I recognised Greg from the papers. Top detective on Scotland Yard.
"Emily, Natalie. How lovely to meet you!" He approached the two of us with caution and shook our hands. "Okay so it's time to show me what you two have got" Me and Nat smiled at each other knowing what happened next
"Don't worry, the wife will be back." Nat started. A look of confusion washed over his face so I chimed in
"Your ring, You only just took it off... long relationship though. 15+ years. Congrats on that. Also, I wouldn't have that curry from last night again doesn't look like you can stop going to the loo" Nat smiled at me glad that I didn't miss it so she continued
"The curry stain on your shirt from last night. We know you're grieving but two new detectives start today and you didn't change your shirt? As for the toilet... check your shoes next time" She said with a wink and he was left there stunned. He kept direct eye contact with me and Natalie whilst he yelled
"Anderson! Get Sherlock. I think there are some people he would like to meet."
In the distance I heard sherlock's name being called and some shouting with crude language I don't wish to mention.
"Geoff." he turned to Greg and Greg rolled his eyes at him
"Sherlock, for the last time. It's Greg. Anyway, This is Emily and this is Natalie" He turned to face me and Natalie and smiled.
"Sherlock Holmes, 221B. I believe me and Emily have met" I looked up into those shining blue eyes again telling myself not to get distracted. Natalie hit me in the thigh. "You must be Natalie. Resident two of casa de 225 Baker Street." Natalie smiled her usual smile
"That's me! So lovely to meet you Mr Holmes." Greg tapped Sherlock from behind and made him spin
"The girls are like you Sherlock. The whole telling someone's life story from your shirt type thing" Sherlock pondered in his thoughts for a while.
"John!" Sherlock called from the small room.
"What's up?" A smaller man walked into the room to join Sherlock.
"Okay girls. What do you see?" Without hesitation we started.
"Folds his shirts, he wasn't sure if he was going to be here today or he would have ironed because he cares if his shirts are creased unlike you Mr Holmes." I had started the ball rolling so Natalie carried it on.
"Happily married, thinks of his wife a lot that's why the ring is so shiny. He keeps rubbing it. Child on the way too... Stress marks appearing around the forehead area" She smiled at me so I could finish the hat trick.
"Ex Afghanistan with a gay sister who has an alcohol problem, separated from her wife for a few years now and you didn't trust her enough to move in with her so you moved in with Sherlock." Everyone's eyes focused on me. "Wasn't it obvious? Apparently not.." John scurried off back to his work and Sherlock turned to face us.
"Congratulations. You do my job and get paid for it." Then he walked out. We didn't know what to say about the abrupt exit but by the look of Greg it was relatively normal for him.
"So we got a case in that you might want to check out." Our smiles must have shown how eager we were to get started. "Okay then," he continued "Let's start you off easy. Two girls found dead at an apartment above Oxford Street. Been dead for about a day. No murder weapon found but there were a large quantity of over the counter drugs. We looked into the girls who have been confirmed as Miss Katie Henson, 24 and Miss Sandy Charles, 25 turns out they were best friends both in a relationship with one woman Miss Smith. Generic name I know." Mine and Natalie's faces dropped. Smith. Has she found us again? This sounds like something she would do.
"Jonna." me and Natalie said in unison. Stopping in our tracks.
"We checked the area... There are no Jonna Smiths.". I turned to Greg and looked him straight in the eye.
"Looking for Jonna will only make it harder to find her. Not looking for her is the best way" He looked confused and handed over two copies of the case file.
"Find how she did it and I will find you something harder." We smiled, uneasy to take on this case again but continued out the door anyway.
The door slammed shut behind Natalie
"I am NOT taking on this case again! It almost killed us last time!" She walked around in circles making me feel sick.
"Nat, stop. We are starting from scratch remember! We can do this. The drugs are gone now and we are back on the force. Breathe." She collapsed into the sofa close to tears.
"Knock, knock." Mrs Hudson had appeared at the door. "Are you girls okay? I could here yelling from 221" I stood up to meet her at the door. A figure stood behind her that I could just about make out that it was Sherlock, mainly by the smell. "Someone wanted to meet you" and with that she was gone.
"Emily?" He saw that my eyes were puffy and close to tears. Not the best way to greet a man who could tell you your life story from your shoes. "Are you okay?" I stepped to the side allowing him into the apartment and he took the offer "Drugs?" The amount of questions he asked made me very uneasy but I let it slide.
"Yeah, Clean for a year now." Nat said between tears on the right armchair. I took my seat on the left and Sherlock sat on the sofa.
"You've been clean longer than me. Six months." We gasped.
"And you're still on the force?" I asked. He chuckled like I had missed a joke.
"No, Sherlock Holmes. Consulting Detective." He reached out his hand and we shook it.
"That's not a real job..." Natalie said as more of a question than a statement. He smiled again
"Yes it is. I made it." Natalie rolled her eyes at the man she had only met once and smiled.
"We know where to find her and she knows it. She messes with our heads and that lead us to the downward spiral." I finally released our past to the almost stranger.
"I'll let you in on a secret... All the best people are a little insane." We both smiled at his comment and decided it was best for the next question to become clear. Natalie was far too upset to ask so I stepped in.
"Sherlock, look. We know it's our first case back on the force but we could really do with a hand." He smiled at us and nodded.