‹ Prequel: Sherlock's Girl
The New Generation
The Wrong Scent
Sherlock was stared at the receipt in his hand, and then looked back at the Starbuck cafe. This was the right place.
According to the receipts in the deceased’s purse, this was the first place she had gone that morning. He entered the coffee shop and headed straight to the counter. He ignored the shouting people who were waiting in the queue. They started to complain.
“Oh be quite! I am on Police business.” He barked, as he showed one of Lestrade’s Police badges. The queue fell silent. Well that shut them up. Sherlock sneered in his head.
“I need to speak to your manager.” Sherlock said to the man behind the counter.
“I am sorry Sir but he is not in at the moment.” The man replied.
“Well, then I need to speak to the person who was serving this morning at 7:30 this morning. So do you have contact details for them?” Sherlock said. He needed to know about his woman, and he didn’t have time to waste.
From the other side of the counter a young woman turned around as she handed someone their coffee.
“7:30 this morning? Well that was me. “The woman said, as she headed towards Sherlock. The man he had been talking to excused himself so he was able to serve the agitated customers.
Sherlock raised an eyebrow, “You were working at serving at 7:30 this morning? It is two in the afternoon now. A person on that early would their shift would have finished by now. No... Wait. You are doing a double shift to pay for University fees. So anyway I need to know everything about what this woman did this morning, when she brought her coffee this morning.” Sherlock demanded, as he pulled out his phone and showed the photo of the deceased.
“Umm, how did you know all that about me? That I am working a double shift to pay for Uni?” The girl asked.
Sherlock sighed, “It was easy. I am not explaining myself; I have a lot of things to do.” He said shoving the photo under her nose.
The girl frowned, “Okay let me see.” She said, staring at the photo. “Well she came in about 7:30 this morning. And brought a large latte...”
“Yes, yes I know this already from her receipt. I want to know about how she was acting this morning, was she agitated, or seemed scared at all?” Sherlock interrupted.
The girl, looked at Sherlock with a funny look, “Umm, well she seemed like any other person on their way to work. Rushed, half asleep, wanting coffee before the pass out before they pass out from exhaustion on the floor. So, no. There wasn’t anything particularly memorable about her. I am sorry.” She said shaking her head.
“Right, okay. Was there anyone who seemed to following her? Or watching her movements? They may have left straight after her or followed her in and back out again. Think! Just so you know this could make a difference between a murderer being put into prison or not.”
This comment made the girl, truly stop and think. “Ummm I am really sorry but, it was hard to see as we were quite busy this morning. The place had business people in getting a quick coffee on their way to work, and school kids coming in to buy hot drinks and cakes for breakfast.” She apologised.
Sherlock pouted, “Okay, thanks for your, Ummm Help.” He shoved his phone back in his coat pocket, and then looked at the next receipt. The girl had got back to work and was serving the next customer.
The next receipt was for a newsagent, two doors down. Where the deceased had brought a copy of the ‘Sun’ and a copy of ‘Hello’ magazine.
Sherlock entered the small news agent. The bell on the door rang. The old lady behind the counter looked up and smiled at Sherlock, as he approached to counter. “Hello my dear. How can I help you?”
Sherlock smiled, he liked old ladies, and they were a good source information and a great source of gossip. “Hello, I need some help with some police work.” He said as he showed Lestrade’s police badge, for the second time that day. “I need to know about this woman, this was her receipt from this morning.” Sherlock said, showing the photo on his phone and gave the woman the receipt.
The old lady looked at the photo and shook her head. “She didn’t come in her. In fact I don’t think I have ever seen her before. I can show you the video of who actually bought those things on the receipt, if that is any help at all.”
Sherlock nodded and smiled, “That would be a big help.” The lady smiled, she pulled a note pad from under the counter and wrote “BE BACK IN 10 MINUTES.” She took this note and stuck it on the door after locking it shut.
“Right follow me then.” She led Sherlock into the back room, in the small office area sat a TV and several video recorders on a desk covered with papers. She sat down, trying to tidy the desk a little. She brought up the video of the counter on the TV and pressed rewind.
“So may I ask what has happened?” the lady asked trying to pass the time as the tape began to rewind to the beginning of that day.
Sherlock couldn’t ignore the lady, he had respect for his elders, well most of them anyway, so decided to reply in the kindest of ways. “The lady in the photo was killed this morning; I am trying to find the person responsible.”
“That is terrible but at least you are doing the right thing and bringing order and justice to the world again.” She said smiling at Sherlock.
They looked at the TV screen, the video had become close to the correct time. They watched to small clock in the corner of the screen slowly go back, the numbers getting smaller, and smaller. The tape reached the correct time but the pair let the tape rewind just a little further so that they could see the whole time that the person was in the store.
