The Man with the Twisted Lip - Part One

Shurlock, this... are you serious? An early Christmas present? You didn't have to do this, you big detectiveing... Sorry, what? What? What is this? You're welcome. You are now a Sherlock and Co member go to patreon.com forward slash Sherlock and Co. Sherlock, did you get me a Patreon membership for Christmas? Yes, you said it was the perfect Christmas gift. Yeah, but not for me. I... I run the members club. Yeah, no, this is great, I love it, mate. I... I love it. Merry Christmas. Yeah, you too. Give the gift of Sherlock and Co membership today. Who are you talking to? I'll write the listeners. Yeah, good, good work. Oh, oh, oh, Merry Christmas. I'm not going to do it all in this voice. That's even annoying me. Hi all. Welcome to a Christmas adventure. I will be your Christmas adventurer for this one. It's that time of year, so why not gift your loved one a Patreon membership. Go to patreon.com forward slash Sherlock and Co. Or go to the various shopping options we have. Explore the links in the description. What we got for you. Swearing and all around. I want to say seediness, but that may come across snobbish. No, no, I'm sticking with seediness. I'm going to go with that. We go to drug abuse. We go to sex work. We go, where else do we go? Well, you'll find out. Strap in, get cracking and I'll see you at the end. This Christmas will be the best Christmas. It's all is the very best time of the year. Oh, these are so good, mate. Hey, hands off my Christmas pies. Gosh, my hands yesterday. What's the problem? The problem is, I've had my eye on that tart and you've swooped it. What's an eye feel I must rectify your misogynistic language. Her name is Ruby St. Claire. She is a friend of mine and I do not wish for her to feel uncomfortable at our Christmas party. Sherlock, yes. I'm talking about that. Your indispensable key to the city, your human encyclopedia of London, is eating my turkey berry tart. Off. You know, Christmas people usually feed the harmless. They don't steal food often. They're mine. Right, and you've eaten... Wait, not... 12. 12, you've eaten 12. One for each day of Christmas. What does that even mean, Wiggins? I don't know. I need a cigar. Have you got one? You got any brandy too? I do not have cigars and brandy. Why not? Oh, um... What was the reason? Oh, yeah. Yeah, because we're not in the drawing room on the Titanic. What does that even mean, John Boy? I will take you to the brandy, Wiggins. Ah, thank you. What word we have brandy? Exactly. Can I have one? Sherlock. Sherlock. My name is Dr. John Watson. Once of the British Army, North Ambulance and Fuse and Lear Regiment. Now, a true crime podcast that based in Central London. I don't have much experience in criminology. So this is mostly a record of how I met possibly the most brilliant and bizarre person I have ever and will ever know. Join me as I document the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Welcome back to this Christmas special edition of Night Night with Nigel. That was Mandy May White with Snowy's Falling. And that was for Stephen and Diane in Northampton who are celebrating their 30th Christmas together this year. And they're doing that by emigrating to Dubai. Country has gone to the... Okay, well, uh... quite a long letter. They... Yes, they're spreading Christmas cheer to the Arabian Gulf. Charlie in South End says, I would like to say Merry Christmas to my beautiful wife of 17 years old. To... Wait. 17, come here. Okay. No, yeah. That needs a comma there. Charlie. Wife of 17 years, comma. Old age has brought us even closer together. And I can't wait to start 2026 with you by my side. Beautiful. Charlie asks, Nigel, can you please, please play. I didn't know I loved you by Gary Glitt. Um... No. I don't think... I won't, um, profess to have expert knowledge, but I have skin red the station's policy on this. And we do not play songs by that particular artist. Um, and a few others actually who will sadly remain nameless. Um, I mean, most of them are dead. I've seen the list. But yeah. Sorry, Charlie. That is not... No, no, no. Put your teeth in, Nigel. That is not something I can do. Um, Ruby and Lee are... No, no, sorry. That's Ruby Inley in Southeast London says, This