Off Limits - S.H.

The Blind Banker - Part 6

"Sherlock..." John began slightly shakily. He had turned one of the cups over to look at the price tag, seeing the same symbol they had seen beside Sir William's portrait and the library shelf. "The label there."

"Yes, I see it," Sherlock spoke softly as he walked over to John.

"Same as the cypher?" Y/N questioned as she turned around, holding a decorative plate. "I've got it, too."

Sherlock suddenly lifted his head, a look of realization dawning on him as he dashed out of the shop, the Watsons close behind him.

"It's an ancient number system! Hangzhou." Sherlock exclaimed as they walked down the street.

"What, like the city?" Y/N questioned as she speed-walked to stand next to Sherlock, pulling her coat tighter around her exposed neck. She hadn't had time to put a jumper on before they left the flat, and all she was wearing under her coat was a tank top, which left her shivering in the cool March air.

"These days, only street traders use it. Those were numbers written on the wall at the bank and at the library." Sherlock walked over to a greengrocers that had some wares displayed outside, removing his navy blue scarf and handing it to grateful Y/N before inspecting various signs, and numbers written in both Hangzhou and English.

"Numbers written in an ancient Chinese dialect," Y/N mumbled as she wrapped the scarf around her, making a mental note to herself to buy a scarf of her own. Although, it wouldn't have the comforting scent of Sherlock's cologne embedded within the fibres.

"It's a fifteen!" John spotted a sign with the same symbol as the one next to the portrait. "What we thought was the artist tag - it's a number fifteen."

"And the blindfold - the horizontal line? That was a number as well." Sherlock showed John and Y/N a price tag that had an almost horizontal line at the top and '£1' written underneath. Sherlock grinned triumphantly, "The Chinese number one."

"See, knew you could do it." Y/N smiled, nudging Sherlock slightly before they turned and began walking away. As John went to follow them, he spotted the same woman he saw outside the flat standing nearby, with her camera raised again, pointed towards him. Someone walked in front of her, obscuring John's view momentarily, and by the time the person had passed, the mysterious woman had vanished. John frowned, hurrying to catch up with his sister and best friend.

•••

In the restaurant opposite The Lucky Cat, the trio sits at a table by the corner, staking out said tourist shop. John and Sherlock are both writing some notes while Y/N sat subconsciously bouncing her leg as she watched the bustling street through the window.

"Two men travel back from China. Both head straight for the Lucky Cat Emporium. What did they see?" John tapped his pen against the table, glancing out the window.

"It's not what they saw." Sherlock began, placing his large hand on Y/Ns shaking thigh, smirking slightly as her breath hitched. "It's what they both brought back in those suitcases."

"And you don't mean duty-free." John quipped, thanking as a waitress brought him the food he had ordered.

"Think about what Sebastian told us; about Van Coon." Sherlock began, leaning forward. "About how he stayed afloat in the market."

"Lost five million..." John began, shooting Y/N a glare as she plucked a piece of garlic bread from his plate.

"...made it back in a week." Y/N finished for her brother, taking a bite of the steaming piece of bread.

"That's how he made such easy money." Sherlock turned to look out of the window.

"He was a smuggler." John nodded, taking a mouthful of food.