Disclaimer. STILL not owning Sherlock. Really wish to. Hopefully this chapter will be as long or longer than the last. I injured my finger and it really hurts to bend and straighten it.
"So she's German?" Lestrade asked. Probably hoping that Anderson was right for once and he didn't have to deal with a moody Sherlock.
"Of course she's not." Sherlock snapped at him. In a hope to somewhat calm him down, I handed him John's phone already with the Cardiff weather report so that he didn't have to look it up on his phone. I don't think it helped much.
"She is from out of town though." I try to nicely say to Lestrade while Sherlock looks at the phone and gives me an unreadable look.
"So far so obvious." Sherlock stated to the Detective.
"Obvious?"
"Of course it is Lestrade." I say to him. I then say very quietly to him, "I will try to have him be nice about 'how empty your brain is' but I have no idea how long I can make it last. Just wait for his euphoria."
He just looked at me like I told him to do the maquerana naked with a chicken as a loin cloth.
As he leaves the room to keep Anderson and the other, probably very nice idiots snork, out of the room. I go and kneel next to John.
"What am I doing here, Sherlock?" He asks like it hasn't even occurred to him why yet.
"Helping me make a point." Sherlock whispers so that they aren't overheard.
"I'm supposed to be helping you with the rent. What about?" He looks at me to insert your name here.
"Annabelle." I told him. He looked at me thankful that I at least cooperated.
"Yes what is Annabelle doing here?" He finished.
"Undecided yet." Sherlock said like he didn't want to continue talking about it.
"Alrighty then." I said rather uncomfortably. Sherlock then turned to me and said straightforwardly, "Are you like me?"
"Kind of." I said non cosmetically. Just then Lestrade came back into the room. He then demands for the deductions made on the woman on the floor.
"Victim is in her late thirties. Professional person, going by her clothes; I'm guessing something in the media, going by the frankly alarming shade of pink. Travelled from Cardiff today, intending to stay in London for one night. It's obvious from the size of her suitcase."
"Suitcase?" Lestrade asked confused. I knew this was because there was no suitcase when they found her.
"Suitcase, yes. She's been married at least ten years, but not happily. She's had a string of lovers but none of them knew she was married." I then said to get my input into the conversation.
"Oh for God's sake, if you're making all this up!" I can tell he doesn't want to believe Sherlock or me.
"Her wedding ring. Ten years old at least. The rest of her jewelry has been regularly cleaned, but not her wedding ring." Sherlock said trying to make his point clear.
" State of her marriage right there. The inside of the ring is shinier than the outside – that means it's regularly removed." I then said to level out the montage.
" The only polishing it gets is when she works it off her finger. It's not for work; look at her nails. She doesn't work with her hands, so what or rather who does she remove her rings for? Clearly not one lover; she'd never sustain the fiction of being single over that amount of time, so more likely a string of them. Simple."
"That's brilliant!" John said. As all three of us looked at him he suddenly looked uncomfortable and said, "Sorry."
"Cardiff?" Lestrade then asked because there was nothing on her to suggest that that was where she came from to the forensics. But Sherlock and I knew better.
"Isn't it obvious yet?" I ask him.
"It isn't to me." John said confused.
"Dear God, what is it like in your funny little brains? It must be so boring." Sherlock said rather rudely I might say.
"Sherlock don't be mean to the normal people." I then say to him causing John and Lestrade to choke.
He just looks at me funny and continues on in his findings.
"Her coat: it's slightly damp. She's been in heavy rain in the last few hours. No rain anywhere in London in that time. Under her coat collar is damp, too. She's turned it up against the wind. She's got an umbrella in her left-hand pocket but it's dry and unused: not just wind, strong wind – too strong to use her umbrella."
" We know from her suitcase that she was intending to stay overnight, so she must have come a decent distance but she can't have travelled more than two or three hours because her coat still hasn't dried. So, where has there been heavy rain and strong wind within the radius of that travel time?" I say gesturing to him to get John's phone out with the weather reports.
As he did so I finished with, "Cardiff."
John looked at us in amazement, " That's fantastic!"
