Chapter 16

Lestrade laid down the case for Sherlock. A forty-eight year old woman had been found dead in her home after a fire. An autopsy showed that she had died of asphyxiation before the fire started. It was believed that a person, or persons, unknown killed her and burnt the evidence but nothing could be found to identify them.

Sherlock spent the first five minutes ranting about the police's incompetence in the matter. Lestrade and John looked at each other as if to say just like old times. Erika simply watched from the corner with a smirk on her face. A good half hour passed with Sherlock examining all the evidence he had and sitting in silence when the door opened and Sergeant Donovan and Anderson walked in. They saw Sherlock and groaned.

"Still here then?"

"Obviously," he muttered, turning over a piece of paper to read the other side. Donovan shook her head and walked over to Lestrade. "I need you to sign these."

"Fine," he said and quickly signed them all. She smiled dryly and went to leave when she noticed Erika.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Sherlock's…friend."

"Friend?" Donovan said with a laugh. "Unbelievable. The freak's got two friends."

She started to leave when Erika called after her. "I'm sorry, what did you call him."

All the air in the room seemed to disappear as Sally turned around and faced her. "I called him a freak."

"He's not a freak," Erika said, taking a step closer. "He's brilliant."

"He's an obnoxious fraud and nothing else."

"He's not a fraud. And he's not a freak."

"Erika," Sherlock started, hearing how worked up she was starting to get. "Leave it."

"No!" Erika said sharply, turning to face him. "You've done nothing but good things for them. You help them for no cost or personal payment and let them take the credit for your work, yet they treat you like dirt. And you let them!"

The last sentence was shouted in Donovan's face as she spun back around to her. At this, Anderson spoke up. "He didn't solve cases, he invented them."

"He did solve them! He's better than all of you combined and to counter act it you act like children!"

"Erika, calm down," John said, standing up and laying a hand on her good shoulder.

"No! I won't calm down! He's not a freak!"

"He is," Anderson said with a slight smirk on his face. "It's the only word to describe something so despicable, unknown and ridiculed. Freak."

The next thing any of them were aware of was Erika standing dead still, as if she had turned to stone. Everyone else was confused but Sherlock knew that when she stood like a statue, someone was about to get hurt and he had a good idea who.

Before anyone knew what was happening, Erika leapt forward and punched Anderson repeated with everything she had. Donovan grabbed her arms and pulled her off him as she was still trying to attack him. Anderson pinched his bleeding nose and stood up from where he had fallen. John and Sherlock stood, frozen in shock and Lestrade was deliciously slow to react. But when he did, it was to perform his duty.

"Erika Butler, you are under arrest for assault."

Erika had stopped fighting and was now standing calmly. She smiled. "I figured as much."

Sherlock's lips twitched as he fought a smile. Donovan pushed her out of the room and Lestrade followed. "Stay here and solve the case."

The door shut and Erika was lead down to the elevator. She was still smiling a little at the reactions that people kept shooting her on seeing Anderson's bloody nose. Worth it, she thought. The three piled in, Anderson leaving to go fix himself up, and Lestrade pressed a level. The door closed silently.

When they opened again, she found herself facing a long row of jail cells, all unoccupied, for now at least. They lead her to the first one, opened the door and Donovan, roughly, pushed her into it. She smiled and sat down on the bed, leaning back against the wall. Through the door she heard Lestrade say, "Sherlock will come down when he's finished."

"I know," she said with a smile and lay down, prepared to wait for him, knowing that she wouldn't be charged.

"It was her ex-husband," Sherlock said triumphantly. After an hour of silence, John jumped a little at his friend's voice.

"What?"

"Her ex-husband. He pulled a plastic bag over her head and held it; you can see some of the marks."

"And the fire?"

"An accident," he answered simply. "He left the stove on."

John chuckled at the irony of the act. Sherlock pulled all the papers together and stood up. "Where are you going?"

"To find out if Erika's going to the rope," Sherlock answered with a smile. John smirked and they left, headed down to the cells. When they got there they found Lestrade sitting outside what they assumed was Erika's cell, filling out some paperwork.

"Ex-husband," Sherlock said. "Suffocated her with a plastic bag, left the stove on and burnt down the house."

"Okay," Lestrade answered, looking up. "Do you want to see her?"

"Why do you think I'm here?" Sherlock said, his tone condescending. Lestrade sighed and opened the door. Sherlock, Lestrade and John all walked in to find Erika lying stretched out on the bed comfortably. She looked up when they entered.

"Hello boys. 'Bout time you turned up."

"Got busy solving a murder," Sherlock said dryly and Erika waved her hand in the air.

"Excuses, Excuses."

"Umm…Sherlock," Lestrade said, butting in. "Are you going to pay her bail?"

Sherlock took a deep breath in, looked down at Erika and shook his head. She, to everyone's great surprised, laughed.

"Fine, I'll see you for dinner."

"Seven o'clock, don't be late." He turned to leave but Lestrade stopped him.

"Wait, you're not paying bail."

"No."

"Then Anderson will press charges. She'll end up in jail, Sherlock."

"No she won't."

"But unless you pay bail-"

"No, unless someone pays bail." And with that he walked out of the cell with a smile at Erika. Lestrade turned to John confused who smiled slightly.

"He's letting his brother meet the Missus. Bye Erika." And with a wave he was gone as well. Lestrade chuckled slightly and turned to his prisoner. She smiled at him.

"Any chance of some room service?" He laughed.

"Maybe when his big brother collects you." He started to leave when he was stopped by Erika calling after him.

"Inspector?" He turned to face her and she grinned. "You're welcome."

With that, Lestrade left, waiting until he got into the life before bursting into a fit of laughter. Erika Butler could be the perfect woman for Sherlock Holmes.