Sheryl found herself just outside of an alleyway.
The alleyway was closed off by the usual police setup. Police tape across the openings of the alleyways, the uniformed police guarding the entrances, the police cars parked close to the alleyway, and the like. A sign saying ‘The Golden Inn’ hung on one of the buildings next to the alleyway.
Sheryl took a piece of candy out of her pocket, unwrapped it, and placed it in her mouth. She walked up to one of the police officers guarding the alleyway, and told him who she was while showing him her identification. After he called in on his radio and received confirmed that Sheryl was allowed to be there, he smiled and lifted the police tape up for her. “Go right on in then, miss.”
Sheryl thanked the police officer and walked into the alleyway.
In the middle of the alleyway, a plain-clothes detective and a forensic scientist were examining a body. Sheryl took out some latex gloves and put them on as she walked towards them. She walked up next to the detective and the scientist and crouched down with them.
The victim was a young woman, whose long hair was now covered in the dried blood that had leaked out from the bullet hole in her forehead. Her dying expression seemed to had been one of acceptance, but now all that was left was a vacant stare.
The forensic scientist greeted Sheryl, “Hello Sheryl.”
“Holmes, call me Holmes,” Sheryl said.
The detective rolled his eyes a little and said, “Hello Sheryl.”
Sheryl also rolled her eyes a little in response and greeted the detective, “Hello Dr. Watson.”
At the mention of that name, the detective’s brow furrowed and he angrily responded. “You know very well that I’m not a doctor, it’s Detective Wa-”
Sheryl interrupted Detective Watson, “So, what do we have here boys?”
The forensic scientist stood up. “Victim was killed by a gunshot to the head. No other wounds were found in my quick examination. I’ll send you the report of the full examination after I’m done, Detective.”
Detective Watson also stood up. He nodded and said, “Thank you.”
The forensic scientist walked off to continue with his duties. When he had walked far away enough, Sheryl started doing her own quick examination of the body.
Detective Watson turned around and noticed Sheryl’s unauthorized fiddling. Angrily, he told her, “Stop touching the body, Sheryl! According to procedure, I’m supposed to-”
Sheryl brushed the detective off, “Oh, you cops and your procedures. C’mon, trust the detective!”
“… I’m the detective around here,” Detective Watson muttered.
Not paying any attention to the detective, Sheryl found the victim’s wallet and opened it up. Sighing, Watson bent down to have a look at the wallet with Sheryl.
The first thing that the two saw when Sheryl opened the wallet was a picture of the victim along with a man and boy; the three of them looked close and happy in the picture.
“Ah, so she has a husband and a son, it seems,” observed Sheryl.
“Or they could be her brother and nephew,” countered Detective Watson.
However, Sheryl pointed out, “… Good point, except that they’re wearing matching wedding rings on their ring fingers.”
Watson paused for a bit, and decided that Sheryl was right, “Fine.”
Sheryl continued flipping through the victim’s wallet, eventually pulling out the victim’s driver’s license. Sheryl looked over the license and said, “Her name was Virginia Summers.”
The next item of importance that Sheryl found was a business card, which read, ‘Marlowe’s Private Investigations’. There was a silence as the both of them stared at the business card with a sense of foreboding.
Finally, Sheryl put the wallet down, and they both got up. Watson motioned to another officer that they were done with the body, and both he and Sheryl walked towards to the end of the alleyway.
“Well, looks like we’re going to see Marlowe,” said Sheryl.
Detective Watson furrowed his brows again, “That card could mean anything, Sheryl.”
“Considering Marlowe’s reputation, I’d say that it’s worth at least a visit,” Sheryl replied.
Watson looked back into the alleyway, sighed a little, and said, “Alright then, I’ll report this and send some of my men over to-”
Watson turned back around and noticed that Sheryl had already walked off without him. Catching up to Sheryl, he grabs her by the shoulder, “Hey! You can’t go by yourself! This is still a police investigation.”
“Oh c’mon, Watson, lay off the procedures a little. Besides, I want to go see Marlowe again, he makes good coffee.” Reaching into her pocket, she took out two pieces of candy. Unwrapping one and eating it, she offers Watson the other one, “Candy?”
Watson dismissed the candy and sighed, “I can’t believe that I have to work with you again!”
“Oh c’mon, Watson, you know you like working with a Holmes,” said Sheryl.
Frustrated, Watson said, “This isn’t one of your Sherlock Holmes stories, Sheryl! First of all, I’m in charge here. Second of all, working with you is like babysitting. And last of all, you’re nothing like Sherlock Holmes.”
Upon hearing that, Sheryl got angry herself and leaned in closer to yell at Watson, “Yes, I know that you’re in charge here, ‘Detective Watson’. You know, you used to like being with me when we were in high school and we were…”
Sheryl’s voice trailed off, their faces were close enough now that their lips were almost touching. Their lips lingered in that position for a moment, then Sheryl leaned back.
Her voice softer now, Sheryl continued, “But then again, maybe you didn’t like being with me, since you…”
Sheryl’s voice trailed off again, and Watson looked away in guilt.
“Look Sheryl, I-” Watson began as he looked back up, only to find that Sheryl was once again walking away.
“C’mon Detective,” said Sheryl, “we’re wasting time.”
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This story is part of the Sheryl Holmes’ 221B Baker Detective Agency series.
New chapters to be posted on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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