Sherlock & Co. - The Stockbroker's Clerk - Part Three

Episode Date: March 3, 2026

A PYCROFT BY ANY OTHER NAME - this case had begun with sipping wine across from my date in a cozy West London restaurant. Now I was carefully aiding the Birmingham Police to cut down the corpse of Harry Pinner. Sherlock had finally put together what it all meant. The Greatest Bank Robbery Of All Time.  Part 3 of 3 This episode contains swearing.Listener discretion is advised. A new clothing store has opened: www.sherlockwear.com 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 To get in touch via email: [e-mail] Follow me @DocJWatsonMD on twitter and BlueSky, or sherlockandcopod on TikTok, instagram and YouTube.  This podcast is property of Goalhanger Podcasts.Copyright 2026. SHERLOCK AND CO.Based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Paul Waggott as Dr. John WatsonHarry Attwell as Sherlock Holmes Marta da Silva as Mariana Ametxazurra Helena Doughty as Hayley Pycroft Additional VoicesHannah RashbassAlex Hack-RobertsDarcey FergusonJoel EmeryAdam Jarrell Written by Joel EmeryDirected 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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Many promotions are available both in-store and online, though some may vary. For just six pounds a month, binge and... Add free adventures in full and have access to so much more over at patreon.com forward slash Sherlock and Co. Previously on Sherlock and Co. I don't work there. Lies. Truths.

Falshoods. Facts. Facts. All right. That's enough. John, we access the staff details. She is lying. She does not work in Birmingham. She works in that very building.

I even located her desk on the 17th floor before we left. You are completely delusional. You think I'm. on a train to Birmingham. To pretend I have a job there. That's correct. But you think I actually work at Mawson and Williams in the city.

Haley, I must know of this bank robbery. The greatest of all time. Both of you, come this way. What? What is it? Up now. Are you running? Yes, and so should you. Sherlock, what's going on?

What did you see? A man. An armed man. So, what? We must survive until Milton Keyes. What do you mean? Five. They know. Who's they?

Ah, a societ. I don't know who that is. Must exit. We are not going to exit. Yes, we are. No, we're not. Yes, we are. Yes we are.

Wait for the tree line to return. And now. Sherlock, are we perhaps letting Haley off the hook here, seeing as it's quite clear she's not some thug? Ah, yes. I realised that just before I landed. before you landed. In the bramble bush.

You realise that she was innocent as you were jumping off a moving train? That's correct. There are some dangerous criminals in London. They have taken over a financial institution. It's like 150 years old. Oh, wow, great.

Don't care. What Sherlock is saying is that Mawson and Williams is like... It's like a ship, right? That is now being run by pirates, but hardly anyone knows it apart from us.

Yeah? They are using you. No, you are using me. He is using me. I've got nothing against Mawson and Williams for fuck's sake. I accepted a job offer. Then I got offered something better. It's not personal.

It's business. They know that. Shush now. Excuse me. Making a phone call. To who? Exactly. Mawson and Williams.

Is Haley Pyecroft there? She'll know what it's regarding. Let me check. Hold, please. Haley Pyncroft speaking. What? Harry? Mr Pinner!

Hey Lee! What is it? Oh my God! What is it? What's it? It's not a room. It's a stairwell. Sherlock, what is it?

What did she see? She saw Watson, the hanging corpse of Harry Pinner. Okay, grab his legs. Take away for just a moment, sir. Sargent? Yeah. Can we cut the rope? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cut in the rope.

Got him, got him, got him. Yeah. Let me go. Thank you, sir. Yeah, it's okay. It's okay. The hell is going on. It's all part of the greatest bank robbery of all time. Greatest of all time.

How much money did they actually steal? Oh, it's not the money that they stole, Watson. Sorry, what? It's the bank. Into you guys. Jumped. Moving train. Walked.

Mud. all night. Man, hanged self, Birmingham. Good night. Wait, wait, wait. Yeah, what he said. You jumped off a moving train? Yeah.

