Sherlock & Co. - 38 - The Dancing Men - Part Three

Episode Date: June 18, 2024

AMERICAN LONEWOLF IN LONDON - we had hastily constructed a code for Abe Slaney, as if we were Elsie. We were going to get him to return to The Norfolk and 'rescue' his beloved. Little did he know, we were waiting. Along with about 87 armed police officers. For merchandise and transcripts go to: www.sherlockandco.co.uk For ad-free, early access to adventures in full go to www.patreon.com/sherlockandco Follow me @DocJWatsonMD on twitter, or sherlockandcopod on TikTok and instagram.  To get in touch via email: [e-mail] Listener discretion is advised. This podcast is property of Goalhanger Podcasts. Copyright 2024. SHERLOCK AND CO. Based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Paul Waggott as Dr. John Watson Harry Attwell as Sherlock Holmes Marta da Silva as Mariana Ametxazurra   Adam Jarrell as Stamford Jemma Revell as Nadia Thomas Mitchells as Simon Stone Marli Artiste as Elsie Additional voices Nalan Burgess Darcey Ferguson Joel Emery Adam Jarrell All songs featured courtesy of audionetwork - vocals adapted and performed by Marli Artiste and Adam Jarrell. Written by Joel Emery Directed by Adam Jarrell Editing and Sound Design by Holy Smokes Audio Produced by Neil Fearn and Jon Gill Executive Producer Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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over at Patreon.com forward slash Sherlock and co Previously on Sherlock and co I'm walking into the scene of a murder suicide. We know it isn't though Don't we well, I mean do we we do. Where are you in the tree? What the hell are you doing in the tree staff refer to this room as the tree house. Did you know that? No, I didn't. Please come in. Because of its view, you wake up surrounded by the trees. Rather convenient for a home invasion, isn't it? Or hotel room invasion, I should say.

One would simply climb the tree, work their way across those sturdy branches and limbs, and clamber onto the window box. This fellow I'm climbing has told me plenty. Carpena Spatulus. But he's not merely just a witness. He's a victim too. He's a what now?

A bullet hole. Right here. Well, security staff secured the room immediately. They started breaking the door in after they heard firing. They were in just as she shot herself. So he fled. Abe Slaney fled immediately after his assassination of Hilton Cubitt.

So he cracked the code then, the dancing men? Yeah. Yep. We found the guy, Former stalker of hers. Out of prison, broke his parole, crossed the old Atlantic Ocean and found him. I want to break free. Prison blues, beyond the sea.

We'll meet again. Yeah, exactly. But the little dancing men, they corresponded to letters. He told her when he was gonna come and save her, in his words, we were too late. Well, the most important thing to know is that Abe Slaney is suffering with erotomania. Abe believes Elsie is reaching out to him,

speaking to him through song, and Abe sees himself as her savior savior as the person that can rescue her from Hilton Cupid. We need to construct a code from Elsie to Abe. She's in an ICU Sherlock why would she be communicating? That's what we must portray in our message to lure him in that the media is wrong. She didn't shoot herself. She is in hiding and awaiting her rescuer. We lure him to us. Exactly. Watson, it's time to make some music. Baby come back! Still in my head.

Can't shake that song. Er, right. Welcome, welcome to the final part of The Dancing Men. This episode contains swearing, violence, guns, drama, gruesome stuff. It's got everything. So I will see you on the other side. Rescue me! Oh take me in your arms!

Rescue me! I want your tender charms! Ah, okay, yes, that's great! Right, come on then, let's sing one. No, you're a backing singer. What? She's right, mate. Oh, why the... John, come on, let me just do one. It, you're a backing singer. What? She's right, mate. Oh, why the... John, come on, let me just do one.

It's gotta be a female voice, otherwise how would it be from Elsie? Correct. Right, what have we got so far, Sherlock? We'll meet again. I will survive. Gloria Gaynor? Yep. Well done, nerdier. Rescue Me. Fontella Bass. Baby Come Back. The Equals.

Classic. Baby come back. For goodness sake. This is John Watson for the BBC in London. Oh come on, it's good that. I don't really know what you're doing. BBC voice, old fashioned RP BBC thing they used to do. This is the BBC. In other news, war.