The lady paused the tape. She looked at Sherlock who nodded for her to play the tape.
She pressed play on the video player; Sherlock watched intently as a figure walked up to the counter and placed a copy of the Sun and Hello on the counter. The figure had a hood on so he couldn’t see their face.
The person paid with cash and put the papers in the in their bag. Their bag... “Wait! Paused it” Sherlock shouted, “I am sorry for shouting, it just is a sudden thought.” The lady fumbled with the video player and pause it on the moment Sherlock had asked her.
Sherlock looked closely at the then screen, looking at the bag. He had seen that bag earlier today. But the thing was where. Who had that bag, whoever had that bag was the killer. He sat there staring at the screen. He looked at the lady, “Do you mind leaving me for a bit, I take some notes. And I assume you would like to get back to the shop. I will let myself out once I have done.”
The lady nodded, and left closing the door behind her as she left.
Sherlock needed to go to his mind palace and fast; he needed to find out who that bag belongs to. He sat in the room. Making his way through today’s events, he rewound his own experiences, going right back to this morning. Once he reached that point he fast forward anything he knew didn’t contain any useful information. He played Sapphire fake shooting Anderson several times to himself.
Once he remembered the serious of the matter he stopped and continued searching through his mind. He was fast forwarding through useless scenes, when he saw it. He replayed the scene over his head several times. He zoomed in on the bag and saw the top of both of the newspaper and the magazine. His worse fears confirmed.
“Who found the body? Are you a police officer then?” She asked, her voice kept breaking from the shock of the news.
“No, I am not quite a police officer. My daughter, Sapphire found the body. If you don’t mind I must get going!” Sherlock rushed his words wanting to leave the child.
“Oh no, I know her! I am her friend Lydia Moran. May I ask your address so I can go see how she is coping after school?” Lydia said.
Sherlock sighed, he really wanted to hurry up and follow the lead that he had. “221b Baker Street. Now please! I really need to go!” Sherlock said before running off, leaving Lydia standing there.
“ No!” Sherlock protested. He should have noticed sooner but the idea of a case was too much of a distraction. The girl had lied. Sapphire ate alone at lunch because she had no friends, because she didn’t fit in.
At that point Sherlock snapped out of it. Glanced once more at the screen, before running out of the shop, bidding thanks to the old lady. Running as fast as he could down the street, he needed to get home to protect Sapphire. And get to her before the girl did.
According to the receipts in the deceased’s purse, this was the first place she had gone that morning. He entered the coffee shop and headed straight to the counter. He ignored the shouting people who were waiting in the queue. They started to complain.
“Oh be quite! I am on Police business.” He barked, as he showed one of Lestrade’s Police badges. The queue fell silent. Well that shut them up. Sherlock sneered in his head.
“I need to speak to your manager.” Sherlock said to the man behind the counter.
“I am sorry Sir but he is not in at the moment.” The man replied.
“Well, then I need to speak to the person who was serving this morning at 7:30 this morning. So do you have contact details for them?” Sherlock said. He needed to know about his woman, and he didn’t have time to waste.
From the other side of the counter a young woman turned around as she handed someone their coffee.
“7:30 this morning? Well that was me. “The woman said, as she headed towards Sherlock. The man he had been talking to excused himself so he was able to serve the agitated customers.
Sherlock raised an eyebrow, “You were working at serving at 7:30 this morning? It is two in the afternoon now. A person on that early would their shift would have finished by now. No... Wait. You are doing a double shift to pay for University fees. So anyway I need to know everything about what this woman did this morning, when she brought her coffee this morning.” Sherlock demanded, as he pulled out his phone and showed the photo of the deceased.
“Umm, how did you know all that about me? That I am working a double shift to pay for Uni?” The girl asked.
Sherlock sighed, “It was easy. I am not explaining myself; I have a lot of things to do.” He said shoving the photo under her nose.
The girl frowned, “Okay let me see.” She said, staring at the photo. “Well she came in about 7:30 this morning. And brought a large latte...”
“Yes, yes I know this already from her receipt. I want to know about how she was acting this morning, was she agitated, or seemed scared at all?” Sherlock interrupted.
The girl, looked at Sherlock with a funny look, “Umm, well she seemed like any other person on their way to work. Rushed, half asleep, wanting coffee before the pass out before they pass out from exhaustion on the floor. So, no. There wasn’t anything particularly memorable about her. I am sorry.” She said shaking her head.
“Right, okay. Was there anyone who seemed to following her? Or watching her movements? They may have left straight after her or followed her in and back out again. Think! Just so you know this could make a difference between a murderer being put into prison or not.”
