𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘺 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 | 𝘖𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 1 ✔︎

Chapter II - Innocent or Guilty? [NEEDS EDITING]

'Hello, brother dear. To what do I owe this visit?' a man in a swivel chair greets them. He has an aire of importance and sarcasm drips from his voice. 

'Hello, Mycroft. I hope the diet has been treating you well?' Sherlock smirks, his voice also full of sarcasm. Mycroft scoffs.

'You're on a diet?' Clara interrupts. All eyes in the room turn on her. Suddenly she realizes that might have been a bit rude to say. 'Sorry. It's just that... you don't look that fat.' Well, Clara thinks, it's best to get on this man's good side.

'Thank you,' Mycroft grins at her flattery. 'And who might you be?'

'This is Miss Oswald, the one charged with murder. She claims to be framed.' Sherlock answers for her.

''Accused' is more like it! I'd never do such a thing!' Clara defends herself, knowing that she has probably killed a few aliens in her lifetime. Sherlock senses her white lie. 'Besides, you don't have any proof that I did anything!'

'Actually,' Sherlock states, 'We do.' He takes a file from off of Mycroft's desk and opens it up. 'I believe you dropped something?' Sherlock asks Clara, handing her a faux-leather wallet.

'Huh? This isn't mine, I swear!' Clara responds as she opens it up. Inside is a photo of her, with her full name, 'Clara Oswin Oswald.' It has her birth date and phone number as well. Clara knows this isn't hers. She stole the Doctor's psychic paper not too long ago, and that is what she has been using. So either she has a stalker, or...

'You seem to swear on quite a lot of things, Miss Oswald,' Sherlock replies sceptically.

'B-but, I--My wallet is right here!' Clara protests, taking out her psychic paper.

'We also have this photo taken from the security camera at the museum.' Sherlock counters, slightly less sure of himself. He pulls a photo out of the file and gives it to Clara. 

As she examines it, she remarks, 'This is barely any evidence. You can't even see my face!' and she's right. The camera has cut off her face, but the clothes definitely look like something she would wear, Clara has to admit. She also somewhat remembers buying a blue blouse with a white peter-pan collar and royal blue leggings. 'And did you say museum? I love museums! I would never do such a thing, especially in a museum.'

'Yes, the Victoria and Albert Museum, on Cromwell Road. This footage was taken seconds after the museum closed, and the victim was Robert Stanford, who travelled to London from New York City in America, and who was settling into a new life as a security guard for the V&A Museum. His girlfriend, Eliza Cross, reported him missing the next day. His wound was from a knife, but you already know that because you committed the crime.

'As for your claim that it is 'barely evidence,' I have seen such clothes in your closet while we were searching your house.' So I was correct, Clara thinks. 'Plus, you might have noticed a wisp of hair in the corner, very closely resembling yours.' Clara hadn't seen that bit.

'But I didn't do it! So the killer and I bought the same clothes, and seem to have the same hairstyle. Again, that doesn't prove anything!'

'Fine!' Sherlock announces, angered at this woman's stubbornness. 'If you won't admit to the crime, we will find you more evidence. John, go hail a cab for the Victoria and Albert Museum while I speak with my dear brother.' John exits quickly as Clara huffs.

Once John is clearly out of sight, Mycroft begins, 'Breaking and entering, Sherlock? Sounds like Miss Oswald isn't only one who has committed a crime of late.' Mycroft smirks.

'I didn't do it.' Clara huffs under her breath, growing tired of this row. She is starting to sound like a broken record.

'How do you expect to gain more evidence?' Mycroft asks Sherlock, feigning interest.

'If Clara committed the crime, surely she needed some means of escape. Have you forgotten that there is more than one security camera at Victoria and Albert's, brother?' Sherlock responds, turning to leave. Both Mycroft and Clara notice that Clara's name has accidentally slipped out of his mouth. 

Could my brother be growing attached? Mycroft wonders. What a silly idea. I shall think nothing of it, even though I know she won't. Mycroft glances at Clara, who is intently watching Sherlock.

Finally, with a swish of his coat, Sherlock walks out of Mycroft's office, with Clara trailing behind. They soon meet up with John outside the entrance, who is waiting inside the cab. Once Sherlock and Clara climb inside, the cabbie is off, turning corners and cutting lights. Unlike the last one, this ride is silent. Clara is dreading what might happen, and, even though she didn't do the crime, she might have to do the time.

~~~~~

The cabbie takes a sharp left and Clara accidentally leans into Sherlock. Sherlock lightly shoves her off of him with more force than he intended. Clara's body force hits the door, which is inconveniently unlocked, and she tumbles out of the car. 

Should've worn a seatbelt! Clara swears under her breath. She tries to pick herself up off of the cold pavement but a different force shoves her down again, and Clara feels a pain more intense than before in her right shoulder. She struggles to get up, with that force holding her down.

'Oh, Clara Oswin Oswald. Committed a crime, have you? The Doctor must be very disappointed. But then again, I congratulate you, for that makes us very much alike.' an unidentifiable, soft voice says, and Clara's vision goes black.

~~~~~

{ Video: sherlock&clara | bury my love by BackwardBlossom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8XZfxK1sOM }

Word Count: 957