message is for my beloved husband, Neville, who went missing around this time five years ago. Oh, Ruby, I'm so sorry. Ruby goes on to say, I know you're still out there. I and our beautiful boy Noah miss you so much. He still gets those secret gifts you leave him every year. Please, please come home to us. Wow, well, for Ruby and Noah and indeed Neville, it's cozy for Christmas by the Stargazers. All packed? All packed. You know, you've got my gifts for La Familia. See, say, yeah. They will be very, very happy. Tea selection, big Ben Kearings and Sherlock and Comerch. You can't go wrong. You cannot. And you, my big, newly-friend, I will see you in the new year. Yes, I will. Yes, I will. And you will get... Well, I can't tell you what you're getting for Christmas, but it is from a very expensive meat market. And it's really stinks, so I know it must be good. Okay, bye-bye. Bye-bye. Have a good message to me when you land. Bye-bye. And then there were two, my friend. Well, me, you and Graham. Two in a bit. So what do we think about walking the park? Hey, then maybe a Christmas Guinness or two in the volunteer? Guessing that snort sound is he? Yes. Come on, then. Hello, everyone. I hope the Christmas season is treating you well in all of its twinkly, jingly warmth. As you may be able to tell, I am the only human, two to one bee-baker street this year. I will, of course, pay Carol Watson a visit over the Christmas period. But, yeah, I'm going to go to the Christmas season. This year, I will, of course, pay Carol Watson a visit over the Christmas period. But, yeah, Mariana is heading back home for some family fun. And Sherlock is working away over this period. What that means? I don't quite know, but, yeah, he's not the most forthcoming man. So that might be his way of saying he's also spending time with family. Yeah, he didn't want to talk about it. I didn't want to probe. So here we are. The greenery of Regent's Park is crunching beneath my feet, a light frosty sheen clings to every surface. There are swans, the ducks, and well, the one or two geese that didn't get the migration memo move slowly across the icy waters. I've got to say, the city feels quiet. Like it's having a breeze, all those Christmas celebrating residents have jumped on planes, trained, packed up cars, gone to family and friends the world over. I expect universities are emptied schools closed out of office emails, are pinging out from every commercial building around the place. It is a different London. That is fair to say. Cheers, John. Have a good and make it. Yeah, you too, mate. Mike, pop in boxing day. Cheers, Matt. Ah, yeah. Well, come on, Arch. I think we line up a Christmas film. What do you think? I'm alone to be pretty apt, wouldn't it? Not bad, shout. I finished. She looks advent calendar chocolate. It's delicious, but I might need to think about how I replace that in case he suddenly appears. And, um, well, whisper it, but maybe, maybe. They cook that beef well, I don't know how I have. Yeah. Not a bad idea. Cook that baby. Go halves on it. Well, right, maybe I'll have the majority, but you can get a few chunks in your bowl. Hello. Hi. You okay? Yes. I'm just waiting for a friend. Okay. You're a friend of Mariana, because she's in Spain for a few days. No, I am a friend of John. John Watson? Yes. That boys up for making new friends... Dio. Dio? Sorry, I don't recall where I know you from. Oh, you are John Watson? Yes. I'm Dio Whitney. My husband is ISO Whitney. Oh, um, University of London? Yes. Yes, he said he showed me your detective show, and he said that you are university together. Yeah. Oh, bloody hell, that's a blast from the past. May the ghost of Christmas pass? Oh, God, sorry. So I didn't... I didn't... Do you want to... There you go, Dio. Thank you. Got an abundance of chocolates and biscuits, too, if that's needed. Don't feel bad about taking them. I will thank you and January. Sorry about the ghost joke, if I say is no longer with us. I'm... I'm so sorry. Yes, he is alive for now. Oh, okay, okay. Right, is there anything I can help with? I can't find him. Is... I mean, Maritoli is everything... It's been a lot, a lot worse. We are strong. We are strong for our children, you know? Yeah, of course. And I thought he was