Eye Contact *ON HOLD*

Pink

John and Maggie gave up on getting Sherlock to answer their questions, and followed him. As the group approached the police tape, the female officer that Maggie had noticed earlier ducked under the tape and stood in their path on the other side, her arms crossed defiantly over her chest.  She didn’t seem particularly pleased by the sight of Sherlock, going by her glare that remained fixed on him. The officer didn’t speak until they were almost to the tape.

“Hello, freak,” she said, her voice taking an aggressive tone.

Maggie was appalled by the woman’s behavior. This was an officer. She should have been respectful of citizens. She expected Sherlock to do something, but he didn’t even react.

“I’m here to see Detective Inspector Lestrade,” he said flatly.

The woman shifted her weight from one leg to the other. “Why?” she asked, clearly annoyed.

“I was invited.”

She sneered. “Why?” she asked indignantly.

Sherlock gave her a blank stare. “I think he wants me to take a look,” he said, rather sarcastic. John smirked and Maggie suppressed a giggle.

She frowned. “Well, you know what I think, don’t you?” she said.

Sherlock sighed as he ducked under the tape. “Always, Sally,” he said. He took a deep breath through his nose. “I even know you didn’t make it home last night.”

Her sneer faltered. “I don’t…” she trailed off, and just seemed to notice John and Maggie standing there. “Er, who’s this?”

“Colleagues of mine,” he said, gesturing to John. “Doctor Watson, Maggie, Sergeant Sally Donovan. Old friend,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Colleagues?” she said, clearly surprised. “How did you get colleagues?” She turned toward them. “What did he follow you home?”

“No,” John answered, while Maggie muttered something along the lines of “He apparently tried to…”

John looked to Sherlock. “Would it be better if we just waited and -”

“No,” Sherlock answered shortly, lifting the tape.

As the pair ducked under the tape, Sergeant Donovan lifted her radio to her mouth.

“Freak’s here,” she said. “Bringing him in.”

She began leading the group toward the home, where apparently the crime had happened, while Sherlock looked all around the area. As they reached the sidewalk, a man in a blue coverall approached them from the steps of the home.

Sherlock grimaced. “Ah, Anderson, here we are again.”

The man looked at Sherlock with obvious distaste while Maggie looked him over. So this was the ‘Anderson’ that Sherlock couldn’t work with? He didn’t seem that bad.

“It’s a crime scene, and I don’t want it contaminated,” Anderson said. “Are we clear on that?”

Oh, Maggie thought. Now I get it. This guy was territorial. He didn’t like Sherlock being on his crime scene, most likely because he knew Sherlock was smarter than him, and, quite frankly, was intimidated by the fact. This confrontation was just him trying to set up the idea that he was in charge of the area.

Sherlock took another breath from his nose. “We are… quite clear. And is your wife away for long?”

Anderson looked insulted. “Oh, don’t pretend you worked that out. Someone told you that.”