In what world would war be other news Okay, I'm gonna talk to some people that actually like me Hope hello listeners. We are in Portland place at broadcasting house the home of the BBC the British Broadcasting Corporation one of this country's finest institutions along with the NHS and Swindon town Football Club and of course like Drizzle, Great British Drizzle, the envy of well nobody really. So we are at the BBC for phase two of our master plan. Sherlock talk them through it. Do I have to? Just give it a go.

We in conjunction with the lead investigators on the case, are co-opting a news broadcast with permission from the lead editor to announce a fabricated statement from Elsie's family and friends. With their permission as well? Yes, of course. This statement consists of a short video of text but with our coded message to Abe Slaney playing in the background and a light watermark of dancing men. That Mariana made. Thanks, Mariana.

Well, I did the code. Yeah, but she drew it and animated it. Right, well, fine. The plan to lure... Of course, Nadia did most of the singing. You wanted me to inform the listeners and now you're interrupting. I'm adding little citations so then I'm just footnotes, mate. Carry on. The music presents a theme, or notion at least, to Mr Slaney that Elsie is faking these tragic circumstances and her bullet wound, and she is in fact waiting for him to return and rescue her.

Meanwhile, the Dancing Men animation sends a code that reveals the time and location of where she will be for this rescue. Which she won't obviously be there. Of course, that's why I did quotations. Yes, but they can't see that. She won't be there to be rescued, but we will be waiting. As will several armed officers. It is a big fat trap, ladies and gents.

A honey trap, as they say. Do they say that? Yeah, don't they? I don't think so. Right, let me Google it. Er, wait, yeah, no, that's sexual blackmail, not honey. So not a honey trap, ignore that. Just so we're clear, there will be no sexual blackmail used in this show.

Hello. Hello. Right, well, this is quite something, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. I'm John Watson, this is Sherlock Holmes. You're Simon... Yes, Simon Stone. I'm the lead editor for the BBC News coverage. Fab, fab. Yeah, so we made the video statement. To be broadcast very shortly.

Great, great. When will it go out? Come through here, you can watch it. Wonderful. watch it. Wonderful. Let me enough now to stay, stay, stay, come back. Stop it. Sorry. This is the PCR production control room, sometimes known as the gallery. It's very dark. Yes, much better for the team to concentrate. That's all the camera feeds there. Those are the VTs that will run on cue from the PA down there.

And the vision mixer will cut them full frame, as it were. That's the director there. And now we are... Yes, I think we're coming to your segment. And one coming to camera one, and cue Georgia. A close circle of friends and family of the Grammy award winning star have released this video statement just now. And roll VTX.

So you see, it's straightforward text on the screen. We believe in you, you know, you'll make it through this stronger, etc etc. But you see the watermark there? The dancing man? Yeah, that's the code to Abe. And that sound, that's actually songs that get across... That she's alive and waiting for him. Exactly. I will survive, rescue me, baby come back, we'll meet again. Hmm. You think very highly of this guy.

Who, Abe? Aye. Not really. Well, you seem to think he's capable of dissecting all that. This is his obsession. This is everything to him. Hmm. Let's hope so. Yeah, let's hope. Else, we first looked at the scene of its 2019, with the track, I'm a Come To Baby, which quickly established her as a housemaid in the US.

Not just in the US, but all over the world. She spoke so often that singing and performing was her dream. That dream has now become a nightmare. A nightmare. These bulletproof vests, they're tight aren't they? Don't you think they're tight? Nah, I think they're okay. What, did they give me a small? I'm a medium. Well you might be a large. I'm not a large. Oh god, pinches a bit there. Ooh, it's bulky though isn't it? Is it obvious I'm wearing one? I feel like it looks like I'm wearing a bulletproof gelée. A bulletproof geléeet bulletproof gilae. Yeah

No Okay, well, I'll just button my shirt a bit cover it more Hello listeners Currently on top of the Norfolk Hotel and that is quite the view you can't see it, but trust me right across Hyde Park. It's Yeah, it's it's something. That isn't me assembling a rifle. That's Ian.

