Title: Conversations From Q Branch
Parings: James Bond & Q; James Bond/Q (ranging in time from pre-relationship to relationship); Sherlock Holmes & John Watson; Mycroft Holmes/Anthea
Disclaimer: I own no rights. I make no profit.
Chapter 46 – Why Did Your Phone Act That Way?
It says quite a lot about my life when I find nothing strange about examining a dead body in a posh living room while my genius flat mate prowls about like some large feline intent on prey only it could see. Glancing up at him I could tell that if Sherlock had been equipped as a cat his ears would have been pricked up and forward and his tail would have been straight up with only the very tip twitching. He was making what I called his "deduction noises;" a series of grunts and hums under his breath so quiet that they were almost inaudible. He caught my eye and tipped his head slightly. That was my cue.
"Anaphylaxis," I said shortly. "We'll need her medical records to know exactly what substance was involved. Whatever it was, it hit fast enough that she didn't have time to use this." I held up the epi-pen I'd found in the victim's pocket.
"Hmph" Sherlock grunted at me then asked, "and if she was sedated?"
"Depends on the type sedative and the dosage; a slow onset would be less likely to cause her to wake up, a fast one could kill before she was able to. A sedative would most likely have been ingested. I've not found any signs of an injection."
"There's plenty of stuff in the loo," Greg Lestrade's voice commented. "Most of it seems to belong to the missing husband."
Sherlock turned about in place scanning the room. He stopped suddenly, knelt, pulled out his magnifying glass and examined the coffee table closely for a minute before standing and walking over to a built in shelf with glass doors containing china.
"Hah!" he breathed and I knew he'd solved at least part of the mystery. He opened his mouth presumably to astound me with his deduction when his mobile chimed twice indicating a pair of incoming texts.
Sherlock pulled his mobile out and looked at the screen. His brow furrowed slightly as if he was puzzled by something then it cleared. I was just about to ask what was up when he said "Lestrade, I require your assistance."
Now that was strange. Sherlock admitting that he needed help with something. Lestrade thought so too because he appeared in the bathroom door looking concerned. Sherlock at this point was busily texting. He sent the text and Lestrade's mobile chimed once.
Greg pulled out his mobile looked down at then up at Sherlock, "What?!"
Sherlock made a gesture toward Greg's mobile clearly indicating that he was to reply in the same manner. Greg looked at me and complied. Moments later Sherlock's mobile chimed twice. Sherlock and Greg texted back and forth several times then Greg started directing his team to search the flat for a red teacup.
It was about a half hour later that Greg stomped up to Sherlock clearly annoyed. His team had come up empty in their search. Before Greg could say anything Sherlock waived his mobile at him. Greg grimaced then pulled out his mobile and another round of texting ensued this time ending with Sherlock and Greg in front of the glass doored shelf.
Greg directed the forensics team to dust the shelf for prints then bag all the red teacups. Sherlock glanced in my direction as he headed toward the door. I followed.
"Wait a minute," Greg grumbled. "You going to tell me what this," he waived his mobile, "was all about?"
"Nope," Sherlock popped the terminal p for emphasis as he exited the room.
"I'll need your statement before we get the toxicology reports back!" Greg half shouted after him. He looked at me clearly exasperated.
I gave him a nod, acknowledging that I'd at least attempt to get an explanation from Sherlock for his strange behavior and left.
I caught up to Sherlock on the pavement. He'd waited for me. I was a little surprised when he didn't immediately hail a cab but instead turned and ambled down the street.
"So why did your phone act that way?" I asked as I fell into step beside him.
"I just won a bet," he informed me in a somewhat smug tone.
"About what? With whom?"
"My brother. He thought his minions could intercept my text messages without my noticing." He grinned at me. "Now I'll just have to see whether they are smart enough to figure out that they've lost."
Author's Note: This is, of course, related to events detailed in 50 Reasons, Chapter 40 and is the other side of Chapter 18, Conversations from Q-Branch.
