Fic: A Reliable Man. Part Seven: Damned If You Do, Damned if You Don't

[randomly_rusted]

 Summary: Two murders and a business card.  Lestrade must walk away or deal with a man he never wants to see again.

Rating: PG

Type: Gen

Word Count: 6400

This is part of a series of connected stories.  The other parts are here

My thanks as always to elfbert  for ideas and encouragement.  And a massive thank you to bronwynferchdai  for forensics and crime ideas and

Comments

[dr_shinigami]

Oh YESSSS. A Goddess of this ship returns with her manuscripts)))
Really, this sequence is about being the most fine-written and intense thing I've read here. Do keep this up. It's really gorgeous.

P.S.: Maybe one day my fellow mates will translate this into Russian - would you mind that?

[randomly_rusted]

Not at all, although Llyd is already doing it I believe.

[dr_shinigami]

Ah, I see; she told me she was about to make the translation, but I didn't know she already had your permission))) Many thanks for that!)))

[randomly_rusted]

Thank you! There is more coming although the character development is going to slow the pace of Part 9. I know what has to happen but not how.

[rusty_armour]

I have to apologize for not reading and reviewing sooner. It's been kind of a hectic few days and I kept having to set this latest installment aside, even though I hated doing so. Thankfully, I was able to finish reading it today. :-)

I loved seeing Lestrade working with Mycroft! They make such an awesome team! :-D It was also great to see Lestrade relax a little and let down his barriers enough to recognize that Mycroft has other sides to his character and isn't just a heartless posh bastard. I particularly liked the way Lestrade realized that the time he spent working on the case with Mycroft had actually been pleasant and that Mycroft is capable of smiling in a nice "happy code solver" way and can push the posh bastard persona aside.

I probably should have mentioned this first, but I was impressed by the intricate plot of this story. I'm a sucker for secret spy networks and codes and I love the idea of sheet music being used to supply addresses.

[randomly_rusted]

Glad you liked the plot! There were two possible music codes, my original one and one bronwynferchdai worked out which was very fiendish but in the end the actual code breaking details ended up on the cutting room floor. I did have fun showing Lestrade is a competent copper!

[randomly_rusted]

R7 took a while because I was having problems with some plot things and because R8 demanded to be written first!

Alas R9 might be a while too I fear.

Getting even better!

[weefreethings]

Woohoo! I really like that this story was centered on a mystery plot, rather than on the M/L relationship. I don't think it hurt the relationship story a bit to be sidelined, because it was nice to see it developing without the usual tension between the two. The danger from outside was great. Not only did it driving them to work together, it could have carried the story on its own.

What you show us of a potential M/L friendship or romance is charming, but the reminders of the remaining obstacles are quite discouraging. The argument over whether to let Lestrade continue the investigation (ostensibly over giving him a bodyguard) is as thrilling as the scene where the knife-guy goes after Lestrade. And Mycroft's reluctant capitulation definitely brings hope to this readers' heart.

"My Holmes-handling skills have promoted me to someone you talk to!" So that's why she talks to John? The class conflict here is funny and incredibly sad.

Re: Getting even better!

[randomly_rusted]

The class conflict is a big problem for Lestrade. And for Mycroft who knows about it of course, but only intellectually. It will have to be dealt with.