happy, even with everything. Scoliosis, if I remember correctly. Yes. A few years ago he had become addicted to codine. He had a lot of pain after physiotherapy program, and he was prescribed them. Then I found out he was getting friends to prescribe it for him. And then when they would no longer do it, he was doing it himself. Yeah, I remember getting... I got an email from him in... 2021, maybe? That would be around the right time, yeah. He found it very difficult to detach himself from the pain killers. And he had told me that he had substituted the addiction with something else. I asked, he said he was safe. He was doing it in a controlled way, and this would not affect his lifestyle. I just assumed it was cannabis. That kind of made sense to me. I had heard it before. It didn't seem all that bad, but I can understand why isa might be embarrassed about that, especially with kids now. So, yes, I thought it was that. And it's not that? I don't think so. You don't think so? This summer just gone. One day before he headed to work, he left his phone. Not for long, not all day. He came right back, maybe three or four minutes after he left. But I saw he had a reminder for an appointment at a place called clinic, like clinic but with case instead of the seas. Okay, L.I. and I.K. That's right. Okay. And I thought, well no, I didn't think much about it. But I get a message that even in. He has to stay out late for work, and he's going to get a hotel. I think all right, that's okay. But in September, I see the reminder again. Clinic. And the same thing happens again. I have to work late. Hotel. October. Same again. The November. The same. In fact, twice in November. Clinic notification. Night in a hotel. So, what day are we today? Monday. Okay, so I spoke to him. I confronted him on Friday night. I was gentle. I said I was here to help. He would not tell me. He begged me. begged me, John, to not take this away from him. He kept saying this. Dio, do not take this from me. And I said, what is it? Take what from you? Is it a woman? Do you have somebody in the city for yourself? We don't settle the arguments. We're getting too loud. The children are in bed. We say we will discuss it over the weekend. I wake up the next morning. And. He's not there. He's not there. Hello mate. Have you seen Wiggins? He's over there. My wallet, bitch. Lovely. Thank you. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas to you mate. Oh, here we go. Here to take more from me. Well, yes, actually. Follow Chris. Thank you. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas to you mate. Oh, here we go. Well, yes, actually. Follow Chris. Here and your jump, pal. Correct. I forgot to give you your Christmas gift. Oh, my Christmas gift now, is it? Oh, come on, wiggle. We go way back. You're a bloody good friend. So, I got you. Tada. Is that a box of cigars? It is a box of cigars. Yes, the very finest money can buy. Well, the finest. My money can buy. Thank the listeners too. They helped out. Thanks. These are decent. Well, I have decent listeners that buy harmful tobacco substances for homeless men in London, apparently. That's a... yeah, that's top-jump. That's proper stuff. Merry Christmas, man. Well, to you too, mate. To you too. If you were feeling the Christmas cheer swelling up inside you. Right. And you felt like you needed to act upon that spirit of this. The most wonderful time of the year. Hmm. You could actually give me a gift. Right. Do you see any wrapping paper about a place to play a jump by? Doesn't need to be a physical gift. Oh, I could have known a home. You need to pull a kettle only this time of year. I'll be free of you. No, we can't get the kettle. Oh, you get the kettle. Jesus, what do you want, man? Spit it out. Well, I want some information. All wrapped in a bow and nestled under my tree. Please. Speak normally. I want to know about a place. A place? Yeah, a place I can't locate, but I know exists. Name. Clinic. K-L-I-N-I-K. You've nothing online about it at all. Yeah, I know. But I'm not going in there unless I have to. What? Who are you looking for? I saw Whitney, my age, my height. Or a fella. I was shut up. Shave-head, black, has scoliosis. So quite an unusual gate. But the wonky spine, didn't