COD (Cause of Death): Unknown

Note 1: This chapter has been edited a bit since it's first been posted last night. Some things were changed.

Note 2: Thank you so much for continuing to read COD. For more Sherlolly loveliness check out my AU collection of one-shots called "A Study In Chemistry." I'll be posting that in between updates of this. I hope you enjoy this chapter loves.

F o u r.

Cats and dogs have always been such interesting creatures. There have been studies done that have both benefited and harmed them. I want to focus on a positive for a moment. I did studies when I was breathing just like the next scientist. But I had never thought to see what the effects of a pet's reaction once their owner had passed away. It certainly could have helped me now, I think.

Now, I wasn't even trying but Toby seemed to react to me. Maybe he could feel my presence near or maybe that study of pets being able to detect human emotions had been true. I wasn't sure but here in the cab on the way to my only livinga relative's home. Toby kept whining in Sherlock's lap. He just kept giving my cat a confused glance as it's whined before putting him directly next to me, basically on me.

Toby stopped and tilted his head. He was no longer crying just cozying up onto the area where I was. I had an inkling that he did know I was there but I didn't move. Toby looked comfortable and at peace. That made me smile.

Sherlock had discussed with John a few of the things that he figured out while back at my flat. Most in a way where quite obvious like the observations he spoke about. That phrase he often said came fluttering back into my head, "you're seeing but not observing."

He could have been right.

Instead of staying at the flat on Baker Street for long he merely stayed in long enough to look up something up on the laptop. I had tried to see what that was but his body was curled around it hiding the screen from view. Then he was off again, inadvertently stringing me along with him. He told John to stay back and wait for a text.

I was trying to get adjusted to the idea that I would be in such close perimeters with Sherlock for the next hour or so. He was going to Cardiff to visit my Nana (grandma). She was the only living relative I had left. I was an only child and both my parents had long since passed. I was a bit worried how Nana would react to meeting Sherlock. I had spoken about a few times when I talked to her on the phone or visited her at her home during special holidays.

She was quite intrigued by him just by the small things I told her. It gave me a small bit of reassurance but I knew how Sherlock could be. Hopefully he could make a small exception and attempt to be kind to my 79 year old Nana.

Sherlock

There were so little things I knew about elders. The unwritten rule towards younger generations was something I had been mulling over in the ride over. "Be kind to your elders." I was hoping that bringing Toby would help with that but cosidering I knew very little about this I was troubled slightly. I avoided having much contact with my own grandparents. This was going to be an interesting visit.

Upon arriving at the small cozy home, I paid for my fare with a few bills before grabbing the small cat and walking along the cobblestone walkway up to the door. There was both a knocker and a doorbell near the light green door. An assortment of plants were sitting or hanging on the railings of the porch. All of blooming and vibrant. That was something I never really felt the need to get into. Gardening and the like.

I decided it was safer to use the knocker since I wasn't all the sure about "Nana" Hooper's hearing capablity. There hadn't been much information about her in the files I found in the database. The phrase "winging it" seemed to be something I would be doing during this meeting.

I didn't have to wait long before a short, round, pudgy faced woman whom surprisingly was wearing a small smile upon her face. Her gray hair was wispy and pulled back into a small bun out of her face. Unlike most of the women I dealt with she didn't have a splash of make-up caked on her face. A natural older beauty. It was an interesting change. I tilted my head to the side as she looked me over briefly before speaking.

"You must be Sherlock Holmes. Molly talked about you often. You look about just as she described. Well, come in." She said brightly as she walked more into the small hallway before almost waddling on towards a small living area. I felt my lips perse as I looked at her odd way of walking. It was siniliar to a duck. A hip problem, possible I noted.

I took a moment to look around before letting the feline that was trying to get out of my hand down and shutting the door with a kick of my foot.

I walked through the dimly lit hallway that had a few pictures and more flowers. I noticed a few frames had photos of Molly. She took pride in her granddaughter. I nodded as I took a seat across from her carefully on the worn gray sofa. I made no move to get rid of my coat or scarf. Instead I sat there watching her. She had sat down in a wooden rocker that seemed a bit past it prime and would need mending soon and was knitting. It was something customary of women to do as they got older. I didn't think much of it.

"You're going to ask if I've heard from Molly in the past couple days." She spoke as she concentrated on her task, never looking up at me. I blinked three times before accepting the idea that not all Hoopers were the same. A part from the times when Molly stumbled over her words she wasn't an idiot. She was good at her job. This woman however had this aura about her that said, "I know more than you think." This could be a quite interesting visit.

