a chair with as much light as possible, this chair is the brightest in the room, also you looked towards it as you walked through the door"

"Brilliant"

"You did say that out-loud however"

"Sorry"

"Don't be" he smiled.

I carefully pulled open his coat and ran a gentle hand over his abdomen and chest. Gently opening his buttons shirt I saw the livid black bruises, and sat back on my heels.

"You've broken a couple of ribs, but I think you got off fairly lightly" I told him "The bruising isn't particularly bad, and other than the black eye and the ribs, you're lucky"

"Thank you Doctor"

"That's what I do" I said and climbing to my feet smiled at him

"I also meant for saving my life, the man, Dall was it? He would have killed me." He said smiling broadly; I assessed him wondering if he was running mad.

"I'd have done it for anyone"

"Well thank you anyway"

Mario came over and put two cups of tea on the table, I smiled and thanked him, but as he turned away the strange man dug in his pocket and pulled out a screwed up note.

"Mario?" he asked

"Yes?" Mario asked

"This is for the tea, and if possible could you get a couple of bacon sandwiches and a bowl of chips for my Doctor?" He handed him the £20 note, and Mario looked at me for confirmation. I shrugged non-commitally and Mario hurried off.

"Thank you" I stammered "that's very kind"

"In a few minutes Doctor, my brother will step through that door, he will bundle me into a car and drive me off to the country where he will imprison me until he thinks I'm clean" the man started, "would you come with me?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm not a great companion, I play the violin at all ours, I don't eat or sleep, sometimes I don't talk for days, would that bother you?"

"I'm not following you"

"I am going to need a doctor for my withdrawal, you are clearly in need of a home and a job, and I'm offering you employment"

"I'm sorry but we know nothing about each other, I don't know where we are going, who you are, I don't even know your name"

"I know you're an army Doctor back from Afghanistan, I know you've been living rough for about 2 years, I know you have a strong sense of morality, and are worried about your future on the streets. I know you have amnesia and a history of alcohol abuse. That seems enough to be going on with doesn't it?"

I sat there with my mouth open for a moment vaguely aware of a large black limousine pulling up outside, and the door opened and a group of heavies walked in. As they came across to our table, and placed one hand either side of my companion's chair, he turned and winked at me.

"Oh and the names Sherlock Holmes, and these men are in my brothers employ, coming?"