-Oh hello really long chapter. Seriously guys, this is like 2x the other ones. About 4,000 words. I'm proud, yes. As we get further into the mystery I would like you, if you leave a review to guess who did it, why they did it and how. I already have it planned out, like how the poison was administered and who did it...why they did it, but I would like to hear your guesses. The next chapter will introduce more people for you to guess, but let me know what you think of Arthur Gregg. -
EDIT: So a part of the beginning was copied twice, I'm sorry! I fixed it, but if there is anything else, let me know!
Ashley Marie
{004}
Home.
It rose from the fog dauntingly. The large manor with black brick. Hannah's breath caught as the taxi drove them closer to the front doors with silver knockers. "Bit gloomy isn't it?" John spoke. Hannah nodded and looked across the moor, the trees lining the drive way leading the way once walked by a younger Hannah. When the taxi stopped a throbbing occoured in Hannah's head, she leant her head against the cold glass window in attempt to soothe the ache in her skull. "Are you alright?" John's hand rested on her shoulder. Hannah gave a weak nod. Sherlock sat on the opposite side of John, he himself looking out the window at the grounds layed out before him. Hannah had refused to talk to him since the night before and John didn't understand why, but the tension was palitable.
The taxi stopped, Sherlock's side facing the tall doors with silver knockers. The driver got out along with the three of them, helping them with the bags from the boot. A man with silver hair opened the door. His white smile, light blue eyes and glasses were something so familliar to her. Hannah's face broke into a smile. She ran to the man whose arms were open wide to accept her. Sherlock and John looked on at the scene with confusion, the girl bubbled over with excitement as she gushed to the kind man that was not mentioned to the two investigators. The bags were brought over to the door where they were finally in ear shot of the two's conversation.
"It's been such a long time," The older gentleman rubbed her shoulders. "When Lucy told me you were coming back, I knew I just had to come and see you."
"You could have given me warning!" Hannah had a smile on her face not before seen by the two men standing next to the bags. "I would have brought you something."
"I'm fine, you know me, I don't do too well with trinkets anyway," The man finally became aware of the two other people standing nearby, the taxi paid and gone. "Ah. Who are these gentlemen?" Hannah brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
"This is Doctor John Watson, and Mister Sherlock Holmes." Hannah walked over to the two. "John, Sherlock, this is Arthur, he lives in town, owns the grocery." John shook hands with Arthur, while Sherlock stood brooding in the background, examining the old man who stood a few feet away.
"You're rather agile for an older gentleman aren't you?" Sherlock's voice was deep and accusing.
"Sherlock." Hannah nudged him in the ribs, Sherlock didn't flinch.
"I keep myself well. The Missus put me on this diet," Sherlock looked at smiling Hannah and then Arthur. Sherlock then nodded.
"So you will be staying just in town then?" Arthur nodded and gave Sherlock a wary smile.
"Lucy would love to have you over for dinner before you go." Hannah nodded and gave Arthur another hug.
"I'll be sure to stop in, I'll have to pick up some gorceries anyway." Arthur gave Hannah a smile and with the tip of his hat he was down the steps and climbing into his tiny car.
"Must you put off everyone you meet?" Hannah glared as Arthur pulled off. She snatched her bag from the steps and walked into the house, "Sherlock, really? He's the nicest man I've ever met and all he did was make sure the house was being run right and you have to go saying things to make everything so awkward." She dropped her bag in the foyer. Hands on her hips, she turned to the two men standing in her doorway. John was closing the doors behind him as Sherlock spoke.
"How long have you known him?" Hannah rolled her eyes.
"My whole life, why does it matter? He runs the grocery. Gave me candies when my Nana wasn't looking." John laughed.
"Your Nana?"
"I couldn't say Nanny quite yet, I named her otherwise. It just stuck." Hannah sighed, "Let me show you to your rooms."
The manor was cleaned spotless, the inside of the house more brightly decorated than the outside. The hardwood floors waxed and shining with a large area rug in the foyer leading up to a large staircase. Hannah led them up the stairs and to the right. The door at the end of the hall to the right was made of dark mahogany, the polished ornate doorknob.
"This is mine," She directed at the door. "Those two," She pointed to the one on the left of her room and across the hall from hers, "Are yours, it doesn't really matter who takes which room." Sherlock pushed passed her and entered her bedroom. He sniffed the air, checked under the bed, searched the closet and dresser drawers. "Looking for bombs?"
"Or something of that nature." Sherlock stood on the desk chair and peered into the wall vent, shining down a light he pulled from his pocket.
