Look out for the <>!

"Sherlock, we need to meet," I said into my crappy old phone the next day. I needed to talk to him about everything I learned yesterday from Klaus. 

"I'll meet you at the library in a couple hours," his voice rang out.

I wanted him to come to the library now. "What are you doing?"

"Something else," he said and hung up.

I stuffed my phone into my pocket. "That's rude." I understood that he had been busy since my death, but since I died, he had been so secretive. That was my job to be secretive, not his.  I then remembered that they found my 'body' a couple days ago. He was busy with the funeral. That would make sense why he didn't want to talk. He didn't want my ghostly appearance. I wonder what grave site I was buried at? Scotland Yard burial grounds? That would be a hoot. They would never put me there.

Wonder soon overtook my actions and it didn't take me long at all to track Sherlock's phone to see where he was really at. Like I guessed, he was at a cemetery.  That had to be for me. As much as I tried to talk myself out of it, I couldn't help myself, I always wanted to see who would come to my funeral. 

It didn't take me long to get to where Sherlock was at. It was raining which was ironic since it fit the mood perfectly. I stood from a distance under a tree away from the small crowed of people that surrounded my 'grave'.  I was amazed to see all the people that came. I didn't think that many people cared about me, but I guess I was wrong. I watched as John, Sherlock, Lestrade, Miss Hudson, Walter, and a few other people from Scotland Yard said a few words. Sadly I was too far away to hear what they were saying. But I could tell it was emotional from the faces everyone was making.

I searched the crowed over again, trying to find the most important person that could be there Kale. I would be lying to say I was disappointed that he wasn't there, but then again, he wasn't one for crowds. He was probably furious at me for leaving him. 

I felt like a ghost as I watched. The only person in this crowd of people that knew I was alive was Sherlock and he didn't see me here. I felt alone and strangely sad for an unknown reason. If I wasn't able to stop Zane, Rori Anderson would be dead never to come back to these people. 

I used to associate with all of them and now it was just me and Sherlock. The old me would have been happy with this but I hated it now. I felt cold inside and I suddenly wanted to leave this graveyard to lose this feeling of emptiness.

<>

I looked at the mossy ground to stop thinking about all the people that I left behind.  But without Scotland Yard looking over my shoulder I had more freedom so I could solve this mystery better. However, I wasn't happy with this newfound freedom.

I watched until everyone trickled out of the grave site, leaving me alone. Just a flicker of hope was in me, thinking that once everyone was gone Kale would come to show that he cared. I sat around for what felt like a long time. But it could have been minutes. Just was I was about to leave someone came in all black with a white rose. I couldn't see his face because he was facing away from me but I knew it was Kale. He looked like he was talking to the grave however I wasn't close enough to hear until he started yelling.

"Why! Why did you leave me! I was going to change my life for you! I changed my life for you, and you just threw it all away! Now I have to deal with my brother all on my own! Did you ever think about that?! You always seem to miss the big picture and just think of yourself. You know, he's trying to get me to work for him now and I don't think I have much choice in the matter!" he shouted at the gravestone that had my name on it.

I felt a pang of guilt as I watched him. I was selfish. I thought not telling anyone my plans would keep them safe but now I could see that I caused pain in their lives. I felt like a swallowed a cotton ball as I opened my mouth to call out to him but no sound came out as I watched him leave.

I quickly wiped a tear from my face as I realized that I wouldn't be able to fix this even if I could stop Zane. Our bridge was already too far broken to repair.

I took the Tube back to the library soon afterwards. Once again, I sat in the same spot in front of a older computer. I tapped my fingers against the table as I waited for him. He was 5 minutes late. I wanted him to show then I could be done this day. I was sick of it.

"I knew it! The great Rori is here out of all places! I didn't think you were dead," I heard a voice from behind me and saw Zane.

I panic took me. I had been so careful not to attract attention to myself, but yet that still wasn't good enough to fool everyone I knew. "I wasn't trying to fool you."

He smiled at me. "Good because I thought you could do better. So did you find Aaron? I'm guessing you did. And what do you think of Kappelhoff? Nice guy, a little quite. Oh that's right, you didn't meet him before I got all the information I needed and killed him. It was easy to frame you. Last time we met, I got your prints. It was all too easy. Although I wished Sherlock would have believed it."

