Enola Holmes HIDDEN IRIS'

1 - The game is afoot!

Kindrea's POV:

As Tewkesbury sat down I continued to make my tea, "So..." I started, pouring the boiling water into the teapot, "Tell me about your 'uh friend', what is the evidence?"
The boy pulled out papers from his coat, "Um, I don't understand half of what is written but-" I took the papers from his hand as I placed the teapot on the table, "I know she was taken at 03:27 am March 20th, her name is Enola," he informed me.
Looking over the writing quickly I caught a few things, torn silk from a shirt collar, broken window latch, "How old is she?" I asked, plucking the photo of a pretty girl from the file.
'Enola' Where do I know that name?
"She's eighteen," Tewkesbury replied, "Will you help?" He half begged, his eyes pleading with me.
I glanced between the paper and the boy, "Did Sherlock give up the case?" I questioned.
How did the boy hear of me? Why did he seek me out?
"Well, no, but-" I interrupted him.
"No," I tossed the paper back on the table, if this boy had any idea what working with or rather under Sherlock was like he wouldn't be here in the first place.
I stood heading towards the door to show him out, "What!" He yelled, flustered at my quick response, "But, Sherlock isn't able to find her, y-you could investigate privately, I'll pay you lots!" He started taking out stacks of money.
"Look, Sherlock will figure it out," I rolled my eyes, "Just go away," I waved to the door.
Tewkesbury slouched, "You-I was hoping you could help," he started his little speech, a small smile gracing his lips as he spoke, "Enola is a detective too, she is brilliant, I know you to be the same," he focused his eyes on me, my eyebrows pulling together in confusion, "You may not remember but if you won't help for money will you help an old friend?" he asked, "I remember when you taught me about the local flora in the gardens," Tewkesbury smiled, a small laugh slipping from his lips. "I still love plants to this day because of you," he finished.
I looked him over, the small boy I used to know still dancing in his eyes, "You little shit," I breathed.
"You were the best babysitter I had," Tewkesbury's smile fell, "Will you help me find her?" He tried one last time, "I love her," he desperately stated.
I shook my head smiling, how was this small untame boy now the posh male in front of me.

'And this is a wild mushroom known as Agaricus Lanipes,' I told the young boy.
'Agarisus lanpeas' he tried to say the name.
Laughing I shook my head crouching in front of him, 'Agaricus Lanipes' I repeated.
'Agaricus Lanipes,' the small boy repeated.

"You got tall," I smiled at the memory, the boy not focusing on our reunion but rather my answer, "Fine, Tewkes, i'll help, but no Sherlock!" I said harshly.
Tewkes grinned from ear to ear, "Thank you! I have two train tickets for the morning for us both!" He told me, I gave him a questioning look that asked why he had two tickets, the boy only exiting my cottage with a large grin, "The train leaves at ten am," he announced as he walked into the darkness.

--

Stepping off the 4 and a half hour train ride with Tewkesbury on my tail I hauled my bag over my shoulder, examining the people around the platform.
Stares from men that screamed of disgust and gasps of shock from women told me London had not changed one bit, trousers on a woman is absurd, oh no, trousers on a coloured woman even worse.
I rolled my eyes, turning back to Tewkesbury who stood no further than a foot away from me, "Personal space is still a thing in England, is it not?" I smirked as the boy stubbled a few steps back.
"Ther-uh-Carriage! Waiting for us," he stuttered, the male turning back into the young boy I used to know with his clumsy words.

After a short ride in the carriage we arrived at a hotel in the middle of Londen, the room was large, queen bed, kitchen, sitting area, honestly too big for just one person, "Here you go," Tewkesbury tipped the attendant, closing the door.
"I need the address of where Enola was taken," I called to Tewkesbury as he strode over to me.
"Why?" He asked, stopping at my side as I looked out the window.
The people below rushed to places they needed to be, the busy landscape unfamiliar yet seemed to greet me like an old friend, I haven't been to London in ten years, now it greeted me as a college, a case ready to be solved.
I rolled my eyes, this boy didn't know anything about detective work, "I need to see the scene, analyze the crime," I informed the boy, a look of realization coating his features.
"Oh, of course, here," he started scribbling the address down, handing me the paper.
I took the paper when he was finished, folding it and placing it into my pocket, "I'll tell you when I find something important or I need something," I opened up my bag pulling out the case file, pins and some different coloured string, "Until then, Tewkes," I glanced up at the boy, smiling as a gesture of farewell and started putting together the information I had.
Tewkesbury left with a small nod, "Right, I'll let you do the-um... detecting," I chuckled at his wording, the door closing soon after.

By the time night fell I had finished putting together the clues, my board was covered in only a small amount of green string, the orange and red taking over the unknown parts of the crime, I needed to see the crime scene.
London was my home, was, so long ago, the streets were familiar to my distant nineteen year old-self, but to my 30 year old-self, the streets were busy and chaotic, to many people.
Why did I come to London?
I questioned myself too often now that I was back, the atmosphere was messing with my mind as I walked the dark corridor of buildings, finding my way to the scene of the kidnapping.
I pushed open the door to the address Tewkesbury had given me, Enola's home, the door was unlocked, the tape outside dangling freely for anyone to enter, I first followed the path of struggle from the window, this didn't seem right... The blood splatters were too perfect, not indicating any direction, my next stop was at the window, the latch was broken, basically snapped off, but it was broken from the inside...
This was staged.
I crouched by the boot scuffs, too men, Enola wasn't taken here, she was kidnapped somewhere else.
How did Sherlock miss this?
I grazed my fingers along the floor boards, looking to the wall as light flooded in, a single panel loose from the otherwise well built wall, standing straight I walked to the loose panel, lifting my hand to pull the wood back slightly to reveal what was underneath.
"Ahh!" I screamed as a large hand yanked me from my position, throwing me to the floor, "Bloody hell!" I hissed, looking up at the dark figure stalking towards me, crawling back on my elbows to get away. "That is no way to treat a lady!" I yelled, kicking my foot into the man's shin.
A groan escaped the figure's mouth, the man pulling me up by my neck and slamming me against the wall with the loose panel, "Who are you?" He asked, his voice deep with anger.
I grunted as my head slammed against the wood, "Ow!" I reached for my belt with a hidden knife in the band, "I suggest you let me go, unless you want to die?" I growled, placing the knife to his neck. Another light passed the window, the man's face revealed by the dull light, "Sherlock?" I questioned, looking over the adult features of the boy I used to know.