The Laws of Attraction - A Study in Pink

A Study in Pink

     "Taxi!" John yelled for a second time, and still he gained no response.

     "Tough luck. I suppose that's how it works in the city. You'll get the next one, Dr. Watson."

    "That's what you said about that one. But you're right- you've got to have a blow horn and a flashing sign that says "pick me up." Getting a taxi is murder." They laughed, and although she was mostly repelled by people, she found herself oddly comfortable with this man.

     "So, you just met him yesterday- Sherlock Holmes?"

     "Yeah. A friend of mine introduced us. But then..." He let his sentence trail purposefully, for effect.

     "I know what you mean, and I only met him this aft'! He seems to just know everything about you with one look, and all I know about him is that he's crazy." John laughed at her statement, and Leanna was pleasing herself with her sudden conversational skills.

     "In the good way or the not so good way?" John asked, referring to Sherlock's craziness.

     "I haven't decided yet."

     They passed a shop and the phone inside rang. Such an ordinary occurrence wouldn't normally have sparked her interest, but for some reason it had, and she stopped and turned, watching. A young man, who was likely employed there, reached out his arm to answer it, but it silenced itself before he could, and she watched him shrug the matter off as he walked away.

     Turning back to the street, she noticed John had been watching, as well. At least she wasn't the only paranoid one. They kept walking, Leanna relaxing her usual brisk pace to accommodate John's limp, but even despite this he made rather good time. She admired him for that. They came upon an average telephone booth- painted red, with glass windows, and obviously a telephone inside. As they approached it, it began to ring, as well. Silently, they unanimously ruled out coincidence. John made for the booth door.

     "I probably wouldn't, if I were you." Leanna warned. He stepped inside, and she listened to half a conversation as he picked up the receiver.

     "Hello?... Who's this? Who's speaking?... Yeah, I see it..." He looked up at something on top of a building, outside the phone booth. She tried to follow his sight line; brick, poles, security camera, wiring, the list went on.

     "What are you looking at?"  He ignored her.

     "Mmhm... How are you doing this?..." He looked in two other locations. An expensive-looking black car pulled to the side of the road by the booth, and a man wearing a black suit and tie stepped out, opening the back door. John hung up the receiver and stepped out.

     "Are you seriously going with them?" She asked, grabbing hold of his arm.

     "I don't have very much of a choice, now, do I?" He made for the car, and Leanna followed.

     "What are you doing?" John asked when he realized.

     "Well, I'm going with you."

     "He only wanted me. I can't let you go."

     "And I can't let you go alone. Safety in number, and stuff like that." And without further objection, he climbed in first and she followed so that she was sandwiched between him and a woman who seemed connected to her phone. John attempted what seemed to Leanna like a go at flirting. When they finally reached their final destination, they were instructed out of the car.

     They stepped out into a dingy warehouse, packed with industrial shelves, crates and other such equipment. The whole place was damp and poorly ventilated, making it stuffy and humid, and she could smell nothing but wooden crating. There was a man, middle aged who wore what looked like a very expensive suit, stood behind a chair, leaning on an umbrella like John's cane. He offered John a seat, using his first name.