you? Yeah. Scoliosis, yep. A friend of mine, she robbed this fella down the other week. Said he was in a bad way. Todd him or herself, or someone else. What? How do we even know that? Because I know everything. Wiggins. This way, John, by... What do you mean? Rubbed him down. Wiggins. Hello, Mr. Wiggins. Hey, Cassie. Hi. John, this is Cassie. Hi, John. You want a Christmas rub from a professional girl? No, I'm more right, actually. Oh, and John, this is Cassie, as well. Hello, Mr. John. Hello, Mr. Wiggins. Yeah, hi, hello there. And she's Cassie there, and that is Cassie. Right. It's what it says on the visa. The Hull share it, need a more efficient that way. Save the planner. Just print the one farm, and I'll take the same name and address. The Chinese are seriously clever, man. Hello, everyone. Sorry, why they all got so many security cameras? To watch for police. Who? Sorry? Police. Right, why? So John, you can call again next time. Wait, wait, wait, wait, hold on a second. Mr. Aisa, yes, he was in there 10 days ago. 10 days ago, right, a new sense he was distressed? Very tears, crying, but not from the pan. He was very sad. He said very funny things. Funny things like, like what? They don't make sense to me. As in what? Like a language barrier? That it was total blah, blah, no sense. He in and out of sleep. I was very heavy. Right. What's? What are you thinking? Cassie, you're still now Laska, a clinic. I know Mr. Laska, yes. Could you tell him, uh, tell him Wiggins is common. Yeah, thanks for that, mate. Thanks a lot. I love massages, naked John. What's the problem, man? They're looking out for police. You're nodding down on women that might be involved in sex work from time to time, are you? No, no, no, no, no, absolutely not. Then what's your problem? What are you judging them? Ah, alright, fine, fine, I apologize. Sell your shud. It's not a bastard, man. So he's a... What is clinic Wiggins? Where is it? We're not fair. Get in. Oh, nice work, mate. We'll make brief work of this. Another place to be excited about, pal. For nearly 200 years, it was a leaky, damp old dungeon that served the opium addicts of the city. It was an opium, then. Yep. It doesn't sound like one now. It sounds quite upmarket, if anything. Kinnick with the K. The K is for ketamine, John. Oh, shit, of course. He... Issa is using it for pain relief. He's in pain still. And now, if he's in there, Oh, he's addicted. Jesus. Temptation comes for all of us, John, pal. You have to fight with everything in your heart, in your gut, and in your arse to keep it at bay, to keep the bad bastard outside your city walls. Because the second you let one through, the second you let your guard down, it's never just one. It's another, and another, and another, and you think you can handle it, but you can't. Before you even arm yourself to take it on, to rid yourself of this invader. Time's up. You've lost. Right, yeah. Well, Merry Christmas, mate. Just to be here. Come on down this alley. Yeah, that's the one. Where are we exactly? Swandom Lane, Loem House. You think they're just going to let us walk in? No. Right. So, what is the game plan? Just ask your faces in there, and see if they can escort him out. Last time I ain't going to do that for you. But Cassie has warned him, I'm coming. Oh my God, you're going to beat him up. Ah, I'm not going to beat him up. I'm going to get the nod to go in there, and I'm going to drag your friend out for you. No, let you do that. If they think he's one of mine, yeah. What makes you so sure? Little baby Farts time this year. Oh. Stay after drugs, John. Yeah, tell Sherlock that. I do. Often. Hello. What's down there? I like our last souls, I'd say. Where's your man? Alaska. He'd be tendon to his patience. Patients, victims, take a pick. Ah, here we go. Ah, see the little elf. But where's your sack and big fluffy beard? Hey, we're getting a lot of money. I'm going to get a little bit of money. I'm going to get a little bit of money. I'm going to get a little bit of money. I'm going to get a big fluffy beard, eh, Wiggins? That's good. This is John. Very crisp. Okay. I haven't got anyone for you. You do. And he's one of mine. No, checked. None of your lot. Now, if you want treatment, put your phones and devices in the lockers