THE VIOLINIST

CHAPTER NINE

Sherlock pulled a box out of his coat. John quirked an eyebrow. "And why do you need my help with a box?"

Sherlock shook it. "It's sealed tight and it's made of titanium; I need to get it open because it will tell me where Sarah is."

John stood up quickly. "Wait. Where is Sarah?"

Sherlock looked at him a little sheepishly. "Uhm, she uh she was kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?!"

Sherlock nodded. "We were ambushed in the woods and they knocked us both out with tranquilizer darts."

John rubbed his hand over his face. "They who?"

"Moriarty."

John cringed. "I was hoping you wouldn't say that." He sighed. "We'll need help."

Sherlock agreed. "And I think I know just the person."

Twenty Minutes Later:

Molly stared at them in shock. "So you want me to help you open a box that is ridiculously hard to open, to save someone's life, just because I took a science course that had a chapter on metals?"

"Yup." John nodded. "That's pretty much it."

Molly sighed. "All right. Let me see the box."

Sherlock handed the box to her and she turned it over in her hands. "I'm not quite sure how to open this, but I can look in one of my old science books." She skimmed through one of her books then turned to John and Sherlock.

"As far as I can tell, the only way to open it is with a key, if you don't want to damage the contents."

Sherlock brightened. "Then we just have to find the key."

John glared at him. "That would be like finding a needle in a haystack."

Sherlock smiled. "Then we better get started."

Sherlock took the box from Molly and put it under a microscope. He straightened and ran over to the portable heater by the door. Molly and John looked at each other. Is he nuts? Their eyes silently asked each other.

Sherlock held the box right next to the heater. John and Molly wandered closer to see what he was up to. They both gasped as words appeared on the box. Sherlock read it out loud. "On a hot day, I give you a cool seat. Come sit there now and find what you seek."

Sherlock jumped up and ran out the door. Molly and John followed as quickly as they could. When they stopped to get a cab, Molly asked Sherlock what the answer to the riddle was.

He scoffed. "It's a tree, of course. The one in the park where people have picnics under it."

Soon they arrived at the park and hurried to the huge maple tree in the center of the park. Sherlock went up to the tree and circled around it. He pushed a few parts on the bark, then he sat directly on the trunk. A part of the tree slid back to reveal a gaping black hole descending into the darkness.

Sherlock nodded, impressed. "Pretty convenient. Probably a trap, but let's go anyway."

John, Molly, and Sherlock looked at each other before they plummeted into the pitch black hole.


A.N-This book only has about two or three more chapters left. Sorry, I would have updated yesterday but I had to study for my French and Geometry tests. As always, let me know what you think in reviews or follow or favorite, whichever you prefer. See ya!