The Red Lady

The Red Lady A Sherlock Holmes (BBC) fan fiction by Amy Lima



                                            Chapter One

  Today was a normal day or should I say that I expected it to be normal. I woke up at 7 A.M in the morning for I had slept early yesterday. I strolled into the kitchen looking for a mug to put coffee in which wasn't contaminated by Sherlock's experiments. My sleepy eyes got a glimpse of a white mug on the counter with microscopes and test tubes surrounding it. I grasp the mug in my hand and examine it very closely with my naked eye. The white mug seems to be clean so I pour the warm coffee into my mug. I then realize something this morning which seemed to be different. It was the fact that the house was very inane which wasn't normal to me because I would expect Sherlock playing his violin or doing experiments but I haven't noticed him yet. I tentatively walked into the next room which was the dark living room for only a bit of sunlight shone through the thick beige curtains. I then reached for one of the curtains; I grasped it tightly in my hand and whipped them open letting all the light into the messy room. I heard a screech from behind me which startled me because it sounded as if it came from a dying pig.

 "Err!" I looked down at the corner of the dusty room and notice someone sitting in the corner with books toppling over them and I knew that the only person that it could be was Sherlock. I was right since it was Sherlock who was in the corner and he was the one who made such a boisterous noise.  His blue eyes glared up into my eyes as if I was his pray for breakfast.

  "Are you going out Watson?" I rose up my eyebrows to my companion's statement for I thought it was a joke since the Sherlock I knew would be able to find the answer just by looking at me in a second.

  "Are you serious? This has to be a joke or you just fell on your head."  I replied with a laughing gesture.

                                           



                                                           1

I then noticed that Sherlock was giving me a little dirty glance with his narrow blue eyes staring deep into my eyes that it made me feel the dark aura coming from him.



"Watson this is no joking matter, I am being serious yes indeed I am." I became shock after this because Sherlock Holmes didn't seem to be himself today. I thought some reasons that could explain my companion's strange behavior but I conducted only two theories that could be possible. One thought that cross my mind was maybe he was on his drugs again and he probably felt hazy or droopy at the moment but I know Sherlock for such a while that I know when he is buzzed on drugs. Then my second thought came into mind as it shook me at the thought of Sherlock Holmes' suicide but Sherlock is too full of himself to kill the great detective off. I shook my crazy thoughts out of my mind for it was making me go crazy so I thought of the one way to find out was wrong which was just by simply asking him.

 "Sherlock are you okay?"  I asked with a sincere tone and a worried face as I examined him as if I could read what is wrong but really I can't do what Sherlock can do. He started to talk off topic as I eyed him and not letting him out of my sight.

 "Watson, you clearly have a date tonight with whomever; I've lost count." I felt like I shouldn't care about a cold and heartless person like him but since I had started the conversation I had to wait till it ended or just run back into my room.

"I'm going…"

"Bored; Watson! That is what I'm feeling. I need a case; an interesting one." Sherlock cut me off as I tried to end this conversation with him but I can clearly see that there is no way getting my foot out of the trap.  He instantly got up from his dark corner and started to rabble off as he scratched his head back and forth in the messy and lit room.



                                       

                                                        2

 All that I did was examined and somewhat listen to his words. "I need a case! Maybe the case can be a robbery or a homicide; just something!" Sherlock quickly collapsed down on the armchair and let his head hang loose behind as he stared up at the blank ceiling.

"What if you clean this room and the kitchen?" I gave a suggestion but clearly he wasn't going to do it.

"Or…" My companion added as he continued to stare at the ceiling.

  "Or you can use your skills of deductions on me like you usually do especially to your clients."

 "I already did Watson; and I want something new, something interesting like a puzzle." I gave out a sigh and my patience until a knock was heard at the front door. I looked at the door and Mrs. Hudson entered in the room with her usually cheerful attitude as Sherlock just sat in solitude behind me.

 "Good morning!" Mrs. Hudson's gentle and sweet voice echoed through the dense atmosphere between Sherlock and me.

 "Good morning!" I reply back to the landlady.

 "Bored…" Sherlock mumbled under his breath as he lay down depress on the armchair. Mrs. Hudson quickly exchanged her glance to my companion with a weird expression then she stared back at me. She leaned over to me and whispered really quietly so that Sherlock couldn't hear.

