Chapter Seven: Solving The Case

Sherlock grabbed his coat and scarf. Abigail, who was now dressed in a pair of dress pants and a purple blouse, grabbed her coat and asked, "Where are we going?"

"To find Sean," Sherlock replied and started down the stairs.

"How are we going to find him? All we know is that me might, keyword: MIGHT, be at Angelo's flat, which is somewhere across town."

"I tracked his phone."

Abigail rolled her eyes. "Of course you did. You obviously don't call yourself a genius for nothing."

"I'm not the only one who calls me a genius." Sherlock shot Abigail a look over his shoulder. "You do, too."

Abigail glared at Sherlock as he smirked and hailed a cab. He gave the cabbie the address and the two took off. Abigail watched the town pass out the window as she tried to think of what they were going to say to Sean.

The message had been left just before Lestrade found Sherlock about the case, meaning Angelo was already under the custody of the police at the time. That meant that Sean didn't know that Angelo was in prison for what Sean had done. Maybe they could mention that and he would come out.

Sherlock seemed to be thinking the same thing. Neither one of them spoke, or really noticed the silence, until the cabbie pointed out, "You two are silent. Domestic dispute?"

Both Sherlock and Abigail looked at each other before both saying, "No."

The cabbie chuckled and said, "Sorry. Just a question."

Abigail looked over at Sherlock. He was staring out the cab window, much like she just was. She only knew him a day. Just about 24 hours at this point and people were already mistaking them for a couple. Mycroft's words played over in the back of her mind.

"Should we be expecting a happy announcement by the end of the week?"

No, she reminded herself. She just met Sherlock. She didn't like him that way. Even if she did, he wouldn't like her back. He was a "high-functioning sociopath" after all.

Meanwhile, Sherlock was also contimplating his relationship with Abigail. True, she was a very beautiful young woman and she obviously could tolerate him more than others could as she had known him for a full day and wasn't sick and tired of his talking or weird antics or anything.

But Sherlock considered him married to his work and, if he did start a relationship with Abigail, it would mean she could be put in danger on his cases. He has worked against dangerous felons before.

Sherlock shook his head. He needed to focus. They were drawing nearer to Angelo's place and he needed to think of something to say to get Sean to come to the police and Angelo out of custody. He also wanted, no, he NEEDED to know what Sean killed those people so violently.

Finally, the cab pulled up to the house. Sherlock paid the cabbie and got out first. He held the door open for Abigail, who slid across the backseat and out the door. Sherlock closed the door and the cab pulled off down the road.

"Any idea what we're going to say to him?" Abigail asked as they approached the door.

"I'm going to tell him the truth. Angelo's in jail for a crime he didn't commit," Sherlock replied.

"Do you think that'll work?"

"You heard the phone call. He cares for his brother. He finds out his brother is going away for a long time, for a crime Sean committed, he'll have to own up to it. Brothers will do anything to protect younger siblings."

Abigail looked at Sherlock curiously and stated, "You sound like you speak from experience."

Sherlock scoffed. Abigail took this as a no.

"Should I knock?" she asked.

"No need. The doors unlocked," Sherlock replied and turned the knob on the door. Abigail chose not to ask how he knew that. Sherlock really was a sort of genius. Maybe, if she was lucky, he would teach her his ways.

The two entered the flat. It was a two floor house. The moment you walked in, there was two sets of stairs, one leading to the basement and one to the first/main floor. The lights were off and the shades were drawn. The only light was the light from under the shades, but it didn't light up the room enough to see.

"You take upstairs, I'll take downstairs," Sherlock decided. "Less likely to scare you."

Abigail shot Sherlock a glare, but didn't argue with him. The two parted and began searching for Sean.

Abigail put one hand on the wall in order to guide herself through the house. She could barely see an inch in front of her. It made the whole experience even scarier.

"There has to be something wrong with you, Abigail Watson," she said to herself. "You're on a hunt for a man who brutally murdered three people in a dark house with a man you just met yesterday. Most people would find that down right crazy."

But, at the same time, Abigail couldn't lie to herself. She found it slightly amusing. Her life had been so boring before she met Sherlock. She did the same things day in and day out and, after she got fired, she was barley living. She was trying to save her money until she got a new job. Sherlock Holmes was the breath of fresh air that Abigail needed.

She came to the end of another wall and turned the corner. The atmosphere soon changed. She felt someone else's presence. Her heart began to burst out of her chest. Sean was there. She knew it. She could feel it. But she pretended she didn't. If he thought that she didn't notice him, maybe he wouldn't hurt her.

Abigail continued through the room, feeling the wall to guide her. Once she came to the wall, she'd turn around and leave. She'd go downstairs to find Sherlock and tell him where Sean was.

But I'll come with him, she thought. I can't let him come up here with a murderer on his own and risk his own life.

Before Abigail could turn around and leave the room, she felt an arm go around her neck and a gun press to her temple.

"Sherlock!" she screeched before she could think about what she was doing.

"Who are ya and what are ye doin' here?" asked Sean as he tightened his grip on Abigail's neck. She breathed in a shaky breath, trying to get some air into her lungs.

Sherlock bounded up the stairs at the sound of Abigail's yell. He had a flashlight in his hands and flashed it in Abigail's direction. He froze at the sight.

"Don't come any closer or I'll shoot!" Sean yelled.

"I'm not moving," Sherlock told him. "Why don't you let go of my partner and we can talk like civil people?"

"Who the hell are ya? What are you doin' here? Are ya here to arrest me?"

"No because you're going to turn yourself in."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't, your brother will go to jail for the murders you committed."

