The Fog is Lifted
Holmes and Watson sat in the sitting room of 221 B Baker Street, waiting for the door to open and Inspector Lestrade to appear. Watson had only been told by Holmes that Claire had let him in and told him if he wanted any more information he would have to ask Lestrade.
Holmes sat comfortably in his favorite chair, puffing away at his cherrywood pipe, which indicated that he was in a meditative mood. Watson on the other hand, rubbed his hands together happily before eating supper that Mrs. Hudson had so happily provided.
The door opened just as the clock struck eight, and in stepped the grey figure of Inspector Lestrade.
"Good evening, Inspector, please sit down."
Holmes rose to give a hearty handshake to Lestrade, who seemed miffed at having to come to Baker Street and did not return the greeting with much enthusiasm.
"Well, Mr. Holmes, how can I help you? I cannot give you any cases, if that is what you're after," he added, trying to figure out Holmes's rationale.
Holmes indicated to Watson that he should gather up his writing materials and looked back at the Yarder.
"Lestrade, I did not ask you to come here to talk about current cases; I want to ask you about Miss Claire Watson."
Lestrade's expression changed from anxious to bitterly exasperated in one fell swoop
"Not her, please ask me anything you like except about Claire Watson! That woman has done nothing but trouble me since the moment I met her." he growled reaching for the nearest alcoholic beverage he could find. Holmes and Watson exchanged surprised glances, but Holmes continued nonetheless.
"Why is Miss Watson so troubling?"
Lestrade shook his head
"Well, I take it that you've met the girl, otherwise you wouldn't be asking about her. Is she a client?" he asked wondering how Claire got herself mixed up with Holmes.
Watson answered before Holmes could find a good answer.
"She is a potential assistant for Holmes, Lestrade. She would not tell us very much about her work with you, saying that you would inform us of everything we needed to know."
Lestrade laughed dryly, "Claire Watson - an assistant, of all things? I never thought I'd see the day where she'd bite the bullet and work an honest job."
Holmes rubbed his chin reflexively as he took in each response.
"So, what exactly did she do for you as a spy, Lestrade?"
The little official seemed to shrink into the leather sofa, as if hoping to blend in with the furniture.
"I am rather ashamed to say it, but I used her to go into the docks, embassies, and other places I couldn't go without being recognized."
Watson's mouth dropped considerably. Holmes didn't seem too surprised and only nodded.
"So, Miss Watson was used to do everything no respectable member of Scotland Yard would do."
Lestrade nodded in agreement.
"She was amazing at disguising her appearance and speech, so we used her to infiltrate brothels, gangs, even shops to catch criminals."
Watson rubbed his mustache absent-mindedly as he asked Lestrade, "Can you explain why she has paranoia?"
Holmes raised his eyebrows in agreement.
"She doesn't usually display her paranoia, mind you, but it just seems like she expects to see someone watching her on a street corner."
Lestrade's eyes softened as he tried to explain.
"I'm afraid that is my doing, because about 3 years ago I assigned Claire to a major gang with the leader called "The Professor."
Watson scribbled down the information quickly as Lestrade took a sip of brandy.
"At first she didn't seem keen on it because all of our other operatives failed at getting any information before abandoning it all together."
He took a deep breath as if taking a plunge into the sea and then went on hurriedly.
"I promised her that she would get recognition from the Crown along with a mention in the newspaper if she brought this man and his gang to justice. "
Holmes sighed. "She told me the reason she quit the spy business was because she never got this recognition."
The inspector looked at his brandy glass in shame.
"Well, it all has to do with this gang job I sprung on her. She also had another spy named Alexander Farnsworth who was supposed to collaborate with her and help gather the information."
Watson made a mental note to check the index for the name because it sounded familiar in his mind.
"For the first year they were undercover everything went smoothly; they gave us good information and gave the gang bad information."
Lestrade looked into the fire place with a depressed sigh.
"But it didn't last, within the next six months things began to go bad. First Claire was getting advances from this professor and she wasn't enjoying any bit of it. Then the worst thing imaginable happened. Farnsworth defected to the gang and exposed the operation that he was trying to accomplish."
Watson was overcome with anxiety as Lestrade sat there steadily drinking his brandy.
"After that kind of scare, you can imagine how much of a mess we had at the Yard," Lestrade mused taking off his hat. "Claire quit not long after, because she knew that it would only be so long before Alexander gave her real identity to the professor."
Lestrade hung his head in shame.
"She was one of my best spies, but she left because she was afraid that the gang would continue to try and find her."
Holmes sat back in his chair.
"She's paranoid, because she thinks this gang is still after her? That sounds almost too convenient ."
Lestrade looked back up at Holmes with hard grey eyes.
"Well, we only managed to arrest a few of the gang; the bulk of the operation plus the professor is still out there committing large crimes."
Holmes and Watson both then realized at that very moment why Claire had come to them. She had wanted a job to keep away from the gang and if it were known she was the assistant to none other than the famous Mr. Sherlock Holmes, then the gang might back off.
Holmes stood and craned over the Inspector.
"Thank you for the information, Lestrade, but before you go can you answer me one last question?"
The tired and weary man nodded.
"Why was Alexander Farnsworth chosen as her partner?"
The Scotland Yarder stood and put his hat on.
"We thought that with his experience, he could keep Claire in line."
Holmes opened the door for the busy man and then shut it with a push.
Watson stared at his journal as if watching for the letters come to life.
"How could someone live through such treachery?" he gasped, thinking of how it must have destroyed Claire's faith in the workings of British law and government.
Holmes sat back at his desk.
"Well, we can always ask her tomorrow," he said placidly.
Watson gave a start. "You are giving her the job?"
Sherlock nodded.
"With all this new information, it could be a far worse thing not to have your cousin work for me."
Watson could have hugged Holmes, but he seemed happy enough to content himself with shaking his friend's hand happily.
"Thank you Holmes, for giving her a second chance."
Holmes looked at his friend with a sly smirk.
"Well, it is not every day you can have a lady spy at your disposal."
Author's Note: This chapter took a bit longer because I wanted to reintroduce Claire's paranioa but subtley and in a way that's understandable. Major thanks to my reviewers and to my editor KCS! Without her help this fic wouldn't be as readable.