About the Author: Eric Cline is an author of mystery and science fiction stories. His work has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Galaxy's Edge, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, the Writers of the Future anthology volume 29, and other places. His story, "Mobile Health Clinics in Rural America" was in a previous issue of Mystery Weekly.
My dear friend Sherlock Holmes had the finest brain I have ever encountered. Yet it was encased in a body which shuffled about with the alarming personal habits of a seventh generation viscount whose breeding has been overmatched by his inbreeding. From the foul bathrobe he habitually wore indoors, to the cocaine solution he occasionally injected, my flat mate’s manners and appearance were entirely at odds with the sterling work he did as a consulting detective.
On the evening which we were introduced to the affair of the Bee’s Egg, Holmes had outdone his outré usual. He was endeavouring to build a house of playing cards, and was already at the fourth level. At issue: the cards were French-made novelties and were … frankly illustrated. The lean-tos and plateaus of the structure, therefore, provided views which I rarely saw even in my medical practice. It was almost a blessing that Mrs. Hudson was abed with a cold, and unlikely to duck her head in.
A great rattling of a mighty carriage and a harrumph of an unusually large team of horses made a commotion outside. A few moments later, heavy footsteps pounded up the steps to 221B. The great carriage pulled away with the crack of a whip. And there was a smart, controlled, polite rap at the door.
Holmes, just then crowning his lewd masterpiece with a pagoda—he had saved a redhead for the roof, I noticed—did not look up.
“Be so kind as to get the door Watson,” he mumbled.
Really enjoyed the story. Good representation of A. C. Doyle's writing style.
Very entertaining - and nicely done in keeping with the Holmes and Watson way of speaking and investigating - Good job!
Enjoyed the story a lot. It kept my interest and was very entertaining.