We did. Why? Because there was a gunman shooting at us. What? Yeah. And we wanted to stay safe, so we walked to Milton Keynes. Milton Keynes? What's in Milton Keynes? 130 roundabouts.

What? What happened to Haley? Haley Pyecroft had her identity stolen. A criminal organization who sent an operative in her place to Mawson and Williams. They probably did that with countless people took over the place from the inside. Wow. Yeah. Right.

You're okay, Sherlock. Mind is racing a little too far. Even for my liking. Okay, let's, uh, oh, come, come lie on the couch. I will get, um, okay, is this time for Guinness or is this, uh, cup of tea kind of emergency? I never know if British people prefer tea or alcohol in these situations. Uh, both? Both, both would be nice.

Both. Coming right up. Hey, archie boy, how you doing, mate? Yeah, that's Buckinghamshire mud there, my friend, go to town. So were you right, Sherlock? Right about what? Haley Pyecroft. Is she one of them?

Is she one of those banker gangsters? She didn't even listen. She didn't even listen to my summary, Archie. Were you even listening? She is not a banker gangster, no. Oh, wait, what? My approach to Haley Pyecroft wasn't entirely a fool's errand. It just got us a victim rather than a perpetrator in this instance.

Great. So I broke into a bank with you. completely messed up their electrics, nearly electrocuted myself, and we didn't even get the girl? Okay, here we have two Guinness and the kettle is boiling. Thank you. So, the Trojan horse wasn't a stud after all, eh? Sorry, what? Sherlock was calling you a Trojan horse.

Say what? That was his plan. She was the city of Troy, and you were this big, gleaming horse that she was going to open up. do. What? What do you mean what? Trojan horse? I... Sherlock. Come on. That's what you said. You've forgotten already. Did he hit his head? It's possible. You're right, Mr. Holmes. Your brain needs a rest. Let me do the tease, okay? John Watson's stud stallion. Well, apparently not now. And by the way you are aware, it is not a real horse. Thank you, I am aware.

Let me guess. You speak ancient Greek. What are you doing? All right, all right. I'll go make the dees. Jeez. Not you? Him. He's thinking. He's in deep thought. I don't like that look on his face. The electrics? Mm-hmm. You blew out two of their circuits.

I did. Mm-hmm, yes. But I was operating under your instruction. A horse. The Trojan horse. Yes. We still... We have that card to play.

They played it. They played it. I played it three years ago with Haley Pyecroft. And yes, yes, we can play it now. You genius, Mariana, you genius! Sorry, what did I do? John, here, phone is ringing, stop drinking, and speak to them. Oh, Jesus, speak to who?

Mawson and Williams. What? No, no, no, no, no, make it stop. Just hang up then. No, you do not hang up. You say you are calling from... From Archie, Baker, Electrics. God's sake, will you go to sleep so you can get some new... so you can get some new names.

Hello there. This is Archie. Okay. From Archie Baker Electrics. Hello there. Confirming they have difficulties with their circuit board. Just confirming you're still having those difficulties with your circuit. Yes, yes, yes.

We are. Sorry, are you not sending somebody out? Have you booked a contractor already? Have you already booked a contractor? Yes, call was made about three quarters an hour ago. Can we remind you this is very urgent, very important. Very unsafe as well. No, no, of course.

What contractor? What's the name of the company? Was it not us? It... No, sorry, you're right. It's not you. It's... Unite Electrics.

Unite Electrics. Yeah, they're great. They're great. Bye! What do we do? You have a Guinness, Mustache? We go. Now!

Now, Watson! Excuse me! Out the way! Move! Move! You move, you fools! Sherlock, stop shouting at the general public. They need to stop getting in my bloody way. Sorry, sorry about him.

Tower Bridge has been here for 132 years. Why has everyone decided to take a photo of it today? Out the way! Will you please calm down? I cannot calm down, Watson. This whole case could slip through our fingers, unless we intercept this electrician. Yes, I know this, but I have actually awful.

