221B

Chapter 10 - The Blind Banker

The three of us stand a short distance away from Dimmock at New Scotland Yard as his back is turned to us and is rummaging through paperwork on a desk as if attempting to ignore us.

"How many murders is it going to take before you start believing that this maniac's out there?" John asks him.

Dimmock turns and walks in between John and Sherlock, heading for another desk. John and I turn and follow him.

"A young girl was gunned down last night. That's three victims in three days. You're supposed ot be finding him." I say. Sherlock walks across in front of John and I to get nearer to Dimmock. John steps back and walks a few paces away in expaseration.

"Brian Lukis and Eddie Van Coon were working for a gang of international smugglers-a gang called the Black Lotus operating here in London right under your nose." He leans over to Dimmock to emphasize his last point. Dimmock finally looks at Sherlock.

"Can you prove that?"

Sherlock straightens up thoughtfully.

"Sherlock, who do you know that works here?" I ask.

"A mortitian named Molly Hooper." Sherlock annswers.

At St. Bartholomew's Hospital, in the canteen, we approach a woman who is looking at the choices in the self-service display.

"What are you thinking: pork or pasta?" Sherlock speaks up to her.

She turns in surprise to face us.

"Oh, it's you!"

"This place is never going to trouble Egon Ronay, is it?" Sherlock asks. He smiles at her, then nods to the display. "I'd stick with the pasta. Don't wanna be doing roast pork-not if you're slicing up cadavers." He smiles at her again and she grins nerviusly.

"What are you having?"

"Don't eat when I'm working. Digestion slows us down."

"'Us'?" She repeats.

"Oh, so sorry, I'm being rude." He steps back a little bit to stand next to me. "Molly Hooper, this is Katherine Harrison, Kate, this is Molly."

"Hi." I smile, shaking her hand. "You can call me Kate."

She smiles back. "Hi. So are you Sherlock's girlf-?"

"No!" Sherlock and I answer in unison.

"No, no, just his...just his friend." I say.

"Oh." Her smile seems to be a little more relaxed, now looking more natural than forced. She looks at Sherlock. "So you're working here tonight?"

"Need to examine some bodies." Sherlock answers.

"'Some'?" She repeats.

"Eddie Van Coon and Brian Lukis." I say.

She looks at the clipboard she's holding. "They're on my list."

"Could you wheel them out again for me?" Sherlock asks, turning puppy-dog eyes on her.

"Well...the paperwork's already gone through." She says apologetically.

Sherlock lifts his eyes and appears to notice something, pointing at her hair. "You've...changed your hair."

"What?" She asks nervously.

"Th-the style: it's usually parted in the middle."

"Yes, well..."

"Mmm, it's good; it, um, suits you better this way." He smiles at her again, and she returns the smile, looking both flattered and flustered. She turns away to the display, and isntantly Sherlock's smile drops and he looks impatiently at his watch.