Veronica Millstone's bedside was surrounded by half a dozen of people.
The family doctor, Mrs and Mr. Millstone, the steward, one police officer and Lestrade were all dying to hear the young woman's words when Sherlock and John finally entered.
"Mr. Holmes, we were looking forward to see you!"Mr. Millstone rushed to Sherlock.
"She specifically waited for you."
Sherlock came closer to Veronica. She was looking healthier. But still, she was very weak.
"How are you feeling Miss Millstone?"asked Sherlock kindly to young woman.
"Better."she answered.
After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Sherlock spoke.
"Veronica, what did you remember?"asked Sherlock. She had focused her eyes to a fixed random point in the wall. Her focused eyes suddenly turned to Sherlock.
"Something"she took a deep breath. "She said "the coward of the halloween"to me."
"What does that means?"asked Sherlock.
"It means something very very specific. There only 3 people in the world who know what does that means.
"It was nearly 10 years ago. We were having our last Halloween party at school. I was different in those years. I was sniffy and annoying like all the popular girls in the school. I had three best friends. We were always hanging out together. We were very very close. We were inseperable." She gazed at a random point in the room.
"What happened at the party?"Sherlock asked impatiently. He didn't care about her friends or what was she like in the past.
"The party started uneventfully. Everyone was having so much fun. We were all drinking and dancing. After hours later, most of us got drunk. At some point, four of us wanted to have some air so we went out. The garden was huge and in front of the garden, there was a huge forest. I don't know why we decided to make a joke to a "friend"."she stopped when another maid entered with a tea tray. Veronica seemed reluctant to continue. The maid gave her the tea. Then she stepped back.
Veronica took three big sips.
"Then?"asked John stepped closer to her bedside.
But suddenly Veronica's sight went dizzy. A dreadful headache started.
"Miss Millstone?"the doctor asked, worried.
"I...I.. Can I take a moment?"she asked waving her hand aimlessly in the air.
"Could you please empty the room for a moment?"the doctor asked. It wasn't a question though. Sherlock sighed. He was really annoyed. Everyone except the doctor and the maid, emptied the room.
"Stay with her, I'm going to get some medicines from my room."said the doctor, to the maid. She nodded.
Half an hour later, everyone was in the room again. Veronica seemed tired but she was able to speak.
"I'm afraid I can't tell."she said shaking her head. She was looking at the maid with the corner of her eyes. Everyone was shocked.
"I'm sorry?"said Lestrade in disbelief.
"I said I can't tell the rest."she said as if she was saying something normal.
"Why not?"asked Sherlock, trying to keep calm.
"It's a secret."then she started to laugh.
"What's happening?!"asked Mrs. Millstone in worry. Veronica was having probably a nervous breakdown. Her laughing was very disturbing, it was dreadful. Her eyes were sparkling with insanity.
"Veronica, continue to tell the story!"Sherlock grabbed her arms and shook her hard with exasperation.
"What are you doing!""shouted Mrs. Millstone.
"You'll never know! I only know who she is! I know who she is but you'll never know! Because you are a loser! You can't deal with her! Because she is the empress"her laughing was becoming more and more creepy. Then the laughing turned into screams. Everyone except one person in the room looking at the young woman in horror.
Sherlock suddenly realised the maid. She glanced at him and left the room.
Sherlock rushed after her. She was walking then she started to run. Both were running at the corridors of the mansion. However she knew the roads better than Sherlock so she managed to go outside before him.
Sherlock was running after her without ceasing. If only he could see her face!
The rush continued towards the forest. She was running-surprisingly-faster than Sherlock.
"Stop there!"Sherlock shouted, out of breath. She stopped few meters seeing the hill. Sherlock wanted her alive.
Sherlock gained time against her and started to run. But she jumped from the hill and vanished between the trees.
Sherlock stopped in front of the hill.
"DAMN IT!"he shouted. His deep voice echoed in the forest. He was sure she heard him. She had won another victory over him.

"Where the hell have you been?"John yelled Sherlock when he entered to the living room of the Millstone mansion.
"Tell me about her Mr. Millstone."Sherlock demanded. He was far too much furious to be polite.
"About who?"Mr. Millstone asked, confused.
"The maid, the woman I went after."he rose his voice.
"That maid? She was new. She had started today. I don't know, my wife had recruited her. Call Mrs. Millstone."he said to the Steward. He nodded then went upstairs to call his mistress.
Sherlock closed his eyes and took a quick look at his mind palace.
"She had black hairs but I'm sure it was a wig. She was tall. Few inches shorter than me. She was thin. She also had brown eyes but she was wearing contact lenses."Sherlock said in one breath.
"Useless."sighed John. "She was disguised. We can't reckognize her."
"Unfortunately you're right John."said Sherlock falling onto the couch. He was tired.
The steward came back alone but holding a file.
"She was sleeping so I took the files."he said handing them to Mr. Millstone.
"There's nothing in here."said Mr. Millstone astonished. Really, there was nothing but trivias about movies writing on the papers.
"Is it a surprise for you?"Sherlock said sarcastically. "How is Veronica? Can she talk?"
"I'm afraid she's not Mr. Holmes. She is exhausted. And the doctor said she had a nervous breakdown. She need to rest."explained the situaiton Mr. Millstone.
Sherlock stood up.
"We're finished here Mr.Millstone."

After a long discussion with Lestrade at the Scotland Yard about the woman in Mask, Sherlock and John headed towards their flat.
"There is no hope" sighed Sherlock when they entered the flat. He throw his jacket and scarf to the floor. He was angry.
"Well..."John was interrupted.
"How?!! How could she dissapear so easily ?!! In front of my eyes!"Sherlock yelled, walking furiously in the flat.
"Sherlock..."John was interrupted again.
"She is playing with me and I'm going to make her pay!!"
"For God's sake SHERLOCK!"John shouted and Sherlock finally stopped.
"What?"he asked awkwardly.
"I found something."John said. Sherlock furrowed his eyebrows.
John put his hand into his jacket's pocket and took a piece of paper.
"I found this in Veronica's room after you left. Her diary was open on her desk. I managed to read the whole page."John said while Sherlock was looking at the paper.
"Those names were on her list of culprits. Marie-Ann Jones and Wilhelmina Eveligh. I couldn't read further because the doctor made us to empty the room again."John explained while a smirk on Sherlock face widened.
"This is gold!"Sherlock said victoriously. He took his violin by the time John asked another question.
"What happened to her I mean Veronica?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Not to me."John said trying not to punch him.
"Well, the maid-the woman in mask-drugged her and when the doctor left her room to take some medicines  she threated her. That's why she refused to continue. Clear now?"Sherlock turned to window and took the bow.
"Yeah, thanks."John said sarcastically. "I'll call Mycroft for the names."
"That would be great."said Sherlock although his satisfaction was not clear in his voice, he didn't have to call his brother.
He looked at outside. The bustling street with the lights was looking so tired in the night.
His eyes met a woman's who was waiting on the sidewalk. She was wearing a tight black dress and a blazer jacket. She was looking quite elegant, beautiful and atractive. She had dark red hair. Also her gaze was different. She looked very smart and mysterious.
But Sherlock paid no attention on her and started to play one of his compositions.
A few minutes later he realized that she was someone he know. And this very someone was the woman in mask. But she had already slipped into the crowd...
But this time, her face was carved in Sherlock's mind perfectly...