Chapter 13
A second murder
When Watson awoke the next morning, he saw the two Holmes still sitting in the living room. Both of them looked drawn and pale.
"Holmes! When did you wake up this morning?" Watson asked. Sherlock turned towards him.
"Neither one of us managed to get any sleep yesterday night, Watson," he said, in an almost snappish way.
"We are waiting for Inspector Gregson's news," Sophie added. Watson frowned.
"Ah, I see you have made some progress already, have you not?" he asked, as Mrs. Hudson brought up the breakfast tray.
"Not really, Watson, but still, there are slight progression, yet none of us are completely sure who and how the murder was committed. We have many alternatives, but in order to get to the bottom of the case, we need the badge. Ah-ha!" Sherlock exclaimed all of a sudden as the door-bell rang.
Instead of Billy, a young fellow whom Sophie did not recognized opened the door without knocking to the living room where they sat. He passed Sherlock a note and a small packet, curtsied, and then left.
"What has he got?" Sophie asked anxiously. Sherlock unsealed the note, read it, and passed it to Sophie.
"Great Scott! We must go at once to Allamanda Street!" Sophie said shakily, as she gathered up her coat and cap.
"Sophie! NO! COME BACK HERE AT ONCE!" Sherlock yelled as the frantic girl dashed out of the apartment. Grabbing his coat, Sherlock motioned for Watson to follow him.
"Impossible girl, dashing out of the apartment like that! She might be killed!" Sherlock exclaimed as they ran after Sophie.
"What did that note say?" Watson asked, panting to keep up with Holmes.
"Billy was murdered while on his way back from Gregson, murdered in a similar fashion as the victim at Allamanda Street," Sherlock said irritated.
"Oh dear! And where on earth is Sophie now?" Watson asked, gasping for breath. They watched as Sophie got into a carriage, shouted an address to the driver and they were off at top speed.
"Try and follow that carriage in front!" Sherlock Holmes yelled as they jumped into another carriage. The driver looked at him in irritation.
"Okay! There's no need to shout!" he snapped, before cracking the reins. Sherlock glared at him fiercely before staring out of the window. All Watson could see was low-lying houses and small stalls rushing pass them. Sophie's carriage clattered in front, with its passenger completely ignorant to the carriage following behind. The two carriages traveled through wet and muddy roads as they fought through the gale. Finally, Sophie's carriage came to a complete stop.
"Here, stop! Take the money, don't worry about the change!" Watson ordered the driver as they got off from the carriage, careful to avoid being seen by Sophie.
"Where on earth does she think she is going?" Sherlock muttered under his breath as they watched Sophie darting around, peering into dark allies and corridors, and finally she slipped into a nearby ally.
Sherlock Holmes and Watson followed her as she crept along in the dark and cold ally until she reached a gate. Watson did not need the nudge in the ribs nor the whisper that Sherlock gave him.
"It's the Central-park cemetery!"