The Dutchman
Jan. 25th, 2014 08:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
capt_facepalmTitle: The Dutchman
Author: ![[info]](https://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=1){kind=small}
capt_facepalm
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (Gaslight)
Characters: Sherlock Holmes, Dr Watson, Inspector Lestrade, other OC's
Summary: Danger in London's docklands
Warnings: Victorian situation-appropriate blasphemy and swears. And fog.
Word Count: 1200
Author's Notes: For Challenge 301 at 
great_tales
Prompt: Two characters meet a third, whom they both know, but in very different contexts. In fact he/she has different identities. What happens next?
The Dutchman
Crime does not pay. That was the old expression. With over twenty years’ experience, Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard knew better. The truth was that crime paid, and paid very well. The Police were, if anything, more susceptible than the regular citizenry, and while it was one thing to tolerate a certain level of corruption, it was quite another to not know who you could trust in a sticky situation, and that is why he preferred to work alone.
Unfortunately, skulking around London’s docklands at night was not safe for those unfamiliar with the workings of that particular patch, and downright deadly for the solitary policeman caught unawares. It was for that reason that Lestrade recruited his two volunteers from the Yard’s most recent hires. Constables Clarke and Grenville were still new boys; willing and eager for a change from walking their regular beats. Their quarry that night was the illusive smuggler known only as The Dutchman, a notorious cutthroat, rumoured to be meeting with Boss Joe Macey.
Lestrade cursed the fog which had rolled in from the sea as he and his men made their cautious way down the darkened quay. Timbers creaked as the ships rocked gently in their berths and such wind as there was played with the riggings far overhead. Small globes of light shone through the mist. Some were from windows and lanterns aboard the boats, and others indicated where occasional sentries stood watch at their gangplanks. The stores and warehouses were dark and silent.
Constable Grenville took hold of Lestrade’s coat sleeve and murmured, ‘Up ahead. There's someone under that doorway.’
Lestrade signalled to Clarke, instructing him to slip past and station himself on the far flank. When all three were in position, the inspector called out:
‘You there, in the shadows!. Come out and show yourself! Mark my words; you’ll be sorry if we have to haul you out ourselves!’
The sound of movement could be heard, and then a voice called out, ‘Inspector Lestrade, is that you?’
The voice was familiar. It was that of Sherlock Holmes’ collaborator and friend. Lestrade called out ‘Dr Watson!?’
Dr John Watson emerged from the makeshift alcove looking a bit disheveled and relieved.
‘Doctor, what the Devil are you doing here, and dressed like a regular ruffian?’
‘I was assisting Mr Holmes with one of his cases. We confronted a smuggler called The Dutchman. He ran. I-- could not keep up...’ Watson’s voice trailed off, as if embarrassed, before he rallied to say, ‘Holmes is still somewhere in the dockyard. Have you seen him?’
‘Damnation! No, we just arrived and have not seen anything in this fog.’ Inspector Lestrade turned to his nearest constable: ‘Grenville, tell Clarke to watch out for Mr Holmes! It’ll go bad for him if The Dutchman gets him alone.’
‘But... The Dutchman is just a smuggler--’, exclaimed Watson.
‘What?’ Lestrade hissed, ‘Didn’t Mr Holmes tell you? Smuggling may be his stock and trade, but The Dutchman is a ruthless killer! Now he’s come to London, trying to take control of the existing smuggling rings. This is no place for amateurs. Mr Holmes should leave cases like this to us professionals. Honestly, Dr Watson, even if he has no regard for his own safety, your fellow lodger has no business placing civilians like yourself in such danger.’
‘It’s not like that. We were careful,’ Watson hotly protested. ‘The Dutchman was meeting with Boss Joe Macey. ’
‘You saw him?
'Ermm... Y-yes..’
‘Nobody’s ever gotten close enough to give us a good description. Now, don’t be nervous. What did he look like?’
Dr Watson paused to organise his reply. ‘He was tall. Yes... maybe six feet in height? Hrmm... Not at all heavy-set, but strong. Yes. You know the type: used to a life of physical labour. He wore a cap so I did not see much of his face, but he had a scar across his left eye and a red beard.’
