After The Reichenbach Fall

CHAPTER 29

“Dear Mr Holmes, My name is Bainbridge. I’m a Private in Her Majesty’s Household Guard. I’m writing to you about a personal matter one I don’t care to bring before my superiors – it would sound so trivial – but I think someone’s stalking me. I’m used to tourists – it’s part of the job – but this is different. Someone’s watching me. He’s taking pictures of me every day. Don’t want to mention it to the major, but it’s really preying on my mind.” you read out loud.

"Uniform fetishist. All the nice girls likes a soldier." Sherlock said.

"It’s sailor. " John corrected. "And Bainbridge thinks his stalker is a bloke."

You look at the phone again, reading more of Bainbridge’s email.

"Let’s go and investigate. Please?"

"Elite Guard." you read out loud again.

"Forty enlisted men and officers." John said.

"Why this particular Grenadier? Curious." Sherlock asked.

"Now you’re talking."

You handed his phone back, "Okay."

The three of you stand up and walk towards the door just as Mary comes back into the room with her phone at her ear. "Bye." She said over the phone.

"Er, we’re just going to ... I need, um, Sherlock and (y/n) to help me choose some, er.."

"socks..." "... ties..." "...handkerchief" John, Sherlock and you said simultaneously.

"Why don’t we go with socks?" She suggested while looking to you then John then Sherlock.

"Yeah." John agreed.

"I mean, you’ve got to get the right ones."

"Exactly – to go with my ..."

"... tie..." "... outfit..." "..shoes.." again Sherlock, John and you speak simultaneously makes you frown.

"That’ll take a while, right?"

"My coat in there?" John asked as he walk toward the kitchen.

"Yes!" Mary said.

"Just going to take him out for a bit – run him." Sherlock whispered to Mary.

"I know. You said you’d find him a case!"

"Really?" You asked, he just hmms.

"Come on, guys." John said from the kitchen doorway.

"Coming." you and Sherlock said in unison.

Sherlock gave Mary a double thumbs up while you smile and nodded at her then turn and head to the stairs and stormed outside and hail a cab.

You and the boys are at the entrance to the barracks. John has given his wallet containing his military ID card to the duty sergeant. "We’re here to see Private Stephen Bainbridge." He said.

"He’s on duty right now, sir ..." the duty sergeant hands the wallet back "... but I’ll certainly let him know when he’s free."

"And when will that be?" You asked.

"Another hour."

With that, you, Sherlock and John sit on the bench in the nearby park looking towards the gate.

"Do you think they give them classes?" Sherlock said out of nowhere.

You look at him, frowning. "Classes?"

"How to resist the temptation to scratch their behinds?"

"Afferent neurons in the peripheral nervous system." John answered. Sherlock turns his head slightly in John’s direction.