Hello to All my readers! I'd like to thank you all for favouriting and reviewing ... please keep the feedback coming. This is ... I'm proud to announce ... The last of my plain 'building block' chapters. The action starts here ... so be on the look out for a spicy chapter 11. xx
"Toby is safe from your suspects too, he isn't a doctor or a lawyer, he's a stable hand, he was the one that delivered my letter to you John." Bonnie said, quick to defend her friend. "That may be Miss Watson, but I'm afraid we can rule out no one. We will be questioning all of the gentlemen on your list, but I'm sure we will be able to remove him from the case without much hassle." Holmes said moving to his armchair by the fireplace, stopping in his journey to pour himself a cup of tea. "Of course Mr Holmes I completely understand." Bonnie said nodding her head meekly, her lips set in a sad expression. "Don't worry Bonnie dear, I'm sure Toby will be fine, I have all my faith in the lad." Watson said reaching over and squeezing his sister's hand. A loud banging at the door broke the touching family moment and Lestrade came barging through the door with Clarkey and an unnameable policeman, the inhabitants of the room gazing up at them in surprise, Holmes raised his eyebrows and pouted his lips in a sideways smirk, clearly amused by the rushed entrance, "Yes Lestrade? Is there a reason you nearly broke my door down?" he drawled angering the frustrated inspector, his pinched, mousy face turning a violent red. "Holmes, We have been looking for you for two hours. There has been a murder. Doctor Watson and Yourself were specifically asked for by the victim's husband." Watson grimaced and got to his feet quickly sliding on his coat and grabbing his black leather medical bag, but Holmes remained sat in his chair, examining his fingernails in a nonchalant manner, "What is the name of the husband in question?" Lestrade quickly flicked his eyes to Bonnie who was sipping tea from her china cup, and winced, looking back to Holmes, "Mr Warren Carter."
A shrill scream rang through the small loft apartment, followed by a smash as Bonnie dropped her cup, the tea spilling over her dress, burning her exposed skin, but the pain was the last thing on Bonnie's mind as she let out another shriek, and her fragile, shaking hands gripped the arms of her chair so hard her knuckles turned a bright shade of white. Watson dropped his bag and came running, kneeling down before her, his hands gripping her cheeks and whispering comforting words as she shook violently, tears pouring from her eyes. Holmes stood from his chair and ushered the policemen from the room, "We will attend when Miss Watson is calmed, Clarkey" He asked turning to the constable, "Could you ask Charlie downstairs to ask Mrs Hudson and Miss Mary Morstan to come here, they can deal with young women crying better than I."
"She will be fine Watson, There is nothing you can do from here, you will be back with her as soon as you can" Holmes snapped as the pair made their way through London's busy streets, The Doctor grumbled and rolled his eyes at the attitude of his friend, "Do you have no sensitivity Holmes? That's my sister's best friend! Did you not see the state she was in when we left? Have you no heart?" He shouted, stopping in his track and waving his cane around vigorously. Sherlock stopped and stared at his friend, his dark eyebrows brought together in a deep set frown, before raising them and continuing on his fast pace towards the Carter house, where the big wooden door was open, a shaft of warm yellow light flowing through the doorway. The town house was surrounded by uniformed policemen forming a barrier and blood hungry crowds baying to get a look at the body of the unfortunate Maria Carter that was just inside the hall. Holmes pushed his way through the vast throng of people, mumbling 'Excuse me' as he went clearing a small gap for a livid Watson to follow him through. The detective paused beside a weary looking policeman by the door, not even turning his head to look at the man properly, he raised his voice so the constable could hear him over the crowd, "I can get nothing of great importance done with this amount of noise and so many unwanted voyeurs, see to it that they are dispersed constable …" He pulled back the policeman's lapel and looked at his metal badge, raising his eyebrows and pouted "Hall." Hall nodded and indicated to his colleagues to start ushering the crowds away "Of Course Mr Holmes"
Holmes and Watson headed into the hallway, where they found a red eyed Warren Carter sat on the fine carpeted staircase, his clothes dishevelled and a handkerchief clenched tightly in his hand. Upon seeing their arrival the unhappy widower hauled himself to his feet and made his way over, holding his hand out in greeting, "Thank you for coming gentlemen. I do apologise for the state you find me in, but Maria was my entire world, I'm unsure as to how I will cope without her. If I could just get my hands on the man who did this to my beautiful wife, I'll kill him myself." Warren's voice went up an octave with anger as he threatened his wife's absent murderer. "Yes, Well, I can assure you I will do my best to catch this villain. Has anyone touched anything in the vicinity?" Holmes asked removing his hat and hanging it on the banister. "No, They have only covered my Maria with a sheet to veil her from the prying public eye that has surrounded my door since I raised the alarm upon finding her when I arrived home this morning from an over night business trip. I am well aware of your methods Mr Holmes, and have made sure everything is in a condition that will be beneficial to your work." Holmes nodded and walked away beginning his close examination of the crime scene.