This comment made the girl, truly stop and think. “Ummm I am really sorry but, it was hard to see as we were quite busy this morning. The place had business people in getting a quick coffee on their way to work, and school kids coming in to buy hot drinks and cakes for breakfast.” She apologised.
Sherlock pouted, “Okay, thanks for your, Ummm Help.” He shoved his phone back in his coat pocket, and then looked at the next receipt. The girl had got back to work and was serving the next customer.
The next receipt was for a newsagent, two doors down. Where the deceased had brought a copy of the ‘Sun’ and a copy of ‘Hello’ magazine.
Sherlock entered the small news agent. The bell on the door rang. The old lady behind the counter looked up and smiled at Sherlock, as he approached to counter. “Hello my dear. How can I help you?”
Sherlock smiled, he liked old ladies, and they were a good source information and a great source of gossip. “Hello, I need some help with some police work.” He said as he showed Lestrade’s police badge, for the second time that day. “I need to know about this woman, this was her receipt from this morning.” Sherlock said, showing the photo on his phone and gave the woman the receipt.
The old lady looked at the photo and shook her head. “She didn’t come in her. In fact I don’t think I have ever seen her before. I can show you the video of who actually bought those things on the receipt, if that is any help at all.”
Sherlock nodded and smiled, “That would be a big help.” The lady smiled, she pulled a note pad from under the counter and wrote “BE BACK IN 10 MINUTES.” She took this note and stuck it on the door after locking it shut.
“Right follow me then.” She led Sherlock into the back room, in the small office area sat a TV and several video recorders on a desk covered with papers. She sat down, trying to tidy the desk a little. She brought up the video of the counter on the TV and pressed rewind.
“So may I ask what has happened?” the lady asked trying to pass the time as the tape began to rewind to the beginning of that day.
Sherlock couldn’t ignore the lady, he had respect for his elders, well most of them anyway, so decided to reply in the kindest of ways. “The lady in the photo was killed this morning; I am trying to find the person responsible.”
“That is terrible but at least you are doing the right thing and bringing order and justice to the world again.” She said smiling at Sherlock.
They looked at the TV screen, the video had become close to the correct time. They watched to small clock in the corner of the screen slowly go back, the numbers getting smaller, and smaller. The tape reached the correct time but the pair let the tape rewind just a little further so that they could see the whole time that the person was in the store.
The lady paused the tape. She looked at Sherlock who nodded for her to play the tape.
She pressed play on the video player; Sherlock watched intently as a figure walked up to the counter and placed a copy of the Sun and Hello on the counter. The figure had a hood on so he couldn’t see their face.
The person paid with cash and put the papers in the in their bag. Their bag... “Wait! Paused it” Sherlock shouted, “I am sorry for shouting, it just is a sudden thought.” The lady fumbled with the video player and pause it on the moment Sherlock had asked her.
Sherlock looked closely at the then screen, looking at the bag. He had seen that bag earlier today. But the thing was where. Who had that bag, whoever had that bag was the killer. He sat there staring at the screen. He looked at the lady, “Do you mind leaving me for a bit, I take some notes. And I assume you would like to get back to the shop. I will let myself out once I have done.”
The lady nodded, and left closing the door behind her as she left.
Sherlock needed to go to his mind palace and fast; he needed to find out who that bag belongs to. He sat in the room. Making his way through today’s events, he rewound his own experiences, going right back to this morning. Once he reached that point he fast forward anything he knew didn’t contain any useful information. He played Sapphire fake shooting Anderson several times to himself.
Once he remembered the serious of the matter he stopped and continued searching through his mind. He was fast forwarding through useless scenes, when he saw it. He replayed the scene over his head several times. He zoomed in on the bag and saw the top of both of the newspaper and the magazine. His worse fears confirmed.
“Who found the body? Are you a police officer then?” She asked, her voice kept breaking from the shock of the news.
“No, I am not quite a police officer. My daughter, Sapphire found the body. If you don’t mind I must get going!” Sherlock rushed his words wanting to leave the child.
“Oh no, I know her! I am her friend Lydia Moran. May I ask your address so I can go see how she is coping after school?” Lydia said.
Sherlock sighed, he really wanted to hurry up and follow the lead that he had. “221b Baker Street. Now please! I really need to go!” Sherlock said before running off, leaving Lydia standing there.
“ No!” Sherlock protested. He should have noticed sooner but the idea of a case was too much of a distraction. The girl had lied. Sapphire ate alone at lunch because she had no friends, because she didn’t fit in.
At that point Sherlock snapped out of it. Glanced once more at the screen, before running out of the shop, bidding thanks to the old lady. Running as fast as he could down the street, he needed to get home to protect Sapphire. And get to her before the girl did.