marysutherland | 221B: The Tragedy at Leinster Gardens

BBC Sherlock

Rating 12 (major character death)

Spoilers for His Last Vow

It's obvious to DI Dimmock what's happened.

"If I die here, my body will be found in a building with your face projected on the front of it. Even Scotland Yard could get somewhere with that." - Sherlock Holmes, His Last Vow

"It's clear what happened," DI Dimmock announces cockily, surveying the crime scene. "Mr Holmes shot Dr Watson dead and then collapsed in shock. Died soon after from internal haemorrhaging."

The DC beside him says doubtfully, "Why would-"

"-Because he'd been shot himself two weeks earlier by an unknown assailant," Dimmock goes on relentlessly. "His attacker supposedly broke into CAM Global News looking for Magnussen, but for some reason decided to kill Mr Holmes instead. DI Lestrade thought Holmes might have recognised the shooter, be planning to track him down himself. Looks like he got his revenge eventually, doesn't it?"

"You think Dr Watson shot Sherlock Holmes?"

"Obvious suspect: used to firearms and got a nasty temper. Claimed he was in Magnussen's office below the penthouse, mysteriously unaware of his friend being in danger upstairs."

"Why didn't Magnussen...?" The DC finally spots that criticising Dimmock's theories isn't a good career move. "But Sherlock Holmes and John Watson were devoted friends. Why would one of them attack the other?"

"You saw the projection rigged up outside, didn't you? The femme fatale on her wedding day. I hate these love triangles. Some poor sod'll have to break it to Mrs Watson that she's the real reason for this happening."

***

Sherlock wakes, shuddering, in his hospital bed: his morphine-induced nightmares aren't normally quite this bad.