No time for organisation. No time for carefully laid plans. Sherlock, just wait and listen to me. Left here. The Morseon and Williams offices are on Lombard Street. Okay, okay. And what we hope to see is no tradesman vans outside their building. Oh, bugger! Yeah, I see it! The van is there!

Goodness Watson, we're too late. It's okay. It's okay. It's not okay. These bastards are going to get away with it. No. Seriously. Step back. The band doors. They're opening.

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behind my back. It wasn't behind your back. I said to you. Um, except you didn't. you, when we were in the cab, I said I'm going to message Tom to intercept the electrician. You said that? Yes. You said that to me, Sherlock Holmes. Yes, I said it to Sherlock Holmes. I didn't say it to Sherlock Johnson, did I? Sherlock Smith. I said it to you, the only Sherlock I know. Well, I've had rather a lot of my mind. Which is why you need me. And thanks to me, David here hasn't gone in yet. Oh, hi. Hi. Hello, David. Can I go in now? I've seen now. I've seen. I've A faulty circuit is a severe risk to the occupants of that building.

You can, David. Could you give these gents the attire that we discussed? Attire. These goggles are pressing on my eyelids. Ow! There's no requirement for a hard hat, surely. This building is structurally sound. Well, you two shut up. You're compromising our comms.

Good. I don't want comms. Ow! The hat is pinching my skin. It simply isn't necessary for goodness sake. Ceiling voids. Debris can shed when we remove panels. The hard hat is absolutely necessary. Do not touch the rubber gloves, please. They're sticking to my hands. Good. The wiring insulation could be degraded. Plus, we don't know that we can't isolate the circuit yet. Yeah, but I'm in reception, David.

Stop. Winging! Don't remove the gloves. Don't remove the goggles. Thank you very much. I really, really don't see the point of the goggles. Don't see the point of the goggles. You know Calam Haynes and spark works, said that once. Got a fragment of carbonised insulation directly into his cornea. He's now got one eye, and his wife's completely deaf. Is he an electrician as well?

No, I'm just illustrating the difficulties of his home life, okay? Right, no, of course. God almighty. Bye, vis, jacket's on, please, gents. Fine. Hi there, hi. Hello there. I'm David from Unite Electrics. These are my associates.

Great, yep, can I go. You and your guy's here to sign him, please. Of course you get it. Sherlock. Yes, I know, Watson. Our man from the trains. No, don't. Hello there.

Hi. Worked here long? Long enough. Yes. By that, of course, you imply that your employment has lasted a number of years. Yeah, yeah, something like that, man. Nasty scarring there, below your ears. Rather, curious injury.

Ah, no, I see. Tattoo removal. Good spot. Easy there, Sherlock. Felt the need to remove some, did you? Well, I've made some mistakes in my life, yeah. Yeah, haven't we all? Done the same myself. We ready?

17th floor. Thank you. Maybe the goggles on hard hat did save us some serious injury after all. Indeed. I can see a floor of staff. They look like the trading sort, pretty swanky desk, lots of suspended TVs, mostly news on them, financial news. Some of them are just chart. Understood.

David, you head to the faulty panel. You two keep your eyes peeled for a five-foot-four blonde girl. Late 20s, brown ice. Yeah, don't have to tell me twice. Been doing that since puberty, may. What? Nothing. No, a comm's cut out for a sec.

What did you say? Nothing. Just said affirmative Inspector Gregson. That was it. Okay, so her description again... I know this Gregson. This is my case, remember? Your private detective cases aren't yours.

Yes, they are. No, they're not sure. Look, this is jurisdiction of the MET Police. Actually, Tom, this is the jurisdiction of the City of London Police. So, if you don't mind, I will take over my case. You are such a pain in my ass. No, sir. You are a pain in my ass. Sherlock, Sherlock, look to that couched seating area with the two big indoor trees.

