Sherlock - The Game Is On!

A Study In Pink- Six

Chapter Six

A dark, narrow hallway, peeling wallpaper. The corridor leads to an open door at the end, where one DI Lestrade stands, waiting for us it would seem. In full crime scene gear. "I can give you two minutes."

"May need longer." Sherlock responded. Before anyone could answer Sherlock had already confidently strode past Lestrade, into the kitchen. A grimy disused kitchen. There's already a handful of uniformed policemen, clearly this room was set up as an operational base for further enquires.

Sherlock tosses us crime scene coveralls. "You both need to put these on." As I was slipping my coverall on Lestrade came by. "Who are these two?"

"There with me." John noticed, when putting his coverall on that Sherlock was making no move to do the same. "But who are they?" Lestrade asked again, a tad pissed off. "I told you their both with me." John indicated to his coverall asked Sherlock if he was going to follow through and do the same. However, Sherlock throws John a chilled look. "So where are we?" I asked, clasping my hands.

"Upstairs." Lestrade answers, dubiously, whilst explaining who the body was in question. The room around us was dark, sombre and was peeling with wallpaper. In the centre, was an alarming rate of pink! A women in a bright pink coat, and pink shoes, lies dead, sprawled face down. The sight brought John short so it understandably shocked him. Anyhow, when looking at the consulting detective I could tell he was in his element, eager, like a bloodhound dare I say, almost quivering. "Shut up!" He snapped. "Didn't say anything."

"You were thinking. It's annoying." I stated for Sherlock... And also, for the benefit of myself. Exchanged glances between John and Lestrade were shared along with the rolling of eyes. "Oh no! You're another one, aren't you?" He asked me. "I'm another what?" I asked passively, still focussed on the body. Stepping over the body Sherlock began absorbing details. Everything from checking her coat to checking her rings, and of course the scratched word above the bodies head.

'RACHE'

I kneeled down besides the body, hands beneath my chin, looking. The words LEFT-HANDED pulse, float, fade very fast through my mind.

Rache; German (n. ) revenge.

The words scatter and vanish now focusing on the word RACHE, but different letters are being added in my thought process. Letter at the end of RACHE. I settled on the word RACHEL. Standing up I walked towards John and stood patiently beside him and Lestrade.

Sherlock runs his hand over the coat with his gloved hands. WET. He pulls a fold-away umbrella from her pocket. DRY. He then slides his hand under the bodies collar once again WET. I started to check the weather forecasts that had rain in the last twenty-four hours. That narrowed it down considerably. CARDIFF. Sherlock quickly goes through the jewellery. Necklace, earrings, bracelet. Again CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN. However her wedding ring was, DIRTY. I smiled knowingly, Whilst Sherlock finished off. "Got anything?"

"Not much." Sherlock stated with a snap of his gloves. "She's German." Anderson stated observing, sardonically from the doorway. "Rache is German for revenge. She could be trying to tell us something." Finding out already what was needed, I reached over and closed the door neatly in Anderson's face. "Yes thank you for that marvellous input."

John and Lestrade looked over from me to Sherlock. "So, she's German?" Lestrade asked. "Of course she's not German. She's from out of town though. Planned to spend a single night in London, So far, so obvious." My brows furrowed for a moment. A single night that can't be right?

"Dr. Watson, what do you think?"

"Of the message?" John asked timidly. "Of the body, you're a medical man." John then looked towards Lestrade asking him silently for permission. "Oh do what he says, help yourself. Anderson make sure no one comes in. Give them a few more minutes." John stepped forward, kneeling by the body mirroring Sherlock's position too. "Well?"