"Well if you're done I would like to unpack, you can go search the rest of the house." She pushed Sherlock out of her room and closed the door to John and his mumbling. Sighing she looked at her bedroom, wiped clean from years of neglect, her furniture shined just as it did when she left. The bed sheets changed, pillows fluffed, the bed looked so inviting. She kicked her bag over and crawled into the bed sighing, buring herself in the sheets, she stared at the ceiling. Her eyes grew wide. She screamed.
.
"You really want to investigate Arthur?" John walked with Sherlock as Sherlock was checking rooms.
"Yes, he's known the family long enough, he works just in town, lives just in town, it'd be good to start there." John sighed.
"He seemed really genuine though."
"So did your limp, but honestly..." Sherlock closed the door to the pantry and re-entered the kitchen.
"I guess we should then... you want to go into town and question the residents?" Sherlock nodded.
"Only one of us can go, the other has to stay here with Hannah." John opened his mouth to talk. "I'll stay with Hannah this afternoon, and you can go to the grocery, look for anything suspicious."
"I don't think that's such a good idea." Sherlock stopped and turned to John.
"Why not?" John shrugged.
"You tell me, Hannah isn't exactly fond of you at the moment. Why is that?" Sherlock didn't have time to answer, Hannah's scream turned them both around and they took off to the stairs.
It rose from the fog dauntingly. The large manor with black brick. Hannah's breath caught as the taxi drove them closer to the front doors with silver knockers. "Bit gloomy isn't it?" John spoke. Hannah nodded and looked across the moor, the trees lining the drive way leading the way once walked by a younger Hannah. When the taxi stopped a throbbing occoured in Hannah's head, she leant her head against the cold glass window in attempt to soothe the ache in her skull. "Are you alright?" John's hand rested on her shoulder. Hannah gave a weak nod. Sherlock sat on the opposite side of John, he himself looking out the window at the grounds layed out before him. Hannah had refused to talk to him since the night before and John didn't understand why, but the tension was palitable.
The taxi stopped, Sherlock's side facing the tall doors with silver knockers. The driver got out along with the three of them, helping them with the bags from the boot. A man with silver hair opened the door. His white smile, light blue eyes and glasses were something so familliar to her. Hannah's face broke into a smile. She ran to the man whose arms were open wide to accept her. Sherlock and John looked on at the scene with confusion, the girl bubbled over with excitement as she gushed to the kind man that was not mentioned to the two investigators. The bags were brought over to the door where they were finally in ear shot of the two's conversation.
"It's been such a long time," The older gentleman rubbed her shoulders. "When Lucy told me you were coming back, I knew I just had to come and see you."
"You could have given me warning!" Hannah had a smile on her face not before seen by the two men standing next to the bags. "I would have brought you something."
"I'm fine, you know me, I don't do too well with trinkets anyway," The man finally became aware of the two other people standing nearby, the taxi paid and gone. "Ah. Who are these gentlemen?" Hannah brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
"This is Doctor John Watson, and Mister Sherlock Holmes." Hannah walked over to the two. "John, Sherlock, this is Arthur, he lives in town, owns the grocery." John shook hands with Arthur, while Sherlock stood brooding in the background, examining the old man who stood a few feet away.
"You're rather agile for an older gentleman aren't you?" Sherlock's voice was deep and accusing.
"Sherlock." Hannah nudged him in the ribs, Sherlock didn't flinch.
"I keep myself well. The Missus put me on this diet," Sherlock looked at smiling Hannah and then Arthur. Sherlock then nodded.
"So you will be staying just in town then?" Arthur nodded and gave Sherlock a wary smile.
"Lucy would love to have you over for dinner before you go." Hannah nodded and gave Arthur another hug.
"I'll be sure to stop in, I'll have to pick up some gorceries anyway." Arthur gave Hannah a smile and with the tip of his hat he was down the steps and climbing into his tiny car.
"Must you put off everyone you meet?" Hannah glared as Arthur pulled off. She snatched her bag from the steps and walked into the house, "Sherlock, really? He's the nicest man I've ever met and all he did was make sure the house was being run right and you have to go saying things to make everything so awkward." She dropped her bag in the foyer. Hands on her hips, she turned to the two men standing in her doorway. John was closing the doors behind him as Sherlock spoke.
"How long have you known him?" Hannah rolled her eyes.
"My whole life, why does it matter? He runs the grocery. Gave me candies when my Nana wasn't looking." John laughed.
