Forehand swipe

It's a good thing you got us out of the V&A, methylviolet10b. It was creepy (and sticky) in there.

Round 1 here.
Round 2 here.
Round 3 here.
Round 4 here.
Round 5 here.
Round 6 here.
Round 7 here.
Round 8 here.
Round 9 here.
Round 10 here.
Round 11 here.


12. Helpless

"Just one. Jessica Perez."

"Do you think she's--?" asked John.

"We won't know until the morgue gets the bodies," Lestrade answered with a helpless shrug. Only MacKenzie's prints had popped up in the police database. They'd left Donovan in charge of the bag-and-tag crew at the V&A. By now, they'd be finishing up and sending the bits and bobs over to St. Bart's to sort out and identify.

John's thoughts were on a similar path. "They'll be a while at that."

Lestrade nodded at the dry gallows humour.

"No need," snapped Sherlock. "It's her."

Lestrade eyeballed him. "Enlighten me."

Or commentators?

Still weird and creepy, but it should be dawn soon. I don't envy the cleaning crew at the V&A. I hope they get hazard pay for this job!

Round 1 here.
Round 2 here.
Round 3 here.
Round 4 here.
Round 5 here.
Round 6 here.
Round 7 here.
Round 8 here.
Round 9 here.
Round 10 here.
Round 11 here.
Round 12 here.
Round 13 here.

14. Blind

“I hope the unidentified victim went missing on the twenty-first.” Sherlock and Lestrade both looked at John. He met their gazes, one pale and intent, the other dark and tense, both awaiting further explanation. “Otherwise, we’re missing one. Eighteenth, twenty-first, twenty-fourth, twenty-seventh. If our third victim only went missing today--”

“Let’s assume,” Lestrade said, “that these three are the only three.”

“So far.”

It was a blind-side and it oughtn’t to have been. Lestrade felt briefly old and tired. “Hell. Sherlock’s right. That means we’ve got three days until he kidnaps another one.”

“And twelve until he kills again.”


I'm afraid I've not got a clue what twist you've given the post headers, Vi. Sorry. (I'm a bit scattered. Been sewing and forgot to eat lunch. D'oh!)

Can I remember the rules?

Hazard pay and an extra holiday, at least.

Round 1 here.
Round 2 here.
Round 3 here.
Round 4 here.
Round 5 here.
Round 6 here.
Round 7 here.
Round 8 here.
Round 9 here.
Round 10 here.
Round 11 here.
Round 12 here.
Round 13 here.
Round 14 here.
Round 15 here.

16. Embrace
“Where are you going, then?” Lestrade demanded.

“Home, I hope,” muttered John, yawning. The sun was rising. God, was it really as late as that?

Sherlock made one of his extended groans of irritation? Disgust? Disappointment? John was too tired to catch the precise nuance.

“It a new day, John, and we’ve a new case! Can’t you just embrace the adrenaline rush?”

“I’d rather embrace my pillow.” At his friend’s accusing and, yes definitely disappointed, glare, John changed tactics. “At least let’s go somewhere for a quick breakfast. I’ll eat fast.”

“Fine," begrudged Sherlock. "Lestrade--?”

“I’ll text you. Go.”

What were we discussing?

I think this round will amuse you. Oh, and I'm putting the previous round's links behind a cut. The list is getting silly-long.


( Click here for the previous rounds. )

18. Work

“Chiswick.”

“Chiswick.” It was an echo and a question in one word.

“I believe I spoke clearly, John.”

John bit back a retort. Getting snippy over Sherlock’s snippiness would get him nowhere. He’d made quick work of breakfast, as promised. He was well fed and marginally restored from his rude awakening at ass o’clock. He could handle this. “Why Chiswick?”

“Mark MacKenzie.”

“The bottom-feeder, yes. What about him?”

“He was 'investigating' a paper company in Chiswick before he disappeared.”

“And you think there might be a connection?”

“Jessica Perez lived in Chiswick with her boyfriend.”

“Chiswick it is. Check, please!”