Won't Let My World Fall

Chapter 2

        Ms. Hayes, who worked the final shift in the evening from eight to eleven and whose job it was to lock the door and glass cases, lived on the fourth floor of a standard apartment building in Thame. A stolen ID from Lestrade got them access to her room. The flat appeared to be empty, even though the building manager had told them she was home. They split up to look for her. John headed for the kitchen, while Sherlock went into the living room. Less than two seconds later, John called out, "Sherlock! Come quick, she's here." Sherlock raced into the kitchen to find John kneeling beside the prone figure of a young girl. She had been stabbed. "She's dead." John said, "But she can't have died more than a couple minutes ago, I'd say."

"Our missing variable-" Sherlock began but cut off when he heard a noise from the living room.

        Sherlock ran back out of the room, John on his heels. One of the windows in the living room had been opened and Sherlock glimpsed a figure rushing down the fire escape beyond it. He had crossed the room and vaulted the window sill before John could say anything. In his haste, his landing was less than graceful, and he just managed to catch himself on the railing a split second before he would have tumbled down the stairs. "Sherlock! Are you okay?" John had climbed out after him and seen his somewhat embarrassing slip-up. Sherlock's answer was a brief, "Come on, John," before dashing after the fleeing suspect. He heard John following him and smiled to himself in appreciation of his flatmate's loyalty. The murderer, their elusive outsider, hailed a tazi when he reached the street. Luckily, Sherlock managed to grab one just behind his. "Keep up with that cab and I'll pay you double." He snapped. As soon as John had slammed his door shut, they were off. The two cabs headed west toward Oxford.

"Why'd he kill her?" John asked, "That seems a bit drastic."

"He must've thought she'd give him away. Or she merely outlived her usefulness." Sherlock mused. 

"If we'd been three minutes quicker, we might've saved her." John sighed.

"She signed her death warrent when she got involved in t'his. She's dead and you can't undo it." Sherlock said flatly. John looked up at him, "Heartless bastard." Sherlock looked away.