Page 368 - SHERLOCK transcripts

367

(The boys chase after her and Sherlock quickly overtakes her. She takes John’s hand and they
hurry after him. Reaching the second floor, Sherlock knocks on the door of Room 207 and tries
the handle.)
SHERLOCK (rattling the door handle): Major Sholto? Major Sholto!
(He slams the flat of his right hand repeatedly against the door.)
SHERLOCK: Major Sholto!
SHOLTO (sitting on a chair beside the bed and speaking loudly enough to be heard through the
door): If someone’s about to make an attempt on my life, it won’t be the first time. I’m ready.
(John walks towards the door. Sherlock steps back, shaking out his right hand and flexing the
fingers.)
JOHN: Major, let us in.
MARY: Kick the door down.
SHOLTO: I really wouldn’t. I have a gun in my hand and a lifetime of unfortunate reflexes.
SHERLOCK (walking closer to the door again): You’re not safe in there. Whoever’s after you, we
know that a locked room doesn’t stop him.
SHOLTO: “The invisible man with the invisible knife.”
SHERLOCK: I don’t know how he does it, so I can’t stop him, and that means he’ll do it again.
SHOLTO (sternly): Solve it, then.
SHERLOCK: I – I’m sorry?
SHOLTO: You’re the famous Mr Holmes. Solve the case. On you go.
(Sherlock straightens up, his eyes rapidly flickering from side to side.)
SHOLTO: Tell me how he did it and I’ll open the door.
(John steps forward again.)
JOHN: Please, this is no time for games. Just let us in! You’re in danger!
SHOLTO: So are you, so long as you’re here.
(Mary watches Sherlock as he paces back and forth across the landing.)
SHOLTO: Please, leave me. Despite my reputation, I really don’t approve of collateral damage.
MARY (to Sherlock): Solve it.
(He stops and looks at her.)
SHERLOCK: Sorry?
MARY: Solve it, and he’ll open the door, like he said.
SHERLOCK: If I couldn’t solve it before, how can I solve it now?
MARY: Because it matters now.
SHERLOCK: What are you talking about? (He looks at John.) What’s she talking about? Get your
wife under control.
JOHN: She’s right.
SHERLOCK: Oh, you’ve changed!
JOHN: No, she is. (He turns and points at him.) Shut up. You are not a puzzle-solver – you
never have been. You’re a drama queen.
(Sherlock’s mouth drops open and he stares at him.)
JOHN (louder): Now, there is a man in there about to die. (Sarcastically) “The game is on.”
(Angrily, pointing at the door.) Solve it!
(Sherlock bares his teeth at him, then his eyes suddenly snap upwards. He can see Private
Bainbridge in full uniform standing at attention against a white background. Bainbridge rotates
as if standing on a turntable, and Sherlock’s vision zooms in to the man’s white webbing belt.
The image changes to Major Sholto in his dress uniform rotating on the invisible turntable, and
again the view zooms in on his white webbing belt.
Sherlock then recalls the waiter in the kitchen downstairs reaching down to take hold of the
skewer pushed through the middle of the joint of beef.
In the shower room at the barracks, Bainbridge unclips his belt.
The waiter slowly begins to pull the skewer out of the joint.
Bainbridge unwraps his belt from around his waist.
The skewer comes free of the joint, and blood and juice stream out of the hole.
Bainbridge stumbles slightly, looking uncomfortable.
Blood continues to pour from the hole in the beef joint.
The duty sergeant knocks on the door of the shower cubicle, calling Bainbridge’s name.
Bainbridge is slumped on the floor inside and bloodstained water pours out under the door.)
(Outside Sholto’s bedroom Sherlock – who had closed his eyes during the memories – opens
them again. He steps over to Mary, takes hold of her head in both hands and kisses her
forehead.)

Transcripts by Ariane DeVere (arianedevere@livejournal.com)