Title: A Close Brush With Holmes
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (ACD)
Rating: G
Length: 500 words (5 x 100)
Summary: Various snippets from the life of Dr John H Watson, in his own words.

I am so accustomed to Holmes announcing our imminent departure for somewhere requiring an overnight stop that I am now able to pack a bag in less than quarter of an hour.  A change of clothing, plus an extra layer to allow for the inevitable cold and wet, even if it is high summer, my hairbrush, razor and shaving brush, and probably a clothes brush so that I may be at least reasonably presentable to our host, is all I need. My medical bag is always to hand and so I am ready to leave as soon as Holmes calls.

***

I am not an artist, so it was fortunate few could observe my current efforts at painting a seascape.  I sat by the harbourside, ostensibly painting what, in the hand of someone more adept at wielding a paintbrush, could be a pretty scene of boats, sea and sky.  As it was, the blue which I had daubed on for the sky was running down the canvas to mix with the slightly darker blue of the sea.  If all else failed, I would claim I was emulating one of the more avant garde artists.  I continued my tedious wait for Holmes.

***

On my return to our rooms, I was surprised to find Mrs Hudson’s pastry brush in the middle of our dining table.  Since Holmes was nowhere to be seen, I picked up the brush and took it downstairs.  Fortunately, our good landlady was out, so I was able to leave it for her without being forced to provide an explanation for why it had left the kitchen.  My action was rewarded later, when I could smell the delicious aroma of a steak and kidney pie being baked.  Had the brush been missing I knew there would have been no pie.

***

I stepped smartly to the right to avoid the brush, which was heading towards me, and then as briskly stepped back outside before it could be joined by the dustpan.

“I suggest we find somewhere more congenial to wait for Holmes,” I said to Lestrade who had been planning on following me inside.  “The King’s Arms springs to mind.”  Lestrade gave me an enquiring look, so I added, “Mrs Hudson and Esme are in the middle of spring cleaning, and it is inadvisable to get between them and their quarry.”

Lestrade nodded in agreement.  “My sister is just the same.”

***

I had left Holmes and Lestrade wandering around the outside of the building looking for any possible clues and was heading back inside when I happened to glance a bucket just inside the back door.  In case something had been dropped into it I peered inside and called out to the two of them.

“It’s just an old bucket,” Lestrade said.  “There’s nothing there.”

“Watson’s right,” Holmes said.  “That scrubbing brush is quite clean, as though it had been bleached.  No-one would do that unless they wished to conceal what it had been used to remove.  This merits further investigation.”