Dorm 221B: Teenlock Fanfiction

Part One: Chapter Eight

What's this? Did I actually keep my promise to upload the next chapter to celebrate reaching 10,000 reads? Yes I diddly darn did! So enjoy! Thanks so much for reading and I'll be seeing you at chapter nine! 

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First period passed John by with extreme tedium. His mind was whirling with everything Mycroft had told them. However, he still couldn't come to any sort of conclusion about the culprit. When at last the lunchtime break began, he grabbed his books and stuffed them into his bag, pushing past all the students at a jog.

He arrived at the quadrangle and quickly spotted Sherlock leaning against one of the tall oak trees that provided shade in the hot summer. Without looking up, Sherlock acknowledged John's arrival. "You're late."

"I came as quickly as I could," John began to protest, but Sherlock cut him off as he straightened suddenly.  

"So John, what can we deduce from Mycroft's information?"

John chewed his lip in thought, "Hmm, not a lot, I think. I mean there's a few things..."

He waited for Sherlock to jump in a give his opinion, but instead Sherlock gazed intently at him, as though wanting John's thoughts on the matter. "Erm, I mean, all the victims are boarders."

"Excellent John," nodded Sherlock in a manner that was almost encouraging. "Go on."

"Well, everything was taken during the day, when most students were in classes."

"The most logical thing to do, as there's less chance of being spotted."

"Yes, and everything taken was something of value."

"Indeed. Our crook is motivated by money, not revenge," elaborated Sherlock. "So in sum, we have a motive, targets, and a window of opportunity. What we need now is the method and we'll have ourselves a rather narrow list of suspects."

"And how do you suggest we discover their method?" asked John.

Sherlock grinned. "We're going to visit a friend of mine."

They walked through the school with Sherlock in the lead. "So who exactly are we meeting?" enquired John.  

"Mrs Hudson," replied Sherlock.

John's face contorted with confusion. "Mrs Hudson?"

"Yes, Mrs Hudson. The Hedgehog dorm matron. She's the eyes and ears of this place. If anything's going on, she'll know about it." 

Sherlock led the way to a small room, located at the dorm entrance. Funny how John had not yet been introduced to Mrs Hudson. Well, never too late to become acquainted. Sherlock rapped sharply on the door and stepped back. He held his hands behind his back so that only John could see the impatient twitch. The door swung open and a small-framed woman smiled at them from the doorway. Her short, mousy brown hair had been neatly curled and she had little crinkles by her eyes. She looked rather like one would expect a sweet, little old lady to look. However, Sherlock knew from experience that she was far more than meets the eye. Beneath her rosy exterior lay one of the sharpest tongues this side of the Thames. "Ah Sherlock. I hope you're not asking about keeping those biology things in your room again," she said sternly.

Sherlock sighed. "It was an important experiment."

"And yet no other student was asking of they could string up dead toads on the windowsill."

"Anyway," coughed Sherlock, "We're here about a different matter."

Mrs Hudson seemed to notice John for the first time, as she turned and beamed. "Oh, and you must be that lovely new boy, John Watson. So sorry I wasn't able to greet on your first day. I've been away all week. See, my husband's been-"