I see it. Back corner, far left. Is he the bald guy? I do. And I see who he's talking to. Who's he talking to? A five-foot-four blonde woman in her late twenties with... She's facing the other way. It has to be her. It has to be Watson, our impersonator, our imposter.

We must act swiftly. The apparatus of this illicit operation is disassembling itself before our eyes. The associates on the train sent to eliminate us, and when that failed, the execution of Harry Pinner, who they knew would spill their secrets. And now they won't hesitate. To cloak their entire operation in the shadows to plunge their sinister activities into darkness. What on earth?

Uh, what happened? All the lights have gone. David must have cut the power. We need to move. Now. Sherlock, just wait a second. Sherlock, initiate conversation. We're recording. Get something on record. Gregson, I do apologise, but you're going in the bin. Sherlock?

Yeah, sorry, mate. It's really distracting. No, no, no, no. Hard hat. Yeah, blobs. Bin. Bin. Hivis. And bin. Wonderful. Chop, chop.

Hello there. Haley Pyecroft. Yes. Excuse you, mate, sir, sorry. Who are you? I'm Sherlock Holmes. Who are you? Simeon Wright, mergers and acquisitions. Oh, splendid. I would very much like to acquisition something myself. What's that exactly?

Haley Pyecroft here. Ow! Get off! Get off! Please! And now, my friend, Dr. Watson, would like to merger his fist with your face. Bye now! What? Sorry.

Oh, jeez! Okay, run, run! Run! Down this way. Come along now, Miss Pike-O. This, I'm gonna... Most people, uh, would say, arrested. I see you've gone for killed. Very interesting.

Come on, hurry up. God, I regret chucking Gregson in the bin. And have evidence of abduction on tape. No, thank you, lotsome. Ow! She's bitten. Stop, just stop. Who?

You just... Who is Sebastian? No! Oh look, come on, we have to get to the ground floor. We've got like ten flights to go. Is he the mastermind behind this? Hmm? Does he run Mawson and Williams now, does he?

Is he the malignant agent that spreads through this old institution? Sherlock, we go. Get! Now! You're all one big imposter operation, aren't you? Yes. The world will soon come to know that beneath this sparkling veneer is a rot, a festering abscess that must be...

cut out. Shut up! Our gunman is here. Run! Yes, I told you to run! We have lingered here too long. Oh yeah, have we? You're stronger than me.

Grab her. Tell her if she tries to escape, you'll shoot her. Shoot her with what? A stern look? Nope. With the gun I snuck into your pocket. Why? Did you sneak a gun into my pocket?

Because I knew you'd never take it willingly. Through here. Oh, you are such a stupid afternoon. Oh, hello. Hi there, hi, good work. Buy high. Hello. Buy low.

Sell as high as you can. Please, try your best. Right, Miss Pyecroft? Fuck you. Do I need to remind you of my companion's gun? This is our European trading floor, gentlemen. Yeah, love it, great stuff. Love the oak.

Meeting tables, very nice. Splendid views. Well, very much so. Yeah, where's the lift, Miss Pyecroft? Just over this way, gentlemen. Follow me. There's the lift? Now, get off me.

Get out of here, and if you even think about coming back. In we go. It's the drizzle, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. It gets you wet through. You don't even know until it's too late. Totally, totally. And then you're soaked, you know?

They have umbrellas at reception, mine. And you can just take them? Absolutely. They expect you to bring them back, that they... They've been known to go walkies. Ah. Watson, could we perhaps? So, how did you get into banking?

Goodness sake. Well, believe it or not, I was actually a medical school. No. Oh, yeah. Really? Oh, yeah. Now, this way, this way. Open these gates now or I'll shoot you.

Sarah! Ah, so we have a name. Get outside. Gregson, Gregson, open the van. We have a girl. I want her in the back of it. Ha ha ha! We did it! We kidnapped her! Um...

Going up? Yeah, floor six? All right, there you go. You? Uh, nine. Nine, there. Um, I better, um, I bear just... Sherlock wait! You two opt-to. We're jumping ahead.