"D'you know you do that out loud?" Sherlock asked him.
"Sorry I'll shut up now." John said embarrassed.
"No it's… fine." Sherlock said slowly. I think both of us together were really freaking him out with how different we were than the others around him.
I stopped and got lost in thought over what his life was like and how horrible parts of it were. I got pulled out of my head when I heard Sherlock rushing down the stairs screaming about a case. Oh God!
I run out of the room because I knew that he would leave without John and subsequently, me. When I get down there he is already gone and expletives shoot out of my mouth. Honestly that man!
John then sighs and starts to leave when we are stopped by Donovan, joy.
I ignore her until," But you're not his friend."
"Not yet he isn't." I mumble at the same time as John told her they just met.
"Stay away from that guy." She said to him. I had a feeling she thought that she assumed I was listening.
"You know why he's here? He's not paid or anything. He likes it. He gets off on it. The weirder the crime, the more he gets off. And you know what? One day just showing up won't be enough. One day we'll be standing round a body and Sherlock Holmes'll be the one that put it there"
"That may be eventually true, but not in the way you think. If you don't stop being so judgmental about people you will soon come to regret it. I know for sure Anderson will." I say cryptically.
I then turn away and drag John with me.
"What did you mean back there?" He asked me while we passed three telephones ringing for him.
"Nothing that I can tell you or anyone else here. My sister and I hold more secrets than most. She is the only other person that knows and I will forever keep it that way."
As he looked at me like I was a mafia or something I point to the phone next to us and said, "Answer it, it is for you after all." While rolling eyes at the security camera.
I wait for the car and get in while Mycroft is busy fluffing his feathers for John.
"Oh hello Anthea! How is he and the trouble my sister and I are giving him." I say in sarcastic joy.
She gives me a look for interrupting her texting while I smile sweetly at her.
I manage to stop John from trying to make a move on her my sitting by her and sending him looks every time he even thought about it. It is so easy to read people now.
When we finally make it to the warehouse, I have warmed up all of my sarcastic abilities to wind up ad annoy Mycroft to no end *snicker*.
"Anthea you were only supposed to bring him." Ooh I only just stepped out of the car, I am doing so well!
"Aw you didn't want to see me too? I hurt Crofty!" Oh my god this was so much fun.
"That leg must be hurting, sit." He said to John, now fully ignoring me. Aw but this was getting to be so much fun.
"You know I have a phone. I mean, very clever and all that, but er ... you could just phone me. On my phone."
"Oh of course he couldn't have just phoned you. I mean he is like a peacock with an umbrella."
"When one is avoiding the attention of Sherlock Holmes, one learns to be discreet, hence this place." He is so trying to be mysterious. I snorted really loudly.
As he tries to get John to sit again, John states back, "I don't wanna sit down."
"You don't seen very afraid."
"you don't seem very frightening."
"Ah yes the bravery of a soldier."
"Good god get to your point already!" I was getting tired of this.
He just glared at me and continued with John. Oh yes I had a good one planned for what was coming next.
"Mmm, and since yesterday you've moved in with him and now you're solving crimes together. Might we expect a happy announcement by the end of the week?"
"Are you saying you wanna join in Mycroft? I'm sure that we can be very accepting."
John looked like he was going purple from trying to hold his laughter in. Anthea was even cracking a smile behind Mycroft.
I came too with Mycroft again trying to convince John of something or another, "In his mind, certainly. If you were to ask him, he'd probably say his arch-enemy. He does love to be dramatic..
"Well thank god you're above all that." John said sarcastically
"You see John we are just two peas in a pod. Best of friends being sarcastic to others." I say because honestly let's get this show on the road.
"If you do move into, um ... two hundred and twenty-one B Baker Street, I'd be happy to pay you a meaningful sum of money on a regular basis to ease your way."
"Sure why not? I need to take care of my sister anyway." I say. John just looked at me like I had three heads.
"Why?" He said to Mycroft.
"Because you are not a wealthy man."
"I'm fine thanks." John said to him.
"You are very loyal very quickly." He said to John. "I can't say the same for your friend. "
"No, I am just thinking on how Sherlock would react with you and putting my on twist in it." I reply.
