A/N: Well, the first crime is not mine. It belongs to ACD. The story is called the Devil's Foot I think. However, all other puzzles, the second crime, rhymes etc. are mine
"It's Mark!" Sherlock said but no one heard him.
Molly came inside just then.
"The test is complete but John just texted me to ask you to eat something and only then to reveal the test results"
Sherlock frowned but quickly gobbled down a sandwich from the canteen.
"Well?" he asked.
"It was the Devil's Foot."
"The what?"
"Second toxin on your list? It is commonly known as the Devil's Foot"
Sherlock smiled.
Others said it was the work of the Devil
He texted John.
Mark killed Lisa. The African boyfriend killed Mark. Method: Devil's Foot – SH
Good. Now, you get to solve a real case. Contact Lestrade – JW
How do you know it will be over in six hours? – SH
Oh, no. It's not mine. Lestrade needs help. It's an official case – JW
That's not fair! What about my hunt? – SH
Help Lestrade as much as you can. Solve it if possible. Go on, impress a guy – JW
Sherlock's stomach did a somersault.
SHSHSHSHSHSH
Half an hour later, Sherlock found himself in 221 B, investigating a double murder. The case seemed easy in the beginning but soon proved to be complex. A newly married couple, spending a part of their honeymoon in London, were killed in their hotel room two days ago. They put a Do Not Disturb sign out the door and the hotel crew merely giggled at the door and did not check on them for a day. Finally, they had to disturb them when they needed to replace the towels. The husband died to a heavy blow on the head from a blunt object and the wife was smothered by a pillow. Naturally, suspicion lay on the hotel staff.
Sherlock suspected a past love affair. After all, they were newlyweds. Whoever it was, they must have had a card to get in. He spent a lot of time going through their life history. The woman Diana apparently had an ex-husband Richard whom she had divorced a year ago. The present husband, Alex had an ex-fiancée who he had dumped for Diana. Richard currently lived in London while the fiancée lived in Nottingham. Motive was apparent.
"Get me more information about the exes" Sherlock told Lestrade, already furtively typing on his phone, only to realise there was no Internet connection.
"But how did they get in? They must have a card"
"Use your brain, Lestrade. There are so many ways. One: They could have stolen it from the staff. Two: They are a tech genius. Three: The couple let them in. I could go on all day" Sherlock, now, going through the official file since he had no other option.
Sherlock was not allowed to examine the bodies in the mortuary (Molly Hooper finally grew a backbone. Bad for Sherlock). However, Sherlock was given full access to the hotel room. Hotel rooms were his favourite to deduce. While rooms in a house told a lot about the people in them, hotel rooms revealed nothing and Sherlock had always loved a challenge. He furtively went through the suitcase.
Diana's suitcase was a mess of tops, make-up and some jewellery. Sherlock had no idea why there were so many frilly clothes around. Lace was everywhere. He found some stockings that would make The Woman proud. Lestrade blushed at the amount of lingerie the woman had and excused himself.
The husband Alex's suitcase was more organised. He had a lot of formal shirts. He was a man made of money and it was transparent that Diana chose a wealthier husband this time (Richard wasn't exactly what you would call rich). However, Sherlock was searching for things that were missing rather than what was in there. Everything seemed in order. Alex and Diana were Americans who met each other in the beach and spent their first date in a lighthouse. It was there he proposed to her. (All this apparent from a photograph taken shortly after the proposal) Diana was proudly pointing at her ring while Alex was proudly pointing at her. First date, thus the location. Alex made a lot of money when he set up his company (business cards in his pockets).
He went through the items possessed by the dead people when they died.
Alex: A Rolex, few more business cards, his mobile phone, cash (both in dollars and pounds), few keys, a handkerchief, some hotel bills, his clothes.
Diana: A platinum chain (quite old, judging by the fact that the chain left a circular imprint on Diana's neck. Sherlock made Molly check twice) a lipstick, a unused pregnancy test stick, her phone, tissues, nail polish (all of them were in her handbag with which she seemed to have tried to protect herself). She wore a cocktail dress with no pockets. Both of them were clearly heading out for the evening when they were killed.
Sherlock turned it all over in his head. It was a real case alright. Look at the difference between John's pretend one and a real one. No matter how John tried, reality provided a much complex array of situations and no guarantee that you hold all the cards in your hands to win. Something fiction could never achieve. Fiction always had its solution in the box in which it revolves. Real cases, on the other hand, push you harder and harder. There is no box. You keep on looking. Real life was the ultimate puzzle.
After an hour, after tedious reading of histories of the exes, the hotel staff and all people related to them (Lestrade collected a good amount in a surprisingly short amount of time), Sherlock finally figured it out.
"I've solved it. Yes! I've been so blind" Sherlock jumped, after an hour of silent contemplation.
"Okay, give me"
"The thing is, as I keep saying, was not what was under my nose but rather what wasn't"
"Yes, alright, details please"
Sherlock outlined how and why it was done. Lestrade seemed to only want the superficial details for now. He merely nodded when Sherlock finished and left, saying that he would go and take the necessary action now. Before leaving, he smirked a little and handed another note from John. Lestrade was in on it too? Lestrade lacked the usual enthusiasm about the end of a case and Sherlock texted John to make up for it.
Got your puzzle –SH
Great. It's the last one. The case? – JW
Solved it. – SH
One hour fifteen minutes. Rate the case? –JW
A seven – SH
Not bad then. I'm impressed. How much do you rate mine? – JW
A five. Sorry, I had to be honest. Reality offers much more variety than fiction – SH
That's alright. Reality is stranger than anything the mind of man can invent, yeah? – JW
Glad you understand – SH
Mycroft's gonna be pissed –JW
I'm sorry? – SH
Devil's Foot was his case...and the double murder...was mine – JW
Wait, what? –SH
*Jumpers has blocked your messages*
A/N: Go on then. Solve it! Will post again the day after tomorrow. Have fun! Don't kill me if my solution does not satisfy you. I tried my best.