𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘺 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 | 𝘖𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 1 ✔︎

Chapter I - Charged With Murder

Sherlock and John walk cautiously into the flat of 4 Adderley St in London. If anyone is home, they hide their presence well. 

'John, you take the kitchen and the dining room; I'll take the bedroom and the bathroom,' Sherlock commands. John scurries off while Sherlock pads softly down the hallway. He takes a left and finds that the bedroom and bathroom are  located opposite each other. He treads first into the bedroom, where not a soul is in sight. 

The bed is neatly made but the pillows are all piled together on the right side, indicating that the resident of the place sleeps on the right side of the bed. The dresser is on the other side of the room with a television sitting on top of it. New and rarely used, Sherlock deduces, because it feels cold to the touch. A closet is located directly across from him and its doors are full-length mirrors themselves. Looking into them, Sherlock can see that his purple scarf is tied tightly around his neck and he notices that his jacket collar is lying down almost flat. He flips it up.

He walks towards the closet and opens it. The resident is obviously female, though Sherlock already knows that from the case file. She has a wide assortment of pale denim jackets, varying in shades of white, and a few leather ones too. Faux leather, the detective notes. Most of her blouses seem to have a peter-pan collar and she has a few black cotton skirts. No scarves are in sight, but Sherlock does spot a long, navy blue coat.

'Whatever it is, I didn't do it.' a woman, no, the suspect has appeared in the doorway. Sherlock immediately raises his gun and the woman's hands slowly ascend into the air.

'I've been framed--I swear.' She states. Her long bangs are parted in the middle, and her straight hair falls just above her shoulders. She is wearing a peter-pan collared shirt with a pair of black leggings. She has obviously just come into the flat because her leather jacket is still on. Besides those things, Sherlock cannot deduce anything about her.

'You are awfully quick to deny anything, Miss Oswald,' Sherlock says in his baritone voice. 'You are charged with three cases of murder.'

They are silent for a few seconds. Then,

'I thought the door was locked?' is all she says.

'It was; obviously now it is not,' Sherlock responds, head tilting. Upon hearing voices, John has appeared in the doorway behind the woman.

'Miss Oswald, if you would be so kind as to follow us,' John requests.

'Please, call me Clara,' she responds.

'I think not,' Sherlock states.

Clara follows John as he leads her out of 4 Adderley St with Sherlock trailing behind, gun still in the air. John hails a cab, tells the driver where to go, and they all get in. It doesn't take long until Clara speaks.

'Boyfriends, yeah?' she asks, motioning with her eyes toward Sherlock and John.

'I'm not gay.' is John's response.

'No, thank you,' Sherlock says.

'Oh? Because all signs point to 'yes.'' Clara nags, getting a blush from John. The sides of Clara's lips tug upward. She turns to Sherlock, 'But you wish, don't you?'

No one answers. Sherlock has realized that talking with this woman won't get him anywhere--she is too stubborn--so he keeps silent for the rest of the trip.

Soon, they pull up to a building that Clara recognizes as the Diogenes Club; she knows this because her father used to visit here sometimes.

'Who are we here to see?' she asks. No one answers her question. Everyone is silent inside and not a voice is heard until they walk into an office.

~~~~~

{ Video: warning sign | sherlock + clara oswald by moonlit pond 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjranprp9ZY }

Word Count: 630