Sherlock Holmes and The New Detective

All Hell Breaks Loose

"Sherlock, I know this is an odd request, especially since we've just met today, but can I stay in your flat? I don't feel comfortable going home alone." Emma asked while Sherlock put the watch back in the evidence bag.

"Yes. We'll sort things out tomorrow."

Molly waited at the door awkwardly, not knowing what to say. As Emma and Sherlock walked out, Sherlock told Molly what to do.

"I'm taking the watch, seeing as there will be more text messages that can lead us to the killer. You can't tell Lestrade. I suggest blaming it on Anderson."

Molly's expression of awkwardness turned to one of confusion. "Anderson doesn't work here anymore."

Sherlock shrugged, "Make something up."

Molly nodded her head and locked the door, walking past them to get to the elevator. Emma stared out the window. Even before she got that text message, she felt like she was being watched. She just assumed it to be Molly, wondering why she was with Sherlock.

"Emma, we'll find out who did this."

She looked at Sherlock like a scared little kid who got separated from their mom in a grocery store.
"You better be right, Mr. Holmes."

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The cab ride back to 221 B was stressful. Sherlock even payed the driver when they got out because Emma was in such shock. He can see me, she thought. Waiting for just the right moment....

"Emma, are you coming?" Sherlock held the door open to his flat.

"Yeah, sorry. Just can't get the fact that a murderer can see my every move out of my mind."

She walked in the door and he closed it behind her. Mrs. Hudson was already asleep so Sherlock and Emma quietly went up the stairs to his flat. When they got in, Emma found some sheets and a pillow and made the couch her new temporary bed. She was forced to sleep in her gym outfit, which, at least, was comfier than skinny jeans. You win some, you lose some.

She listened to Sherlock go to bed because she just couldn't sleep. After a few minutes of her staring at the ceiling and thinking that every noise was the murderer coming to kill her, even though she knew these thoughts were irrational and false, Sherlock came out of his room with Cluedo in his hands.

"Though you might want to get your mind off it."

He set up the board and categorized the cards. After shuffling them, he chose three random cards and put them in the envelope. He then mixed the three decks and handed out half and half to Emma and himself.

Halfway through the game, Sherlock ruled that it had to be a suicide. Emma stated that it can't be, because that's impossible. Well, not impossible, but not the point of the game.

"That's cheating", she protested.

"How? I'm following the rules, and it makes complete sense. The maid obviously only works there because of the good pay, we both know that anyone named Scarlet who was rich wouldn't be trust worthy, just so that she can give more money to her children when she dies. Knowing that Scarlet would feel bad after the woman died and give money to the family, she kills herself so that they can get the money."

"Okay, like I said, cheating. And anyways, if it were a suicide, white wouldn't do it", she protested. "No, Professor Plum would. Little old Plum who no one cares about. They didn't care about him, he didn't care about them. Kill himself if that means that one of them will spend their life in jail."

"You're taking this too emotionally", Sherlock started.

"You mean like how normal people do?" She asked. "And how you also just did? Anyways, it's not like you have much evidence to go off of, you only have a deck of cards."

"I'm just saying", he took the envelope in his hand, "choose now and let's see if you're right."

Emma looked at her checked card. She would have to guess the murder weapon. An educated guess, though.

"You, too. Same time", Emma took her time because she was still thinking.

"3...2...1."

"White in the library with the rope", Sherlock said confidently while Emma said her answer. "Plum in the library with the rope."

Sherlock looked challenged. He opened the envelope and sighed. Emma quickly took it from him, though she already knew why he sighed.

"And that, my dear", she held up the three cards, plum, library, and rope, in front of her face. "Is how you play Cluedo."

Inside though, she was beaming.

I beat Sherlock Holmes! I actually beat Sherlock Holmes!

"Yes, yes", he started reshuffling the cards, "Stop your mental bragging, you didn't get the rights."

Emma laughed. Midway through her laugh, she stopped. She heard a 'ding'. Sherlock heard it, too, and turned on the apple watch. He read it out loud.

'Having fun? Mind if I join?'

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she asked angrily. Inside though, she was anything but angry. Well, anything but angry or joy-filled. She was terrified. Mind if I join could mean anything, and it was so early in the case and only the second text message that they got.

"I assume we're about to find out."

Sherlock's laptop showed an ad for the nights news, and it showed a bunch of different murders.

"He didn't", Emma whispered. All the murders were close to Sherlock's flat, the closest being just down the street.

She hated this. Really, really hated this. Whoever the murderer is, she promised herself, would get the punishment they deserve.