"Pardon me, gents," says Dr. Joppo. "I have to be off to get some more gummi bears."
"You can't leave the building!" barks Lestrade.
"Oh, that's no problem!" Joppo grins. "I'll just be headed to the loo around the corner!"
A short break is convened to wait for the return of Dr. Joppo, both out of considerateness and curiosity as to how he intends to get candy from the toilet. However, after only a few moments, Rasil Bathbone seems incredibly nervous. He breaks into a cold sweat before leaping from his seat and breaking into a run.
"WAIT! WAIT! TAKE ME WITH YOU! I WANT TO GO HOME!"
"After him!" screams Lestrade. "Apprehend that man! He can't be allowed to leave the building!"
The Yard is thrown into yet another panic as everyone leaps from the table and runs out to stop the fleeing Rasil. Incredibly, after scouring the building from top to bottom, nobody can find him. In fact, nobody can find Dr. Joppo, either. The group files back into the meeting room in utter bewilderment only to find a smiling Dr. Joppo carefully setting up one last gummi bear, having placed one in everyone's seat.
"Welcome back, gents!"
"When did you get here?" asks Wilson.
"Oh, about 15 minutes ago."
"We've been searching for only 10 minutes!" notes Gregson.
"Have we? Jolly good. Gummi bear, anyone?"
The group chews their gummi bears in dismay now that Rasil is missing. Sholmes opens his mouth to suggest a new course of action when suddenly there's a knock at the door. A kindly, middle-aged priest in full cassock and collar strolls in.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen. I'm terribly sorry for my late arrival; I was required to perform extreme unction at the house of a frail old soul living in the slums of Whitechapel. Police business is important, but our eternality, even more so. May I ask how the proceedings have advanced?"
"Who are you?" asks Sholmes.
"Me? I'm Father Brettooth. I was informed yesterday by a hand-delivered note that I was to be here today. I'm a suspect of some sort?"
"I thought the last list said there were only ten! This had better not be a bloody clerical error. Sholmes, I insist that we immediately call this off to-"
Sholmes interrupts Lestrade with an excited chatter.
"I agree! We have to immediately call off our suspicions, ignore this deus ex machina nonsense, take what the good Lord gave us, and plop this clerical-error clergy down on the tenth seat so we can get crackin'!"
Everyone is confused but proceeds anyways.
Rumbatcholous nominates Pike. Everyone is in favor of this save for Lord Leodtner, still bitter about Pike's column regarding his top hat.
"Well, that went smoothly!" beams Sholmes. "WILSON! Get the papers!"
Wilson, realizing he's turned into the one who does all the work, begrudgingly retrieves the paperwork and hands it off to the pair.
After a few minutes, the two of them stand up.
"Delightful news, gents!" says Pike. "Rumbatcholous has helped me work out the finances to implement something I've always wanted - an anonymous tip line! Who wants to give tips when they have to have their faces cataloged and recorded? Juicy hints always flow better when you the witness has some protection!"
"You would know!" snorts a disgruntled Lord Leodtner.
"The money has worked out," shrugs Rumbatcholous, "so we are to be liberal with funds we haff."
Post edited February 25, 2022 by zeogold