A/N: Sorry about the delay, again. I have a valid excuse this time, I was working on another story that isn't up yet, a series of Mystrade one-shots called 'Better Than Cake'. Yeah, I know. Plus I've got a cold at the moment, so I haven't staggered to the computer in the last few days. Better Than Cake isn't up yet, I'll tell you when it is. Oh, one other thing, Angeline is Lestrade's wife.
Disclaimer: I donot own Sherlock or any of the related characters, or Doctor Who and the related characters. That includes the TARDIS.
John, Sherlock and K-9 walked down towards the crowds of London not far away from the silenced street of Larry Brown's house. "Poor Mr. Boni," John said. "He's obviously been trodden on since he started work there, yet he stays." "He obviously stays for the chance at a major role in the company." Sherlock replied absent-mindedly. "I don't understand why people do that. If someone's treating you that badly, get out, is what I say." "I would certainly never do it myself.". Still absent-minded. "I wonder how he knew that Mr. Lance was dead. He referred to him in the past tense. But I don't think he's the murderer." "He'd seen something about the death of a caretaker at The British Museum, and he put that together with people they didn't know turning up on the doorstep, and came up with the fact that it was Robert Lance. He's quite intelligent, for someone with an average brain. No, he's not the murderer. The best friend is a definite suspect though." "Mmm. I'll be glad if it's him." "Why?" K- 9 asked. "Did you see the man? I'm hoping if he gets put away, Mr. Boni will get the position he wants." "But you apologized for Sherlock being blunt." "Well, if he isn't the murderer, he doesn't deserve being told his best friend was murdered so bluntly." John glanced at Sherlock, expecting some comment about that, but none came. By now they'd reached the streets, and Sherlock got a taxi for them. By the time they'd reached the flat, the Doctor and Lestrade were also back. "How did your interview go?" Lestrade asked. "He was one of the most annoying men I've met, but Mr. Boni, his PA, was nice, if downtrodden." "In what manner was he annoying?" the Doctor asked. "He was one of those people who's always aggressively cheerful, and he also treated his PA very badly. And he was convinced he was better than anyone else." At this, Sherlock stalked over to the couch and flopped down onto it grumpily. John glanced over and sighed. "I didn't mean it like that, Sherlock." Sherlock glared and turned to the wall. John sighed again. "Lestrade, could you please make tea?" Lestrade looked vaguely amused, nodded and went into the kitchen. "And K-9, don't you need to power down to conserve energy?" "Negative, my power levels are-" "Yes, he does," the Doctor interrupted. "Come on, K-9." And they went up the stairs. John walked over to his chair and sat down. "Sherlock, you know I didn't mean it like that, so why are you sulking?" There was complete silence from the direction of the couch. "Because that is most definitely what you are doing." More silence. "It's impossible for me to try to fix whatever it is if I don't know." Sherlock knew he was being unreasonable, but he was trying not to acknowledge it. He wouldn't have been upset if anyone else had said it, so he didn't know why it affected him so much. It made no sense. So he was refusing to believe it. He was perfectly aware of John cajoling him to tell him what was wrong, but how could he when he didn't know himself? He retreated further into his mind palace, exploring the attic, where he put things that he knew would be useful one day but had not yet been used. But he kept wandering to the stables, where he put things to do with John, because he knew he'd like the horses. His mind palace is really more of a mansion, but definitely not the one he grew up in. He scowled. He had not had a happy home life. Well, not after Mycroft had gone off to boarding school. He kept up the feud more out of pride than anything else. It had started when he left him at home. He did have a sister, but she had been way too interested in drugs and boys at that age to care about him. He'd never forgiven her for that, and he hadn't had any contact with her since he left home. As far as he knew, Mycroft hadn't either, after he came home and found out that she was completely ignoring him. Anyway, he'd really rather not remember that. He came out of his mind palace to hear John still trying to persuade him to tell him what was wrong. He sighed internally and kept stubborn silence. "Fine, then!" John exclaimed, throwing up his hands. "We'll discuss the case without you!" That got a reaction, he noted drily. Sherlock sat up and threw himself around. At this point Lestrade came out of the kitchen with a pot of tea and four cups in his hands. "I figured K-9 wouldn't drink tea. Engine fuel is probably more up his alley. Have you two resolved it?" "Not really, but I got him talking again." By now John had given up trying to convince people they weren't a couple. Anyway, he found he didn't really mind anymore. "Should I get the Doctor and K-9 down again?" Lestrade asked. "Yes, please." John replied. "They'll be in the police box in the storage room." Lestrade went up the stairs to find the police box in the storage room. "Hi-" Lestrade said, walking into it. "I'd just got over the last surprise." he muttered under his breath. "Ah, hello, Lestrade!" the Doctor said brightly. "I wonder what his reaction's going to be." he muttered under his breath to K-9. "Hello. I- Can you come back down?" "Ah, delayed shock. And yes, we'll follow you down.". They went back down the stairs. "Sherlock, were you aware that this particular 'Police Box' is bigger on the inside and has something that looks remarkably like a spaceship console inside it, except... sparser?" Lestrade asked, rather accusingly. "Hm." he grunted. John sighed. "Yes, he was, and so was I." "Alright then. Shall we get back to the case?" "Yes." John replied. "So, apparently Mr. Brown was aware of a completely different wife, Sara Lefoski. We should probably interview her too." "He liked the girls with exotic names, didn't he? No Jane Browns for him!" the Doctor commented. "Mmm..." John agreed. "Anyway, that was the most significant thing we found out. What about you?" "Well, she was the nicest of any of the suspects, going by your descriptions. She seemed to be truly in love with him, and she wasn't arrogant, angry, haughty, or annoying in any other aspect." "I agree." the Doctor said. "She seemed very sincere." "Anyway, according to her, 'Rob' was away on a business trip, had been married and divorced once before and used to be a gambler but was now reformed." "Well, the gambler part fits with other accounts, although his work colleagues gave the impression of thinking he still was." John said. "So our primary suspects are...?" "Larry Brown, the best friend, and Leesa Garry, the divorcée." Sherlock said impatiently. "Alright, alright. You don't have to say it in that tone of voice." John said. "It isn't as obvious to us lesser mortals." "Of course, all of the wives are suspects too. Any one of them could have found out he was cheating on them and killed him." the Doctor commented. "Yes, which just makes the case ridiculously complicated." Lestrade said exasperatedly.
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Lestrade lay awake that night trying to figure out the case, but an image of the inside of that police box (apparently called the TARDIS, as he'd found out later) kept appearing inside his head. He finally threw himself up out of bed in exasperation and started pacing. He finally threw himself against the wall, groaning in frustration. "It's not possible!" he close to shouted. Good thing Angeline had moved into a separate bedroom, he thought drily. She would have hated the bother. He finally got his mind to move to the case, but soon after he moved to the Doctor, and from there to the TARDIS. He growled in frustration. Just get everything to do with the case out of your head, he thought. Think about... ducks. Baby ducks. Baby ducks had no relevance to the case whatsoever. He finally managed to calm down thinking about the baby ducks, but when he got back into bed he started wondering if the beds inside the TARDIS were bigger on the inside too. He finally gave up and started making preparations to stay awake for the night.