Title: Help from Grandpa
Fandom: Sherlock (BBC)
Rating: G
Length: 338
Summary: A case provides Sally Donovan with an unexpected memory

Sally Donovan listened to the discussion about their current case and unconsciously inspected her nails.

“Are we boring you, Donovan?” Lestrade asked, catching sight of her.

Sally started.  “No, sir!  I was just trying to pin something down about the crime scene.”

Sherlock looked at her curiously.  “Something which caused you to look at your nails?”

“Yes.  When we first entered the flat I could almost hear my mother saying ‘Open that window, your room needs airing’, which was what she always said when she came into our bedroom after my sister and I had been painting our nails.”

“There was no smell of nail varnish in the flat,” Lestrade said.

“That’s what confused me.  I was trying to remember when else she used to say it, because her voice came to me as soon as we entered the room.”

“Which would rather imply you were with your mother when she came into the room, instead of already being in there,” Sherlock said curiously.

“Yes,” Sally nodded thoughtfully.  “Of course!  It was when we visited my grandfather.  Sometimes we’d call in after Mum had picked us up from school.  Grandma would be out and Grandpa would be making models.  The smell of the glue would be practically overpowering.  Mum would walk in and throw the window open.”

“You’re right,” John said.  “It wasn’t strong but there was a smell of glue there.”

“There was no sign Cripps had been making anything, or more likely repairing something,” Lestrade said thoughtfully.

“But we rarely saw Grandpa’s finished models.  He passed them on to a mate,” Sally said.  “Is it possible whoever murdered Cripps took whatever he was repairing?”

“Highly possible,” Sherlock said, leaping up.  “And I think I know what it was.  But we need to have another look at the flat.”

“Good work, Sal,” Lestrade said, with a smile, as they all trooped out in Sherlock’s wake.

Sally smiled back.  She was looking forward to telling her mother how Grandpa’s obsession with model trains had helped solve a case.