and head on through. You can close the locker, mate. You're not taking my phone. What makes you so sure that you don't have one of mine and there, by the way? What a high roller today for the most part. None of your little street urchins. I thought you were so low you had now want to look down on Lasca watching. You have a doctor in there. His name is Isah Whitney. John. He suffers from scoliosis and he needs professional attention. A crippled man is entitled to self-medication. That crippled man is a leading practitioner. He has a wife and children. And a bad habit. That we will help him fix. We don't break them out of their stupas. Oh yeah? Why not? Bad for business. Oh, you bet. Come back in a morning. I'll see that he paces himself. All right, Lasca. No. John, excuse me. Bring him out here. I'm not going to ask again. Wiggins. Who is this exactly? Never mind who I am. This here is the phone number of the greatest detective this country has ever produced. Possibly the most important private investigator in the world. If you do not let us through, I call the number. And what's he going to do? Find out every single thing about you. A phone number. Uh-huh. You think I'm scared of a phone number, do you? You should be. Try me. I'm going to do it. Oh, I'm sure. Right, this is it. Oh, I'm bracing myself. You made me do this. Pfft. Pfft. Pfft. Pfft. Pfft. Pfft. Pfft. Pfft. Where is that coming from? The lockers. Pfft. Sherlock. Looks like your great detective. There's a bad abby too. Pfft. Oh, I'll send him out when he's done. Pfft. Sherlock! Keep your voice down, eh? Don't want to wake your pal. Pfft. Shut the fuck up. Who's that now? Hey! Oh, whoa, whoa. Hey, put the knife away. You shut your mouth. And I'll grind that wish, little man. No, no, no. Now shut it. It's Laska. Ow. Oisa Winnie is in the... Wipe it out, the peria! John, I am literally... I am out the door. And do this. Do this before your Christmas break. It's not a Christmas break. I'm a detective. I'm on a substantial amount of time back, due to the hours of work, alright? Can you give me under these gifts? No, I mean, yeah, I will. Tom, I think Sherlock is in there. And where is this, exactly? Clinic. A clinic. Good for him. About time. No, it's... It's a... It's a ketamine, Den. Alright, picture an opium, Den. Now put some wellness bullshit spin on it, okay? You got that? You're not really. We've got to get him out of there. And another guy as well. Oh, God, sake. Anything else? Tom, I know this isn't right, okay? This place. There is something really, really wrong. What did Sherlock say he was doing, exactly? He said he was working. Right. Well, there you go. Tom, please, please, mate. It's Christmas, please. Even if he's planning to... Even if he wants to stay in there until New Year's Day, you and I and Gwen... No, he can't. He can't... He can't spend Christmas in there, mate. He can't. Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa. I hope you're planning on chopping Brussels sprouts with that thing, son. Tom Gregson has got one yard. You can't just come in here. Oh, yes, I can. This is a private business. I'm having a look around. Show me what you got here. I'm not showing you my place of work, sir. You show me yours. I'll show you mine. How about that, eh? Get off! You can't do this! You can't do this! God. Right. Pick out a couple of things that were off. Merry Christmas. Thank you, mate. Thank you. Ah, excuse me. Hello. Sorry, mate. Oh, stepped on... Jesus, you're going in the recovery position. Be sure to be safe. Right. Ah, sorry. Excuse me. I, sir. I so witness. Got any cash, boss? No, I do not. What? What's with your treading? How about you watch where you're lying around while you're off your tits? Get off me. Where is this man? No phones in here. Oh, sorry. You have a screen time detox, are you? God, you need to see a doctor. It, it, it is, it's my faith. Ah, I'm talking about the wounds on your face. You need to see a doctor. Do you understand me? Mm-hmm. Leave him alone. How about you, mind your own business? Can't you see the man's disfigured? Hey, I said leave it. Shut up. Who are you telling us, short-earned mate? Hey. You! I suggest you move my face out of my face right now. You ate my chocolate. I ate my... ...like an