The Beekeeper's Apprentice

Russell spends the afternoon shopping, following specific instructions from Holmes to take a particular battered cab. During the ride, Russell realizes the driver is Holmes in an elaborate disguise. After they reconcile from a recent disagreement, Holmes changes his appearance while Billy, one of Holmes’s associates, arrives to watch the cab.

Holmes and Russell attend the opera together, dine, and engage in philosophical discussions about the nature of identity. Upon returning to the cab, they discover police surrounding the vehicle. Holmes introduces Russell to Inspector Lestrade, who informs them that Billy was drugged but remains alive. Russell impresses Lestrade by skillfully deducing the personal history of Constable Tom Fowler through careful observation.

Holmes and Russell examine the vandalized cab and find Russell’s new purchases methodically slashed. The seats are also slashed, but they cannot find a pattern in the markings. They collect evidence from the scene: a button, a strand of blond hair, and a distinctive smudge of brown clay. In a nearby park lavatory, Russell discovers matching clay residue, leading her to deduce that their adversary is female and was directly involved in the attack. Police Constable Mitchell assists them in collecting and documenting the evidence.