Sherlock: The Nanny's Anomaly

Just Don't, Sally

Sherlock had noticed that Susanna had gone silent but he was mildly perturbed when he didn't see her at within the perimeter, "Where is Susanna?" He questioned loudly. Andersen had left to get some equipment, but Donovan and Lestrade were huddled by the tape talking to the M.E. staff. Lestrade turned around and paled, "Did she step out for fresh air, Lestrade?"

The D.I. couldn't find words, seeing a slight change in Sherlock's eyes, "She was here last time I looked, Sherlock." Donovan shrugged, rolling her eyes.

"Sally?"

"She wandered off, I guess. Much like you. Sorry we can only handle one of you freaks." She snipped. Sherlock narrowed his eyes and crossed the perimeter, finding Susanna's purse.

"Her mobile is missing. I know she put it in her purse." He took out his own and opened a new message to Susanna.

"She could have stepped out. I'll ask the others. I know she looked upset."

Sherlock ignored Lestrade and texted Susanna.

Did you step out for air or did you leave to escape Sally? -SH

When she didn't respond within two minutes, Sherlock bristled, "What happened before she left?"

Lestrade gestured to Sally, who puffed and set her jaw, "She figured out the cause of death for one of the male victims."

"And you called her a freak and a psychopath," Sherlock tsked, reading it from Lestrade and Donovan both, "Considering she is far from either of those things, Susanna probably decided to go look for clues and get away from you."

"She went off looking for clues?" Lestrade repeated, but Sherlock was already striding towards one of the dark sections, "Sherlock!"

"Susanna is in trouble, otherwise she would have responded within two minutes." Sherlock took off, followed closely by Lestrade. Sally tried to follow but Lestrade waved her off.

"Just don't, Sally. Just don't."

Meanwhile, Susanna had grabbed her phone and tossed it away, hoping to create a diversion. It buzzed a couple more times, which drew the women in that direction.

"Wait, what if it's a trap? There's someone here! The cops did come!"

"That's not possible!"

"That one spook, though. Maybe we didn't shake them." Shuffling of feet, and the footsteps approached Susanna again. Then only one set did. The other split off.

Susanna grabbed her multitool, for what protection it offered, and crept backwards. She crawled back towards the staircase without taking a breath, watching as a flashlight shone through the darkness. Scooting closer with each movement. Maybe I can draw them back downstairs.

"There! I see her!" Susanna stood up and broke into a run as a silenced bullet ricocheted past her right ear.

"So much for stealth!" Susanna groaned. Both killers were on her tail now, so if she could just get them downstairs she might actually come out unscathed.

She had to slow down just as she reached the second story, though. She looked around and ducked as another bullet flew past her head. She jogged to the right and then darted down another dark corridor. As she turned her head to check on her pursuers, she collided full force with a solid mass. The reverse momentum made her teeter backward on her heels and she fell flat on her back, out of breath and tired. Two hands, large and strong, hoisted her back up and held her steady.

"Susanna!?" She blinked a couple times and grimaced from having smacked her head on the floor.

"Sherlock?"

BANG!

He yanked her behind the corner, "What are you doing?"

"Keeping the serial killers from escaping..?" She faded off, having matched gazes with him. Gray blue boring into violet blue, "I... um... thought they would still be in the warehouse and since you were busy I-"

BANG!

"Police!! Drop your weapons!" Lestrade leapt from behind Sherlock, stopping the women in their tracks. They growled but tossed the guns away. More police arrived and cuffed them.

Lestrade walked back to Sherlock, who was still holding Susanna upright, pressed against the wall. Her eyes glazed over, despite how focused she was on Sherlock, and she began to sway, "You okay, Susanna?" Lestrade questioned, noticing her head bobbing ever so slightly.

"She hit her head on the floor when she ran into me, while leading the serial killers to us," Sherlock replied, "She left the crime scene because she thought they were still in the warehouse and didn't bother to tell anyone."

"You were in your mind palace and I didn't want to raise a fuss!" Susanna shrilled, "If my cell phone hadn't gone off then I wouldn't have been dodging bullets."

"So you followed them?" Lestrade probed. Susanna nodded, breathing shallowly.

"Idiot." Sherlock hissed and released her from his vice like grip on her forearms.

"You would have done it too, Sherlock."

"I am used to being shot at and confronting serial killers-"

"Not my first time being shot at," Susanna exhaled, "I can handle myself. Mycroft wouldn't have approved me if I couldn't." She took a step and had to brace against the wall. Her vision was swimming and a migraine had settled in her eyes and frontal lobe. She stifled a grimace.

"Come on. You're getting checked out to make sure you don't have a concussion." Sherlock ordered, grasping her forearms and directing her to the stairs. Lestrade followed closely, observing Sherlock's odd and mildly amusing manner.

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