"Yes." I said as I took a moment to look about the rest of the place from my spot. There really wasn't much. Mostly photography and little trinkets here and there. Very homey place, indeed.

"She called three days ago. She was looking forward to coming to see me tomorrow for a little luncheon with a few of my friends. Molly liked to do that. I can tell from your roaming eyes that you didn't know much about her. You're an observer much like myself...possibly better. I suppose that's why I'm not that irritated by you." There was a certain lilt in her voice when she said that last part. Did I irritate people that often?

I turned back to her at that moment and saw that she had stopped the two needles movements and was now observing me. Or maybe she never stopped. I wasn't particular sure. She put her knitting away in the little woven basket under the small table beside the chair and then turned back to me. "Oh." I said quickly before speaking again. "Did Molly have any enemies that she spoke of to you?"

She laughed at that. I knew before asking but the answer was obviously no. Nothing too intriguing about that. If she had an enemy it was because of something work related. She wasn't one to start quarrels. I already deduced that upon our first few meetings in the morgue.

"Why don't you enlighten me, Mr. Holmes. What do you notice about me, about my home or would you keep up the small talk?"

I didn't say anything for a moment because she had taken me off guard. Most people didn't ask for my deductions. I merely spoke them without any disregard. I was feeling too calm here as well. I got to my feet and turned away from her brown irises.

I looked instead to the hallway. "You live alone and you like it that way. You like things in order as shown by the way you have the photographs strategically positioned and your knitting materials in one place. You take pride in Molly's accomplishments. The photographs are something that any grandparent could have whereas you have more than that. The notebooks on the shelf hold every piece of work that she's ever done whether it was published or not. You look forward to her visits also, always making sure the small bedroom closest to the hallway is always kept in pristine condition just in case she decides to come for a surprise visit."

I took a brief pause as I looked back at the elderly woman again. She had a look of intrigue in her eyes. Much look the one Molly had, except it lacked the obvious admiration instead had a glimmer of amusement in it. Was she toying with me or had she really wanted to see what I would see? It was unclear, however I decided to finish up regardless. Can't leave a deduction unfinished. "You miss your husband. There is a photo of him in every room. I haven't inspected all of them but you keep one there to remind you of him regardless of where you are in this house. He died here but if that's not enough indication that he was once around the necklace you've been trying not to touch is something of a memento he gave you. You've kept it clean, you treasure it much. Despite you trying to distract yourself with me you are quite upset by losing Molly. Your eyes weren't looking at me but over at Toby who is a constant reminder of your feline loving granddaughter."

I turned back and took my seat back on the sofa. "Are you always so accurate, son?" I could tell that she noticed how still I got at that term of endearment but she didn't say anything about it.

"Yes. When you were talking to Molly last, did she say anything about a date?"

"Briefly. She said his name was Evan and he worked as a barista at small cafe she went to frequently when she was free and could spare the expense to buy little interesting kinds of coffee that she's never tried before. Why do you ask? Were you interested in my granddaughter?"

"I suspect she was going on a date before she was taken." I decided it was best to choose my words carefully despite the inkingly that I knew she aware about Molly's death. The circumstances were however kept on a need to know basis.

"You're her friend. I'd think she'd told you something like that despite her feelings towards you." She too had been carefully choosing her words wisely.

Friend was another one of those words that I knew of but wasn't fond of. I only had one friend and he was currently waiting for a text from me. I pulled out my phone then and began typing and also buying some time to think. Nana Hooper was a patient woman. Obviously, something that was passed down to Molly herself.

I wasn't entirely sure what to say now. My mind briefly went to my last encounter with Doctor Hooper. I didn't dwell on it however upon noticing the resemblance of the two Hooper women. They both were able to notice things that people were trying to keep hidden. Interesting.

Look for an Evan that works at a cafe near Molly's flat and speak with him.

-SH

"Thank you for your time Ms. Hooper."

I began to get up only for her to reach out and grab my wrist quickly. A reflex, I noted. "Sherlock, it's important that you be straightforward with me once you find out who killed her. I'd like to know."

I stood there briefly before placing a hand over hers in a small gesture of reassurance. I could do that much.

She let go of my wrist and let me walk on past her and towards the door. I had reached out to twist the knob and leave when I heard her said something that left me puzzled the rest of the way back to 221B.

"She's closer than you think."

A/N:

Edit: I made some changes to this chapter just in case a few of you read it the first time I posted it.

Hello loves! There's a bit more interest since the last chapter. That makes me happy. I hope this one went over as well. What did you think of Nana Hooper? What do you think about what she said at the end? I think this chapter was a bit better than the last. :) Until next time.

Much love,

Day