‘Oh, excellent! Did you overhear what was said?’
‘No. We weren’t close enough. Holmes brought field glasses. The meeting ended and fog grew thicker. Somehow, The Dutchman got wind of us and fled, with Holmes fast pursuing.’
‘What if the blackguard had doubled back? You are no match for that long knife of his. If the rumours are true, he would have gutted you like he did those men in Liverpool.’
‘Liverpool? I only heard about Plymouth--stuck a marlinspike in someone’s eye in a brawl-’
‘What? Plymouth as well? The more I hear of him, the more I want to see him hang!’ Lestrade murmured orders to his men. ‘Clarke, you and Grenville continue down the quay. Keep mindful of the ships’ riggings, and if you see Mr Sherlock Holmes, tell him to get back here. I’ve got to help Dr Watson here back to the light.’
‘No, Inspector. Please! I can make it back to the high street, by myself.’
Dr Watson’s plea for dignity was poignant, so against his better judgement, Lestrade let him go.
The doctor took a few hesitant steps before lurching to a stop.
‘Jeezus!’ swore Lestrade, rushing to Watson’s side. ‘You can hardly walk! Mr Holmes has much to answer for!’
Watson shook off Lestade’s unwelcome grip and continued along his way, leaving the policemen to return to their search.
.oOOo.
Even the small distance from the river bank to the block saw enough reduction in the amount of fog that Dr Watson could see several buildings from his position beneath the sole gas lamp. Even so, he heard the hansom cab’s slow approach long before he could clearly discern it. When it reached him, the cab stopped, and the hatch was thrown open by the passenger inside.
‘A marlinspike, Watson? You risk ruining the whole deception with your artistic embellishments,’ said Sherlock Holmes as he extended his hand to help his colleague up.
‘You were close enough to overhear that?’ Watson laughed, arranging himself in the available seat. ‘Well if you don’t want to raise suspicion, you should do a better job of scrubbing your face. The scar has come clean away but there are still vestiges of false beard under your chin.’
‘Oh really?’ Holmes rubbed his chin. ‘So there are! My thanks.’
Holmes diligently removed the remains of his disguise as the cab wended its way back to New Westminster. It was only when they were nearing their Baker Street lodgings that Watson finally asked, ‘Can you tell me, what was the deception for?’
‘Really, Watson? I should think it is quite obvious. A man like Boss Macey cannot be seen consulting with Sherlock Holmes. He would lose face with his gang, so it is better for him to be seen making parlay with another of his ilk.' Holmes paused thoughtfully, 'You know, on the whole, I’d say your ability in prevarication is improving, even if you were limping on the wrong leg--’
‘--I had to. It would have been awkward to explain why I had a jemmy down my trousers.’
‘Oh, indeed. Although, unless it fell to the pavement with a resounding CLANK, it’s not something our fine inspector would notice. Lestrade was quite taken in by your story. I think your indignation helped.’
‘He called me a civilian. What bloody cheek!’
.oOOo.
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Date: 2014-01-26 02:10 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2014-01-26 11:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-27 12:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-27 03:46 am (UTC)Lovely story and I like how the pair take care of their clients.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-28 07:40 pm (UTC)Poor Lestrade. He means well, but he considers anyone not a policeman to be a civilian. (Not that he trusts all of the police... )
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Date: 2014-01-27 04:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-28 07:41 pm (UTC)Poor Watson: a good story-teller but a miserable liar!
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Date: 2014-01-27 04:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-28 07:44 pm (UTC)When it comes to writing, my interests drift back to canon so this prompt was a bit tricky. Once I had eliminated Holmes and "The Old Bookseller Trick", and had made Watson not the one being tricked, it kind of came together.
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Date: 2014-01-27 11:24 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2014-02-18 03:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-02-18 10:44 am (UTC)Also, I thought there would be more interest in your prompt. Fandoms such as LotR seem particularly apt. You know: the old "Ranger in Disguise Trick" is right up there with the old "Bookseller in Disguise Trick". I guess everyone was too busy this time.
no subject
Date: 2014-02-18 02:43 pm (UTC)I would have loved to have seen more using it as well, since it was voted on--but I think you are right about people being too busy.