"Time to take a side Doctor Watson, you too Annabelle."
"You're actually speaking to me now? I already have. Text me later." I tell him as I am getting into the car. "We need to talk on what we are going to do on living conditions."
I stop as he motions for me come back.
"So, you don't exist. At least not until yesterday. Either you and your sister are excellent hackers, or you are telling the truth." I raise my eyebrow telling him to continue. "What are we going to do about you?"
"I have no idea, you are the government not me."
"I will think on it and have Anthea help you out."
During the car ride I was racing through my mind thinking on what to do. There are so many things that could go wrong If I am not carful on what I do and do not tell Sherlock and the others.
When we finally get to 221 B Baker St., the incessant tapping from Anthea's phone has given my quite a head ache and made me race out of the car as soon as the doors unlocked.
I walk in the kitchen to find pain pills to get rid of the head ache. Also I really didn't want to see Sherlock and John go over how breathing is or isn't boring.
I walk back in to hear John say, "Your arch enemy."
I started to snicker as Sherlock asked, "Did he offer you money to spy on me?"
"Yep!" I say laughing.
"Did you accept it?"
"No." John said while I stated, "Yes but I think he thought I was being sarcastic again."
"Pity we could have split the fee. Think it through next time. Also I'm surprised you think he's smart enough to know what sarcasm is, much less when it is being used." I shrug and lift his feet up so I can also sit on the couch. John looks at me like I just poked a bear with a stick.
But Sherlock just laid there in his prayer position in his mind palace while a patiently waited for him to finish thinking. I knew that he was going to walk over the coffee table instead of around it any second now because he is snapping at John to send the text.
When John realizes that this was the dead woman's case he looked aghast.
"you got all that by realizing the case would be pink?" John asked him.
We both look at him like he's an idiot. "Of course the case would be pink."
"Why didn't I think of that?" John said.
"Because you're an idiot." Sherlock said to which I smacked him really hard on the arm. Surprisingly he immediately tries to fix his is take and amend his statement.
It took for flipping ever, But Sherlock eventually got us to the restaurant. I was starving. Running on adrenalin is not fun. I am quickly eating ignoring the girlfriend boyfriend exchange John and Sherlock are having. But paying enough attention to know when the cabbie will pull up.
I groan as I realize that I will soon have to follow them to chase the car.
It was much faster than I thought it would. When we got to the cabbie Sherlock and John are paying all their attention to the poor man in the back. I walked to the left a bit and looked at the cabbie driver. I walked round and tapped on his window.
"Hello!" I say brightly
"What is going on back there?" he asks like he is innocent.
"Oh nothing much, there have been some unfortunate misplacing of government files and He was one of the suspects." I make up on the spot. I see that Sherlock and John are walking away so I say quickly, "Have a nice night!" to the cabbie.
Sherlock seems to have forgotten that I was supposed to be with them until I catch up.
"Yeah. I pickpocket him when he's annoying. You can keep that one, I've got plenty at the flat."
"I have to admit that that skill will come in handy in some case or another." I say to him.
"That was the maddest thing I have ever done." John said breathlessly while giggling.
When we get back to the flat and Sherlock is making his point to John, I see Mrs. Hudson come rushing twords us saying, "Oh Sherlock, what have you done?" We look at her John and Sherlock flabbergasted, me with a knowing one. As they rused up to the flat, I ask Mrs. Hudson, "Mrs. Hudson have you seen Em?"
"Oh no dear I havenn't seen her in hours." I stare at her in horror.
"Sherlock!" I screech while racing up the stairs to find Lestrade "drug busting" 221 B.
"If she was really clever… What?" He snapped at me for interpting him.
"Em's gone! She's been gone for hours!" I am freaking out now. "Give me your phone now." I demand with a dangerous glint in my eye. He just hands his phone over and I search his contacts for Mycroft.
You had better hope you have Em. AB
Why is that? MH
Because she has been missing for hours.
Did you kidnap her Mycroft? AB
Not kidnap, just invited for a little chat. MH
For HOURS? AB
You'll get her back eventually I just happen to like her better than you. MH
I huff in exasperation and see Sherlock going down the stairs. I quickly follow him because no one is looking.
