Chapter 9: Something Doesn't Fit Here
John stared at his friend, who was looking into the cup of Espresso in front of him.
"So, where have you seen this picture," the blogger asked curiously.
"That's the problem. I honestly don't know. I saw it in one of my dreams. Maybe it means nothing."
"No. No Sherlock. Dreams are pictures our brain takes while we weren't noticing. I am sure it has a meaning."
The detective was looking at the postcard but he had no clue as where to go. He stood up from the table and the blogger already knew, what his friend was up to. Both men went for the car and seconds later they were on the road again.
When they finally arrived at the police station, John was heavily panting from the heat. Today was a very hot day and the doctor was thankful that he had brought a bottle of water with him. Sherlock, unaffected by the warm breeze stepped out of the car and headed for the entrance. John decided to stay where he was. The Mini-Cooper had air conditioning, so why leave the car if not necessary?
Meanwhile, Sherlock was greeted by officer Nevio Tedesco, who was giving him a strong handshake.
"Detective Sherlock Holmes. Nice to see you again. How can I help you?"
Sherlock came to the point directly, "Do you recognise this picture?" showing the postcard.
Tedesco looked at it but had no idea. "I've never seen this one before. Should I know it?"
The detective was getting more and more impatient. Every time he had a new clue, it seemed like a dead end. He turned round, facing the other officers, "Has anyone ever seen this picture?"
Silence. They were staring at him like he was a ghost.
"Well, seems it's useless to ask the police for help," Sherlock let out and left the station.
John, who was sitting in the cold car, already knew it was bad news and prepared himself for the outburst he knew was coming.
The detective pulled the door open, stepped inside and started to yell, "Why is it that no one, and I really mean no one, wants to help me with my investigation?"
"I'm sure they want to, but I guess they don't know much here," the doctor said dryly.
"So, what now? I'm getting desperate, John. Believe it or not, I have the feeling we won't solve this case."
"Maybe you're putting too much pressure on yourself. Remember, we were supposed to be on vacation. It was never planned we go crime solving."
The detective looked at his blogger and sighed. John was right. He had gone too far. The thought of finally finding out about his grandmother had pushed him somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. Not on his holiday. He sighed, defeated. "You're right John. I did go too far. This is a dead end. Let's drive home."
When they drove out of Gallipoli, Sherlock decided to show John his favourite beach. The beach was called Lido Conchiglie. The beach was famous for its crabs and fish, which were always hiding in the stones. Maybe this will be able to calm him down a little.
Thankfully, it wasn't tourist time, so the beach was more than less empty. The seagulls were flying around, the waves strong and loud. Sherlock walked onto the stones and took a deep breath. This was the reason he was here. No crime, no chasing, just silence. John walked next to him, staring at the horizon. "Amazing, isn't it?"
"Of course, it is. Salento is a beautiful place."
"Yes, it is. I'm kind of jealous," the doctor replied.
"Why?"
"Because you know this place. You have family here."
"I had. There is no one left."
"But some of their spirit is still in your heart," John whispered.
"How can you say that?"
"Because, Sherlock, the way you behave here shows me how much your grandmother loved you."
The two friends were standing there, watching the waves and the seagulls above the water, when suddenly John jumped up, screaming, "Jesus Christ!"
Sherlock, totally surprised by the sudden reaction of his best friend, lost his balance and fell into the water. John, immediately fearing the worst, looked down into the crystal blue water, where Sherlock was trying to get back to the sandy beach. When he came out of the water he looked at John, his face a mixture of anger and surprise.
"I hope you had a good reason to throw me off balance," he shouted while walking back to John.
"I'm sorry. Something was running over my foot."
"Something?"
The blogger stared at the ground. "A crab. It was a crab and I was scared it would hurt me."
Now Sherlock's face changed into a bright grin. "You were scared of a 2cm big crab?"
"Yes, I was. Sorry for not warning you. I never expected them to walk around," the blogger replied.
"Oh, they do. If there aren't any tourists around, they come out of their holes, walking around freely," the detective informed.