 "Is Sherlock okay?"

 "He's just…bored." I responded with an empty reply for I didn't know for sure even though he clearly kept yelling it out. But I realized my empty reply wasn't good because I saw some more worried wrinkles form on the old lady's kind face.

 "He's not going to be shooting the walls again, is he?" I placed my hands on her shoulders to calm her down for I didn't actually have the answer she was looking for. Her eyes calmed down as they looked up at mine as if I were her hero or something.

                                       

                                                     3

 "No, I'll make sure of it." I replied finally as we heard some strange muttering from behind us. It got our attention to look back and saw Sherlock muttering some rubbish as it gradually got louder and louder.

 "Are you sure?" Mrs. Hudson asked again.

 "I am sure, but for safety go downstairs." I command as I slowly signaled the old lady to go back downstairs before it's too late.

    "Bored…" Sherlock suddenly shouted and finds a new audience in his sight, "Oh, Mrs. Hudson have you came up here for me. Is there a client… or a case or maybe a question if so I'm willingly to answer it?" Mrs. Hudson tried to cut in with her answer but Sherlock continued with his crazy talk again. "No, no…Mrs. Hudson you just came here to say hello and maybe ask if we request some tea. But I don't care!"

"Sherlock…"I called out his name but he continued on with scaring and making Mrs. Hudson feel sad.

"Hello! Can someone die already or can someone steal something! It's been already a month and I …"

 "SHERLOCK!" I screamed to the top of my lungs and I finally caught Sherlock's attention as he became instantly quiet. I felt this weird feeling when I found myself  being stared by the landlady and my crazy roommate, waiting for me to say something but I had no clue what to say actually. I had to think something good and quickly because I don't want Sherlock to continue on with him talking back and forth in this room again. "Sher-" I started.

DING DONG! I found myself being saved by the sound of the doorbell but I'm thankful for whoever rang it was at the right moment.

"A client?!" Sherlock called out as he quickly raced to the window to peer down at the stranger as if he were a dog. "Mrs. Hudson can you answer the door for the lady." Sherlock commanded as he kept his eyes on the lady to examine her every detail.

"Sherlock, I'm not your -"

                                         

                                                    4

"And some tea as well, will you do so."  The landlady just followed his commands and walked out the room with a sigh. I strolled beside my companion to the window so that I can take a glimpse at this new client who waited patiently at the door. I glance at my roommate and caught the glimpse of excitement when I saw a sudden sparkle in his blue narrow eyes. My companion waded away from the window and fixed his dark brown hair and sat back down on the armchair waiting eagerly for his client. I took my seat beside him and waited silently for the case to be introduced when I really didn't felt like working on a case right now.

   The door reopened with a lady behind Mrs. Hudson who was holding the tray with tea on it as Sherlock requested. I noticed that my companion's eyebrows rose up at the sight of his new client then a smirk appeared on his face. I knew that smirk, the one that meant Sherlock is eager to find out his client right away. I didn't want Sherlock scaring off his client when he starts to unfold their life story just by observing them in five minutes but I can't control Sherlock, can I now. Mrs. Hudson placed the tray on the messy table and then scurried back downstairs to her home.

"My name is Sherlock Holmes and this is my companion, John Watson." Sherlock points out to the lady, "Please take a seat and tell us who you are and your business that we may be of help." Sherlock glances at the chair that stood in front of him to direct her to her seat. She preceded my companion's words by seating on the chair which stood in front of us.

"Good morning. I know that it is early for me to come and-"

"You could have come earlier like maybe 1 am because I needed a case so badly but please continue." Sherlock interrupted as I rose my eyebrows up at him.

"Uhm…well, my name is Scarlett Briggs." The lady identified. Sherlock leaned close to me and ordered me to shake Scarlett's hand but why couldn't he do it himself, why does he need me to do to.  Whatever though, so I reached my hand to Scarlett with a kind smile across my face.



