Contact High → Sherlock Holmes (BBC) [on hold]

{ thirteen }

Sherlock and Carmen stood outside 221B as John pulled up in a cab. John got out and the two moved to greet him. "Hi, John!" Carmen said brightly. John nodded in her direction before turning to Sherlock, "Alex Woodbridge didn't know anything special about art. He was an amateur astronomer."

Sherlock pointed to the cab he had just got out of, "Hold that cab." He walked over to the homeless girl they had seen earlier, who had appeared in front of 221B sometime in the last hour. "Spare change, sir?" the woman asked. Sherlock smiled, "Don't mind if I do."

The homeless girl slipped a note into his palm and Sherlock looked down at it. As he walked by, he handed it to Carmen. She read it, the writing was scratchy but recognizable, Vauxhall Arches.

Sherlock shooed Carmen into the cab and she scooted to the middle seat. "Fortunately, I haven't been idle," Sherlock said. Carmen rolled her eyes, "We played Cluedo for an hour while we waited for John."

John chuckled, "And how'd that go?"

Carmen smiled, "Beat him two out of three times, poor dear. Just couldn't believe it was Professor Plum."

Sherlock sighed at both of them and looked out the window sulkily. The cab stopped at the mouth of a questionable alleyway. John and Sherlock both got out. Just as Carmen went to get out, Sherlock held out a hand, "Perhaps you should sit this one out, Carmen." She let out an offended gasp, "And why's that, Sherlock?"

He stuttered for a moment and Carmen climbed out of the cab. "If you're angry about Cluedo, just say Sherlock. I don't understand why you were so fixated on it being Mrs. White."

Sherlock bundled his coat around him tighter, deciding to go with her reasoning rather than tell her he was worried for her safety, "There was no reason for Professor Plum to be skulking about the kitchen." Carmen rolled her eyes, "It a game, Sherl. Now, let's go catch ourselves a Golem."

John was standing a few feet ahead in the street, waiting for the two. Sherlock and Carmen walked over to John. Sherlock looked up through a gap in-between the buildings, where a strip of stars could be seen. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Sherlock remarked. Carmen hummed a reply. "I thought you didn't care about things like that," John smirked. Sherlock sighed, "Doesn't mean I can't appreciate it."

They went further into the Arches, where it was cold and damp and smelled funny. Carmen gathered her dark purple coat closer around her. "Listen, Alex Woodbridge had a message on the answerphone at his flat. A Professor Cairns?" John told the two of them.

"This way," Sherlock said, leading the two of them.

Carmen heard a sound like a scuffle behind them, "Nice. Real nice part of town. Anytime you wanna explain why we're here?"

"Homeless network," Sherlock replied, "Really is indispensable."

"Homeless network?" John asked.

They came to a stop in front of a tunnel that led to an even darker and smellier alleyway. Carmen sighed, if she had to bet, she'd bet that was where they were going next. John clicked on his flashlight and shined it around a bit.

"My eyes and ears around the city," Sherlock answered.

"Ah, that's clever," Carmen mumbled, "So, you scratch their backs and..."

Sherlock nodded, "And then I disinfect myself."

He clicked his own light on and walked down the darker path. Carmen took a deep breath of the relatively clean air before following him. There were people about, laying on blankets or on each other. None of them spared the three a second glance. They turned another corner. It was bright, and the shadow of a giant man danced on the wall. Sherlock moved both of them against the wall, peeking over the corner to see the man.