The Anonymous | S.H. • O.C.

- 7 -

"Welcome home, Dear" Mrs.Hudson welcomes Sherlock back to the Baker Street apartment, fluffing a pillow on his chair so he can sit down and be comfortable.

"Would you like some tea?"

Sherlock nods his head and lowers himself to his chair.

John, at his side, asks if he needs anything; he declines.

Ann isn't around at the moment, so the co-workers and ex-roommates decide to have some time together and talk about their work while she's gone.

Not much of forgetting her is accomplished.

"Did you read her interrogation? She has a main suspect we should look into." John starts the conversation to hopefully move the case at hand forward.

"Does she?"

"I assume you haven't read it, then."

"Your assumption would be correct."

John fills in Sherlock on the major parts that would affect the case and tells him briefly about how Ann did have an affair of sorts with Birch, but John doesn't speak much of it.

"Interesting. I suppose we should look into Rory O'Neill" Sherlock states the next move.

"I suppose so" John copies, receiving a dirty look from Sherlock.

"I will shower and get changed, then we will find O'Neill's location." Sherlock exits the room to enter the bathroom. The shower's sound is heard lightly in the silent flat.

John takes a seat in his usual chair, glancing upon the dusty décor of the room. He decides to take out his phone to read any emails for future cases after this one is solved. That's when he realises that he needs to figure out a title for when he posts it on his blog.

He thinks about titles for a while, until his text alert sounds.

'Get Sherlock NOW. I'm coming over and he needs to be present when I arrive. This is important.

-AN'

John bolts up and bangs on the bathroom door.

"Sherlock! Ann is coming over for an emergency and says that you need to be present."

The door opens to Sherlock in a towel and wet hair.

"What could be so important?"

-

"I received an email from Rory" Ann begins.

John and, a now clothed, Sherlock huddle around Ann and her laptop.

They're sat at the table in the living room.

"Take a look-"

I Am sorry to hear about your loss.

i have heard that people are led to believe that i aM GUILTY because of you.

if only PEople cOuld tell the truth, then People wouLdn't bE put in bad situations.

then again, humans wilL be the monsters they derIvEd from.

stay safe.

you'll see me soon.

love,

mr.mutilates

The email ends with the name given to the killer through the newspapers and the nickname Ann had jokingly called him at her first encounter with Sherlock.