This shut Sean right up. Sherlock stood, expressionless, making it hard for Sean to tell if he was lying or not. That way, he'd know Sherlock was telling the truth and he'd let go of Abigail, unharmed.

Abigail felt the gun press harder against her skull as Sean said, "Yer lyin'."

"I'm not," Sherlock replied. "Your brother was picked up two days ago for the three murders you committed. He's sitting in Scotland Yard right now, waiting to be taken away to jail for years for the crime you committed."

"But-but he wasn't even around that night. He was house jacking-"

Sean stopped, realized what he had said. Sherlock's eyes widened before he said, "House jacking. House jacking! I never would've guessed house jacking."

"Sherlock," Abigail wheezed. "Not the time."

"Sorry."

Sean began to loosen his grip on Abigail's neck. She slowly began to fall from his grasp. Once his arm was completely away from her throat, she dropped to the floor, coughing for air. The gun fell not too far away from her as Sean surrendered himself.

Sherlock was to Abigail's side in seconds. One hand placed on her back as he leaned down to make sure she was okay.

"Sherlock, get that light out of my eyes, it's blinding me," Abigail said.

Sherlock dropped the flashlight so it was out of Abigail's eyes, but still light up the room. Once Abigail finally regained her breath and sat up, Sherlock dialed Lestrade's number to tell him where they were.

*~*~*

Moments later, Abigail was sitting on the hood of a cop car. They had brought a doctor with them to make sure she was okay. The doctor was doing a routine check up to make sure she was okay.

Donovan was standing off to the side, watching the scene. Once the doctor was finished with the check up and packed up his things to go, she approached Abigail. Abigail barley acknowledged her presence. Her attention was on Lestrade, who was bringing Sean to a police car in handcuffs.

"Did he tell you why he did it?" Donovan asked. Abigail shook her head. "The main victim was his wife's other man. Apparently his wife was cheating on him for years. He found out and snapped. The other two were just in his way."

"Sad, though," Abigail said. "He seemed so upset when we told him about his brother. He was only trying to protect Angelo and now both of them are going to prison."

"Sean for longer."

"Doesn't matter."

Donovan looked up at Abigail. She leaned her hand against the hood of the car, just next to where Abigail was sitting. Abigail finally looked down at her and realized who it was. Her eyebrows knitted together.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I just wanted to ask you something," Donovan told her. Abigail didn't say anything, so she continued. "How does a pretty, self respecting girl like you end up friends with a freak like Sherlock Holmes?"

Abigail huffed a breath and jumped off the hood to look Donovan straight in the eye.

"Excuse you, he is NOT a freak. Yes, he is slightly strange, but he is no where near the caliber to be called a freak. I don't know what your issue with Sherlock is and I honestly don't want to know. But if you want to keep on my good side, I'd suggest you keep your snide remarks and harsh words to yourself. Got that, Sergeant?"

Donovan looked Abigail dead in the eye. Neither broke the eye contact. Abigail's eyes were filled with rage and anger. Donovan's showed little to no emotion.

"Just remember, Sherlock Holmes gets off on this stuff. He loves murder. So don't be surprised when one day there's a murder and Sherlock's the one holding the weapon."

And with that, she was on. Abigail glared daggers into her back as she walked. Sherlock came up to her seconds later.

"What'd she say?" he asked.

"Called you a freak, said I should stay away and that you're gonna murder someone some day."

Sherlock nodded. "So the usual."

Abigail turned away to look at Sherlock. "So, what's going on with Sean and Angelo? Are they going to jail?"

"Yes. Sean's being brought to Scotland Yard to confess to his crime. Angelo won't be put away as long since he helped find Sean, but he will be gone for at least a few months for house jacking." Sherlock's hard expression softened as he looked down at Abigail. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Sherlock. Really," she assured him.

It was at that moment that Abigail's phone made a noise, signaling that she had a text. She pulled the phone from her pocket and looked at the text. It was from her sister, Harriet (Harry for short).

'meet me at the packet. want to talk'

"Important?" Sherlock asked, eying Abigail's phone. She looked up at him and shrugged.

"Not sure yet," she replied. "But I have to go to The Packet. Do you know where that is?"

"Get a cab and ask him to bring you there. They know this place like the back of their hands," Sherlock replied. "Oh, before you go, can I have the key to your flat?"

"My key?" she asked. "Why do you need my key?"

"I just want to make sure Mycroft hasn't broken into your apartment again and if he has, I'll kill him. Now, keys, give me."

Abigail scoffed. "Give me give me never gets. Don't you know your manners yet?"

Sherlock smiled as Abigail laughed. She couldn't deny that Sherlock going to check her apartment to make sure no one was there was a good idea. She knew Mycroft wouldn't hurt Sherlock. She couldn't say the same about Sherlock to Mycroft.

She pulled the keys to her apartment out of her pocket and passed them to Sherlock.

"If he is there, try not to get too much blood on the carpet," she told him.

"I'd never kill him on the carpet. I'd kill him on tiles. Much easier to clean."

"Again, you sound like you speak from experience." Sherlock raised an eyebrow at Abigail. "Oh god, you're a murderer."

Sherlock chuckled. "I am to Donovan."

Abigail smiled at Sherlock and went off to hail a taxi. Sherlock watched as she climbed into the black cab, told the cabbie the destination and was off. What happened between Sean and Abigail played in Sherlock's mind and the smile on his face dissolved.

This was a sign, he decided. The risk of Abigail's life was too great if they started a relationship. They had to remain just friends and partners.

Sherlock began to walk away to hail a taxi for himself when something crossed his mind. He pulled his phone from his pocket and texted Abigail.

'I just realized I have no idea where your apartment is

-SH'