Deducing Tragedy Part One: See No Evil

The text came in around an hour after Lestrade saw John and Hanna drive off, back to their flat. He watched them go, making sure nothing happened while he could do something about it. Shaking his head he turned back towards the crime scene. Hanna was right; he knew it, just like when he knew Sherlock was right. This unfortunately meant he would have to tell some poor girl’s family that she was dead. Sometimes he hated his job.

The girl is 16

He looked at the text and raised an eyebrow. Why did Hanna text him? He’d just been with her and she’d told him face to face. As he went to reply asking her about it he noticed something at the bottom.

-SH

That made him freeze. Sherlock? What-but- no! It was impossible! His own brother confirmed his death, Sherlock Holmes was dead, but here was a text saying otherwise. No, it was an imposter that all it could be. But how did they know about the girl? How did they know that the girl was sixteen when the story wasn’t even released yet? Better yet, if it was Sherlock, then how did he manage to sneak onto the scene and off again without anyone noticing?

He waved down a cabby leaving Donavan to take care of the scene. He needed help with this, with the only smart enough to rival Sherlock Holmes or his imposter.

~

John watched Hanna, from the archway of the kitchen, as she slowly made her way around the living room. Her walking stick was set against the wall near the door to the hall and her vest was hung up next to his. He watched as her tiny hands touched everything. Her fingers running along the back of Sherlock’s leather chair, glossing over the immense collections books most of which he’d never read.

“John can I get a cup of tea?” she asked suddenly as she pulled out her phone from her pocket. She put in the ear buds and clicked a button. Standing there for a moment she rolls her eyes as she wrapped the cord back around the cell and put it back into her pocket. “John, the tea?” she inquired.

“sure, sure” he said turning into the kitchen and putting the kettle on. As he walked back to the living room he felt his phone vibrate and pulled it out to see a new message from an unknown number as well as a message from Lestrade.

I'm on my way over, I need to speak to Hanna. –Lestrade

Over my dead body, John thought sitting down in his chair before scrolling over to the other message. He was about to open it when the doorbell rang.

“that’ll be Lestrade” Hanna said without turning away from the fireplace she was no in front of. “let him in John, I’ll speak with him”

“are you sure?” he asked standing up as he pocketed his phone.

“Yes” she smiled turning her head towards him. Her unfocused blue eyes looking glancing over him and he sighed. She would never stair at him, never see him. Never see anything for that matter.

“John” she smirked before turning back. “the door, don’t keep the inspector waiting” he nodded and walked out the hall and down the stairs. He opened the door just before Mrs. Hudson got to it and smiled at her to go back inside.

“John” the man on the other side greeted him before moving as if to enter the building.

“listen very closely” John said in a low tone. “the only reason I'm letting you in is because Hanna said it was alright. The moment I feel like you’re upsetting her, I will tell you to leave-“

“I got-“

“and you will leave” John said, his cold eyes sending chills down the other man’s spine. He nodded and John moved aside. When he reentered the room Hanna was seated in Sherlock’s old chair. Normally he would have protested when someone sat there but it seemed that Hanna fit perfectly in the spot vacated by his old friend.

“Hello Lestrade” she greeted him with a nod. “I understand you have a message for me”

“I do”

“John?” she asked. “why are you still here?”

The man frowned, “what do you mean?”

“did you get your message?” she asked raising an eyebrow. Still frowning he pulled out his phone and opened the message.