"Thanks for sharing," John mumbled kind of angry.
The sun was burning on their skin and both decided it was time to find a cold spot to avoid another sunburn. There was no such place, so the both headed back for their car.
"So, how are we going to spend the last week of our holidays?" Sherlock wanted to know.
"I don't know. I would like to taste some ice cream, I want to visit Gallipoli at night when all of the carousels are open and I want to taste something typical Italian."
Sherlock looked amazed at his best friend. The doctor was smiling brightly and the detective felt kind of relieved. At least his blogger hasn't lost his good mood.
When they returned home, it was almost 4PM and both men decided, that they needed a shower. As always, Sherlock wasn't afraid of presenting himself naked outside, whereas John still preferred privacy.
"So, are we going out tonight," John asked while enjoying the cold of the water.
"If you want to?"
"God yes. I need a change. The last days were very turbulent," John replied.
"Can't argue with that. So, what are we going to do?"
"Gallipoli first. I need some adrenalin today."
"Okay, works for me," the detective yelled through the sound of the water.
Suddenly, both men stopped.
"Did you hear that," John asked nervously.
"Unfortunately, yes." Sherlock entered the kitchen and walked into the living room, where the pandora box was still on the table. There was music playing. Again.
"I thought it was over," John whispered while following Sherlock.
"That's what I thought, too. Seems like I was wrong."
John, still wet from the shower, was rubbing his hair with the towel while listening to the music. "This is spooky."
"I wouldn't say spooky, but strange it is," Sherlock admitted.
"Do you know the music?"
Suddenly, the detective's mood changed.
"Are you alright?" John looked at him worried.
"Last time I heard this melody was when I was a little boy. My grandmother used to hear it a lot."
Sherlock was trying to supress the lump in his throat. All of a sudden, he burst out in tears, screaming, "Why?! Why did she run away? Why did she leave me? I tried to protect her! I really tried."
John padded his shoulder, "It's alright Sherl. You did everything you could. I'm sure it had nothing to do with you," he whispered softly.
"Why this music? What am I missing?"
"Come on Sherl. I believe in your skills. I know how talented you are and I'm sure you will find your answers."
"This song is from Albano and Romina Power. It's called 'Felicita' and talks about all the beautiful things in life like an unexpected telephone call or a glass of wine with a little piece of bread."
"Maybe the pandora box isn't solved yet?" John was taking the box from the table, looking at it. "No change here."
"It's a hidden message but I have no idea what it means." The detective wiped his eyes with the towel and stepped into his sleeping room.
"Are we still planning to go out this evening," the blogger asked shamefully.
"I'm keeping my promise. Just give me a little space to think."
Sherlock had kept his promise and brought John to Gallipoli, where the real life was happening.
Everything was glowing in all kinds of colours and John didn't know where to look first.
"God this is so amazing," the doctor whispered.
Sherlock, not looking very impressed, just smiled back at his best friend. He wasn't in the mood for pleasure, but seeing John happy was more important at this moment.
"Oh Sherlock, this looks risky. I want to try it," the blogger said while looking at the carrousel in front of them.
"Disco Fever? You want to try Disco Fever," the detective asked amused.
"It looks like fun, so why not? You joining me?"
How could he not join his best friend when he was asking for some fun? Sherlock nodded and both men stepped into the carrousel after paying a lot of money for one ride.
The Disco Fever started its rotation and John already was giggling. Meanwhile, Sherlock was trying to analyse the device. The rotation started to increase and the first teenagers were starting to jump or walk in the middle of the platform. The Disco Fever started to jump and the young men were kept out of balance. One guy was left in the middle, presenting some spectacular moves. John also wanted to try the middle, so he headed for the middle spot, trying to hold his balance. He failed and was thrown at one of the seats. Sherlock, still not impressed, walked into the middle where the young teenager was still dancing and started his own movements. John's mouth fell open when he saw how talented the detective really was. The whole ride Sherlock stayed in the middle, jumping, walking and dancing without being thrown around. His moves were so amazing that a lot of young people were now watching the show. When the ride was finally over, both men stepped out and a wave of applause followed. The detective didn't understand why they were all applauding.
