The Crimson Queen (A BBC Sherlock Fanfiction)

Chapter 7 A Peculiar Tale

I placed the slide underneath the microscope and peered through. My initial thoughts were proved correct. Obviously. From the cell walls I could tell it was a plant dye -not very good quality though, probably made by a quick and hurried crushing and distillation of flower petals. I hooked it up to the computer to identify the origin. It beeped when it found the answer.

Crimson Queen

Hybrid Perpetual

Rosaceae 

Roses? How? Of course! Stupid! Red plant dye? Yes. The only plants in the room? Crimson red roses! How could I be so stupid?!

The door opened and Molly walked in. "I heard a beep" she said. "Found anything?"

"Yes!" I laughed, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Oh!" she cried. "Well then what?"

I proceeded to explain to her how the plant dye was from the vase of red flowers in Alia's room and that they couldn't have been there just out of coincidence. After all Crimson Queen breed roses can't grow in Kentish soil and so they must have been bought and used for the purpose of creating this makeshift ink.

 "But there's one thing I don't understand" I said, not only frustrated but also embarrassed to admit this fact. "Who put the dye on her?"

"She did." replied Molly, looking at me as if it was the most obvious fact in the world.

"How can you be so sure?" I questioned, genuinely surprised.

"I ask myself that very same question every time you speak Sherlock" She picked up a photograph of Alia's right hand. "You said she was right handed before, yes?"

I nodded.

"Well then look at her index finger's tip" she said.

I looked through my magnifying glass. It was completely red. "She must have done it herself" I whispered. "Fantastic! Just..." I stopped. "Why? What is the code? What is she trying to say?"

"Maybe," she said slowly. "Maybe it's not a message?"

I frowned. "That's absurd" I said. "You're saying she just felt like it?!"

"Have you ever heard of the 1940s actress Lupe Velez?" she asked me.

"You know I don't concern myself with such trivial matters" I replied.

Molly carried on regardless of my initial lack of interest. "Lupe Velez was famous, but she wanted not only to be remembered in life but also after death. So she arranged this glamorous suicide: beautiful dress, hair and make-up done, flowers arranged around her as she lay on her bed, the full works. She took the overdose but then something went wrong, so she ran to the bathroom, tripped over, and died from a cracked skull when her head landed in the toilet bowl"

"And..." I prompted, thinking this was a waste of time.

"Well even though things hadn't gone to plan, she was still remembered after death. Maybe that's what your sister was doing"

I glanced at the photograph. "Alia did this when she realized she was dying" I said. "Us Holmes' want to leave a legacy, I know that for sure." I paused. "These aren't symbols."

I whipped round to face Molly. "These aren't symbols!"

"Then what are they?" she asked.

"Remember what John said? Ketamine is a hallucinogenic. When she realized she had been poisoned she proceeded to try and make herself beautiful with dye made from roses so she would be remembered. She had been hiding all her life, just this once she wanted to be known. The Crimson Queen."

"But Sherlock" said Molly. "No offence but it's not exactly beautiful."

"Under the effects of the poison she would have seen it as beautiful whereas to the steadied mind it's just lines and squiggles. Her brain was tricked."

"So there is no message" she concluded.

"Exactly" I said. "You were right Molly"

I grabbed my things and sprinted towards the door.

"You were right!"

***

Muy looooooooong chapter. I hope the explanation is clear but there is still some more things to learn in the upcoming chapters so watch this space.

Once again I urge you to vote, comment and follow if you think I'm awesome. To be honest who doesn't ;) so I'm expecting loads of things and stuff and yeah okay byeeeeeee