Chapter 4: Where Are You?
When Scarlett got in Bruce greeted her with earnest, he jumped up slightly making her take a step back and he was hardly a small dog. She took him for a short walk and then feed him before sitting down in front of the TV; Bruce joined her lying by her feet.
Scarlett's phone buzzed and she pulled it from her pocket,
'Sorry about Sherlock, hope WE are still good, John X' read the text.
'Of course we are good; I just think sometimes Sherlock forgets how to be human lol' she texted back. Scarlett was still a little annoyed at Sherlock's pure bluntness but accepted that just who he was, and she wasn't going to let it ruin her relationship with John.
By 3oclock Scarlett had fallen asleep on the sofa, her mouth agape and her arm hanging over the slide. She was woken by a loud ringing sound. It took her a few seconds to realise it was her home phone; she struggled to get up from her position and almost fell over Bruce who was lying at her feet, finally on the final ring she picked up.
"Hello" she said groggily
"Scarlett! Are you OK" came a voice, for a second it didn't dawn on her who it was, she had never heard worry in his voice before, in fact she hadn't every really heard any emotion at all.
"Are you OK" Sherlock called again his voice was more demanding now.
"Yes yes I'm fine why" Scarlett said confused rubbing her eyes slightly.
"Why did it take you so long to pick up" he said his voice weak, it sounded like he was running.
"I was asleep" She said still confused.
"Why what's wrong" Scarlett questioned worriedly as she sat back on the sofa.
"Nothing... yet, me and John are on our way, we'll be at yours soon, I'll explain then, don't answer your phone or the door and don't leave, no matter what don't leave" he said sternly
"Taxi!" he shouted and the phone went dead. Scarlett's mobile bleeped angrily and she picked it up. '10 messages, 4 missed calls' the display read:
John called at 3:50PM
John Called at 3:53PM
John Called at 3:55PM
Unknown Called at 3:56PM
Messages:
Message from Jay: sorry can't make it tonight, I'll call you XXX
Message from John: Sherlock says you could be in danger, call me! John x
Message from John: you need to call me, you could be in Danger! John x
Message from Unknown: Don't leave your house SH
Message from John: Are you ok, where are you, John X
Message from Unknown: Call me or John we need to know you are ok SH
Message from John: If you are in danger just txt back YES
Message from John: please call me we are on our way
Message from Unknown: Don't answer the door SH
Message from John: Call me! John X
Scarlett wondered what was going on but before she had much time the intercom buzzed
"Hello" Scarlett said warily
"Scarlett it's us let us up" she heard John's voice call.
Scarlett pressed the button, realising the door for them. Scarlett went over to were Bruce now stood "Guard" she said to him quietly and he stood up to his full height, his eyes fixed on the door as he stood in front of her protectively.
Scarlett held onto his collar just encase it really was Sherlock and John, the door pushed open and Sherlock stood there with John not far behind. Bruce barked and growled loudly and pulled at her grip on his collar.
"Calm" Scarlett shouted over his barks and he stopped pulling and looked up at her dumbly.
"Go on, get out of here" she said to the Great Dane who padded off in the direction of her bedroom.
"It was stupid to allow us in without making sure it was us" said Sherlock as he looked around Scarlett's small flat, as if searching for something or someone.
"Well if you weren't who you said you were, then Bruce would have ripped your throat out" Scarlett said, she was sure of that. Bruce may be stupid sometimes but he was a damn good guard dog, it was one of the reasons she had chosen his breed.
Sherlock looked at Scarlett as if he was going to argue the point, but shut his mouth as Bruce padded up to him, his head level with Sherlock's waist, his droopy eyes looking up at him.
"Anyway what's going on" Scarlett asked
"Sherlock thinks you're in trouble" said John sticking his head in the bathroom before retreating again.
"I know that much but why"
Sherlock seemed to bypass your question entirely
"Why didn't you text back or answer any of the calls to your mobile" he asked picking it up, and looking at it strangely.
"I told you I was asleep and it was on vibrate" Scarlett said to him sitting down, Bruce laid down at her feet sleepily.
"Have you had any strange calls or activity in the area recently, someone new moved in" Sherlock asked stopping his search now and looking directly at her.
"Err no" Scarlett said thinking, and then she remembered last night.
"Oh wait yes, last night around 9, 10 o'clock someone buzzed the intercom, when I answered they said they had broken down and wondered if I had any jump leads, I said no. There's no point in driving in London, but I told them upstairs might since he drives, then this is the weird bit. When I looked out there was a car in the middle of the road, but it's engine was running, there was no way that had broken down, and well they didn't even call upstairs because I went straight to the window when I put the intercom down and I saw this man walking out to the car, and he just drove away" Scarlett said looking to Sherlock.
Suddenly he was pacing again and it was almost as if she could see his brain working at double the pace of anyone else's.
"He was making sure you lived here. Why didn't you tell us this before" he asked though he didn't look at her and continued to pace.
"Urr because I forgot about it, I thought it was some kind of prank" Scarlett said very confused now, though she was fascinated completely by Sherlock.
Suddenly he stopped and for a few second he just stood there his eyes wide and a look on his face that could only be described as a eureka moment.
"Stupid Stupid Stupid, how could I be so Stupid, It's so simple, he doesn't know Scarlett knows us, he was just boasting. He's such a child!" he shouted before he dashed out the door, leaving both Scarlett and John looking utterly bewildered
"What just happened" Scarlett asked John,
"Sherlock just happened" and within seconds of John's remark, Sherlock face had appeared around the door way.
"Coming?" he asked his face lit with excitement.