Title: Matching the Cards
Fandom: Sherlock (BBC)
Rating: G
Length:471 words
Summary: Stanley Hopkins is using cards to help him make sense of a case

"Hello, Stanley, what are you doing?” John Watson asked.  “I didn’t think you were into card games.”

“I’m not usually,” Stanley Hopkins replied.  He turned over two more cards, considered what he saw and turned the cards back.  “This current case is completely confusing me, so I’ve written the relevant facts onto cards and I’m turning them over randomly to see if they inspire anything.”

“A bit like playing pairs then; although in that case the idea is to remember where the matching cards are hidden.”

“You know, that’s not such a bad idea.  If I try to pick the ones I think go together, but pull up a different card, instead it might just inspire me.”

“I don’t suppose I can help at all?”

“Actually, you could.  Because you won’t make the same connections I do.”

They began to take it in turns to pick two cards.  Occasionally, Stanley would remove the pair and put them to one side.  The number of cards set aside slowly grew, although occasionally Stanley would return a pair to the central pile.  After a series of turns, John would shuffle the cards, so the pairing returned to be completely random.

However, by the time Sherlock came home, there were only four cards which Stanley hadn’t pulled out.

Sherlock turned all four cards over and raised his eyebrows at Stanley, who replied, “I think I shall just have to say these points are irrelevant after all.”

Sherlock grinned, removed a flyer from his coat pocket, folded it and then carefully tore the flyer into squares.  After which he selected four of the squares and placed them on the table.  Stanley picked up each square in turn and matched it to one of his remaining cards.

Sherlock nodded and pointed at the cards which had previously been set to one side.  “I can see you’ve managed to construct a reasonable timeline and the probable chain of command.  All you were missing was the means of communication used by the gang.”

“Which you’ve just provided.” Stanley said, indicating the squares Sherlock had added to the table.

“Indeed.  Basic flyers left in specific places.  Most of the information on the flyers is completely irrelevant, but if you know where to look, they give a very clear message.”

“How long have you known?”

“I suspected the flyers were relevant, but it wasn’t until I saw your cards, I finally realised how it all worked.”

Stanley stood up and took a number of photos of the cards.  “Thank you, both,” he said.  “With your help I think we’ve cracked this case.  I must get back now.  I’ll be in touch later, to let you know how we’ve got on.”

“Glad to have been of help, Stanley,” John said.  “It’s good to be on the winning side in a card game.”