Anne stood in the doorway, her face streaked with tears. She looked around the flat before her eyes fell on the violin.
"Play the violin?" asked Anne
"Yes. Come sit and tell us what has happened." said Sherlock
"Here's a cup of tea." said John handing Anne the mug.
"Thank you."
Anne sat on the sofa, wiped away her tears, gathered her thoughts, and slowly exhaled.
"It began last year. My parents had begun acting strangely. They would often be gone for long periods of time on end and they were always on their last nerves. One night, dad rang me and said he loved me very much and that everything was fine now and I was safe." Anne paused to overcome the wave of emotion that hot her. John came over to comfort her and held her hand gently. "Then I heard two gunshots and the line went dead."
"Then I was contacted to help identify some bodies that may have been my parents. The bodies were definitely my parents, shot staight through the head and so I thought until recently."
"And What is it that makes you suspect your parents are not dead?" asked Sherlock
"Well, I got a call from a number that I didn't know and I was told my parents hadn't died but had staged the whole thing to-" Anne broke down in tears. John held her hand more tightly and tried to further calm her,
"It's all right." said John wrapping his arm around her shoulders and giving a gentle squeeze.
"The man on the phone said they staged the whole thing to get rid of me." said Anne deliberately
"This man, what did he sound like?" asked Sherlock
"I don't remember, I was shocked by what he said." said Anne through the stream of tears
"And the number, do you remember it?" asked Sherlock
"No." said Anne
"Did the man say anything else?"
"No, but after he said that I heard my parents say the same thing, I heard their voices." said Anne
Sherlock steepled his hands and leaned back in the black leather chair.
"He's thinking." explained John "He'll be like that for a while, Can I get you anything to eat or some more tea?"
"No but thank you for everything." said Anne
"It is no problem, just make yourself at home, and let me know what I can do for you okay?"
"Alright, thank you." said Anne who then lay back on the sofa and watched Sherlock Holmes think.
000
Sherlock had been thinking for an hour and finally came out of his reverie.
"Why did you tell John you knew my parents?" asked Anne
"He doesn't need to know everything about my past or how I know you for that matter." said Sherlock
"I suppose."
"Can you tell me what your parents looked like?"
"Yes well, my father was an Irish man, brown hair, brown eyes, medium height. My mother was tall, brown hair, greeneyes. That doesn't really help though. Sorry."
"No not very descriptive. I need details. Did your father use and styling product in his hair, did you mother paint her nails?"
"Yes actually father put product in his hair. It was always perfectly styled and my mother-" Anne was cutoff when John returned from work.
"How are you getting along?" asked John
"Splendidly!" said Anne
"Solved the case yet Sherlock?" asked John
"Got anything but jumpers to wear?" Retorted Sherlock
Anne laughed at the remark.
"Don't laugh at that!" said John
"Do you have anything but jumpers?" asked Anne
"Of course. Do you want Chinese takeout for dinner?" asked John
"Sure sounds good." said Anne
"Sherlockbro you want any?" asked John
"Yes, the usual." said Sherlock
They ate while watching telly.
"Does he always correct the Telly?" asked Anne
"Yes, always." said John
