(Third-person View: )

The three arrived at New Scotland Yard and followed Detective Inspector Lestrade across the general office as he led them towards his office. He seemed to not notice Alice.

“You like the funny cases, don’t you? The surprising ones?” Lestrade asked.

“Obviously.” Sherlock scoffed.

“You’ve love this. That explosion...” Lestrade started. Sherlock briefly exchanged glares with Detective Sergeant Donovan as he walked past her desk.

 “Gas leak, yes?” Alice asked, knowing that wasn’t correct.

“No.” Lestrade said knowingly

“No?” Sherlock asked coyly.

“No. Made to look like one.” Lestrade confirmed.

“What?” John asked. By now they were in Lestrade’s office. Sherlock stopped and stared down at a white envelope lying on the desk. Alice looked at it from behind him, not moving from John’s side.

“Hardly anything left of the place except a strong box – a very strong box and inside it was this.” Lestrade explained, pointing to the envelope.

“You haven’t opened it?” Sherlock asked.

“It’s addressed to you, isn’t it?” Lestrade asked. Sherlock reached toward the envelope.

“We’ve X-rayed it. It’s not booby-trapped.” Lestrade added. Sherlock hesitated slightly, sarcastically saying,

 “How reassuring…” He picked up the envelope and took it across the room to another table which had an angle poise lamp on it. Holding the envelope up close to the bulb, he examined both sides carefully. On the front in elegant handwriting were the words, “Sherlock Holmes”. Alice stood next to him, staring just as carefully. Lestrade noticed her and looked at John, pointing at her and mouthing, “Who?”

“Nice stationery.” Sherlock said, allowing Alice the other detail.

 “Bohemian.” She added. John hadn’t answered Lestrade so he asked,

“What? And who are you, miss?” Alice didn’t look away from the envelope.

“From the Czech Republic. No fingerprints?” She asked.

 “No, and who are you?” Lestrade asked again.

 “She used a fountain pen. A Parker Duo fold – iridium nib.” Sherlock continued. “Alice’s with me, Lestrade.”

“’She?’” John asked.

“Obviously.”Alice scoffed.

“Obviously…” John said sarcastically, struggling not to sigh. Lestrade was still lost but just went along with it, as usual. Sherlock picked up a letter opener from the desk and carefully slit the envelope open. He looked inside and his mouth opened a little in surprise as he reached in and took out a pink iPhone. Alice raised her eyebrows a bit.

“But that’s – that’s the phone, the pink phone.” John stammered, surprised at the sight.

“What, from the Study in Pink?” Lestrade asked.

“Well, obviously it’s not the same phone but it’s supposed to look like...” Sherlock started. He stopped as he realized what Lestrade just said. He turned to face him. Sally had come into the room to put some files down on a desk near the door. “The Study in Pink? You read his blog?” Sherlock asked, clearly surprised.

“'Course I read his blog! We all do. D’you really not know that the Earth goes round the Sun?” Lestrade asked, shocked that the great Sherlock Holmes didn’t know basic astronomy. Sally sniggered loudly, as did Alice. Sherlock, who was taking off his gloves, glared at the females as John pursed his lips in embarrassment. Sally left the room and Sherlock turned his concentration back to the mobile, which Alice had already begun examining. He gently took it back from her.

“It isn’t the same mobile. This one’s brand new.” Alice said, looking at Lestrade, having what she wanted from the mobile. Sherlock was now looking at the connection sockets, none of which had scratches around them.

“Someone’s gone to a lot of trouble to make it look like the same phone, which means your blog has a far wider readership.” Sherlock continued, throwing an accusatory look at John, who did his best to ignore it. Sherlock switched the mobile on and immediately got a voice alert.

“You have one new message.” It said. The message played but there was no voice – just the unmistakable sound of the Greenwich Time Signal. However, while the “Greenwich pips” consist of five short pips and one longer tone, this recording had only four short pips and the longer one. Strangely, nobody commented on it.

“Is that it?” John asked, sounding a bit disappointed.

“No. That’s not it.” Alice corrected. A photograph had also been uploaded to the phone. Sherlock opened it and Lestrade came across to look over his shoulder, as did Alice. The picture was of an unfurnished room with a fireplace on one wall. The wallpaper was peeling and there was a tall mirror propped up in one corner. A smaller mirror – the type which is usually hung up above a fireplace – was standing on the mantelpiece.

“What the h*ll are we supposed to make of that? An estate agent’s photo and the bl**dy Greenwich pips!” Lestrade complained. Sherlock gazed through the window thoughtfully and let Alice speak his thoughts.

 “It’s a warning.” She said, looking fondly -despite herself- at Sherlock.

“A warning?” John asked, looking at her.

“Some secret societies used to send dried melon seeds, orange pips, things like that. Five pips. They’re warning us it’s gonna happen again.” She continued. Sherlock briefly looked down at the photo again, and then brandished the mobile at the others as he started to leave the office.

“And I’ve seen this place before.” Sherlock said, talking as if he had said what Alice did moments ago. Alice followed him, putting her hands in her pockets.

“H-hang on. What’s gonna happen again?” John asked, following his friends. Sherlock walked backward, still looking at him and dramatically said,

 “Boom!” While Alice gestured for him. They headed off with John behind them. Lestrade grabbed his coat and hurried after them.

Okay, #10. Please comment! Sorry for any mistakes. This is my first book.