How They Met Alice (BBC Sherlock Fanfiction)

Chapter 32 -A Scandal In Belgravia

(221B BAKER STREET, Third Person View: )

 Mrs. Hudson picked up a mug and an almost empty bottle of milk from the mantelpiece and walked into the kitchen, tutting in exasperation at the mess in there. Putting the mug onto the table she took the milk across to the fridge door and opened it, recoiling from the smell emanating from inside. Putting the milk into the fridge door she picked up the offending smelly item and dropped it into the bin then pulled open the salad crisper at the bottom and took out a clear plastic bag from it. Peering at the contents, she cringed as she realized what’s inside.

 “Ooh dear! Thumbs!” She cried out. She dropped the bag back into the salad crisper, then turned as an overweight man stumbled into the kitchen through the side door and stared at her wide-eyed and confused.

 “The door was... the door was...” He stammered, breathing heavily. He dropped to the floor in a faint. Mrs. Hudson stared at him in terror for a moment then called out.

 “Alice! Boys! You’ve got another one!” She bent down to the unconscious man. “Ooh!”

 Later, the man – whose name was Phil – had regained consciousness and was sitting on one of the dining table chairs in the middle of the lounge. He was staring rather blankly in front of him. John was sitting on the sofa behind him and Sherlock was pacing, Alice in his chair, as usual.

 “Tell us from the start. Don’t be boring.” Sherlock said sternly.

 “About fourteen hours ago somewhere out in the country my car had broken down. I tried to start the engine countless times but it just whined and refused to start. I got out again and tweaked a few connections hopefully. I looked around but there was no sign of any other traffic on the road. I looked into the field at the side of the road. The field stretched down to a river some distance away and a man wearing a red jacket was standing at the edge of a stream which led down to the river. He had his back to the road. I looked at him for a moment but he was too far away to have even noticed what was happening. Eventually I got back into the car again and tried once more to start the engine. It whined and then backfired. I looked across towards the river and realized that the man was lying on the ground. I got out of my car and stared. I called out to see if he was okay, but he didn’t respond or react. I kept asking, heading down. But he had fallen onto his back with a lot of blood underneath him.”

 Many hours later a crime scene had been set up at the riverside. A young police officer brought a mobile phone over to Detective Inspector Carter.

 “Sir. A phone call for you.” He said, handing him the mobile.

 “Carter.” The DI started.  Lestrade was at the other end of the line, sitting in his car at Baker Street.

 “Have you heard of Sherlock Holmes? Or Alice White?” Lestrade asked him.

 “Who?” Carter asked, shaking his head a bit.

 “Well, you’re about to meet them now. This is your case. It’s entirely up to you. This is just friendly advice, but give Sherlock five minutes on your crime scene and listen to everything that he has to say. And as far as possible, try not to punch him. And don’t mind Alice... she doesn’t really talk much.” As Lestrade had been speaking, a car had driven up and stopped near the crime scene. Carter looked down in bewilderment at the phone as Lestrade ended the call. The young police officer had been leaning into the car speaking to the person in the back seat.

 “Okay.” He said, turning to Carter as he approached. “Sir, this gentleman says he needs to speak to you.”

 “Yes, I know.” He walked closer to the car. “Sherlock Holmes.” He guessed.