The Resident Patient: The Undertakers

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Title: The Resident Patient: The Undertakers
Author: gardnerhill                        
Word Count: 60                     
Rating: G
Warning: None
Summary: “…and with my aid and that of the inspector [Holmes] cut down the wretched object and laid it reverently under a sheet.”

***

“Never gets easier, does it,” Lanner said in his beer.

I followed the inspector’s lead with my own pint. “No matter how many bodies you cut down or drag out of a river.”

“Sutton was a bank robber, a killer and a contemptible coward.” Holmes paused, before lifting his own glass. “Nevertheless, Inspector, you’re quite right; it never gets easier.”

Comments

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

A clear indication they have retained their humanity.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

No matter how many murder victims they examine.

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Yes, I agree completely with your interpretation. I like to think Holmes and Watson would never truly take death lightly, no matter how the person behaved in life.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

The manner of death might intrigue the sleuth and the storyteller, but neither forgets about the human being whose life was lost.

[debriswoman]

Well put

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

That moment adds a needed touch of humanity to a puzzle of a case.

[mafief.livejournal.com]

I like that you are having both Holmes and Watson react this way. They'll see a lot of death throughout their career, so hopefully they'll retain their humanity.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

I like to think that no matter how bizarre or fascinating the puzzle of a murder mystery, they never forget that a human being has lost a life.