Ian. That is Ian, the sniper with his sights trained on the approach to, well, not to the hotel, but to the same tree that Abe climbed in the murder of Hilton Cuban. They've evacuated this corner of Hyde Park under the guise of a traffic collision. They've even placed, this is quite clever really, they've placed damaged vehicles in the road. So that's closed off. There's an ambulance attending to the scene.

I don't think they're real paramedics. Possibly just police officers. So all that will keep everybody away from the gunman, but keeps him none the wiser. No one coming through the park, no one driving along the road. There is, however, a carefully positioned police cordon that will allow Abe to go the same route he went before. And if you come with me down here... Oh, I've got down this ridiculous wobbly ladder, bloody hell.

Ah, there we go. Through this door here, and along this corridor, we get to the Lady Jane Grey. That's the room that Elsie had. And in here is London's finest detective. Hello. How we doing? Get yourself a bulletproof vest, you. Did you speak to the sniper? No, not about what you wanted. Why not?

Because he's not... he doesn't follow orders from us. I don't want him to shoot Abe until we get information out of him. Again, that's great. But Ian is not gonna listen to my polite request of please don't shoot the deranged American gunman. Who's Ian? Oh, the sniper. Right. How you feeling?

Fine. You? Little nervous. But what time is it? 5.45. Almost game time. Indeed. He's been spotted.

Has he? Lingering at Speaker's Corner. So he's in Hyde Park? Indeed. And heading this way. Do you think they'll take him out before he gets here? I can tell you the police are exercising remarkable restraint. Yeah, they've probably seen worse at Speaker's Corner, to be fair. I saw a bloke there once advocating for the right to marry a German shepherd.

The dog, rather than a shepherd. One thing to note, he's armed and dangerous. Just about every American official has their eyes on how the Met and MI5 handle this. The moment he deviates from his path to the hotel, the slightest hint that he isn't falling into our trap and- Bang, bang, bang. Well, hopefully just bang. Course, yeah. They do that.

In a crowded area. In a Plan B scenario, yes. So Plan A better be a bloody good Where are you where are you gonna be during the main event? I'll be right here in the room and a will be allowed to get as far as the tree Ascended Wow, they're gonna let him climb. Absolutely He will then enter this very room where we'll be waiting I know I'm not waiting in a hotel room for a murderer. Out. D.I. Martin, how are you?

Inspector, I think it's best... Oh, I think it's best you get out of this room. And why do you think that? Well, because it's about to be full to the brim of SAS operatives and highly trained firearms officers. Are you either of those? See, I think that is a bad idea. Look, I know he's got the accent,

but he's not Captain America, right? We don't need your support. And what we really don't need is your blood splashed on these walls and all. Out. The two princes. Ha ha. Thank you. That's very sweet of you.

It's a room in the hotel. Oh. The two princes. That's where the fit lot go. Okay, again, that feels very complimentary, getting mixed signals. Oh, fit. FIT, Forward Intelligence Team. they'll be in there as your technical surveillance unit. You have been invited to attend should anything happen regarding the cryptography, okay? He's not going to construct another message. He'll be here, in person.

No, we don't need you at all then, do we? Inspector Martin! Mr Holmes, try and grasp the gravity of the situation. Just try that for me. You've been very helpful and we appreciate that. But you're not going to be playing a central role in eliminating a very dangerous target. It is as simple as that. Out.

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Hang on time. He's seen the car accident, no police attending it, so he's still making his way towards us. I have an open shot on the target. Confirmed, do not engage. I'm going to be losing him behind the obstruction momentarily, sir. Obstruction? The tree. That's Ian talking.

Okay. Just saying. Confirmed, target is currently following predicted course. No need to perpetually engage. Over. Affirmative. He's gone. What? He's not climbing the tree. Can we get an angle on the target from ground level?

He's not there. Look, on the blue team camera, he's not there. Someone give us confirmation please. Can we see the target or not? Negative. Oh Jesus Christ. He's using the tree for cover. Moving from the west for goodness sake! Can't see him from the pot! Can we take the shot? On the roof. Can we take the shot?