"Your Nana?"
"I couldn't say Nanny quite yet, I named her otherwise. It just stuck." Hannah sighed, "Let me show you to your rooms."
The manor was cleaned spotless, the inside of the house more brightly decorated than the outside. The hardwood floors waxed and shining with a large area rug in the foyer leading up to a large staircase. Hannah led them up the stairs and to the right. The door at the end of the hall to the right was made of dark mahogany, the polished ornate doorknob.
"This is mine," She directed at the door. "Those two," She pointed to the one on the left of her room and across the hall from hers, "Are yours, it doesn't really matter who takes which room." Sherlock pushed passed her and entered her bedroom. He sniffed the air, checked under the bed, searched the closet and dresser drawers. "Looking for bombs?"
"Or something of that nature." Sherlock stood on the desk chair and peered into the wall vent, shining down a light he pulled from his pocket.
"Well if you're done I would like to unpack, you can go search the rest of the house." She pushed Sherlock out of her room and closed the door to John and his mumbling. Sighing she looked at her bedroom, wiped clean from years of neglect, her furniture shined just as it did when she left. The bed sheets changed, pillows fluffed, the bed looked so inviting. She kicked her bag over and crawled into the bed sighing, buring herself in the sheets, she stared at the ceiling. Her eyes grew wide. She screamed.
.
"You really want to investigate Arthur?" John walked with Sherlock as Sherlock was checking rooms.
"Yes, he's known the family long enough, he works just in town, lives just in town, it'd be good to start there." John sighed.
"He seemed really genuine though."
"So did your limp, but honestly..." Sherlock closed the door to the pantry and re-entered the kitchen.
"I guess we should then... you want to go into town and question the residents?" Sherlock nodded.
"Only one of us can go, the other has to stay here with Hannah." John opened his mouth to talk. "I'll stay with Hannah this afternoon, and you can go to the grocery, look for anything suspicious."
"I don't think that's such a good idea." Sherlock stopped and turned to John.
"Why not?" John shrugged.
"You tell me, Hannah isn't exactly fond of you at the moment. Why is that?" Sherlock didn't have time to answer, Hannah's scream turned them both around and they took off to the stairs. Taking them two at a time they burst into Hannah's room and found her sitting in her closet, head on her knees, knees to her chest, crying. John knelt down beside her, "Hannah what happened?" Sherlock checked the windows and looked back at the crying girl.
"The top of the canopy." Hannah raised her head. She glared at Sherlock. "You didn't check the top of the canopy. The two men walked to the bed and looked up at the canopy. Blood red paint spelled out:
YOU'RE NEXT LITTLE ONE.
Sherlock nodded and pulled out his phone, snapping pictures of the writing, he then stored it back in his pocket. "We are going into town." John helped Hannah from the ground. The pair followed Sherlock from the room.
"What will going into town do about this?" Hannah stopped Sherlock. Sherlock turned to her,
"We're going to go question your beloved Arthur. He was the last one in the house, plenty of time to do it."
"You don't honestly think Arthur would do something to hurt me? My family?" Hannah stopped at the top of the stairs as Sherlock and John stopped at the bottom.
"I don't know him very well Miss Winters and fact remains that you might not either. He was the last one here, he knew your family and from what I can tell he was very close with your family." Sherlock walked halfway up and kept steady eye contact with Hannah. "You hired me to solve this case, if ideed it was him, wouldn't we need to know? You are getting more ill by the day, the sooner we solve this case, the better chance we have at saving your life. We have a week left. There is no time to waste." By this time Sherlock had turned around and Hannah had given in, joining them at the bottom of the steps. "Where does Arthur live, Miss Winters?" Hannah directed him to a house a little ways off the main road, down the street from Gregg's Grocery, the family owned shop.
"He would most likely be at the shop though so-"
"John, would you please go talk to Mrs. Gregg." John stood slack jawed.
"What am I supposed to say?" Sherlock shrugged.
"Say you're with the police, army veteran, anything that she would seem accomodating to." John sighed and nodded. He patted Hannah on the shoulder before walking down the road to the Gregg household.
"Please, please Sherlock, don't make a scene." Sherlock smirked slightly. "No!" Hannah grabbed his arm and stalled his walking. "You really can't, these aren't London folk, these people will not hesitate to have you arrested if you mess things up, Lestrade won't be able to help you out here. Not for a while anyway..." Sherlock walked on without word.