He was trying to make me believe that what he was telling the truth. I was smart enough to know that wasn't the right Kapelhof. If he was coming to me, he is still desperate. I could play with this. I could make him believe I'm losing hope or getting frustrated with this treasure hunt. "I don't know how to get around that. But I'll figure something out." I said to him, not looking at him in his honey-colored eyes.

"Now that's not the Rori I'm used too. I like it. But I hear something in your voice. Something is off, I don't know what that is nor do I have the time for it now. The treasure is right under my fingers. I did get that compass." He held the compass with his fingertips just to flash it by my eyes.

A flood of panic set over me as I saw it but I didn't let the panic show. "There are more steps to solve this." I said coolly even though I was freaking out. Maybe I was wrong about all of this, I shouldn't have stood up to him. I should have just let him have it. Now my life was ruined for nothing. 

"And I am about to get those too. Tell me my dear Rori, how does it feel to lose everything?" he said with humor in his voice.  "So what are you doing here? Waiting on your lover?"

I frowned at him. He was just playing with me now. "He does have a name, you know." 

"Oh yeah, Sherlock?"

I felt my ears turn hot. Sherlock was my partner, my family, he was not my lover, Kale was and he would always be my lover. He was just trying to get under my skin. "No," I mumbled as I looked back at the book I was reading.

"Kale still thinks you're dead. I think he will hate you forever for this." 

I felt tears well up into my eyes, not able to hold them back from him. I didn't want to deal with this, I was already emotionally drained. I slammed my book shut and looked at him with a frown. "This is all because of you."

He bowed in honor. "I know, isn't it great?" He looked off in the distance. "Well speak of the devil. And Rori, this is the last chance I'll give you, stop looking or join my team. If not someone will get hurt. I'll see you around." Zane got up and left me behind.

I watched as Sherlock came up to me. "Rori, what did you find out?" Sherlock asked as he pulled up a seat next to me, the same one that Zane was sitting in.

"Did you see him?"

"See who?"

I frowned. He was right beside me and not even Sherlock noticed. I had to be losing my mind. "Never mind."  I then told him everything I had found out about the real Kapelhof, about his loneliness, his story, his friends and gaining treasure. Finally I told him about a key that was needed to get in and how it was in some museum in London. "Aaron hid it. I don't think I can go and talk to him again. I don't want him to get any crazier."

"Have you heard? Aaron has only a couple days. He's on his death bed. We can't talk to him anymore."

I frowned. I felt like the world was against me. "Well that only leaves books to help." I said and pulled out a magazine that I had been reading about the museum of London.

"I think we should look at the national gallery because it is in close proximity to the gallery that was robbed a little bit ago. Remember?"

"Yeah, poison and the killed guard? Did we solve that?" I asked not remembering how it ended and then it came back to me. That suddenly felt so long ago even though it had to be only two months ago. "Oh that man ripped my stiches!"

"I think it would be safe to say that the key is in the frame. They must have taken the wrong frame."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because Zane is still sweating. If he came here to brag, that means he's trying to knock you down. If he had the key, he wouldn't be picking on you still.  This seat is still warm, when I came up, you still had a look of worry on your face. You shook it off fast however, you're so tried I can still see faint traces of it. I have only seen you look this way when Zane comes around. However if it was really bothering you, you would have told me about it." 

"Well, ok then." I spat out and looked at the time. "Why do I need to tell you anything when you just read it from my mind?" I never did like him reading into my life but today it bothered me even more. 

Sherlock shrugged as he got his laptop and logged into the library wifi.

It was 4:30 on a Tuesday. There wouldn't be a lot of people now. We could stake out where the photo is. But We didn't even know what frame it would be in. It was after Aaron's and Klaus's fall out. So I would only guess that it was about 30 years ago.  Aaron doesn't seem the one to give up so easily and they moved here in 1949. I would say that they looked for about 20 years before the friendship fell apart because he had kids and a wife at that point. The friendship broke apart and Aaron tried to make it up with his wife but he missed treasure hunting.  He probably found the key around 1970. He might have kept it for a year or so thinking about what to do about it but ended up giving it away."  I said feeling successful with my deduction skills. "We should look at portraits that have been then since 1970-1971 that is still in the museum today."

oh my goodness! I saw Sherlock!!! it was so stinking fantastic! I thought that John made the episode. Marry is great too although at first I didn't really like her but then I realized how bright she was. I have to get off. I want to go out side, it's -15F so it'll be interesting.