My Genius Rival

Chapter 2

Ah, here we are, the treasury office. It's very boring looking but hopefully, this is touch and go. As I walk in I get a few odd looks, I don't know if they're for my pants or if I have something attached to me that I am yet to be aware of... who am I kidding? Definitely the pants.

"Good morning, I believe I have a meeting with Mr Darcy," I say to the front desk lady, she's smoking a cigarette and shoots me a glare.

"Miss L/N? I presume?"

I look to my right where the voice came from, and there he was. Mr Darcy, looking very dapper indeed. "Mr Darcy! Very good to meet you, my sister speaks so highly of you" he turns his head fast to hide his blush. "Oh, how kind. Now, if you follow me I shall inform you of the situation. Although do not be discouraged by the briefness, it is quite private Mr Mcyntyre says." Perfect.

We travel into his office, which was only a few feet away, really. It is quite small for a manager's office, but very impeccable looking. He sits down behind his desk and motions for me to do so on the opposite side. "So, we noticed some missing money from the treasury, but then also some unaccounted transfers all around the city. He has been taking the money from bank to bank, and even Sherlock Holmes says that there seems to be no link between them all. No name deduced, purely a number," how interesting, this is a most curious case indeed. "So Miss L/N, will you take the case?"

"Of course, I shall take the case" finally! I've got this in the bag. I bet I could solve it on my own just tonight. "Oh how wonderful, I shall inform Mr Holmes that you are to be joining his investigation" wait what? "Joining his investigation?" If it wasn't clear, I was hoping to beat him, not join.

"Oh, but I was under the impression I would do my own investigation. Separate from him." I believe I am the one blushing now, from my slight rage, nothing else. He does a quick singular laugh,

"Oh no Miss Y/N, we can not have two separate investigations going at once, the information would simply get muddled. Of course, if you do not wish to work with him, you may opt-out?"

A very big decision for me. Let's look at the pros and cons.

Pros:

- I finally have a case and am able to keep my place of work

-Working with Sherlock could potentially get my name out more

- Darcy is nice and deserves to impress his superiors.

Cons:

- Sherlock Holmes is an annoying, drunk toad and I do not wish to work with him.

Alright, I suppose it's an easy choice. "No, I shall join the case with Mr Holmes" I should get an Oscar, whatever that is because my fake smile is so convincing right now. And almost as if speaking of him summoned him, we see Sherlock Holmes barge through the door.

God, he's arrogant. "My apologies, I did not know you were with a client" he does a double take when he sees me, and twists his face slightly. Is it the pants again? "I'm actually glad you're here Mr Holmes. This is detective L/N, she will be joining the investigation" his eyebrows furrowed and he turned away as if I would not hear his words. "No. I work alone, it's a well-known fact." I scoff, maybe a bit too loud because he turns back to me and shoots a glare.

"If you would excuse us, Miss L/N. I have to inform Mr Darcy of some new evidence in the case" Honestly, I wasn't paying too much attention to his words at first, I was distracted by the singular curl that has made its way to the front of his head. I took a few seconds to register what he had just said, insulting. "Well, I see no reason for me to leave, I am after all, on the case now."