This story, set in my Eurstrade universe, takes place within a year of the marriage of Will Holmes and Rosie Watson in the story "Union", and within a few months of the marriage of Eurus and Greg (which I haven't written about in a dedicated story). Please be gentle, it's my first attempt at a mystery in many, many years (I don't count "The Case of the Missing Pooh" as that was light and fluffy), and while I've tried to do research on some of the clues and historical points to make sure they were reasonable conclusions and plot points, there may be inconsistencies within the story itself. I think I was maybe just letting the plot bunnies have free rein to see if I could actually write a mystery anymore, as they've never been my strong suit. The term "Baker Street Girls" is one coined by Mrs. Hudson in her chapter in "The Adventures of Eurus Holmes". As always, I have tried to write a story that connected it to the Eurstrade universe but wasn't so entwined with the other stories that they would be required reading to know what was going on in this one. I hope you enjoy this one, the first chapter sat in my documents folder for a few weeks before I actually was able to continue it and finally bring it to conclusion last night.

Molly Hooper-Holmes and Eurus Lestrade had made a weekly ritual of meeting for a "girls' afternoon". Sometimes it was on a Monday, sometimes a Tuesday, and on those days when they managed to meet up on a Thursday, they were joined by Molly's goddaughter-turned-daughter-in-law, Rosie Holmes – on her day off from her duties as a Police Constable with New Scotland Yard.

But, whichever day they managed to get together, they always made sure to do it at least once weekly.

On this particular Thursday, when the three oldest of the four men in their lives had decided it was a good time to collaborate on a particularly perplexing case, the ladies had found themselves with the evening to themselves as well, having decided this time to meet at the Lestrades small cottage home just barely past the outskirts of London.

For Molly, their case meant that Sherlock didn't feel compelled to shoot any new holes in the living room wallpaper at 221B, something that Mrs. Hudson was grateful for as well. "Hudders" was always worried that one of these days one or more of those rounds would make its way all the way through the wall and kill the neighbour's cat, or budgie, or mother-in-law, or something equally inconvenient. For Molly, it also meant that her husband wasn't going to be going on the sniff at the morgue for spare body parts on which to "keep his mind and intellect sharp". At least… not this week.

For Rosie, it meant that, even though her dad hadn't quite fully retired yet from his private medical practice, he would have a little variety thanks to her Uncle Sherlock, and her newest Uncle, Greg. She knew her dad was always happiest when he was out solving mysteries and generally stirring the shit pot with Sherlock. The two men had been fast friends when they first met, and through the years, in spite of a couple of incidents of being so seriously on the outs that Mrs. Hudson feared they may never speak to each other again, their friendship had still managed to survive very much intact.

For Eurus, it meant that Greg wasn't obsessing over whether he should install hardwood floors, or simply replace the ceramic tiles in their bedroom. Eurus preferred carpet, but that was only because she detested cold hard floors after spending so many decades in solitary confinement at Sherrinford. She had told herself that a plush throw rug on her side of the bed would suffice, because she was absolutely loathe to mention her preference for carpeting – that would bring in a whole new complication to Greg's already frustrating indecision. In spite of still being newlyweds, she and Greg had been friends for more than 25 years – and best friends for nearly the entire duration of that - and so she knew damned well that one decision would only lead to obsessing over the next decision in the whole agonizing process.

Gregory really, REALLY needed another hobby, Eurus was absolutely convinced.

So did Sherlock, Molly agreed. For the sake of everyone's sanity.

Rosie, always concerned about her dad since he had decided that he was "getting too bloody old for this bullshit" and the dating scene just wasn't his thing anymore, concurred as well.

Put the legendary crime-solving duo of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson together with their nearly-as-legendary Scotland Yard counterpart DI (Retired) Greg Lestrade, and you had John as the vinegar to Sherlock's oil – with Greg added to the mix to stir things up, the trio of bored yet distinguished (and occasionally, grumpy) old gentlemen together made a perfectly emulsified team of old cronies who could keep themselves occupied with a case for DAYS.

For the women in their lives, this was as good as gold itself.

But the funny thing was, that for a doctor, a New Scotland Yard copper, and a particularly clever woman with a particular knack for solving particularly complex puzzles – it never once occurred to them that they might find themselves embroiled in solving a mystery of their own – and giving the men a run for their money, to boot.