It Started With Stealing | Sherlock Holmes

82 - We All Fall Down

The frizzy haired leader scoffed, looking away from her group and behind the serving counter instead. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. How would she ever make this go away?

"She needs to go, Cleo."

"NO!" The lioness turned to roar, shocking every other thief rigid in their seats and stances, "All of you answer to me!" She pointed her shaking finger at all of them accusingly, "I have given you all a home, a family, and here you all are making something as serious as murder trivial. "

"Cleo, we're not being irrational."

"No, but - "

"If it was anyone else, Cleo." Amber reiterated, "In a heartbeat."

Cleo shut her eyes, regretting every choice she had made that landed her here. Moriarty was right, there were other doctors and nurses but none like Rita. Amber was right too, if it was anyone else, they would be dead. But no,  not Rita. She was the only one she couldn't bring herself to put down.

And yet she had to.

Exhaling, Cleo ran her hands over her eyes.

"Abi, write a note telling them to meet in front of the Tower Bridge tomorrow, midday. Amber: you, Rach, Della, Anna, Mira and Tanya need to secure the walkways between the towers. It's only going to be our girls up there tomorrow." She paused, "Angie, Zara, Phee, Gia, I need your help shutting up shop. The rest of you, scatter. And Faye, I'll need you to open up tomorrow."

And as the women moved, Cleo stood still, staring at the already packed up corner of chairs and tables, wondering how much more she would lose.

*  *  *  *  *  *

The familiar crackle of the fire warmed Elizabeth as she sat in front of it, cross-legged, experiencing a child-like manner to reminisce about how much simpler life was as a child. John sat in his chair, therapeutically typing up a previous case for his blog.

"I don't think we're going to find Rita." Elizabeth said aloud, shifting the coals with the fire poker.

The tapping stopped and John peered down at her with a sigh, "I'm sure we will."

The thief shook her head, "Think about it, John. If she was hiding something and if two of the smartest people in the world were onto you, what reason would you have to come back? I think she would rather run than be found out."

John acknowledged that she had a point,  "But didn't you say she liked Mycroft? And Mycroft liked her?"

"But now he dislikes her for hiding something from him. She has no reason to come back."

Shutting down his laptop, he placed it on the coffee table to the right of him. He finished off the last bit of tea in his mug before he stood up and stretched.

"I think...that we have both had a long day. The best thing for us both, right now, is sleep." He walked into the kitchen, rinsing his mug in the sink before placing it on the drying rack, then returned to the lounge, "Go on, get to bed. When you're this stressed, sleep will do you good."

"When I'm this stressed, I can't get to sleep."

Exhaling gently, the persistent doctor within him gave up, nodded and started heading to the door, "Goodnight, Elizabeth."

"Night, John."

He paused before he left the lounge for good, "At least try and sleep."

Elizabeth nodded. John left. It was just her and the fire alone.