Sherlock stormed into the hospital, John close at his heels. Lestrade caught up with him.
"What have we got?" Sherlock asked as he walked through the familiar corridors of St Bartholomew's Hospital.
"Someone snuck in here, actually snuck into the morgue-"
"If you'll skip the commentary," Sherlock said.
"Oh, sorry," Lestrade retorted.
"Don't worry about it. Facts!"
"Someone snuck into the morgue, with a mirror, and wrote Maria on the mirror. Oh, and she left a note."
"A note?"
"For you?"
"Ooh," Sherlock said as he turned into the morgue. There was a bunch of police officers, photographing and looking for fingerprints. "Out!" Sherlock demanded. There was a pause.
Lestrade sighed. "You heard the man. Out you get."
There was a general noise of disapproval, which Sherlock ignored as he walked toward the mirror.
The mirror was full length, with a golden frame. It was beautiful, and heavy, Sherlock thought. For someone to carry it in would be a tremendous effort.
"You said they snuck in the mirror?"
"Yes."
"It's too heavy."
"That's what I thought, but if you try-"
Sherlock stepped forward and lifted it. "It's lighter than it looks," he commented.
"Yes." Lestrade said.
"Hmm," Sherlock said, looking at the actual mirror itself. The word MARIA was written on it, in capital letters this time, so no clue there. But then, he ducked down to read this, in smaller letters was writing, still in lipstick – "Sherlock, sorry for the wait! Don't worry, this game was worth it. Maria, XOXO"
Sherlock frowned and stood up. "How did they sneak in? Wasn't there an attendant?"
Lestrade nodded. "She's in the office."
Sherlock entered the office and almost sighed.
"Molly."
"Sherlock?" asked the crying woman. "What, what are you doing here?"
"There's been a crime, Molly, think!"
"Sherlock!" John scolded. "Sorry about him, Molly."
"It's…It's alright, really."
"See, John she's fine. Now what happened?"
Molly blinked, and Sherlock scowled. "Whenever you're ready," he said sarcastically. Three weeks of pent up energy was racing through him; he didn't have time for coddling.
"I…I got a text…"
"A text? From whom?"
Molly got out her phone. "M-my boss."
Sherlock read the text, then turned away. "Thank you. You've been a great help."
Molly gave a relieved smile as he departed, Lestrade and John following.
"Video footage?" Sherlock asked. "I assume there is some?"
"Ah, yes." Lestrade said, processing his words. "Follow me."
Sherlock sat in front of the monitor and watched the figure – clad in black, carry in the mirror, placing it and hastily write the note in lipstick. She then turned, bowed to the camera, straightened and blew a kiss, before fleeing the scene. Sherlock frowned.
"I assume you found no dna? Skin fragments and the like?"
"Well, that was what my men were trying to do before you kicked them out, but no. She'd covered her tracks pretty well."
"She snuck into the hospital wearing an incredibly suspicious outfit and carrying a full length mirror. She managed to get past everyone including security and doctors and patients alike without anyone noticing her, not to mention all the cameras posted around, which I assume came up with nothing as well. She then managed to fake a text message to the morgue attendant to get her out of the room, and you think she covered her tracks 'pretty well?'"
There was a silence. "Well, ah, yes, when you put it like that…"
Sherlock sighed and put the footage on repeat.
"What's that?" he asked, as he watched her put down the mirror.
"What?" John asked.
"She hesitated. Just for a second. When she put down the mirror."
"Well, maybe she was tired." Lestrade said.
"Tired? Lestrade, you felt how light that mirror was. It wasn't tiredness. This woman managed to sneak into the morgue. No, it was something else." He frowned and tapped the screen. "Who's that?"
"I don't…"
Sherlock stood up suddenly. "Go get Molly. I think I have a lead."
