The Consulting Detective and the Kitsune

Chapter VI: A Study in Pink: pt IV

(Sherlock dashed out of the building and down the street. He's on mission. To find the suitcase. Running down the first alleyway he came to Sherlock began his search.  It wasn't more than an hour before he found the right alleyway and dumpster. Smiling in success, Sherlock quickly makes his way to the main road and back to Baker Street.)

(Arriving at Baker Street, Sherlock makes a haste retreat to his flat only to stop just inside at the sight of the youngest Watson sibling sound asleep on the couch. However that isn't what stopped the Consulting Detective, but the sight of the fox ears on top of they young woman's head along with the silver tail curled around her slim body and covered the lower part of her face. Shacking his head, Sherlock got to work on the case at hand, he would speak to John when he returned.)

(Lestrade, baffled, turns and goes back into the room while Anderson and his team, who had been waiting on the next landing down, hurry up the stairs and follow him into the room.)

Anderson: Let's get on with it.

(Forgotten by everyone else, John hesitates on the landing for a moment and then slowly starts making his way down the stairs. A couple more police officers hurry up and one of them bumps against him, throwing him off-balance and making him lurch heavily against the bannisters. The man hurries on without a word, although his colleague does at least look apologetically at John as he passes. John regains his balance and continues down the stairs.

(Shortly afterwards he has removed his coverall and put his jacket back on, and now walks out onto the street. Looking all around, he can see no sign of Sherlock. He walks towards the police tape, still looking around. Donovan, standing at the tape, sees him.)

Donovan: He's gone.

John: Who, Sherlock Holmes?

Donovan: Yeah, he just took off. He does that.

John: Is he coming back?

Donovan: Didn't look like it.

John: Right.

(He looks around the area again thoughtfully, unsure what to do.)

John: Right ... Yes.

(He turns to Donovan again.)

John: Sorry, where am I?

Donovan: Brixton.

John: Right. Er, d'you know where I could get a cab? It's just, er ... well ... (he looks down awkwardly at his walking stick) ... my leg.

Donovan: Er ... (she steps over to the tape and lifts it for him) ... try the main road.

John (ducking under the tape): Thanks.

Donovan: But you're not his friend.

(John turns back towards her.)

Donovan: He doesn't have friends. So who are you?

John: I'm ... I'm nobody. I just met him.

Donovan: Okay, bit of advice then: stay away from that guy.

John: Why?

Donovan: You know why he's here? He's not paid or anything. He likes it. He gets off on it. The weirder the crime, the more he gets off. And you know what? One day just showing up won't be enough. One day we'll be standing round a body and Sherlock Holmes'll be the one that put it there.

John: Why would he do that?

Donovan: Because he's a psychopath. And psychopaths get bored.

Lestrade (calling from the entrance to the house): Donovan!