"Guess they like you," John whispered amused.
"Why? I only calculated the speed and gravity levels and the rest was just adjusting the body to those levels."
John stopped abruptly and looked at Sherlock, his face covered with a stunned look. "You're lying! You're really lying you bastard! You knew this one, didn't you?"
"Was it that obvious," Sherlock asked with a smile on his face.
They walked further and when they came across a fish stand, John stopped.
"You're interested in fish?" The detective looked at his blogger who was checking the menu list.
"Why not? I like 'Frittura mista di pesce'."
"Try it. I'm sure you will like it," Sherlock encouraged him.
"Aren't you eating?"
"I'm not hungry right now. Too much is going on in my mind."
"You still can't let go that case, can you?" John gave him a worried look.
"Not really, but today is your day and I don't want to ruin it with my thoughts."
After John had taken his fish, they sat down at a table. The blogger was picking up some of the fried calamari and tasted it. "It's delicious. O my God."
Sherlock didn't seem to listen. He was staring somewhere, his mind miles away.
While John was eating, something caught sherlock's eye and he stood up, walking away very fast.
The blogger, surprised by the sudden movement, followed him.
"Wait, where are you going?"
And before John got an answer, he already saw what his friend was seeing.
"Jesus…," he whispered while looking at the poster in front of him.
"You recognise this?" Sherlock asked while staring at the picture.
"It's him. The Joker," John replied kind of scared.
"It is indeed. John, I think we have found a new clue."
"So, what is this Joker and where can we find him?" the blogger asked.
"This poster is from a magician. He's called Bruno Misterioso and can be found in Alezio SP361."
"SP361 doesn't sound like a real street name," the blogger whispered.
"This is a house without a house number. You are informed that the house can be found on this road SP361, the rest is looking."
"And when are you planning to visit this place?"
"If you are ready for answers, right now," Sherlock said excited.
"I am! I want to know which connection he and Laura had." John was getting curious, too now.
"Alright," Sherlock grinned while getting the last calamari from John's plate. "Let's go."
They drove for fifteen minutes before finally recognising the right house. It was already dark and John wondered how the detective was so sure that he had found the right house.
"Before you ask, look around. There is no light from the houses and if you look even closer into Google Maps, you will see that on this road there are only a few buildings left. This is the only house where lights are on."
John looked around. "You are right. It has to be this one. But why does he live here far away from the people?"
"That's what we need to find out now," the detective whispered and stepped out of the car.
The house was more a villa than a house and John was very impressed by the building. The cicadas could be heard everywhere and the smell of pinewood penetrated their nostrils. Bruno was living the Italian dream. He was independent and free. Somehow, Sherlock was attracted to this place the very first moment he had been stepping out of his car.
When they reached the front door of the villa, the door opened and a man with long brown curled hair and almost the same height as Sherlock greeted them. "I already expected you," Bruno said and asked the men to enter.
Sherlock looked around. For a place where magic should be, the building seemed more or less boring. It had the charm of a lovely home but nothing more. The detective was kind of disappointed. Bruno seemed to read his mind. "I know what you're thinking. But be warned, things aren't always what they seem." The magician walked into the kitchen, while John and Sherlock sat on the sofa, looking around.
"What is this place?" John asked quietly.
"I'm not sure yet but we will find out."
"This man is kind of spooky."
Bruno returned with some biscuits and coffee. Sherlock wasn't sure if he should take the offer and when he decided to be sceptical, his best friend was already eating a biscuit, followed by some coffee. There was no choice now. If he wouldn't take the offer, he was making himself suspicious and that was the last thing he needed. His mind told him to be careful but the curiosity was stronger and so he took a biscuit and coffee, too.
As soon as he had swallowed some of the food, he started to feel dizzy. He glanced at John, whose head was lolling from one side to the other. Brilliant. They had been drugged and Sherlock feared the worst. He tried to fight the darkness but failed. His eyes closed and then he knew no more…
The first thing he became aware of was a throbbing headache and the fact that he was surrounded by noise. He could hear people chattering. What the hell did happen? And where was John? John. He needed to be sure that his best friend was okay. Still dizzy, he called his best friend's name.