                                         

                                                             5

  "It's nice to meet you." I greeted. She rejected my hand which made me realize the point of Sherlock ordering me to shake hands because he knew that this would happen. He needed someone to confirm his theories that he has already conducted and he thought of using his roommate as his test animal so he wouldn't be rejected by a client like me. Sherlock grinned at his doctor friend being brushed off by a lady in front of him. I sat back down a little bit offended and I tried to ignore all that has happen but really it was actually still on my mind as a burned image. Sherlock grabbed a cup of tea and relaxed back into his chair as he eyed Scarlett carefully.

 It felt awkward as I just sat in silent in my chair staring at Sherlock who was staring only at his client and Scarlett was doing the same with no expression on her face.



   The lady who identified herself as Scarlett Briggs had her hair loose down to her shoulder which was dyed with a dark shade of red, only had a touch of blush on her cheeks, she looked to be 5, 7 ft. tall, she looked like she was 2 years younger than my companion, she wore a leather jacket with a light blue tank top with a v-cut underneath and black skinny jeans.

"So Scarlett is the name, right?" Sherlock asks.

"Yes, I have said that my name was Scarlett Briggs. Have I not?"

"Indeed, I have heard you when you first introduced yourself but for some reason every time I hear your name it is like music to my ears." The lady stayed quiet and emotionless. "So tell us your case Scarlett, oh Scarlett!" I had no clue what my companion was trying to accomplish here but I wish he could stop embarrassing me.

 "I came here to talk about a robbery of a ring." The lady confided as she focused onto Sherlock with such a peculiar stare that I have never seen before.

"Why not go to the police about this?" I questioned the lady.



                                       

                                                         6

 "What my partner should have asked was why this ring is important?" Sherlock does a little glance to acknowledge me to recite some reasonable questions or questions that Sherlock himself would speak off.  As my reaction I just rolled my eyes at him then I put my focus back onto the red headed lady.

"Well, the police would think that it is just a simple ring but it's my grandmother's which I have kept for so long with me and it is suddenly gone." Sherlock shut his eyes so that he can begin to listen to every single word about his client's story.

"Go on; tell the story from the exact moment of discovering the ring was missing."

 "It started on May 19 when it was the beginning of the day for the sunlight flooded into my living room where I lay asleep on the couch. I heard some scuffling in my house which woke me up but I stayed unaware that it was a robbery that was occurring in my own bedroom."

"You weren't by any chance curious of that sound?" Sherlock cut in with a question.

"I was indeed still half asleep and thought it was just nothing. After five minutes I heard more scuffling from my bedroom. I quickly got up for this time I wanted to check this sound out. I keep my grandmother's ring in my bedroom under my night table near my bed. It is usually kept in a small silver medal box with flower details which show the personality of an old female design since it belonged to my grandmother."

"The ring?" Sherlock added and he revealed his blue eyes to stare at Scarlett.

"The ring…" Scarlett's expression finally changed to my companion's words. She looked at him nervous as she started to fidget with her fingers for she was beginning to feel tense. She quickly adjusted to Sherlock by relaxing back to her old emotionless self. "The ring had a red gem which was then wrapped around with a gold loop. It had many details and because of what the ring is made of it costs 10,000 pounds."

                                     



                                                               7

"10,000 pounds!" I choked out my excitement as I lean forward as a reaction to the cost of this client's ring.

 "Watson, a ring from 70 years ago would be worth as much as that." Sherlock told me as if I were a kid but I knew it would be expensive it's just that's a lot of money.

 "That's why the ring is important and it's my grandmother's."

 "Yes, yes Scarlett please continue!" Sherlock sang out as I saw Scarlett frown for one second then back to normal. I think I can tell that she was getting annoyed by my companion's weirdness. Why all of a suddenly? Is Sherlock interested in this lady more than her case? He was interested in Irene Adler or "the woman" as he would call her. But is there something about Scarlett Briggs this time or is he acting like this because he knows something about the lady and is acting like this for work purposes.

 "Uhm…well I walked slowly in the hallway to the bedroom door trying to make no sound as much as possible. I could clearly hear the scuffling more as I approach my door. Then as I took that step closer the scuffling sounds just stop immediately."

 "You couldn't hear anything at all?" I asked with astonishment as my companion just sat quietly listening to every detail.

