John awoke from his sleep and went down to his kitchen to find it in absolute disarray. When had all this science equipment got here? John's training in the army had made him very tidy, and this mess was not his style. Going back into the sitting room, John's eyes took in more mess that he knew wasn't his. He put his hand out to steady himself and found he was stumbling through an open doorway. When did this extra room get here? It looked lived-in. The bed wasn't made, and there were clothes spilling out of the wardrobe. John recognized the same hand in this messy room as in the kitchen and sitting room.

John stumbled back out of the room to take a pain-killer for the massive headache he could feel coming on. He supposed he'd better eat something as well. And why couldn't he stop crying?

He'd washed his face, made a coffee, and eaten an apple when Mrs Hudson showed in Greg Lestrade.

"Oh, John, dear, the mess you've made –!"

"Don't worry, Mrs Hudson, I'll clear it up." To Greg John said, "Sorry about all this, mate. Dunno how it happened."

"S'alright; happens to the best of us."

Mrs Hudson left, muttering about getting back to her programme.

"So, can I help you with something, Detective Inspector?" John asked as they sat down.

"I hope so, Detective. There's a new case I'd like your opinion on."

"Alright; yeah. Go for it."

"Right, so yesterday afternoon, Scotland Yard was called out to a burglary scene. The owner of the electronic store that was robbed told us that his son had stolen several valuable items, but we searched everywhere and could not find them. We also questioned the young man, but he refused to say anything. The kid's in custody and the man's going frantic, but we haven't any clue as to how to solve it."

"Who else was in the store at the time it happened?"

"A clerk and the old man's niece."

"How did the old man describe those two to you?"

"He said that he was satisfied with the clerk and that the only trouble he'd ever had with her was when a boyfriend had refused to leave a month or so ago. Nothing since, and that boy hadn't ever seemed suspicious to the owner; just a little too keen. About his niece we heard several glowing and flawless compliments. She's the old man's everything, and she's the most gentle and hardworking soul, and so forth. It doesn't seem to make any sense! How could the kid hide something so good that we couldn't find it?"

"How was the boy pegged as the suspect?"

"The old man lives with his niece in a small flat above the shop, and he woke up from his afternoon nap to find his son downstairs wrestling with a brand-new, top-of-the-line headset. The old man saw that an iPod, a phone, and another set of headphones were missing as well and he confronted the boy right away. Kid said he didn't know how the other things could be missing or some such nonsense. He obviously hid them and defaced the other set of headphones out of spite for his father."

"Spite–? Is that a motive I smell?"

"It sure is. The boy's spoiled rotten. Always got everything he ever wanted out of his father, so when dear ol' dad refused to pay this month's second gambling debt, the kid planned a spot of revenge. But like I said, it doesn't make any sense! We should've found those electronics by now!"

"Alright, take it easy. I'm sensing that this is more complicated than you're expecting it to be."

Greg sat back in his chair and looked like he might allow himself to be relieved if he heard some good news. "Really? What makes you say that?"

"I dunno… Why would the kid play dumb? Why not use some elaborate lie instead? And, like you said, how could he have hidden those things so well? I mean, it doesn't make sense to go and hide three, then come back to ruin another one and risk getting caught. When you questioned the others, what did they have to say about it?"

"There really wasn't much else they could tell us. The clerk had closed the shop and was out to a late lunch with friends who vouch for being with her the whole time and the niece was upstairs watching telly. The old man remembers hearing the sound of the telly intermittently during his kip."

"Well, it sounds like the niece doesn't have a really great alibi, so she might also be a suspect – or she…might just be an accomplice; you know: covering up for her cousin or pretending she didn't see him."

"You know what? I bet you're right. I mean, I knew her alibi was really weak, but she doesn't seem the type to do anything wrong. And the kid does seem guilty. But I bet he's hiding something else. I thought so, but…I couldn't put my finger on it. Thanks very much. I really appreciate it." Lestrade rose.

"Well, there you go, then." John got up too and was reminded of the huge mess he'd woken up to. "Ugh, I've got a lot of work to do…"

"I won't keep you, then. Good luck with it – and thanks again for the advice. I always get my head around a difficult case better when I ask you what you think."

"Yeah, no problem." John looked around the overwhelming room, wondering where to start. And what was he going to do with all this stuff?

"If it comes to anything, I'll let you know by sending you your usual consulting fee."

"Yeah, alright. That works."

Lestrade closed the door after himself when he left and John was left to ponder how he would manage the task ahead of him and who had inflicted it.