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1Hello?Yeah,I'mcomingtogethimin...I'msorry,didyousayheescaped?.It'sJoanWatson.Ontheoffchanceyouhaven'talreadybeencontactedbyHemdale,yoursonleftrehabalittleearlythismorning.I'malreadyathishousetoseeifhe'shere.I'llcallyouifthere'saproblem.Excuseme,I'mlookingforMister...Hello?Excuseme,Mister--MynameisJoanWatson.I'vebeenhiredbyyourfathertobeyoursobercompanion.Hetoldmehewasgoingtoe-mailyouaboutme.I'mheretomakethetransitionfromyourrehabexperiencetotheroutineofyoureverydaylifeassmoothaspossible,soIwillbelivingwithyouforthenextsixweeks,whichmeansI'llbeavailabletoyou2/.Doyoubelieveinloveatfirstsight?Um...Iknowwhatyou'rethinking:theworldisacynical['sɪnɪk(ə)l]place,andImustbeacynicalman,thinkingawomanlikeyouwouldfallforalinelikethat.Thingis...itisn'taline,sopleasehearmewhenIsaythis.IhaveneverlovedanyoneasIdoyourightnow...inthismoment.Doyoubelieveinloveatfirstsight?Iknowwhatyou'rethinking:theworldisacynicalplace,andImustbeacynicalman,thinkingawomanlikeyouwouldfallforalinelikethat.Thingis,itisn'taline,so,please...hearmewhenIsaythis.IhaveneverlovedanyoneasIdoyourightnow,inthismoment.Spoton.SherlockHolmes.Pleasedon'tgetcomfortable.Wewon'tbeherelong.Mr.Holmes,didyourfathertellyouaboutmeornot?Uh,hee-mailed,saidtoexpectsomesortofaddict-sitter.Well,thenheexplainedhisconditions3withrespecttoyoursobriety?Well,ifyoumeanhisthreatstoevictmefromthis,theshoddiestandtheleastrenovatedofthefive--countthem,five--propertiesheownsinNewYork,thenyeah,hemadehisconditionsquiteclear.Irefuseyour,quote-unquote,help,Iwinduponthestreet.It'smyunderstandingthatmostsobercompanionsarerecoveringaddictsthemselves,but...you'veneverhadaproblemwithdrugsoralcohol.Yourfathertoldyou.Ofcoursehedidn't.Uh,wouldyoucaretoexplainwhyyoubrokeoutofyourrehabfacilitythesamedayyouwerebeingreleased?-Bored.-Youwerebored?No,Iamboredrightnow.Ithappensoften;you'llgetusedtoit.RegardingourmutualfriendsatHemdale,I'dsaytheyshouldbethankingmeforexposingtheflawsintheirrubbishsecuritysystem,wouldn’t4you?Excellent.TherewasawomanleavingjustasIgothere.Didshegetyouhigh?Actually,aboutsixfeet.Iactuallyfindsexrepellent.Allthosefluidsandallthesounds,butmybrainandmybodyrequireittofunctionatoptimumlevels,soIfeedthemasneeded.You'readoctor;youunderstand.Uh,I’mnotdoctor.Wereadoctor--asurgeon,judgingbyyourhands.Isyourcarparkednearby?Uh,yes,it'sjustoutside...HowdidyouknowIhadacar?Parkingticket--felloutofyourpursewhenyoudroppedit.Can'thaveonewithouttheother,canyou?We'relate.Weneedtogetgoing.Uh,lateforwhat?Actually,scratchthecar.ManhattanBridgeis5downtoasinglelane.We'lltakethetubeinstead.Lookatthisplace.Yuck.Can'twaitforyoutotidyit.Priortomystintinjunkiejail,IworkedasaconsultantatScotlandYard.Yourfathertoldme—Hesaidyouwereadetective?Iwasaconsultant.Iwasn'tpaidformyservices,andthereforeIansweredtonoonebutmyself.***WhataboutLondon?Whataboutit?Hetoldmethat'swhereyoubottomedout.Hethinkssomethinghappenedtoyouthere--hejustdoesn'tknowwhat.Handsomewoman,yourmother.It'sverybigofhertotakeyourdadbackaftertheaffair.Howcouldyoupossibly...?Youstillhaven'ttoldmewherewe'regoingyet.Aboutthat,IthinkyouandFatherwillbepleasedtohearIhavedevisedapost-rehabregimen6formyselfthat'llkeepmequitebusy.Idecidedtoresumemyworkasaconsultanthere...inNewYork.Tellme,howdoclientstypicallyintroduceyou?Whatdoyoumean?I-ImeanIfindithardtobelievethey'dactuallytellsomeonethey'vebeenassignedaglorifiedhelpermonkey.Helpermonkey?Well,youandIhavewhat'sknownascompanion/clientconfidentiality,whichmeansthatyoucanintroducemehoweveryoulike.Friend,coworker,relative,andI'llplayalong.Buttobehonest,mostclientsjustcallmetheircompanion.CaptainGregson.Holmes.Howyoudoing?MissWatson,thisisCaptainGregson.CaptainGregson,thisisMissWatson,mypersonalvalet.Howdoyoudo?Shewaitsouthere.I'mafraidshe'squitecrucialtomyprocess,Captain.7It'sokay,really.Actually,itisn't.Atleastnotaccordingtomyfather'se-mail.'Causehe-heexplainedit'sthejobofapropervalettoaccompanyhisorherchargetotheirplaceofbusiness.Well,considerthismyplaceofbusiness.Considereverywretchedhiveofdepravityandmurderinthiscitymyplaceofbusiness.Unless,ofcourse,youdon'tthinkyouhavethestomachfortheworkIdo.I'mgood.Couldyouputthesegloveson,please?Dr.RichardMantlocamehomeafewhoursagotofindhisdoorkickedinandhiswife...AmyDampier,missing.That's,uh...that'sMantlooverthere.He'saheadshrinkeroutatSanbridgeHospital.Sayshecaughtanemergencylastnight,didn'tgethometill:5a.m.Sawthefrontdoor,called.Firstofficersonthescenefoundsignsof-ofastruggleinthekitchenandinthemasterbedroom.8ButnoMs.Dampier.Ransomdemand?Whatisit?I'mnotsure.Ms.Dampier'scellphone,haveyourecoveredit?Wehavehercellphone?Thankyou,Detective.Sheeitherlostatremendousamountofweightorunderwentsignificantplasticsurgerysometimeinthelasttwoyears.Shelooksthesameinallthephotos.That'smypoint.Ovularframes...areolder,havebeenherelongerYoucantellbythewaythewallhasfaded--squareframesnewer.They'retheonlyonesthatfeatureMs.Dampier.Coincidence?No.Checkhercellphone.Nophotosofherolderthantwoyears.Yettherearecountlesspicturesofotherpeopleinherlife,asmanyasfiveyearsago.9Itakeityoutwohaveworke