Sherlock Holmes and Miss Violet Dixon (deceased)

By Dick Gillman

Holmes returns angry and disturbed after a visit to Hammersmith mortuary at the end of a particularly tiresome case. Whilst at the mortuary, Lestrade shows him the body of a young woman who has taken not only her own life, but that of her unborn child.

So begins a tale that highlights the exploitation of vulnerable women through quack medicine and blackmail in a scheme of unbelievable proportions. Julia Moriarty, the sister of the late Professor James Moriarty is suspected to have a hand in the affair and Holmes must involve Lestrade in a bid to apprehend the perpetrators. Lestrade springs the trap but in doing so, causes Watson to be grievously wounded.

Moriarty escapes but has she revealed to Holmes her Achilles heel? Whilst Holmes has seen that the 'Rule of Law' is maintained and the case concluded, Watson is in turmoil as he is unsure whether their investigation has inadvertently caused further harm to those they sought to protect.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dick Gillman
• Release date: Nov 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310027444

Dick Gillman

Dick Gillman is a Yorkshireman in his 70's. He retired from teaching Science in 2005 and moved from the UK to Brittany, France, in 2008 with his wife Alex, Truffle, the Black Labrador and Poppy, the cat. As well as writing, he is an accomplished digital artist and lives near the coast where the rugged landscape and the Atlantic Ocean influence his artwork. He still has strong links with the UK where he visits his two grown up children and his four grandchildren.During his retirement he has written well over thirty Sherlock Holmes short stories, many of which are published here. Successfully publishing both e-books and paperbacks, he has also been selected to contribute many stories to the superb, World Record beating and ongoing MX Sherlock Holmes anthology. His stories appear in several volumes published by MX Publishing and also in the monthly case solving letters entitled 'Dear Mr Holmes' published by Letterjoy. More are to follow in the latest volumes by MX and Letterjoy.Watch out for further Sherlock Holmes short stories throughout 2022 and treat yourself to his very latest seven story collection, 'Julia Moriarty - in memorium' which contains all seven stories in which Holmes crosses swords with the beautiful, but deadly, Julia Moriarty. This is available an e-book and can be found as a paperback at all major online bookstores.

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Sherlock Holmes

and

Miss Violet Dixon (deceased)

By

Dick Gillman

Text copyright © 2015 Dick Gillman

Smashwords Edition

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Cover artwork courtesy of Flickr

under a Creative Commons License.

Artist: Edmund Tarbell – The Blue Veil, 1898

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Sherlock Holmes

And

Miss Violet Dixon (deceased)

Chapter 1 – A proof of innocence.

It was in the autumn of 1896, at the close of a case that Holmes had found interminably dull, that we became embroiled in another which, I have to say, was perhaps one of the most harrowing and wicked that I have hitherto recorded.

I had risen quite late that fateful morning and, on entering our sitting room, I found myself alone. From the look of our dining table, it would appear that Holmes had had some small semblance of breakfast. The butter dish was awry and his place at the table was covered in crumbs from his toast. His half-drunk cup of tea was in evidence, his chair askew and his napkin tossed roughly aside as though he had left somewhat in haste.

I was but part-way through a fine pair of 'Arbroath Smokies' when I heard our front door slam and the sound of seemingly angry, though familiar, footfalls upon the stairs.

Holmes burst into our rooms, crying, Utterly incompetent, Watson! He threw his hat and coat in the general direction of the coat stand before angrily collapsing into his leather armchair. I am beside myself with contempt for minds that decide to prosecute a clearly innocent man! They may look but they have not an inkling as to what is plainly there before them!

I put down my knife and fork and regarded Holmes. Is it the Stanton case? I asked, hoping for an explanation for his obvious foul mood.

Holmes looked across at me and it was though the mere act of concentrating on something other than his own anger had seemed to calm him. Reaching for his pipe and his Persian slipper pouch, he began to fill the bowl with fresh tobacco.

Now a little more at ease, he answered, Indeed. I found it necessary to almost drag Lestrade to Hammersmith mortuary to explain to him that, if he continued with the case, Scotland Yard would be made a laughing stock by any half-decent defence counsel. What do you recall of the case, Watson? asked Holmes as he struck a match against the fender and drew strongly upon his pipe.

I had managed a further mouthful of kipper but again put down my knife and fork. Sitting back, I thought for a moment whilst dabbing the corner of my mouth with one of Mrs Hudson's fine, damask napkins. "Well, let me see… you have been retained by the wife of one Samuel Stanton, a petty larcenist who has been