Watson tried to think of some way to tell Lestrade that it was fine for him to ramble, it was fine, if they could not ramble at each other then what was there for them to do.

"I've had the same thought every time I read the morning paper," he confessed. "I think, look at this one, he would have loved it." He shook his head. More than once he had caught himself about to read the article aloud for Holmes's benefit.

"Would you... like to keep that knife?" he found himself offering. "As... as some sort of keepsake. If you'd like."