The heavy door of the morgue slams shut behind John as he exits the building. Lestrade walks beside him. John is excited to tell Lestrade what Mary had revealed.
"Lestrade, Mary told me something that she realized about the first crime scene."
Lestrade seems confused. "What, like a clue? I'm sure that the police searched the whole place."
"Well, they did search the whole place. But she noticed something that the police wouldn't have."
"Well, then, what did she see? And why wouldn't we have noticed it?" asks Lestrade, skeptical.
"Mary realized that the window was unlocked," John responds.
"And how exactly did she notice that?" Lestrade stops walking and looks at John. He doesn't think that the police could have missed that.
John shrugs. "She was standing in the room when I found the body. She probably saw it then."
Lestrade quickly shakes his head. "No, no. We would have definitely noticed that. Open windows in crime scenes are something that the police always make a note of. There was no open window there. There couldn't have been, or we would have noticed it."
John shakes his head. "No, Mary didn't see an open window. She just saw it unlocked."
"Why is that the strange? Plenty of people keep their windows unlocked."
"Well, plenty of people might, but Sherlock never opened his windows. Never. And he didn't open his curtains either. Mary thinks she knows why the police didn't notice it, though. She says that the reason you probably didn't see that the window was unlocked was because she'd opened the other windows. It was a nice day outside."
Lestrade is skeptical. "I don't think we can count open curtains as a clue. Sherlock could have just decided to open the window that day. There are too many things that could have led to an unlocked window apart from an intruder. I can't really use that as evidence. I'm sorry John." John is extremely frustrated. Why can't Lestrade see that this is a clue?
"But, Lestrade, it's a clue! Can't you see? He never opened the window. He didn't open it! It was the person who killed him who opened the window."
Lestrade sighs. "I'm sorry, John. I just don't have any other evidence supporting that theory. I know you want it to be a clue. So do I. But I can't just go and fabricate evidence. I need the truth." With that, Lestrade heads back in the direction of the morgue.
John is glad he doesn't have to go back inside. He is happy to get away from the bodies, as his mind is now tormented with terrible theories about the cause of the disappearance of his friend. A sickening feeling rests on him: Sherlock is either dead, being held against his will, or hiding from someone. John seriously hopes that he's not dead, but the chances aren't good for Sherlock still being alive. He's been gone for more than a week already.
As John walks alone along the sidewalk, he can't help imagining terrible possibilities. What if Sherlock is being tortured? His mind spins with horrific images and theories. He tries to calm himself. Maybe Sherlock is just in hiding. But that doesn't explain anything else, like the fact that two bodies that look just like him have been found. His mind just keeps going back to terrible theories about his friend's disappearance.
"Doctor Watson!" A loud voice snaps John out of his daze.
"Doctor Watson! Wait! Wait a second!" John stops abruptly and whirls around to face the direction of the voice. He can't find the person calling him, but he hears the directions the voice is coming from.
"Doctor! Come quick! Over here!" John still can't find the person. He walks in the direction from where the sound is coming.
"Doctor! Please, I need you! Please, it's an emergency!" John breaks into a run. He follows the voice, trying to locate its source.
"Are you hurt?" he yells worriedly. The voice doesn't respond, but John continues to hear the desperate pleas for help. They seem like they may be coming from a nearby alley. John rushes speedily into the alleyway. He sees a figure kneeling in the shadows. This is clearly where the calls for help are coming from. He quickly sprints to the figure.
"Oh…" John is shocked. The kneeling figure is a child. "Are you hurt? Look at me, are you hurt? What's wrong?" he asks, immensely concerned.
The boy doesn't respond, but he does stop whimpering. John's army instincts and his medical experience kick in. He gently reaches for the boy's arm.
Suddenly, John feels a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't move. Don't even move, Dr. Watson, or else…" A low, growling voice commands. The unfinished threat fills John with dread. In front of John, the boy hastily rises to his feet. He avoids looking at John, seeming guilty. He walks behind John, probably to collect some kind of payment for his performance. The boy dashes out of the alley before John can get a good look at him.
