Title: The Dead Suspect
Fandom: Sherlock (BBC)
Rating: G
Length: 304 words
Summary: Greg Lestrade is frustrated at the death of his suspect.
Stanley Hopkins River Police 'verse

"It's not the way I’d have wanted it to end,” Greg Lestrade moaned.  “I’d have liked to have proof he was responsible, but now he’s dead I doubt we’ll get it.”

“I’ve given you all the information you need,” Sherlock said.

“Yes, but that wouldn’t stand up in court.  We’d have needed hard evidence for that.”

Another police officer joined them at the riverside and Greg said, “Thanks for coming over, Stanley.  It looks like an unfortunate accident, at least for Maddox.  It does, however, bring this case to a close, so I’m not going to complain too much.”

“I understand something happened when he took his dinghy into the river which meant it tipped up and he fell in and subsequently drowned,” Di Stanley Hopkins said.

“I’d have thought he could have swum to safety,” Sherlock said.

“The tide was strong last night.  It’s not as easy as people seem to think to swim in the Thames.  Which is why we insist on our personnel wearing life jackets on all occasions.”  Stanley spoke with heavy emphasis, which Greg suspected was directed at Sherlock.

Stanley clambered into the dinghy and began to inspect the vessel.  “Sorry to disappoint you, Greg, but I don’t think your case is closed after all,” he said.  “Someone’s loosened the propeller fixings so when Maddox lent over to inspect the damage, he either fell in, or, possibly more likely, he was assisted.”  Carefully, Stanley climbed back out.  “I’ll leave it for now; it’ll need to be properly inspected.”

“Great,” Greg grumbled.  “That’s all I need.  One dead main suspect and a new unknown secondary suspect.”  He sighed, “Why couldn’t it just have been Maddox?”

“Well, you could say he had a screw loose,” Stanley said.

“Thank you, Stanley,” Sherlock said.  “Can we leave the puns to John in future?”