A Trail of Treasure - Sherlock Holmes

Chapter One - Not the Man I'm Looking For

221B Baker Street. 

She would have knocked but the door was very slightly open.

Not enough to be noticed from a distance by passers by, but standing directly before it, prepared to knock, she saw that it was not latched all the way.  

She tapped softly before pushing it open ever so slightly.  "Hello?" she called down the hall, knocking again.  "Anyone home? I don't mean to intrude, but your door was open." Still, nothing.  It appeared rather dark and quiet. "Hello? I'm looking for Dr. John Watson-"

BANG!

"Ah!" Caroline let out a shrill scream and dropped to her knees to the floor. 

That had been the unmistakable sound of gunfire coming from upstairs - she knew from the times her father would practice his shot in the grounds of the house, and, sometimes, when he would show her how to shoot. 

Silence followed the gunshot - she had no idea what that meant, or what was going on.

Racing back out of the house, Harris noticed her state right away.  "Ma'am, are you alright?"

"I heard a gunshot inside," she cried. "I think we should go see."

His jaw fell open.  "But it could be dangerous!"

"That's why I didn't want to go in alone! Someone could be hurt!"

Harris was not thrilled at the idea, but climbed down from the carriage and led the way  back into the house.  "Not  a word," he whispered.

They crept up the stairs and down the hall. With the exception of the gunshot, the house still appeared quiet and empty.

That was until they rounded the corner and very nearly collided with someone - a woman.

"Goodness!" she cried, hand over her chest.  "Who are you? What are you doing in my house?"

"Begging your pardon, Ma'am," cried Caroline.  "We're visitors.  I'm Caroline Westin, and this is my driver, Harris," she introduced.  

"Mrs. Hudson, the landlady here."

"Apologies, Mrs. Hudson. I was looking for someone who lives here, and the door was open when I arrived. Then I heard a gunshot. I wanted to check to make sure no one was hurt."

"Oh,  that'll just be Mr. Holmes, at it again with his antics." She huffed. Caroline did find it strange how calm she appeared to be given the situation.  "I hope it's not him you're looking for."

"N-no, I was looking for Dr. John Watson."

"Oh, well I'm afraid you won't find him here, my dear. He moved out months ago, and is married now."

"Oh, I had no idea-"

BANG!

They all jumped and cried out at the second gunshot, this one louder. 

The door beside them suddenly flew open, making them all jump yet again.

A man with messy dark hair and a scruffy jaw wearing a dingy long coat and an equally dingy partially-buttoned shirt stood in the doorway, a smoking gun in his hand.

"And what in God's name do you think you're doing?"  Mrs. Hudson demanded. She didn't appear startled by the man's appearance, or the rest of the situation for that matter, leading Caroline to believe something like this must be a regular occurrence.  "You'd better not have put another hole in my wall - we just got it all patched up and fixed after last time!"