advent calendar chocolate you deceitful little bastard John. Me deceitful? No apology, either. Dear me. Oh, I am this close. This close to punching you directly in your face. Do you know that? What are you doing here? What are you doing here? Why are you following me? Why are you always following me? No, why are you always following me? Every case I do by myself, you are lurking in the background. Excuse me, this is my case. It's mine. It's mine. Where is my friend? Where is my friend? Wait, what? Stop. Stop. You need to stop. Look, just... I need to get... I say Whitney. Now, he has got a family Sherlock. He is in a lot of pain. It is Christmas. How many times have you professed that it's Christmas just to get your way in here? I haven't. How many times? That's probably the third. Honesty at last. Sherlock. Find him and meet me outside. I'll get him a cab. Thank you. Hot Christmas booze. How can I? I thought you'd need it. Kettim is not acceptable, but alcohol acceptable. Interesting. No, not interesting. Actually, very ordinary. An interesting logic. You think alcohol is not harmful. Extremely interesting. Stop saying interesting. No, I don't think it isn't harmful. Of course it is, but... Just because society indulges. Here we go, society. Society indulges in things that are harmful. Does not mean that we then get to extrapolate that further down the line and say, Oh no, this is fine. Because alcohol is also bad. Oh no, this is... No, I'm just going to shove heroin in my arm. It's only literally 10,000 times stronger than pure alcohol. And that bad. So bad is fine. That bloke stepped on my toe. That's bad. Murder also bad. So I'll murder him. Blah, stab dead. Blah, blah. You're scaring the children. Yeah, and you're... scaring me. Why? Because Sherlock, you... You were in a crackdown during the Christmas holidays. It wasn't a crackdown. And then I wouldn't frequent such a thing because crack cocaine uses become too talkative. And you know I can't tolerate that. Do you know what I mean? I know what they do there. I know what you're on. You don't. Wiggins told me. It's ketamine. That's why we're arguing about ketamine because you're taking ketamine. I thought we were arguing about ketamine because I said Whitney is on ketamine. Both, it's both. I'm not taking ketamine, John. Sherlock. I'm not. Oh. Then... What are you doing in there and why would you lie to me? I didn't lie to you. Yes, you did. No, I didn't. You did. You said you were away working. And I was. What? I was working. Please mind the gap between the training and the platform. This station is... Hempagree. Every Christmas for five years. This time you've been working on this for five years. Yes. How did I not know this? Because I'm... The shame, I suppose. The shame of what? That I haven't solved this case. Ruby. A friend from the Christmas party. Yes. Once a client, now a friend. Now I suppose. A source of guilt. She, the rose, yet its thorn digs into my side. What? What did she come to you? Her husband, Neville St. Clair, disappeared five years ago. He was a rather successful trader in the city. Married to Ruby and had a son together. Noah. Noah. Noah has Angelman syndrome. Angelman, I'm not familiar. A deletion, a mutation of chromosome 15. Nonverbal, global development delay. Learning complications. Right. Wow, that is tough for Ruby. Ruby's husband and Noah's father, Neville, went missing on Christmas Eve 2020. His coat was dredged from the 10s three months later. A man, Mr. Boom, was arrested for his murder that summer and later released lack of evidence. Right. A tricky one. But what's the real tricky thing about this case? Is what it asks of me? What? Does it ask of you? What this case asks of me is to believe. And Christmas miracles. How exactly? Because every 25th of December, Noah wakes up to a gift from his father. We will shortly be arriving at... This is my stop. Wait, wait. This year I'd like to give them the gift they really want. You think you can figure this out after five years? The festivities have got me feeling that anything is possible. This station is the season dear Watson. And Sherlock Holmes is coming to town. To binge this adventure in full and without ads, go to patreon.com forward slash Sherlock and Co. Thank you.