Treble Trouble with Sherlock Holmes (A Sherlock Holmes Fanfic)

Chapter 9: Research

We spent the remaining cab ride in relative silence. I would occasionally gasp at some of the famous London sights that were passing by, which Sherlock seemed to ignore. I retrieved my suitcase and backpack from my room and checked out of the hotel while Sherlock waited in the taxi, and then we headed back to Baker Street.

Sitting in my new room, having unpacked the few belongings that I have, I decide to do a little research on my new roommate. After all, we aren't just going to be living together but working together as well. I need to get a better understanding of Sherlock and what he does if I'm going to prove to be a helpful assistant.

I pull out my Macbook and Google "Sherlock Holmes". I scroll past the news articles and the Wikipedia page. After the Wikipedia link, I see "The Science of Deduction by Sherlock Holmes". Well, that's an obvious place to start.

I click on the link and am taken to the homepage:

"The Science of Deduction by Sherlock Holmes

I'm Sherlock Holmes, the world's only consulting detective.

I'm not going to go into detail about how I do what I do because chances are you wouldn't understand. If you've got a problem that you want me to solve, then contact me. Interesting cases only please.

This is what I do:

1. I observe everything.

2. From what I observe, I deduce everything.

3. When I've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, how mad it might seem, must be the truth.

If you need assistance, contact me and we'll discuss its potential."

If I'm going to be of help to Sherlock, then it's important I understand his method. I reread his description of what he does numerous times until I've committed it to memory. I click on one of the tabs at the top called "Case Files". Posts include "Analysis of Tobacco Ash", "The Aluminum Crutch", and "The Analysis of Perfumes". Underneath some of the posts is the directive "See my colleague, John Watson's summary of the case" with a link.

I remember Sherlock telling Mrs. Hudson that I would be staying in John's old room. I wonder if this is the same John? I click on the link and it takes me to the website "The Blog of John H. Watson". I skim through the page, reading the titles of the blog posts: "The Mayfly Man", "The Hollow Client", "The Bloody Guardsman".

I begin clicking on some of the blog posts and reading through them. John has written about his adventures with Sherlock while they're out solving mysterious cases. A couple of posts are just about Sherlock and John's relationship. Sherlock was even the best man in John's wedding. I realize that this John was close to Sherlock, not just his roommate or colleague on cases, but a true friend. He describes Sherlock through a friend's eyes. I can't imagine Sherlock being close to anyone with his standoffish demeanor, but it's obvious that John means a lot to Sherlock.

I begin looking at the dates of the blog posts. The first entry was about three years ago, and the last blog entry was a few months ago. John had been a central part of Sherlock's life for over two years, his roommate, his best friend, and his crime-solving partner. Where had he gone?

I look around at my new room. This was John's room. John used to help Sherlock with his cases. And now I was Sherlock's new roommate and assistant. Was I just a replacement of John Watson? Is Sherlock wanting me to fill some void left behind by John?

I set my computer down and walk down the stairs into the living room. Sherlock is leaning back in a green leather chair with his legs out in front of him, ankles crossed. His eyes are closed with a furrowed brow. I walk and sit in the red leather chair across from him and wait. Knowing that he observes everything, I'm certain that he observed me coming into the room. I will wait until he's finished with whatever he's doing.