AN: Hey! I know it's been looong. All of a sudden I couldn't write the story anymore. This is more like testing the waters. Please bear with me!
"Molly."
Molly was startled when she heard her name. She turned around to see that it was James. She tried to suppress a shudder as a chill ran up her spine. She didn't know why but every time she looked at those cold brown eyes her gut told her to just run in the opposite direction. However she decided to be brave.
"James" she said and turned back, wishing Sherlock would hurry up.
She rather felt than heard James step closer to her. He was now invading her personal space. She was beginning to feel nervous and uneasy, but she didn't want to seem mousy by stepping back. So she held her ground, clutching the straps of her bag tightly.
"I've been meaning to ask you out for quite a long time now" he said, causing Molly to look at him in astonishment.
"But then things just seem to get in the way."
Things like Sherlock and his annoying need to make things difficult, he thought with a sneer.
"So, Will you go out with me for coffee?" he asked coolly, almost as if daring her to reject him.
Molly however was growing furious. By this time the whole school knew she was dating Sherlock and he had seen them together in the auditorium that day only. Not only that, she had seen Irene practically sit on his lap in the auditorium. And he was asking her out? How dare he?
"No" she said resolutely and stalked out of the parking lot.
James watched at her retreating figure and shook his head. He had hoped to not hurt Molly Hooper. But she wasn't playing nice and she had told him no.
But this also made the game interesting. Well, time to do it the old and boring way.
He took his phone out his back pocket and dialed.
"Seb."
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John had to run to keep up with Sherlock.
"Slow down, will you?" he panted as he finally caught with his curly haired friend.
"Molly was supposed to be waiting for me" Sherlock said, his eyes roaming the parking lot.
At that moment, he felt his phone vibrate.
At home. Come over later.
-Mollyxx
John had peeked and was trying to not smirk. He had been sure that he would have to literally knock some sense into Sherlock's thick skull to make him notice Molly. But they seemed to be just fine.
"I'm going back to Carl Powers's area. There is something I'm missing. Coming?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes. But I can't stay long. Movie date with Mary."
Taking Sherlock's bike would make them conspicuous, so they took the bus.
They got down a few blocks from his home and walked the rest of the way. However this time there was no climbing and jumping. They directly went to Carl's home.
They rang the doorbell and waited. One moment John saw that Sherlock had a focused expression and the next, just when the door was about to open, his face morphed into one of extreme sadness. He could swear that he saw tear collect in his eyes.
A sad faced heavy woman, who was well into her middle age opened the door.
"Yes?"
"Um…We are Carl's friends. Uh… we just heard today that he was missing. Is there anything we could do to help?"
John could swear that he had never heard Sherlock stutter. His acting skills was amazing. All he could do was merely nod along.
Mrs. Powers expression saddened even more if possible, but some kindness showed in her eyes.
"Thank you, dear. It's nice to know Carl has such wonderful friends. But I'm afraid there's nothing you can do. Say, though I haven't seen you two before."
"Oh! That's because we live quite far away. Not this neighborhood" Sherlock said, stressing the 'this'.
"Hmm…yes. If you were from here, I would have known. There's only Marcus from here. He lives just two houses from here."
Abruptly his concentrated demeanor was back.
"Thank you, Mrs. Powers" he said and turned away from the house.
John uttered a few words of sympathy and good wishes before catching up with Sherlock.
"What was that?"
"Now we have someone who might know something about Carl. It's pretty simple. People tend to blab when they are sad, if given the right cue."
By this time they were in front of a house that was in dire need of repair.
"Wait here, John. Keep a look out."
With that, Sherlock fastened his coat, put on his scarf and John watched him walk confidently towards the house and knocked hardly on the door.
The door opened to reveal a spotty faced teenager, almost their age.
He must be going to one of the local schools, John mused.
Sherlock showed something that he was holding and Marcus's face paled instantly.
For about five minutes they spoke or it was mostly Sherlock asking something and the poor fellow nodding. Then Sherlock was back.
"Come on, John. I've gleaned all I could."
When they were on their way back, John couldn't control his curiosity.
"What did he say?"
"Quite interesting things. Looks like Carl was expecting a large amount of money. But he wouldn't say how. Naturally Marcus got curious and kept an eye on him. The day Carl disappeared, Marcus saw him leave his house through the ground floor windows at around eleven. He followed him but then when it looked like he was heading towards the school, he gave up. It's everybody's knowledge that the school football team players had late night parties in the playground."
John tried to process all this information.
"So…something must have happened at the party?" he guessed.
"No there was no party that night. I checked" Sherlock said. "The answer lies somewhere in or near the school."
Suddenly John remembered.
"What did you show Marcus that he got so scared?"
"Oh! This" he said and tossed a solid object towards John, who caught it easily.
It was a police badge.
"Where did you get this?" he asked incredulously.
"I pickpocketed the inspector who was questioning me at school" Sherlock said with a shrug.
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AN: You're feedback is much appreciated.