The Private Lives of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson

Chapter 6

"Sherlock Holmes. I was expecting you sooner, it's not nice to make a guest wait. Especially not when you live in such a hovel as this."

I stare at the woman sitting in my chair.

Danish, early forties, single, newspaper owner, of power and wealth, blackmailer.

Hair is sandy brown (colored), 130 pounds, 5'11, expensive clothes, real diamonds, right handed.

"I was not expecting company."

"You should have."

She smiles, her eyes burning bright and her smile sharp.

A shivers travels down my spine.

This woman was dangerous, more than any other adversary I had met before.

"Charlize Augustus Magnussen." I say.

She nods.

"Augustus?" I ask.

"Family name."

"I see."

"You received my tickets and yet it was your brother who attended."

"I did not know the tickets were from you."

"Would it have made a difference?"

"No."

"I thought as much."

"Then why bother?"

"Sometimes, only sometimes and in certain circumstances mind, I enjoy being wrong."

"Ah."

"Sherlock." John says walking into the flat.

He was early from work.

"John Hamish Watson." Charlize says.

"Yes. And you are?"

"Not important. I am not here to see you."

I can tell that it bothers John.

He clenches and unclenches his hands.

"You are in my flat and I have a right to know who you are." John tells her.

She smiles like a shark.

Her eyes hungry.

I shiver again.

"John, this is Charlize Augustus Magnussen." I say.

John nods.

I had the urge to shield John from this woman, to get him as far away as possible yet at the same time I didn't want to be left alone with Charlize.

She was unnerving.

"What do you want?" John asks directly.

I stare at John.

He is always insisting that I should not be rude and yet here he was.

I look back at Charlize.

Her eyes narrow.

"I am here to see Sherlock Holmes."

"Well you've seen him. I'm sure you remember where the door is."

Charlize stands and for a moment I believe John has scared her away.

But she just comes forward to stand directly in front of John.

"Knowing all I know about you Watson you'd think there would be something of interest in there but no."

"You don't know anything about me."