Watson stepped forward and shook Warren's hand, "I'm truly sorry, your wife was a good woman. I applaud you for the strength you are showing. Unfortunately my dear sister isn't quite in as good shape." The doctor said his voice thick with sympathy. "Watson!" Holmes shouted from beneath a wooden hallway table, I think it is time you conducted an examination of Mrs Carter's body. I'm sure Mr Carter would prefer everything to be over." Watson tipped his hat to Warren who was making his way upstairs, not wanting to see his wife's mutilated body again, and made his way over to the sheet covering his sister's dead best friend, pulling the covering away from her corpse.
"Do you have a time of death?" Holmes asked quietly popping up beside Watson as he was finishing his examination, "Indeed I do Holmes, judging by the state of rigor and the temperature of the body, I'd say Maria here has been dead approximately twelve hours, putting the time of her demise around nine last evening." Holmes nodded, encouraging his friend to go on, "What else can you tell me of Mrs Carter's death? The method perhaps? Any unusual characteristics?" Using a long pair of surgical tongs, he pointed to the long red incision on the deceased red head's throat, "The method of dear Maria's death is here, A viciously deep cut to the throat, that has severed both the trachea and spinal cord, very nearly removing the head altogether. " He pointed the tool at some purplish bruising around her wrists, "If you look here there are large purple bruises where she has been dragged, possibly from the door where the blood trail you were just examining started. The bruises are large and deep, suggesting a man of great strength." Holmes nodded and rubbed his stubble encrusted chin thoughtfully, "You are right about the blood trail Watson, just off to the right there, is a foot print in the blood of unfortunate acquaintance, It is defiantly a man's print, around a size eleven, round toed shoes or boots expensive and hand made." Watson coughed and reached over pulling a crumpled white envelope from Maria's skirt pocket, "look here Holmes, Do you think its another message from him?" Holmes pursed his lips and took the paper from Watson's fingers, gingerly unfolding it and letting his big dark eyes travelling over the script, taking in every word, before shoving it in his pocket and pulling on his hat leaving the house saying "Come, Watson, there is nothing more to see here." Before the doctor even had time to register his friend's hasty departure.
Bonnie heard the rickety slam of the pub's front door closing, and buried herself deeper into the soft pillows and mattress and she heard two sets of footsteps making their way up the old stairs, one quick and light as if the owner was running 'Sherlock, no doubt' she thought to herself as she pictured him eager to get in and note down his findings on one of his 'deduction boards' that he had leaning against the far wall, quickly followed by the distinct limping lollop accompanied by the click of a cane that belonged to her brother's gait. Her suspicions were confirmed when the attic room's door banged open and in bounded Sherlock Holmes, earning a startled shriek from Mrs Hudson and Mary who were sat by the fire place, thinking Bonnie was fast asleep. "Mr Holmes, really! Poor Miss Bonnie is asleep, have some consideration!" Mrs Hudson whispered, her old face set into a deep frown, However Holmes ignored her and headed straight for one of the wooden deduction boards, "She is no such thing nanny, Isn't that right Miss Watson, her breathing is not heavy enough for her to be sleeping and her eyelids keep fluttering" Bonnie sat up in the bed, her sore eyes stinging, as she drew a handkerchief across her nose, her hands still shaking. "Well, really!" huffed Mrs Hudson, "Have you just been laying there pretending to be sleeping?" the old housekeeper rounded on Bonnie, her eyes cold and accusing. "Nanny, I'm sure Miss Watson has fair reason." Holmes said, not even looking up from the scrap of paper he was attaching to the piece of cork board. "I'm sorry Mrs Hudson, I just felt I needed some time to my thoughts. I was not intentionally being rude." Bonnie whispered, fighting the urge to drop her polite manner, and shout about how she wanted to be left alone to grieve in peace, forcing a small smile, that melted Mrs Hudson's heart, the old woman's hardened expression instantly softening. "Very well Miss Watson, we will leave you in peace, Mr Holmes, it would be polite for you to do the same." She said gathering her coat and making her way towards the door, her comment earning nothing more than an uninterested grunt from Holmes. "Forgive him Bonnie, Holmes has very few ways of showing emotions." Watson said closing the door and placing a kiss on the top of Bonnie's head. She squeezed her brother's hand lovingly and looked watched Holmes out of the corner of her eye as his hands stilled on the board in front of him, tipping his head slightly so his eyes connected with hers momentarily, his deep, dark irises filled with sympathy that was unusual for the normally cold and calculating detective.