 "I am telling you the truth; I didn't hear anything at the minute I took that step closer. I opened the door slowly and walked inside with astonishment at the sight of my bedroom's new makeover. My pillows were destroyed, my blanket was on the floor, my drawers were open with my clothing hanging out, and it was a total mess. Then I quickly looked at the spot where I had my ring and saw that the trespasser took the ring for the night table was pushed over and the box was gone."

I noticed a smirk appeared on my friend's face again then his eyes reopened and sung, "Scarlett, oh Scarlett what an interesting case!" She didn't frown this time but her eyes shown anger in them as they stare deeply at Sherlock. "I…" Sherlock glimpse at me then back to Scarlett."I accept your case." Scarlett smiled to my companion's statement. "This case will take me two days to solve, maybe three…but it depends…So tomorrow at 10 o'clock, are you free for the morning?" We all got up and strolled to the door to introduce Scarlett's way out.

                                                        8

 "Tomorrow, at 10 is fine. But where will we meet?" I open the door for the lady as she paused in the middle of the doorway looking up at my companion who stood really close to her. They were really close together that it seem like I was watching a romantic movie scene.

 "At the café across the street, is it okay?" Sherlock mumbled slowly as his head slowly lean towards the girl's head. The girl didn't twitch or blink at all but looked hard at him.

 "Yes…" She mumbled back slowly too.

 "A…date…Yes?" Sherlock respond back in a crispy voice as I saw Scarlett's eye widened with surprise. Scarlett shoved Sherlock off and walked out the house.

 "Sherlock, Sherlock? What was going on?" I questioned as I looked at him steadily. Sherlock closed the door for me and went to grab his violin to begin his song of thinking. I went up to him confuse as he stared out the window with his violin on his shoulder to play.

 "The lady…" he began

"The lady?" I asked confounded at what my companion was trying to lead on.

"Is…"

"Is what?"

"Interesting…"

"But how is she interesting?"

"But why did she come here?" Sherlock started to play a new song on his violin as he watched the lady cross the busy street.

"What! She came here because she has a case. Sherlock?" I answered.

"Her case…yes her case is another thing." Sherlock turned around quickly and dropped his violin onto his armchair then he marched up to my face. I repelled back from his face a bit. "She has been married twice but none of them lasted. Her first husband had an affair on her after a year that they got together. Her second marriage is different. It only lasted 2 years but the husband asked for a divorce." I eyed him astonished for what he is capable of doing.

                                                9



"How did-"

 "Watson, you must not see but observe as well for I got the facts by observing her. I will still tell you how I observed those facts. For her first marriage I knew it lasted for a year because she had a mark around her finger which was slightly noticeable for me but clearly she lost weight probably because of her husband affair. Her second marriage I found out the same way for she had a second mark which was thinner and higher than the other ring. Then I asked about the ring and she instantly got stunned and thought I was talking about her marriage ring so she tensed up meaning it wasn't an affair this time for she still thinks about him surely."

"Where you talking about her marriage ring?"

"No, why would I ask that?  You think that I am interested in her in the way you're interested in all those women you have dated." I gave a sigh and gave a grumpy face back to Sherlock who backed away from me to stare out the window again.

"Well, you did ask for-"

 "A date. I know but I have no feelings for that girl and I will never have feelings for anyone, ever." Sherlock interrupted me.

"How about Irene Adler?"

"The Woman? I had no such thing as feelings for her."

"Really…" Sherlock looked down and put his hands under his chin. "Fine, dodge the love stuff." Sherlock chuckled quietly, probably to the word love. "Did you observed anything else my friend who will never get marry?" I wondered. He chuckled again and looked at me directly with those piercing eyes.

"Sadly, no. I could only observe her marriages but I have some theories about her case but needs facts to prove them."

"What is your theory?"



                                                  10

"And…I can't tell you my plan, yet. But I will tell you some things which is I will go on that lovely date with Scarlett and ask for a blueprint of her house."

"Blueprint? But why do you need a blueprint of her house when you can visit it?"

"I can't tell you all of my plan for it won't work." Sherlock replied.

"Okay then, what will I do?" I questioned for my job in this case and I hope that it wouldn't be wild. Sherlock grabbed his violin and started to play that new song. He stared at me and had a unique smirk that stretched across his white pale face.