scholar
the slain
Case Alpha
18 MARCH, 1886
CASE ALPHA
THE SLAIN SCHOLAR
18 MARCH, 1886
(BY THANE MULLEN)
The first two weeks of March 1886 was a dreadfully dull period for Sherlock Holmes and myself. Intriguing cases seemed
to be a thing of the past, and the tedium was beginning to take its toll on Holmes. Intellectual stimulation was the drug of choice
for him, but in a pinch he was willing to settle for drugs of a less figurative nature.
I myself was also finding the lack of challenging work to be a bore, but I would have gladly accepted the boredom rather than
the news that came my way with the morning paper on that fateful day. I detected only the faintest of sounds from outside our re-
sidence at 221B Baker Street when Holmes began to perk up.
“It seems our friend Wiggins is here, and he has a case for us,” stated Holmes matter-of-factly.
I was about to enquire as to what made Holmes so certain of this, when the door to our apartment swung open and Wiggins
emerged, newspaper in hand.
“I think I’ve found a case that will pique your interest,” said Wiggins confidently. He threw the day’s copy of the Times
down on the end table. I recoiled in horror as I read the headline.This caught Holmes’ attention.
“A friend of yours? No, a patient of yours, perhaps?” he asked, with a rather uncharacteristic uncertainty.
“Both,” I replied, still trying to cope with the news. “Lord Firk Wolmer was stabbed to death at London University
College.”
“Firk Wolmer… Wolmer….” said Holmes, attempting to jog his memory, “Ah! I recall you mentioning that name on
occasion this past winter. I believe you made some house calls to assess his recovery from some illness.”
“That’s true,” said Watson. “He had been ill for several years and had been to see several doctors across the country. It
reached the point that he found it difficult to leave home for treatment, so his wife begged me to visit him.”
“As to what hisoriginal malady was, I couldn’t tell. But he had seen so manydoctors over the years who had put him on so
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