A/N: This is a prompt fill, given by esthersunita on Tumblr: A sherlolly fic where girls with similar physical characteristics to Molly Hooper turn up dead all around London. Molly is disturbed after first 2 who turn up on her table. Of course, she goes missing, a man hunt is launched with Lestrade calling Sherlock colourful names. Molly finally is found dressed up like Leia as as a slave girl with her captor baiting (who else?) Sherlock.
THE MURDER MYSTERIES REVEALED
She looks like me, Molly thought when she opened the black bag. The victim had long, brown hair and was short. She even wore a shirt Molly owned as well.
Molly stared at the porcelain face. "Why do you all look so similar?" She whispered.
"I'm looking into that, Molly," Sherlock said, walking into the room, "Good to see you've finally noticed yourself."
"She's the third in a week on my slab, Sherlock. You have to be very ignorant not to notice something," Molly answered.
Sherlock looked at the corpse. "What can you tell me about this corpse?"
"Just from the physical appearance? Well, her name is Katy Austen, 32, female, 5 ft 3. That's in her file. Lestrade said there might be a connection to the murders of Melody Marks and Grace Atwood. She's in good health, no smoking. She has several scars, mostly old, typical childhood scars. There is some bruising, on her hips, and her stomach, like someone, grabbed her hard there," Molly said.
"Rape?"
"I'd have to examine her further for that," Molly answered, "She has some bruising on her head, and she was stabbed several times in the abdomen, chest, and her neck, but I'd have to look at the bruising and the wounds to find out what happened earlier and what really killed her." Molly looked at Sherlock, who was staring at the face of the corpse. "Where was she found?"
"Somewhere on the outskirts of London, 5 km from the place the other was found,"He answered, "Molly, can you promise me something?"
"Anything," she whispered.
"Promise me to stay safe. Never walk on your own, make sure there's always someone with you," Sherlock said softly.
"I will," She promised. Sherlock nodded and left.
The rest of her day at the morgue was quiet- you don't expect the dead to talk back at you, do you? As the head of pathology, Molly spent the most of her time in the laboratory or performing autopsies. She ate dinner at the hospital and went home late. Toby had died a while before, so there was no reason to come home early.
It was cold in London, a February wind made Molly shiver, regretting her choice to walk to work instead of taking the tube.
"Miss Hooper!" Someone yelled, "Molly." Molly turned around but didn't see the face of the yelling person, only of a black blindfold.
"Where is she?" Sherlock asked himself. He'd called her several times over the past three days, went to her flat (well, he broke into her flat) and went to the morgue, but no Molly. He had called all her friends and family to ask about her whereabouts, but no one had an idea where she could be.
Sherlock sighed, exhausted from dealing with all the emotions. He had never felt like this before, this worried. He reached for his iPhone. It was time for drastic measures.
"Lestrade," He said.
"Sherlock, I'm off duty," The DI said. "Call Sally if you need something."
"Molly is missing."
"What? Molly Hooper?" Lestrade answered.
"Do you know any other females called Molly?" Sherlock asked.
"No, wait, I'll be at 221b in 15 minutes," He said.
Sherlock put the phone down and started wandering around the room again.
"Sherlock?" Mrs. Hudson asked carefully.
"No, Mrs. Hudson."
There's a letter for you." Sherlock looked up and grabbed it.
Dear Sherlock,
Are you enjoying our little game yet? Your Molly is truly a masterpiece, I can't wait to continue playing with her. She's lovely but very scared. I like the scared ones, they are always so eager to get killed. Let's play. Let's play hide and seek. You can get her back, but only if you catch me first. Your first hint can be found in the place you and your pretty girl first met.
Love,
your A
Sherlock picked up his phone. "Lestrade, you need to get here faster. I've got something."
"I'm trying!" Lestrade answered.
"Try harder, Graham!" Sherlock shouted.
"It's Greg and I'll be there within 5 minutes."
"Great," Sherlock mumbled and put the phone down again. "Mrs. Hudson! I need tea!"
"Neighbors!" She shouted back.
Lestrade arrived on time, wearing an "I love the NY Yankees" t-shirt, jeans and sneakers.
"I was cleaning the house when you called," He said.
"You actually weren't," Sherlock said, "The wife?"
"Yes."
"She only stays with you because of the kids, the boy, and girl?"
"Girls, Cara and Claudette."
Sherlock sighed and gave him the letter.
The puzzle wasn't solved that easily. This manhunt was taking three weeks now, and every time they got close to the abductor, Sherlock messed it up. He'd give away their location, be too loud or reckless.
"What kind of a detective are you, Sherlock? My Lord, I have never seen you like this before," Lestrade said, "Utterly crazy."
"She's important to Mycroft," Sherlock lied, "She works for him, if I don't bring her home, he will kill you."
"Yeah, like you would go on a manhunt for a girl important to Mycroft voluntarily."
Hurry up, Sherlock. We both don't like waiting. - A' The kidnapper messaged.
"Oh, this is new. Can you trace the location of the phone?" Sherlock asked Lestrade.
"Calling those guys right now."
The phone was traced back to a deserted building on the outskirts of London.
"Nothing!" Lestrade said frustrated.
"He has left us a note," Sherlock said, handing him a small piece of paper.
Your Molly has a pretty head, it will look even better after I kill and behead her. Hurry up, I'm waiting for you, just where you would expect me to be. Love, A.
"Do you have any idea where this might be?"
Sherlock shook his head, got into the car.
"Moron! What are you doing?" Lestrade shouted, "Wait for me!"
"Can't, George! Molly waits!" Sherlock shouted back. He drove too fast, but he trusted Lestrade would take care of the potential fines. He knew exactly where the abductor and Molly would be. At Baker Street. Everything always went back to Baker Street.
He opened the door to the apartment, and found Molly, sitting on his couch in a very revealing outfit. The abductor stood with his face to the window.
"Sherlock," Molly whispered. Sherlock took off his coat and wrapped Molly in it, who looked very cold in her Princess Leia Slave- inspired outfit.
"I finally got to your heart," The abductor spit, "Finally. After all those months of seeking, I finally found your pressure point. A young pathologist, who would have guessed?"
"Moriarty," Sherlock whispered.
"Who else?" Moriarty smiled, "Who else would think of a hunt like this, of a game like this? That's why people hire me, Sherlock. "
"Please, Molly, go downstairs to Mrs. Hudson," Sherlock whispered.
"I'm afraid I can't let you go, sweetheart," Moriarty said, "I enjoy being London's most feared serial killer. They even thought of a cute nickname for me! I am the "brown haired woman maniac". It sounds less cool than Zodiac Killer, though. Wish they would have called me that," Moriarty laughed.
"Please, let Molly go," Sherlock begged.
"Who would have thought… The machine Sherlock Holmes falls for a human girl. All right, Sherlock. Take her. I've had enough fun with her. Don't come after me, I know where to find her," Moriarty said, threatening. He kissed Molly's hand and left. Sherlock pulled Molly into a tight embrace.
"My God, I have never been this worried in my life," He whispered in her ear. She clung onto him.
"Is it over?"
"Yes, it's over," Sherlock promised. He kissed her softly. "He will never hurt you again, I promise."