Negative, I no longer have eyes on the top! What in the name of piss is going on? We can't! Yes you bloody well can! You find him and you find him right now! Ground units, all ground units, move to the tree now, close him down from every possible angle. And fire at will. You see him, you shoot him. End of. How, how has he done that? Let's go find out.

Oi, get back! Shut up! Oi, no, no, no, Mr. Homes! Shit! You were gonna get us shot, you know that right? You were gonna get us bloody shot mate. By whom? Ian, Your new best friend? Oh yeah, how mature. How mature. I know his name, so we're best buddies now are we? You tell me!

Hey sir, we're investigators, we're working on the case, please, please, please don't shoot! Bugger. We're at the tree, there is no sign of him. How in... how? Well you're the clever one, you're supposed to say. There is no sign of him. How in... How? Well, you're the clever one. You're supposed to say.

This doesn't make sense. Stop right there! Okay, okay, just please, please. Put your hands up now! No, no, we're investigating the case. Put your hands up! Shut up! I'm trying to think!

Ah, fuck! You all right? You okay? Yes, I'm fine. Hold your fire right now! It was a long way from hitting us, Watson. Don't panic. What do you mean, don't panic? What do you actually mean? Look around! Look around. Yes. That noise. It was metal. He fired at something metal. Who di- wha- what?

Ian. Your best mate in the whole world. Sherlock, I can feel we coming out, alright? I can actually feel we in my fucking pants, mate. Please stop with this absolute bollocks. We are surrendering, okay? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We have our hands up. Yeah, we are not hostile. We're trying to help. He was showing us.

Oh my god, showing us what? That. Right, it's a manhole cover. The Westbourne River. What? London's lost rivers. Remember? It used to run through Hyde Park, but the Victorians, they poisoned it. They had to bury it to encase it in a tunnel. Now it runs under Hyde Park and Park Lane and into the Serpentine. Right, lovely, you should do tours. Put your hands up! The manhole cover looks a little loose, don't you think?

Oh, God. Right, I know I said that thing about surrendering, but, erm... Oh, God. Phone light. Do yours. Okay, er, hold on then. I'll hold the gun, you hold the light. Yeah, shi... er, what? I'm not going unarmed into a confrontation with an American, man. I'll hold the gun, you hold the light. Yeah, sh- Wait, what? I'm not going unarmed into a confrontation with an American, Watson.

Don't stereotype Americans, Sherlock. That's nearly a third of our audience. I don't want them switching off because of your crude observations about their gun crime. Okay, fine. I'll leave the gun up there. No, take it! He's from Chicago, for God's sake! Oh, God. Once again, my shoes pay the ultimate price.

Let's start including this sort of thing in the invoices for these cases. Shh! Listen. Music. The hotel lobby, we're underneath it. Yes. And on the dry brick there, you can see where Abe headed. There's a ladder, I think. Yes. That will take us to another manhole. Into the hotel?

No, behind it. Abe would have climbed that and entered the east facing rooms of the hotel. Come on! Ow! We are currently in the hotel corridor. On the other side of the hotel to the police, unfortunately. We can see Abe's footprints on the other side of the hotel to the police unfortunately we can see Abe's footprints on the carpet just need to work out where he's gone they're fading a little as we go on you really shouldn't be here rather dangerous yeah

sorry this is not safe at all oh I'm just going to use the lift no sorry it's not allowed in fact you need to get yourself and your colleagues out of the hotel immediately Oh, there's a gunman on the loose. He's American and I'm not not saying that that matters. Just just just saying Oh my goodness, right. Okay Thank you. Wait. What? Where are you taking that? Excuse me, sir, the champagne and the chocolate to which room it's Request to go to the Lady Jane Grey.

