"He'll have left his mark in the form of a few bruises," he says, forcing an airy tone to his voice; he waves his hand dismissively, which helps him feel a little more put-together. "No permanent damage, otherwise." Well, none inflicted today.

He turns his attention to Lestrade, still wary of his friend, still uncertain whether or not he should be expecting a punch to the other side of his face.

"I think you want a little unofficial help. Three undetected murders in one year won't do, Lestrade. But you handled the Molesey Mystery with less than your usual -- that's to say, you handled it fairly well."