Thanks to Annabeth Black for being my first reviewee. Hope you all enjoy this next chapter!
"Is it a cipher?" Adler asked. The two were back at John's apartment, after having taken a photo of the strange engravings on Sherlock's grave.
John raised his eyebrows, surprised that Adler would know such a thing. Then again, she had managed pretending to be dead for a considerable number of months. He shook his head.
"No, it makes no sense as a cipher", he explained. "Sherlock and I have already dealt with one before – this seems a little basic to be a cipher."
"Then why can't we figure it out?" Adler exclaimed, throwing her hands up in despair.
John didn't respond, as he had no answer. Instead, he took the various printouts of the markings and held them up to the light – looking for any hidden meaning that he could make sense of at all. Finding nothing, he looked out of the window to the murky streets of London town.
Despite being midday, the clouds were still burying the sun behind their dark bodies – giving the light no chance to escape. From his window, John could see the old hospital that Sherlock had . . . jumped from, which saddened him immensely. Unfortunately, the only two places that had been available on the market for quick-sale had been this place or a place that overlooked the graveyard. At least here John could pretend that Sherlock was still in the labs working away, unlike if he had moved into the other property and would have had to see death looming just beyond his reach.
An idea clicked into John's mind.
He must've reacted in some way, as Adler looked up from the printout she had been staring blankly at to give him a questioning look. John went and sat next to her so he could point on his own copy.
"This symbol" – he pointed to an etching of a rectangular box with symmetrical lines – "looks exactly like the hospital across the road."
Adler stood up to peer out of the window. Sure enough, the drawing appeared to be a simplified version of the hospital opposite.
"Ok, if that is the hospital, what could the second symbol mean?" she asked dubiously.
John stood up, joy apparent on his face.
"We've been looking at this in too much detail", he said, waving the paper in the air. He pointed to the second symbol – an italic swirl in the shape of an 'S'. "This is a music symbol; Sherlock had one on his violin. Which can only mean that this" – the initials RAM – "is the Royal Academy of Music Museum."
When he stopped speaking, John could feel excitement quivering through his whole body as his battle instincts lay primed for the thrill of the chase.
"So the Royal Academy of Music it is", Adler said, picking up her coat. "What are you waiting for?"
.
The building of the museum was an impressive sight to behold, with its grand white pillars and high structure. However, John and Adler did not waste time admiring the construction work, but quietly hurried inside, the wind at their backs.
Going straight into the 'Current Exhibitions' area, they entered a room full of violins. The whole room smelt of polish and echoed with an eerie silence that seemed unnatural in a room where the number of instruments outnumbered the number of people. A sixty year-old couple stood at a display in the centre of the room, speaking in hushed voices.
Feeling suddenly intrusive, John slowly walked around the room, admiring the tanned, glossy instruments. Some of the instruments dated back almost two-hundred years, but it was impossible to tell give the minor details.
Sherlock would be in heaven here, John thought, peering from the cabinets to the high displays on the walls.
He glanced over at Adler, who was standing by an open display of a set of modern violins – with a 'DON'T TOUCH' plaque screaming at her in the silence. As he walked closer, he realised that one of the violins had a poppy tied around its neck. Then he realised that he recognised the instrument.
He took a sharp breath.
"This is Sherlock's violin", he whispered, totally shocked. Mrs Hudson must've donated it.
Despite the tiny silver plaque warning him not to, he stroked the curve at the top of the instrument's neck, and then the flower.
The flower was real. Someone must've put it here recently, as the edges of the petals were still soft and un-wilted. In an instance, John knew what he had to do.
"We have to get this out of here", he continued, whispering even lower. He looked around the room - the old couple were still there, but still seemed engrossed with the history of the violin.
John slowly unzipped his jacket and slipped the instrument underneath the material. As raised the zip up, it groaned in protest. John crossed his arms in secure the hidden instrument against his chest, and turned to walk out of the room.
Adler stopped him.
"Let me go first", she hushed. She undid her coat and pulled her dress down; revealing more cleavage than John was comfortable looking at. She gave him a meaningful look before stepping ahead of him. John followed her closely behind.
They walked through the busily hallway with a breeze – Adler earning more than a few stunned looks from both young and old alike. Just as they got through the main doorway, they heard a loud commotion behind them as security stared running towards them.
"GO!" John yelled, grabbing the instrument from under his jacket with his hand so he could run. Adler forgot her facade in an instant, and broke into a run beside him as they bolted from the museum...
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