The Lady Jane Grey? The suite at the top? Who made the request? The gentleman. He called down to reception. From which room? From which room did he make the call? Room service, sir. I didn't order anything. My order was for upstairs, for the Lady Jane Grey. We have received an order back sir. Why couldn't you sit under the trolley? Shut up. What is it? A special somebody sir. If I could

bring it in the room one wouldn't want any prying eyes on such a wonderful gift. Sure, yeah. Thank you ever so much I'll just bring it over here. This is one of my favorite rooms, sir, the the martyr room. Named after Charles I, of course, got his head chopped off following the Civil War. You can see his burial site in Windsor. Oh, you must go. Will you be staying in the UK long, sir? Not long. Could you get out? This is a private situation. Of course, sir. Sorry, sir. If you need anything else, please do just give us a tinkle on the telephone. Have a good day, Mr. Slaney. How do you know my name?

We know plenty about you, Abe. Holy fuck! Don't bloody move. What have you done with her? Abe, where's the gun? Go fuck yourself. Where is it? Doesn't matter, Watson. He won't be needing it.

Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that, buddy. Here's a tip. Next time, keep your eyes on the target, not out the window. Put the gun down now, Abe, or he'll shoot you. They're not gonna shoot me. And you're not going to shoot me. Well, maybe not you. But what about him?

Eyes on me again, buddy! You're next! Shut up! They're not gonna shoot me, so put the gun down! Shut up! Look at you. Please. I ain't doing shit!

Neither are you! You're interrupting something very, very important. Shut up! Put the gun down, because you're not gonna shoot me! I, uh... Shut up! No, I... John, stay down! You're wounded!

You have to... You're not gonna do it! No! I... You have to- You're not gonna do it. No. I... I'm probably not, am I? No, no, come on, Sherlock. Put the gun down. I'm sorry, Watson.

Sherlock! You must stay there, John. Sherlock! You heard the man. Oh god I can't breathe. Get on the ground! Yes absolutely. Nice and low. On the floor. Sherlock please! Slide the gun over to me. Slowly. Okay. Nice and easy okay okay you're not going to shoot me no I am not but they are Fuck! John! John! Are you okay? Yeah. John! Yeah, I'm okay. I've got myela- my- my bulletproof vest on.

Oh. Thank goodness. Hey, Sherlock. Wait. Abe. Abe! Abe? Abe? Tell her...tell her how we're... I love her so much!

I'm not telling her anything. Why did you do it? Shut up! Get off it! Why did you do it? Sherlock, get off him! Why did you do it, you fool? She told me in her songs... She told me to follow her. You killed an innocent man. You tried to kill my best friend.

You bastard! Sherlock, just get off him! I meant what I said I'm going to kill him! He's dying please stop stop he's dying he's going well before you go, you deserve to know the truth. Sherlock. You're delusional. Elsie shot herself. She shot herself because she knew you'd come back.

You're wrong. You're wrong. She's fighting for her life in hospital. She's never been communicating with you. Ever. You're not... Shit. She told me to come back. She told me to come...

...rescue. I'm asking you for the first time. Love me enough now to stay. No! No! No! Baby, come back. Baby, come back. No! No! Baby, come back. Baby, come back.

He's gone. He's gone. Hello, how are you feeling? Can I come in? I bring soup, glorious soup. The Soup Man cometh. Yes, the Soup Man cometh. Oh good, you don't look absolutely terrible. Oh, thanks.

No, no, it's good, because I've got something cool in the office. Well, your lounge that I want to show you. Why are you being weird? This is me being nice. Fine. But I am doing this for the soup. Sure, sure, sure. Come through, come through.

Oh my... what? Hey. Hi. Mariana, this is Elsie. Yeah, I figured that actually, John. Um, I'm not studio ready just yet, but John said I could rehearse here. No! Yes, no, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. You can, you can. Um... Do you want some soup?

I'm okay. Thanks. I got nowhere to hide Like an enemy, you know every week is in my armory Gonna take me down for the thrill And I'm losing my mind I'm going crazy I'm going crazy for you Safe to say that adventure has taken a lot out of me. That's a Sherlock. Definitely out of Elsie who is recovering as best she can. And I'm now ill as well.

I blame Mariana. And a very demanding case. Yeah, I'm gonna go down some soup and fall asleep watching YouTube. I hope we did you all proud but before I go I just I'm gonna ask you to follow Sherlock and copod on Instagram and tik-tok yeah that'll make me feel better okay take care you lot Music