Okay, I tried to finish this before uploading but I don't have that sort of patience. I have five and a half chapters done. I'll update every other day, and I'm sure I'll keep to that because the chapters are short and already planned. There's some drug references and murder, this is friendship and angst. Flashbacks in Italics. Shall we start?
Chapter one.
Sherlock crouched down next to the body. Salt water was not good for his shoes but you couldn't tell the criminal classes where to dump bodies. As he looked over the body he saw the blonde curls shimmer slightly ginger in the light. The face transformed to one from his memories. The nose thinner, the eyes a more dazzling blue for a second there was a whiff of perfume, the lightness of jasmine in the air.
Sherlock closed his eyes. He needed to focus, he needed to bring himself back into the present. There was the familiar smell of the themes, the wind against his cheeks was cool, his fingers were trembling with the shock of recollection, he could hear two police offices stood some distance away complaining about another underground strike. People always got more stressed when the transport office ordered strikes, more crimes though usual nothing serious enough to involve him though.
"Sherlock?" The voice was tinged with worry. His friend John Watson, he had picked up on the fact that he was not making observations. He opened his eyes.
"Body dump wouldn't you say?" He remarked.
"I guess, Tony asked at that pub down the street and they have CTV camera, not a good view but they might be able to get the license plates of cars in the area at the time."
"Who is Tony?"
"Seriously?" John rolled his eyes and then crossed his arms. "You've meet him three times Sherlock. He works cases with Lestrade, he always asks you how you are whenever you go to Scotland yard and he brings you coffee. With biscuits, chocolate ones."
"I don't eat when I'm working."
"Well no, I eat the biscuits. But still he's a nice guy you could try to remember his name."
Sherlock sighed.
"Tony."
"Yes. So, what do you think? Lover squabble?"
Sherlock looked down at the body.
A red hairbrush running through curls making it shine, he knew if he ran his fingers through it right then it would be like silk. Her eyes met his in the mirror and her lips quirked ever so slightly at the corners. He smiled back.
Distance yourself. It's just a body. Slight marks on the neck below the strangulation marks, hickeys that's what they call them isn't it? Fingernails printed, lipstick, mascara clumped, clothes expensive but well worn, old. She was scruffy, she'd been redressed, nobody looks that bad if their clothes have been put on whilst they're upright. He undid the first button of her blouse and pulled it down gently to see the soft grey silk and purple lace.
John cleared his throat.
"Sherlock?"
He glanced sideways at him. He'd have to say something before John told him undressing a victim at a crime scene was inappropriate. Why was she redressed? What was the reason? A strange sign of respect? No, obviously not. Something to hide. It would show up on the autopsy.
John cleared his throat again.
"Old clothes, new underwear."
Sherlock pulled down the edge of the short skirt and pulled up the grey silk material underneath. It had been ripped. They'd made a big mistake in redressing her, far more evidence.
"She's been redressed. Don't know why yet. Her clothes are old and worn but expensive, her make up is cheap and not well applied. Her underwear on the other hand is new and obviously costly. She didn't care her clothes were old they only need to pass a first inspection. She wasn't planning on keeping them on for long. Bags missing but she was a smoker so maybe.."
He reached into the inside pocket of her jacket.
"Lighter, things were so much easier when people used matches."
"Why?"
"Because they would pick up match books from hotels and restaurants they're been in."
"So you're thinking she was a prostitute then?"
"No." It was possible but if so then it was her first time. The woman was obviously dressed for an interview. She was wearing the only nice clothes she had. But she was obviously considering using skills not on her C.V. to get the position, perhaps with somebody she knew would take advantage of her position. It hadn't gone the way she suspected. That was the most plausible explanation though their were others. He needed more information. If he used her phone to see what numbers she had called lately he could get more information, somebody would know where she had gone yesterday. He just had to find out who she was. This was likely to be an easy case once they got the victims name.
"Get her to the morgue." He said standing up and looking towards Lestrade.
"Give me any fibers and samples from her shoes. And if anybody on that recording is also in a high office position, business sales or editing, then bring them in If you find them quickly they'll still have evidence on their bodies."
"Them?"
"One murderer, one maybe two accomplishes to move her. We're looking for somebody well connected. Somebody high up in a company maybe finance."
As he walked away he was disgusted with himself for connecting this woman to her.
"Bye Tony."
He said as he passed one for the officers.
John smiled.
"Well done."
"I sometimes make the effort."
"That wasn't Tony that was Lee. He hates you."
"Well then it doesn't matter that I called him Tony."
He caught John's smile but felt nothing, not the usual little thrill of excitement of knowing there was a mystery to solve.
When John saw Sherlock pause by the door and study the handle he almost expected to enter and see Moriarty. Instead he found Mycroft sat with a cup of tea and a newspaper folded over his lap. Sherlock took his usual time over taking off his coat and scarf and hanging it up.
"He's been kicked out again, thought you might want to know."
"Why would I want to know?" Sherlock walked straight passed his brother and into his room.
John was left feeling awkward as Mycroft turned his page showing no sign of moving.
"So who has been kicked out of where exactly?" He asked.
John didn't know much of Sherlock's personal life or past and whenever there was a slight mention he tried to explore it. Sherlock meant a lot to him, he was his friend and he'd been living with him for over a year. He decided it was normal to want to know how this rather insensitive but brilliant man had come to be what he was. Such a good mind but so incapable of normal expression or concern for other people. The crime solver who did not care for the loss of life.
Mycroft did not answer for a moment. Then he finished the rest of his tea with one long sip and put it down on the table, folded his newspaper and stood up.
"I wish you would switch to the twinnings John."
"I wish you would call before visiting Mycroft."
"Would he answer the phone?"
"No but I would."
Mycroft took a long breath that whistled between his teeth.
"The body found on Thameside?"
"Yeah."
"How is he doing with it?"
"Seemed a bit distracted but that's not entirely unusual. And as usual he's being cold and detached. Normal Sherlock."
Mycroft stared at him for a moment, both of the Holmes men gave him an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach when they stared at him like that. It was like being back in Iraq, that same tension the feeling that something was about to happen but like Iraq he had somebody who had his back. Sherlock had his back.
"If he wasn't unusually distracted then you wouldn't be mentioning it. You must have noticed something unusual even though you're denying it. What did she look like?"
"Sorry?"
"The victim. What did she look like?"
"Uh, five two, slim build, curly blonde hair, blue eyes. Healthy looking apart from being dead. What sort of details are you looking for?"
"I don't know the contents of my brothers heart but I do know he doesn't believe he has one anymore. Not since she died."
"She?" John asked.
Mycroft walked past him and opened the door.
"Goodbye doctor Watson."
John let out a frustrated sigh.
"Is Holmes Latin for cryptic arsehole or something?" He muttered but there was nobody to hear him.
So, next chapter up in two days. Hope you've enjoyed this and if you have any questions or comments please review and I'll answer.