A Rose By Any Other Name | Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 7

Aryn, John, and Sherlock took a cab together to the next crime scene. It had been almost a month with no new leads. On top of that, things hadn't been going any better between Sherlock and Aryn. He made it a point to either shoot down any suggestions she had or just ignored her completely. After a while, she became numb to the treatment. It was like they were back in college once more. It was as if they had just started over.

John felt very uneasy about the situation. He felt torn between having to help Sherlock with the case and also helping Aryn with the case. They were going about it from two very different directions, but they were both arriving at the same conclusions. He didn't want it to appear as if he was taking sides with anyone.

Lestrade had already left, leaving the three of them time to gather whatever information they needed prior to heading out.

The cab ride was long and quiet. John and Sherlock sat on one seat and Aryn sat on the other. She stared out the window the entire time while Sherlock stared at Aryn. It was peculiar behavior for John to witness. When he had gone in to Lestrade's office to tell them both that there had been another body, there was something uncomfortable about the mood in the room. It was a heavy feeling that he walked in on. He meant to talk about it with Sherlock later.

Pulling up to the building in question, the three of them climbed out of the cab and walked around the back where Lestrade was waiting for them. His face was grave, as if had just seen a ghost.

"How old?" Sherlock asked, pushing past the DI.

Lestrade didn't answer him, causing Sherlock to turn around to face him. "How old?" he repeated.

Aryn looked at Lestrade with a worried expression. He looked up at her with sorrow in his eyes.

Rushing past him, she saw the sheet that covered the body. It was very small, no more than three feet long. Her heart sank.

Turning to John, she said, "Maybe it's best that you don't go back there."

John looked at her with a puzzled look. "Why not?"

Aryn's gaze pleaded with John, but he wasn't having any of it. He walked around her and followed Sherlock to the scene.

The baby couldn't have been more than two months old. After pulling the sheet off of it, he immediately began to get choked up. When he looked down at that infant, he imagined his own unborn child. The dangers of the job he was doing immediately haunted him once more, his mind traveling back to Mary. He stood up and walked away from the scene, trying to collect his thoughts.

Sherlock walked over to the child and replaced John, looking over the wound as well as noting the placement. This one was carefully done once more, the baby holding the rose between its small hands. The wound was just as precise and the rose was fully bloomed, its fragrance wafting up to tickle Sherlock's nose. Looking over at Aryn and John, he noted their reactions.

He walked back over to Lestrade and asked, "How long before we can get an autopsy report?"

"For Christ's sake, Sherlock," Lestrade groaned, "have some decency. We don't even know who the parents are let alone why this kid is even here."

"I'll have some decency when this killer is caught. I want an autopsy done as soon as possible before we lose any more time."

Sherlock didn't wait for a response from Lestrade. He walked towards John, his sensitivity towards the situation at an all-time low. "I don't see what all the fuss is about. It's just another body."

John turned to face Sherlock and gave him a deadly glare.

Sherlock, confused, flicked his eyes from John to Aryn. "Not good?" he mouthed to her.