smallhobbit

“You came,” Sherlock replied, “because you’ve nowhere else you can go, and because you can’t go to Lestrade.”

“It’s not …”  Sally began sharply.

“It’s not about Lestrade, you wouldn’t have come here if it were, but you feel you can’t speak to him at the moment because of the big case he’s dealing with.”

“Yes!”

“So why don’t you tell me about it.”

“Can’t you deduce it?”

Sherlock smirked.  “That it’s work; something internal – otherwise you’d go to another senior officer; that it’s ongoing, rather than sudden or urgent – if that had been true you would have spoken to Lestrade regardless; that much I can tell.  I therefore assume it is to do with the corruption around you.”

“So you do know.”

“I suspect, but I have no proof.  Why don’t you tell me what it is that has pushed you to coming to me, since I must be low on your list of confidents?”

Sally looked at Sherlock intently, and took a deep breath.  “As you know, we have interview rooms with one-way mirrors.  This morning I’d gone into the room on the other side of the mirror, because I wanted to make sure I had everything ready for when we interview one of our murder suspects.  I wasn’t expecting anyone to be using the interview room, but it turned out one of the other DSs was in there with what I think was a burglary suspect.  I wouldn’t have paid much attention, but what caught my eye was the suspect clearly looking at his reflection and preening himself in the mirror.  His attitude surprised me, so I watched him.  And then I heard the DS coming to an agreement with the suspect.”

Sally looked up at Sherlock, who nodded.  She continued, “But what really surprised me was the suspect had apparently expected this all along.  Which means it can’t have been a one-off.  And I don’t know how widespread it all is.”

“You don’t strike me as being as surprised as you should be.”

“It makes sense of various small items over the last few weeks.  Nothing I could put a finger on, but odd niggles.  It’s as though I’ve caught a glimpse of something, um, like the reflection in a muddy puddle, or in a series of puddles along a road, but nothing very distinct.  But now it’s like the reflection in a lake on a clear day.  You probably think that’s very fanciful.”

“No, I think it’s an excellent picture.  And you want to know what you should do?”

Sally looked at Sherlock sharply.

“Don’t worry, Sergeant, I wouldn’t presume to tell you that.  However, I would suggest you make a list of all those things which you’ve noticed, and I can give you a few names you might like to consider, and then when Lestrade comes out on the other side of his current investigation you can give him the details.  Does that make sense?”

Sally nodded.  “Yes, it does.  And,” she paused, “Thank you for listening to me.”

Sherlock smirked.  “Even you, Sergeant Donovan, have to acknowledge I have my occasional uses.”