What do you mean jumping ahead? You've just jumped a woman into the back of a van? Jumping ahead of the part where you and the rest of the Met, Dilly Dally Daly around, trying to make the perfect arrest. Dilly Daly... Process. You mean process? You mean process? Jesus Christ! Just drive, Tom! I've got me, Windbury! I can't pull out of the traffic. Gregson! Is someone in a blind spot?

Drive the bloody van. Take us to Scotland Yard. Sherlock? I cannot appear a Scotland yard with a woman you've abducted. Why not? Because this is not the process. You know, the thing you wanted to jump ahead of. Less to Gregson left. Bloody hell! Then where? Where do you suggest we go? I don't know, Sherlock.

Where? Come on, I would like to hear it. Don't you turn with me? Where do we go, Gregson? How about anywhere but right there? Holy crap! Tower bridge! It's opening, it's open it, the bridge is lifting. Jesus Christ! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!

No! Go, go, go, go! There's a barrier down, Sherlock! Smash through it! You are mad! Totally and utterly mad! We're jumping ahead! We're jumping over a bridge that's open for shipping traffic! The barrier... Gregson, the barrier! smash through it or die.

We will die in the Thames, mate. We're not going to jump it. Of course we will. Six feet at best. Faster Gregson, faster. We can't do this. It feels it not like we are doing it. Jawdropping scenes coming to us from Tower Bridge

as the van of a London-based electrical company jumped across the iconic bridge as it was opening. Look at that. Terrifying and so dangerous. Absolutely, Kelly. And it doesn't get much better. as you can see the shots here of the individuals inside celebrating this reckless, reckless stunt. These people disgust me.

We jumped the bridge. They crushed their guards. They crushed their guards. Oh, I knew it. We did it, team. We did it. Nothing can stop us. Nothing.

Dangerous driving, failing to stop us. comply with traffic signals. Officer, please. Excessive speed, endangering safety, criminal damage, interfering with the operation of critical infrastructure. Can you just put me in the police car, please? I know all of this. Well, you didn't seem to know it when you were behind the wheel of that van, did you? I wasn't driving, it's not even my van. Whose van is it? David's. Does he know you have it? I... No. Right, so, theft of a motor vehicle. God's sake, a police officer was driving the vehicle. Yeah, well, he says you were. Oh, Gregson,

where is he? Name, please. John Watson. And you? Sherlock Holmes. And you? Madam. Yes. What is your name, Madam? My name, my name is...

Enough of the lies. Sir, could we... Officer, if this woman tells you her name is Haley Puycroft, then you need to add fraud by false representation to her. Long list, I'm sure, of charges. If she produces identification saying she is Haley Pyecroft, then charge her with making of articles in use for fraud. Get her on the Identity Documents Act of 2010 as well.

Conspiracy to defraud, obtaining of services dishonestly. Fraud Act of 2006. All right. All right. Everything all right, Steve. Madam, can I just please take your name? Madam. Madam. His name is Sarah Christensen.

Okay, Sarah. And what is your occupation, Sarah? You got this from the police? Yeah. My true occupation is I'm an actor. On the 20th of February, 2023, Sarah, you walked into the offices on Lombard Street of Morton and Williams. Under what name, Miss Haley Pyecroft? Oh my God.

Why did you choose to do that? because I was offered money. By whom, Sarah? His name is Moran. Moran. Sebastian Moran. He said he worked in the city. His assistant had found me on an acting site.

I was the best match for the... For the real... Haley Pye Croft, I understand. That's right. I said that I didn't really know what I was doing in finance or um and yeah he just said that i would be a stockbroker's clerk the the stockbroker was had been turned as well by this moran individual that's right he he eventually took over the whole place from within we think he's still

started with just the private security firm that had the contract for the place. Then it only took a few years and it was done. A rogue banking institution. We just did the things he told us to do. And that's not me absolving myself. I mean... No, no, we'll get to you, Sarah. We'll get to you.

