Sherlock: My Way (cancelled)

Study in Pink pt. 4

Rudy

We sat together in a cab going to the crime scene. Something tugged at the edge of my mind.
"What exactly are you?"

He looked at me curiously.
"What do you think I am?"

"Well, I'd say private detective but-"

"But?"
He already knew my answer.

"But the police don't consult amateurs."

He smiled his little half smile.
"I'm a consulting detective. Only one in the world, I created the job."

I laughed a bit. Today had been very strange so far and something told me it would only get worse.
"When we met you asked Afghanistan or Iraq. How did you know?"

He glanced out the window smugly.
"You're an old friend of Mike's, he's two years older than you so the likelihood of a friendship outside of University is low. Mike went to medical school so that tells me you're a doctor. Your posture and stance says Military, so an Army Doctor. You limp badly when you walk but didn't ask for a chair when come in, like you've forgotten about it. So a psychosomatic limp."

I nodded. He kept going, taking my phone from my hands and examining it.

"Now the brother I got from your phone. You're phone is expensive. If you were looking for a cheap flat you wouldn't waste money on an expensive phone so it's a gift. There are scuffs around the charger port, when he plugs in his phone at night his hands shake. Never see a drunk's phone with out them, never see a sober man's with them. Now the inscription, to Harry Love Clara xxx, Harry is clearly a male name but Clara? Who's Clara? The three x's suggest a romantic relationship, too expensive for a girlfriend so a wife. He must have walked out fairly recently, this model is only six months old."

I was pretty impressed at this point so I didn't interrupt.

"Now, how did I know he was your brother? While he could be a cousin it isn't likely. You're retired army, looking for a place to stay, probably not a lot of extended family. Also not likely it's your father. No. This is a young man's phone, so a brother. He gave you his phone so that means he wants you to keep in touch. However, you disapprove of him. Maybe you liked his wife, maybe you didn't like his drinking. He walked out on her of course. If she had left him he would have kept it. Sentiment and all that."

I was stunned.
"That's amazing!"

He seemed startled by my compliment, but smiled proudly.
"Yes. It was. Wasn't it? You know you were right?"

"About what?"

He looked me directly in the eyes, green eyes shining.
"The police don't consult amateurs."