I follow him outside to the cabbie saying, "Taxi for Sherlock 'olmes."
"I didn't order a taxi."
"Doesn't mean you don't need one."
"You're the cabbie. The one who stopped outside Northumberland Street." Sherlock said that brought me out of my reverie about Em.
"Of course it was him," I said, "He thought that because no one notices the cabbie he could get away with it." I said plainly. "Am I right?"
He smiled at us so that we would have our answer.
"But you had an idea didn't you sweetheart? Why else did you talk to me instead of the passenger?"
Sherlock suddenly looked at me and said, "Why didn't you say something?"
"Because it wasn't the right time!" I snapped at him and slapped my hands over my mouth in horror.
"So she knew from the beginning it was me!" he cackled. "Get in the car Mr. 'olmes and you can see how I played my game. Little bird can come along too."
I am too busy working over what I have done in my head to understand what is happening around me until I find myself halfway to the place he planned for us to kill ourselves.
When we got there Sherlock challenged him to show him how he did the murders after deducing the poor man's whole life and kept secrets. After all this is the game. To which the cabbie driver challenged him to make his choice.
"So Mr. 'olmes, which do you choose?"
"The gun." We say. Me because I feel like an observer here instead of a player of the game.
The lighter then lights up and Sherlock says, "I know a real gun when I see one."
As Sherlock and I start to walk out of the room he started to manipulate Sherlock into playing his game on the table.
"No Sherlock don't." I say because I have no idea where John is. What if he doesn't make it in time?
I am being forced to watch the choices run in his head as he is about to choose. But then I see John in the other window. I quickly mime to get his attention.
Shoot him! Shoot him now John Shoot him!
I think he saw the panic in my eyes because he motioned for me to move out of the way.
I dived to the floor when the shot rang through the room.
I look up to see Sherlock pressing his foot on Jeff's shoulder screaming for a name.
"MORIARTY!" he shrieked in agony
Sherlock helped up from the floor and dragged me outside. The police and ambulances arrive and for some reason the keep putting those stupid blankets on Sherlock and I. Really it was getting annoying. They probably thought I needed it because I haven't said a word to anyone because I was too busy thinking.
I only start listening when I hear Sherlock deducing the shooter, "with a history of military service-"
I squeeze his hand hard under the blanket to get him to stop talking. I look over at John and he takes the hint and starts blathering about how he's in shock, look he's got a blanket.
As we start to walk away with John Sherlock said to him, "Nice shot."
But then we were interrupted my Mycroft and….Em?
"What is going on?" because I am honestly confused this goes WAY off of the story pattern . Alright maybe only a little bit but this is confusing.
"This is my new assistant." Mycroft looked at me as if it should be obvious.
"I can see that, my question is more along the lines of why is my sister your assistant?"
"I can see you both have some amount of brilliance and I like her better than you."
"I will take that as a compliment Crofty!"
"Wait, I meant to ask this, but how do you know this guy? Oh and Sherlock this is the guy to kidnapped us earlier."
"Yes I know who this is."
"Has it ever occurred to you Sherlock, that we belong on the same side?"
"Not in the slightest."
I am just watching their exchanges now because honestly they bore me sometimes.
I walk to my sister and tap to her.
So want to tell me what the actual heck is happening now
At first he was pulling the money for spying bull crap that he apparently did to you then he just offered the job
Why take it
I thought about the episodes and really didn't want to get in the mix of you know who and instead help on the sidelines
"So, she said to me." Em then handed me a blackberry with the number written on the back. "Keep in touch. My number is already in the contacts as well as John, Mrs. Hudson, Mycroft, Sherlock, and Detective Inspector Lestrade.
"See you later." I say as they are walking away.
So apparently John and Sherlock are talking about fortune cookies.
"What are you so happy about?" John asks Sherlock.
"Moriarty." He answers simply.
"What's Moriarty?" I can tell that John is a little concerned about this.
"I've absolutely no idea."
I hope neither of them noticed the look of fear that I quickly wipe off of my face.