Chapter 2 - "NYPD!"

Citibank Madison Ave, Manhattan NY 4:05am

Sherlock smiled back at her with amusement on his darkened face as he replied with a whisper, "If you know me at all Watson, you would know that sleep is not a category on my to-do list."

Grinning, he held open the glass door for his companion and the two detectives stepped inside. Immediately mesmerized, Watson looked around herself. The walls and the floor were a brilliant shade of shiny white marble. Large columns stood tall throughout the giant building.

Sherlock however, was only fascinated by the discovery he had made. Paying no attention whatsoever, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. He then waited for the other person at the end of the line to pick up while lazily examining the front desk and his surroundings. As a very clever detective, he knew not to waste time with the magnificent architecture, seeing it as a distraction to what he was trying to solve.

A low hello came from the other end of the line and while smirking, Sherlock replied, "Captain Gregson, I think I may have just discovered the robber."

Jane Thomas was positioned noiselessly over the closest bank teller. Her back was hunched but at the sound of Sherlock's voice she flinched and quickly pulled a gun, tears streaming down her face. Sherlock dropped his cell phone slowly from his ear and placed it back in his pocket. Watson moved swiftly to his side and stood stiff, eyes wide. Before either of them could question or protest, Detective Bell followed by Captain Gregson and a number of other men from the police force burst into the room. Just in time. "NYPD! Freeze and drop the gun!" Bell yelled. And in the instant her hand left the gun, another one fired, hitting her square in the back.

Silence arose, eerie as everyone lost words on what had just happened. Sherlock however appeared more confused than shocked. Jane lay on the cold marble floor; eyes wide and mouth open in shock with blood pouring from her gun wound. As NYPD paramedics scurried around her body checking for a pulse, Sherlock walked around her body curiously, hands tucked behind his back. Watson, still in a daze from the gunshot asked, "what are you doing?" Immediately, Sherlock shushed her holding out his hand. He bent down as the paramedics left, confirming that she was indeed dead. Following that, Captain Gregson left a small yellow sign marked '1' to show this was now a crime scene.

Gregson walked over towards Holmes and, seeing as he had worked with Sherlock countless times, he knew better than to interrupt Holmes when he was investigating. Sherlock suddenly leapt up and sighed excitedly yet lazily. Gregson and Watson moved closer to him and asked what it was he found. Just when he was about to speak, the news came on.

"Later this evening, there was a shooting in Citibank killing 39 year old Jane Thomas. Twenty minutes later, Chase Bank in Times Square was then robbed. Police are investigating this crime and the only souvenir from the criminal was again, a small engraved R..."

Watson and Gregson blinked at each other nervously. Sherlock, paying neither of them any attention put on a pair of white gloves. He then bent down and searched around Jane Thomas' left ear. Gregson and Watson were both very curious and bent down beside Holmes as well. Finally, with a sigh of satisfaction Holmes felt the small piece of skin. He peeled it and the whole mask of Jane Thomas came off. Watson gasped and Gregson's eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"This, Watson, Captain, is Mr. Gardner. He must've tried to frame Jane Thomas. However, as we've all seen, twenty minutes ago there was a robbery and an engraved R was left behind. So I give you, ladies and gentlemen, the man who did NOT steal from the bank."

Watson spoke, "so you mean..."

"Yes, Watson. I'm saying that whoever robbed that bank is the person we are looking for."

Sherlock rushed to the door with Watson in tow, quickly hailing another cab. Once again sitting in the back seat, this time on their way to Times Square, both were deep in thought.

Watson was the first to speak up. "So I didn't even have dinner with Jane Thomas, I had dinner with Richard Gardner. In that case... We are looking for the man I saw 'her' give the money to." Sherlock looked up at her, closely following her train of thought and she continued "that also raises the questions, where is Jane Thomas? And where is that man? If in fact he was a man at all."

Treading inside the second bank crime scene of the morning, Joan took time to glance around and Sherlock ran to the teller that had been engraved, clearly labeled with a numbered sign. Leaning in towards the engraving, he sniffed catching the faintest hint of... Cherry Blossom perfume almost too faint to notice. Abruptly he stood up.

"Watson! Hurry we are going to question Mr. Gardner's wife." He claimed marching past her.

"Wait a second! How do you think we are getting there? I'm running out of change. And what about Gregson and Bell?" She had to sprint to catch up with him.

"They are fully aware of the plan." He explained, stopping abruptly in front of a cop car. As if on cue Gregson and Bell suddenly stepped onto the curb beside them.

"What makes you think Gardner's widow is going to have anything more to say than last time Holmes?" Bell asked.

"Its simple really, on the bank teller here in Times Square next to the signature 'R' engraving, I smelt the same Cherry Blossom perfume as I did on the body of Richard Gardner. Though I do not recall smelling this on Mrs. Gardner the first time we talked with her. Mr. Gardner was having an affair."

"We questioned Mrs. Gardner a year ago! We haven't seen her since her husband was first arrested." Gregson gave him a look.

"She could be wearing new perfume." Watson piped up.

"Both good observations," Sherlock nodded.

"However when we were first in the Gardner's home I took my time to examine the place, noting the fact that Mrs. Gardner had four bottles of the same spice perfume that she had been wearing that day. One nearly empty and the others only used once. I don't believe she will be changing her fragrance any time soon." Watson shook her head and smiled, he never missed a detail.

As Bell and Gregson moved to their car, Sherlock and Watson followed. She felt a sense of excitement and some sort of jittery feeling when working with Holmes. Pleased, they both got into the white police car and drove off.