John is completely shocked by how naïve he's been. He allowed himself to be lured into a dark alley alone. John feels embarrassed for being so trusting, especially after Sherlock mysteriously disappeared.
'Is the same thing going to happen to me?' he thinks, panicking. He gets a sinking feeling in his chest. He is obviously in immense danger right now. This man behind him clearly isn't just looking for money or somebody to rob. He wasn't just a random thief; this much was clear by the cleverness of his plan. No, the man had planned this out just to lure Dr. Watson into his trap for some different reason, whatever it may be.
John suddenly realizes something chilling. The man had known precisely where he would be at precisely what time. Not only that, but he had also known that John was a doctor and known that he couldn't walk by a hurt child without trying to help. In order to know all of this, the man had to have been following him for several days. The thought that he and Mary have had someone spying on them for days is completely terrifying.
John tries to escape his thoughts. He needs to have a clear mind right now, as he is in danger. John stays completely still; the alley is totally silent.
John suddenly feels something cold and hard on his neck.
The blade of a knife.
He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself. What if… what if this is the man who had killed Sherlock? Is he going to be the next to die? Why does the man want him? The choking silence is suddenly broken as the gruff voice speaks again.
"Okay, Dr. Watson, you are going to do exactly as I say. Got it?" John doesn't respond.
"I asked you a question!" the man snarls. John nods weakly. He squeezes his eyes shut, completely terrified.
"Good," The man continues. "Now, Doctor, I want you to put your hands on the wall in front of you. Come on, do it." John complies.
"Good." The man walks around to John's side. He reaches into the jacket that John is wearing and pulls out his revolver.
John now feels hopeless. That revolver was his only chance, his lifeline. And now it's gone. Not only that, but now the man has both a gun and a knife.
"Excellent," says his captor. "Now, Doctor, I want to make one thing clear. If, at any point, you make any attempt to call for help, or try to escape, I will not hesitate, even for a moment, to kill you. Do you understand?" John nods, but he is silently thinking of any possible ways to get away. The man seems to have read his mind.
"Doctor, I'm not sure that you really do understand what I mean. Or maybe you do understand me, but I don't think that's you're going to listen. Am I right?" John doesn't respond.
"Not talking to me, huh? Well, maybe I can change that. Do you need some proof? Do I not seem serious enough to you? Well, I can give you proof that I'm serious if that's what you'd like." The man's cool and deceptive tone sends shivers down John's spine. For some reason, the voice seems slightly familiar to him.
"Oh, I have an idea! Maybe you think I wouldn't actually hurt you. Is that it? Well, I suppose I could give you some proof for that if you'd like." With that, he holds the knife closer on John's neck.
"No! Please! I believe you," cries John shakily.
"Wonderful!" the man says. "Now, you can open your eyes, you know."
John didn't realize that he'd been squeezing his eyes shut the whole time. He realizes that he hasn't even seen his captor yet. He slowly opens his eyes, but he doesn't move. He is paralyzed by his fear. John finally gets the courage to speak.
"Who… who are you?"
"Who I am is not important," he replies cryptically. "What you really want to know is who sent me." John is surprised. The thought hadn't crossed his mind that this man could be working for someone else; he had just thought that the man had something against him personally.
"Who sent you, then?" questions John, curious.
"Oh, yeah, like I'm really going to just tell you who sent me here. Nice try, Doctor," the man chuckles.
"What does he want then?"
"Not sure what he has against you, exactly. But I'm here to deliver a message," he responds.
John is even more confused. He's just here to deliver a message? Why couldn't the man just go up to him and tell him whatever he needed to know. The man speaks again.
"Now, turn around, but slowly." John doesn't move.
"Did you hear me? Turn around, I said!" John hesitantly obeys, turning around. His expression of fear and worry changes to one of utter confusion. He cannot believe his eyes.
The man he sees in front of him is James Wilson.
Bit of a cliffhanger there... Don't worry, the next chapter should clear things up a little bit! ;-) I really appreciate any comments, suggestions, or reviews! Thanks so much for reading Encore!