Cuts

Untitled Part 13

 

We go back to 221B and Sherlock leads us inside. He goes to the fireplace and looks at the photos as he takes off his coat. I go and lay on the couch. I was pissed at Sherlock still, confused with Mycroft, and sad. I turn to the back and curl up.

“They’ll be back in China by tomorrow.” John says.

“No, they won’t leave without what they came for. We need to find their hide-out: the rendezvous.” I hear Sherlock moving around. “Somewhere in this message it must tell us.”

“Well, I think perhaps I should leave you to it.” Sarah asks.

“No, no you don’t have to go…” John says. He turns to Sherlock. “does she?” John asks Sherlock. He turns to Sarah. “You can stay.”

Sherlock says at the same time. “Yes, it would be better to study if you left now.”

I laugh softly and sit up. “He’s kidding. Please stay if you’d like.” John tells Sarah.

“Is it just me, or is anyone else starving?” Sarah asks and tries to smile in a friendly approach.

Sherlock sighs. “Ooh, God.”

Sherlock sits at the dining table with is covered with photos, notes, and drawings of various pictograms. I stand on the wall behind Sherlock’s chair to get a view of everyone and Sarah stands nearby Sherlock, looking at all the pictures stuck to the mirror. John is in the kitchen opens the fridge and sighs. I’m guessing he found something he didn’t want to find.

“So this is what you do, you and John. You solve puzzles for a living.” Sarah asks.

“Calliah helps too.” Sherlock says and looks at me. He frowns when he sees that I am frowning. He looks back down at the photos. “Consulting detective.” He says to Sarah.

“Oh.” She says.

John moves to the cupboard. He sniffs something and recoils. “Oh!” He puts it back and continues on searching.

Sarah walks over to Sherlock and looks over his shoulder. She points to the paper he’s looking at. “What are these squiggles?” She asks.

I notice that Sherlock is trying not to kill her and looks up. “They’re numbers. An ancient Chinese dialect.” Sherlock says, he doesn’t look round still.

“Oh, right! Yeah, well, of course I should have known that.” Sarah says and smiles. I roll my eyes. I did not care for this girl all that much.

John has found a bag of Wotsits and is emptying them into a bowl. I see Mrs. Hudson come in and start talking to John. She had a tray covered with a tea towel. She puts the tray on the table and takes off the tea towel. I see them talking and then turn my attention to Sherlock and Sarah.

I see that Sherlock is thinking about how to kill Sarah and where to put the body. I see Sarah pick up the photo of the brick wall. Sherlock glares at her in utter fury and turns his head away, his teeth bared.

“So these numbers – it’s a cipher.” Sarah tries to understand what Sherlock was doing and was totally oblivious to this rage.

“Exactly.” Sherlock says tightly.

“And each pair of numbers is a word” Sarah goes on.

Sherlock lifts his head slowly.  “How did you know that?” He turns and meets her eyes.

“Well, two words have already been translated, here.” Sarah says and puts the photo down on the desk and points. Sherlock takes the photo from her and stares at it.