Vatican Cameos (A BBC Sherlock Fanfiction)

24. The Invisible Man

"Let's play a game." Says Sherlock.

He raises his eyes while lowering his head a little more, staring intensely out into the room.

"Let's play Murder."

Behind him, John sits down again. Sherlock prowls forward, his eyes flickering around the room at the guests.

"Sherlock." Says Mrs H, disapprovingly.

"Imagine someone's going to get murdered at a wedding. Who exactly would you pick?" Says Sherlock.

"I think you're a popular choice at the moment, dear." Says Mrs Hudson.

"If someone could move Mrs Hudson's glass just slightly out of reach, that would be lovely. More importantly, who could you only kill at a wedding?" Sherlock says.

He turns back to look at the guests and gives each one – both the men and the women – a new tag reading, 'TARGET?'

"Most people you can kill any old place. As a mental exercise, I've often planned the murder of friends and colleagues."

Rubbing his hands together in an Evil Genius sort of way, he walks back along the room, then gestures towards John.

"Now John I'd poison."

Mary nervously looks across to her husband.

"Sloppy eater – dead easy. I've given him chemicals and compounds – that way, he's never even noticed. He missed a whole Wednesday once, didn't have a clue. Lestrade's so easy to kill, it's a miracle no-one's succumbed to the temptation." He turns and heads towards the back of the room again.

"I've got a pair of keys to my brother's house – I could easily break in there and asphyxiate him."

He makes strangly gestures with his hands, then seems to realise that he may have gone too far.

"... if, if the whim arose."

"He's pissed, isn't he?" Says Tom, to Molly.

Without even looking round at him, Molly stabs a plastic fork onto the back of his hand.

"Ow!" He says.

"So, once again, who could you only kill here?" Says Sherlock.

He turns and faces the guests again.

"Clearly it's a rare opportunity, so it's someone who doesn't get out much."

Some guests – and their tags – have vanished. Sherlock removing them from the list of possible targets.

"Someone for whom a planned social encounter known about months in advance is an exception. Has to be a unique opportunity."

He turns around and more of the guests have gone.

"And since killing someone in public is difficult ..."

He turns again and more guests have disappeared.

"... killing them in private isn't an option. Someone who lives in an inaccessible or unknown location, then."

He turns again and all the visible seats are now empty. Except for one.

"Someone private, perhaps, obsessed with personal security."

One final 'TARGET?' tag remains as he walks forward. It is pointing at the only person left in the room. Sherlock turns to face him. It is Major Sholto.

"Possibly someone under threat."

As if sensing Sherlock's gaze, Sholto turns and looks at him. Sherlock stares back at him.