What did he use Mawson and Williams for? Money. Moving money. Hiding money for people. Taking money for others. Control. Intimidation. And how many of the true employees of the establishment?

How many of them stayed on board, Sarah? People that spoke out were fired. Yeah. So, not many. but it didn't matter. I see. Well, Sarah, I think this is... Oh.

You okay? Yeah. Well, no. Yeah, of course. I think we're all pretty shook up after this one. Actually, I kind of did okay this time. Yeah, that's true. That's true.

What did Gregson say of this Moran character, Mariana? He said they've since raided the place. Twice. Got a few more people. Got your security guy, actually. But no, no, no sign of Moran. He has escaped. Have we come across him before? I don't believe so. Never heard of him. I have.

Have you? Yeah, but I can't place it. Oh, it's really bugging me. Heard of him in what setting? Police report? No. A suspect from an old case? No. A client?

Because I can assure you we have never... Prospective. What? Perspective. Clients. I get them to email if we're busy. I... He emailed.

Show me. The last time you stood at that window this time of night, someone smashed through it. Remember? The second stain. Of course I remember. Mate. Hmm? We're running on fumes.

Go to sleep. Want help feel for poor Harry Pinner. Yeah, not that respectful to the deceased when you put their name in quotation marks, mate. I browsed 416 actors meeting his description. Number 417. Look at my phone. It's on the table. Uh, let's see.

Uh, yeah. Yeah, that's him. Arthur Beddington. What's going on? He was hired under the same pretense. Come and play a role, play a role that would keep the real Haley Pyecroft 120 miles away in Birmingham,

keep her happy, well paid, and in ignorance of what became of her name and likeness in London. Poor old Harry paid the price the second we got involved, dear Watson. Yeah, but Sherlock, I mean, what are we... What are we supposed to do, not get involved? They were organised enough to infect and overwhelm a prestigious London investment bank in the space of just a few years, Watson. Riding it of its personnel, top to bottom, siphoning off its clients' money,

investing vast sums into their associates' spurious, bogus and fraudulent ventures. Mawson and Williams hid dark, dark funds, John, for those more evil. and powerful than we dare to even consider taking on alone. Sherlock. They were organised enough to do all that, and I couldn't even see. I couldn't see that they would be ruthless enough to kill. I could have got Haley killed. I could and did get poor Arthur Beddington killed.

Not to mention Gregson and you. Step away from the window, mate. Why? Because dangerous things happen. when you look out there late at night. Dangerous things. Like what? Like deep, sad thoughts?

That's what? That email, Sebastian Moran, offered us a case. Every facet of it, he knew would fascinate my attention. He built a curious fiction for me, replicating exactly what he did with Haley Pyecroft. Distraction. For her, it was money.

For me, it was the bright shine of intrigue and ultimately victory. Both ploys for the same end to take me hundreds of miles away from London, just like Haley. But Sherlock, give yourself some credit. You didn't, you know? Only because by chance I was swept away on this case,

the case of the stockbrokers clerk. If I had been with Mariana in the office when the email was received, it would have caught me. He would have drawn me in. I would be in the web, blind to its silken thread, until it was too late. He knows me. I know it. The podcast has done well. People know you may.

Yes. Yes, they do. That is my concern. Read the fourth sentence of his email. Okay. Crime, Mr. Hunter. Holmes, as you have noted, is the best possible window, instruction manual, or even poetic descriptor of humanity. It is personal, it is human.

Yeah, I mean... So what? You say stuff, I record it. That was said in a mailbag. Then he... Then he has a membership. I don't know what you want me to say. I have thought it for some time. Someone is listening. To the bonus material, yeah, I bloody hope so.

No, John. Someone is listening to every single word. Getting ready for a game means being ready for anything. Like packing a spare stick. I like to be prepared. That's why I remember, 988, Canada's suicide crisis helpline. It's good to know, just in case. Anyone can call or text for free confidential support from a train responder any time.

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