"I'm here Sherlock. I'm here." The voice was faint but steady. The detective opened his eyes and looked to the left, where the voice was coming from. John was laying on a lounger, no obvious injuries.
"Are you hurt?" Sherlock asked worried.
"No, just nauseous that's all."
The blogger looked around. "Where are we?"
"I don't know. But from the amount of people talking, I would say we aren't alone."
"Wow, that was an amazing deduction Sherlock," John whispered ironically.
"Sorry, my brain is still trying to get rid of the fog," the detective replied calmly.
"It's so loud here. Why can't they shut up?" Watson complained.
For the first time, the detective was able to open his eyes without seeing stars. And when he looked around, he was confused and astounded at the same time. John was also able to focus now and like Sherlock, he was impressed by the sight.
They were both lying on a lounger, like another thirty people around them. They were in a big room, or to be more precise, a hall. It looked like a circus arena and the lounges were positioned all around it, so everyone had a good sightline.
"What the hell is going on here?" John whispered to Sherlock.
"I don't know, but I'm sure we are going to find out soon."
A young woman, very thin with blond hair was walking around, offering sparkling wine and crackers. She was talking with an accent, so it was clear she wasn't from here. The woman was beautiful. Normally, Sherlock wouldn't notice but she was different. He didn't know why, but he had to look at her.
"Some sparkling wine for you, Sir?" she asked shyly.
The detective nodded and she handed him a golden glass.
"Where are you from? I can hear it in your accent that you aren't from here," Sherlock stated while looking into her blue eyes.
"I am not allowed to talk to guests. I am only serving," she replied and walked away.
When the woman was out of sight, John bent towards Sherlock and burst out, "Now what was that?"
"What was what?"
"That look on your face when you saw that woman?" John teased.
"It was nothing. Just chatting."
"Oh, was it?"
"Yes. And now shut up and enjoy the show," Sherlock mumbled while the arena was getting darker.
The curtain opened and immediately all people stopped talking. It was now that Sherlock discovered that all the people were wearing masks. But why?
A man with a black suit, a long purple cape and a black hat on his head appeared in the middle.
"Uomine e donne, welcome to Bruno Misterioso's Magic Show. Here you will see things, you never would have imagined. Enjoy the show and have a good time. And remember: Never trust your eyes."
The light was turned off for a few seconds and when it returned, Bruno was sitting on a chair, suddenly starting to fly. The people were amazed and applauded, even John seemed impressed. A lot of very fascinating stunts were shown like falling on the ground from a high pedestal without breaking any bones. Even Sherlock was starting to wonder how it was done. Bruno really was a master of this kind and it was obvious that he had been doing this for a very long time.
Now a coffin appeared in the middle and another beautiful brown-haired woman entered the stage. She didn't seem scared and lay herself in the coffin without hesitation. She was even smiling at the people. What now happened was kind of bizarre. Bruno closed the coffin and started to saw the coffin in two parts. Loud music was playing and the people were holding their breath. Above the coffin was a mirror, so everyone was able to look inside. And when the separated parts of the coffin opened, the people saw a face on one side and legs on the other side. The woman was smiling and everyone was wondering how this was possible. Bruno smiled and put the coffin back together. The lid opened and the woman stepped out of it, smiling brightly. While John was applauding and enjoying the show, Sherlock was rubbing his chin. Something was not right here but he wasn't sure what made him doubt.
The show continued and after one more hour, Bruno told the guests that this was going to be the last act for tonight and said goodbye to the people. For the finale, the magician had another woman at his side. He took her roughly and shoved her into a door and closed it. There was a loud explosion with a lot of fireworks and when the door opened again, the woman was standing right behind the guests and Bruno was gone. While everyone was still applauding, a white fog slowly filled the room and before Sherlock had time to warn John, the lights went out and they drifted into another deep sleep…