A bell chimed as they entered the shop. The very few people who were making purchases stopped and looked up at the pair who had just entered. A mother took her son's hand and drug him down the aisle, out of sight, a larger man stood opposite Arthur who was working the register, and a young girl clutching a basket with both hands looked up and paled. Hannah looked up at Sherlock who looked as intimidating as ever. His face like stone, eyes scanning his enviroment, hands clasped behind his back. Hannah nudged him in the ribs. "You're scaring people." She whispered. Sherlock picked up a basket and handed it to Hannah.
"Get what we'll need, I'll be talking to Mr. Gregg." Hannah sighed, but nodded and walked over to the small area of produce, glancing back to Sherlock every so often. His face changed upon reaching Arthur, a more relaxed, smiling Sherlock greeted him. His deep voice carried over the small shop, letting Hannah listen in. "I'm so sorry for how I acted earlier, you see... I'm a consulting detective and-"
"Consulting detective? I've never heard of such a thing." She could almost see Sherlock's head inflating.
"I'm the only one in the world." She looked up from placing a can of soup in the basket to see the smirk on Sherlock's face. "For instance, you've been cheating with your diet." Sherlock pointed to his pants. "Grease from some sort of fried food, most likely chips seeing as there is a shop right next door, your waistline is a little snug, you adjust it ever so often in attempt to be more comfortable. That's just one thing. There is so much more." Sherlock smirked at the older man's expression. "So much more I could tell..." Arthur waved his hand to stop the detective.
"So you're not Hannah's boyfriend?" Hannah's heart dropped into her stomach as she looked at Sherlock, wondering what he would say next.
"I never said that." He smiled. "We met a few months ago. She's beautiful, couldn't resist." Sherlock looked over at Hannah and her eyes darted back down to the canned vegtables.
"That she is. Looks just like her Mother." Arthur sighed. "So she told you about her family?"
"Yes, which is why I insisted on coming down and helping solve this geat mystery. Give her some closure about it before the big day." Sherlock chuckled and Hannah's grip tightened on the basket.
"Big day?" Arthur asked. Hannah placed bread on top of the other items in her basket and slowly walked to the front.
"Ah, yes. We're getting married." Hannah's eyes wide, she looked to Sherlock who in turn winked at her. She shook her head, but promptly stopped when Arthur turned to her with a smile.
"Married! Well, isn't that exciting?" Hannah placed her basket on the counter between Sherlock and Arthur. Sherlock quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulder pulling her close. Hannah faked a smile, figuring that if Sherlock was doing this he had good reason. "I didn't see a ring though." Hannah looked to Sherlock and spoke,
"We haven't really gotten that far yet, we wanted to keep it secret for a little while." Hannah's hand rested between Sherlock's shoulder blades and she leaned into him. Arthur nodded accepting the response.
"Well... we will definitely would love to have you both over for dinner." Arthur smiled. "What about the other person you were with?" Arthur looked at Sherlock. "If you came down here to solve this case then the other lad was here to help, I take it?"
"Right you are sir." Sherlock nodded. Hannah cut in before Sherlock could say any more.
"How much will it be Arthur?" Arthur looked down into the basket, he looked at Hannah and smiled.
"For you? Free." Hannah shook her head.
"I really-"
"Thank you so much Arthur-" Hannah dug her nails into Sherlock's back, she could see him looking at her questioningly from the corner of her eye.
"But we really couldn't do that." Hannah finished, she pulled her wallet from her pocket.
"Are you really going to make her pay for these, if she insists on paying?" Arthur looked accusingly at Sherlock and Hannah bit her lip. "I swear your generation has lost all of the chilvary. Has your mother taught you no manners?"
"Arthur, really, it's fine." Hannah's hand dropped from Sherlock's back as she pulled out the pound notes and handed them to Arthur.
"I'll be seeing you two soon. Yes?" Hannah nodded and with that her and Sherlock left the store. She glared up at the man and smacked him on the arm once they were a good distance away.
"You just don't know when to stop, do you?"
"What do you mean?" Hannah scoffed.
"Like you don't know. We're getting married? You couldn't have just told him that I hired you?" Sherlock shook his head.
"If he is indeed the man I am looking for, then he will come after me as well. I wasn't as confident that he would if I were as loosley attached as dating, but marriage. If it's him, then he will try to murder me as well. To do that would mean they would have to come into contact me with me at some point and that would make it easier for me to catch them in the act." Hannah stared at Sherlock blankly.
"Huh..." She nodded. "That's... that's actually quite brilliant." Sherlock smirked.
"Thank you, I thought so."