Against the Odds

Chapter 7: The Great Game

"Are you alright?" Sherlock asked Rose quietly as they stepped out into the streets, and she replied just as quietly: "Fine." He glanced at the composed woman and asked: "Who was that earlier? That texted you?"

She said quietly: "My ex-boyfriend- he texts me every so often, but I generally don't reply." Sherlock looked at her as they hailed a cab, John and Lestrade beside them. "Why?" He asked and she looked up at him.

"Because I don't want to encourage him." He nodded and they all clambered into the cab. When they pulled up to 221 Baker Street, Mrs. Hudson came out, startled by the noise.

"Goodness, what is it?" She asked them as Rose stepped forward to unlock her door. She paused as she glanced at the door lock. Sherlock murmured as he also looked at it: "The door's been opened recently."

Mrs. Hudson said: "Well, it's probably Rose." Rose said tersely: "It's been opened since I left it this morning. And it's been left unlocked." She pushed her door open to indicate and it slid open. John and Lestrade looked concerned while Sherlock turned to Mrs. Hudson.

"You still have your spare keys?" He asked and the landlady nodded as she said: "Yes, they're hanging on the peg in my kitchen, and I've been there all day." Rose murmured: "And I have the only other key." Sherlock moved into the flat, Rose following him as she led the other two men in.

Mrs. Hudson was saying: "It was lovely when Rose took this flat, no one was interested before. The damp, I expect. Thankfully Rose cleared that all up for me." John and Lestrade just walked in after Rose as Mrs. Hudson continued: "I had a place once when I was first married. Black mold all up the walls ..." She trailed off as Lestrade closed the door behind him and she muttered as she went back to her own flat, saying in exasperation: "Oh! Men!"

Rose showed them into the downstairs flat and pointed them to the spare room. Sherlock took the lead, pushing the door open carefully to show the room, exactly as the photograph had it... except for a pair of trainers placed neatly in the middle of the room, their toes pointed to the door.

They all paused as they took the sight in, and John held Rose's shoulders sympathetically as the woman stared with furrowed brows at the shoes. John murmured: "Shoes." Sherlock began to walk towards the trainers when John warned: "He's a bomber, remember."

Sherlock stopped before he moved cautiously up to the shoes. He crouched down and placed his hands carefully on the ground, beginning to lean in to examine the trainers when a phone rang. He flinched while they all looked alarmed. John and Lestrade looked around while Rose's eyes zeroed in on Sherlock's coat pocket.

Sherlock closed his eyes briefly before standing up, pulling off his glove and taking the pink iPhone out of his pocket. John and Lestrade looked bewildered while Rose's eyes narrowed in thought. He glanced at it to see a blocked number and paused for a second before he answered it, placing it on speaker. "Hello?" He asked.

A woman's voice drew a shaky breath before she spoke through tears: "H-hello ... sexy." John and Lestrade exchanged puzzled looks as the woman stifled a sob and Rose stepped closer to Sherlock. She stood by his shoulder as he asked: "Who's this?" The woman replied slowly, still sobbing a little: "I've ... sent you ... a little puzzle ... just to say hi."

Sherlock's eyes narrowed as he asked: "Who's talking? Why are you crying?" The woman said shakily: "I-I'm not ... crying ... I'm typing ... and this ... stupid ... bitch ... is reading it out." She began to sob and Sherlock's eyes unfocused as he fell into thought. He murmured softly: "The curtain rises."

"What?" John asked while Rose frowned at him and Sherlock just muttered: "Nothing." John asked sharply: "No, what did you mean?" Sherlock replied, tilting his head a little to John: "I've been expecting this for some time." "Why?" Rose asked quietly, when the crying woman said: "Twelve hours to solve ... my puzzle, Sherlock ... or I'm going ... to be ... so naughty."