Sherlock has been gone for two years. But someone isn’t quite convinced that he’s dead…

So reads the logline for this Sherlock mini-episode that serves as a prequel appetizer for series 3. It opens with Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade (Rupert Graves) meeting with a bearded Anderson (Jonathan Aris) at a coffee shop investigating probable Sherlock sightings. DI Lestrade firmly believes the master sleuth is “dead and gone” but Anderson’s worldly tales have Sherlock’s fingerprints all over them. Later, Lestrade stops by Dr. John Watson’s pad (Martin Freeman hasn’t grown out his famed mustache yet) to hand over some of Sherlock’s belongings. Among the contents is a DVD with the uncut version of a birthday message Sherlock made for his apprentice. In it the one played by Benedict Cumberbatch teases, “Oh and don’t worry; I’m going to be with you again very soon.”

“Many Happy Returns” was written by series creators Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat.

How did Sherlock fake his death? How exactly will his reunion with Watson go down? Find out when Sherlock returns January 19 on PBS.