Face the Odds

Chapter 33: Third Test

John stared at Mycroft, while Sherlock called loudly: "Is there really no-one there that can help you? Have you really, really checked?"

"Everyone's asleep." The girl replied, sounding like she was on the verge of crying again. "Will you help me?"

"We're going to do everything that we can." Sherlock replied, though his voice trembled slightly as he glanced between John and Mycroft before his eyes landed on Marie.

He then frowned, barely hearing the little girl as she cried: "I'm scared. I'm really scared."

"It's all right." Sherlock reassured absently, his eyes still on Marie. "I-"

There was another click, cutting the call once more, and Sherlock glanced over at the screen mounted on the wall as Eurus appeared, saying: "Now, back to the matter in hand."

Sherlock looked back at Marie, confused by the drawn expression on her face, while Eurus stated: "Coffin. Problem: someone is about to die."

Sherlock glanced down at he coffin again while Eurus went on: "It will be – as I understand it – a tragedy."

Sherlock rubbed his brow with his thumb, ignoring the fact that he was holding the pistol in his hand, as he tried to focus on the coffin, wondering what about it had put Marie off as Eurus continued in the background: "So many days not lived, so many words unsaid. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera."

"Yes, yes, yes," Sherlock snapped impatiently and more than a little irritably, "and this – I presume – will be their coffin."

"Whose coffin, Sherlock?" Eurus sighed, looking right at the camera. "Please, start your deductions. I will apply some context in a moment."

Sherlock huffed out a deep sigh, before turning back to the coffin as he began irritably: "Well, allowing for the entirely pointless courtesy of headroom, I'd say this coffin is intended for someone of about five foot six. Makes it more likely to be a woman."

"Not a child?" John checked, standing with his arms crossed over his chest as he also examined the coffin.

Mycroft turned his eyes to the coffin as well, while Sherlock explained: "A child's coffin would have less space on the inside. This one is shaped for a person with a chest size of about thirty, so woman is looking good right now."

John nodded, while Marie closed her eyes and Mycroft's eyes moved to the side of the room as Sherlock continued listing: "However, this coffin is still slightly expensive. Balance of probability suggests that this is for a woman with very few close relatives or friends, but those close relations are very close, they care; that much is suggested by the slightly upscale choice."

Mycroft moved to the side of the room, peering at the coffin lid that had been propped up against the wall, and he picked it up to examine it more closely while Sherlock continued rattling off: "Clearly someone who has been prepared for death, at least for a while. Also, the lining of the coffin-"

"Yes, very good, Sherlock," Mycroft interrupted suddenly, "or we could just look at the name on the lid. Only it isn't a name."

He turned the lid so that they could all see the small golden plaque placed near the upper half of the coffin lid.

Sherlock started forward, but Marie interjected quietly: "You don't have to – you already know."

Sherlock paused, and then he suddenly whirled around to stare at Marie with wide eyes as his mouth fell open in an 'O'. He dropped the gun as he did, the pistol falling to the ground with a clatter, while John asked as he walked over to read the name on the coffin lid: "What do you mean, he already knows...?"