Chapter 4
Cause since I’ve come on home
Well, my body’s been a mess
And I’ve missed your ginger hair
And the way you like to dress
Won’t you come on over
Stop makin’ a fool out of me (Amy Whinehouse-Valerie)
The dusk was falling rapidly as they drove through the countryside. Sherlock was sitting next to John who was doing the driving. As John looked to his right he saw his clenched jaw and the fiddling of his fingers. He could understand his nervousness. If it was concerning his parents he would be a mess too. Mycroft had been warned but he didn’t know if he was coming to the house.
‘We’re almost there’ John said to reassure Sherlock, which of course didn’t work. One glimpse at his left and he saw Sherlock biting his nails. ‘Stop doing that’ he said putting his hand on Sherlock’s. Sherlock looked at him with panic in his eyes.
‘Please hurry John’ he whispered. John nodded.
As they approached The Holmes’ cottage they could see that the police were already on site. The emergency vehicle lights were flashing from a great distance. Sherlock shifted in his seat.
‘O dear God’ he mumbled under his breath.
John had almost never seen Sherlock like this. It was as if there was a completely different man sitting beside him. A very unsure person, so unlike the man he knew. For a brief moment John wondered how that could be. How could the man he looked up to, and he made sure he never said that to Sherlock, and admired really, a man so sure of himself, so confident, become such an unsure and self-conscious person? He didn’t understand that. After all this, he knew he had to talk with Sherlock about it. He wasn’t certain how to start that conversation though. One couldn’t just say to ones best friend: ‘Well what the bloody hell is the matter with you all of a sudden? One day you’re up, the next you’re down. If I didn’t know any better I’d say you’re… ‘
Oh fuck… John glanced over at Sherlock. He wasn’t. He couldn’t be. Was he? Why didn’t he think of that before? He should talk about this with Mycroft, maybe he knew. Was Sherlock in love, but in love with whom? John felt uneasy all of a sudden.
He didn’t like the idea that Sherlock was in love actually.
He couldn’t be this upset because it was Moriarty pulling another stunt. Naturally it involved his parents and that would have a lot to do with it, but Sherlock was always so calm and collected, even in cases like this, parents or no parents. No, this was a different matter entirely. He knew Sherlock long enough to know so.
Pondering about it all didn’t help though and they had arrived at the cottage. The car hadn’t stopped yet and Sherlock had already opened the car door and jumped out. He ran to the cottage only to be stopped by inspector Lestrade.
‘Let me through’ Sherlock growled.
‘Sorry Sherlock, I can’t do that’ Lestrade put his hand on Sherlock’s shoulder. ‘Your dad is inside with Anderson to give a statement. You’ll have to wait.’
‘Anderson? Is that the best you can do? My dad you said? What about my mother? Where is she?’
When Lestrade didn’t answer him quickly enough Sherlock looked at him and grabbed Lestrade by his coat collar.
‘Tell me right now where my mother is, Lestrade’
John grabbed Sherlock’s arm; ‘Calm down Sherlock, I’m sure she’s alright, isn’t she, Greg?’ John looked hopeful at Greg Lestrade who was shaking his head.
‘I’m sorry, Sherlock, I really am. We were too late, I mean, he took her, I’m sure she is alright though. He wouldn’t hurt her, it’s his mother too!’
Sherlock looked shocked at those last words; ‘Don’t even mention that’ he shook his head ‘Where is Mycroft?’ He looked round.
‘Mycroft is on his way. Ah, speak of the devil… ‘
A helicopter was hovering above them and landed not far on the meadow nearby. Mycroft got out and walked towards them.
‘Lestrade, John, Sherlock’ he nodded. ‘Any news?’
Lestrade walked with Mycroft towards the cottage and filled him in with the latest. Sherlock just stood there looking a little lost John thought. ‘Sherlock? Let’s go to your dad shall we?’ Sherlock nodded and followed John to the house.
When they came inside they saw Mr Holmes sitting on the sofa holding a glass of water. ‘Oh you came’ he said with a faint smile.
‘Of course we did dad’ Sherlock collected himself and awkwardly hugged his father. Mycroft just shook his hand.
‘How are you father? Did Moriarty hurt you in any way?’
‘No, but I still cannot believe he came here or that the boy is even alive actually, it was quite a shock for your mother and me and then to see him here!’
‘What did he say, dad?’ Sherlock sat himself down next to his father and put his hand on his father’s shoulder to calm him down. John noticed this rather nice and soft gesture of Sherlock and couldn’t help but smile at the sight of it.
‘Like I just explained to detective Anderson over here, I really can’t remember much he said but he came bursting in the door all of a sudden, with a gun mind you! And your mother ran towards him, she was so glad to see him you know. After all, it is our long lost son. We mustn’t forget that, boys.’ He now turned to Mycroft and Sherlock. ‘We mustn’t you know. And your mother didn’t even see the gun I gather. She just saw James. Who could blame her for that? I couldn’t. Her boy had come home. Her lost boy had finally come home.’ The tears welled up in his eyes. ‘I wanted to go to them but he pointed the gun at her, threatening to shoot her if I’d move. Then he took his phone and called someone.’
‘That was me’ Sherlock said with clenched jaw.
‘Oh? Why would he do that, Sherlock? I just don’t understand. He made a phone call and took your mother with him, saying only that I couldn’t call the police, just you or Mycroft.’
‘Which is basically the same as the police mind you’ Mycroft said sneering.
‘Not now Mycroft’ Sherlock sighed. ‘You did the right thing dad, you don’t want to provoke him, believe me.’
‘Why would he want take only your mother, Sherlock? Why would he call you? What’s the point of doing all this?’
Sherlock took a deep breath and closed his eyes. ‘He hates me dad, I don’t know why. I… perhaps this is all to get back at me, to get even. I am after all the son who got everything he didn’t get. Maybe that’s it, maybe that’s why he hates me and I didn’t even know that, and he did.’
Sherlock opened his eyes and looked at Mycroft. ‘You knew. You knew he was alive and let him go.
‘Yes, I did’ was all Mycroft said.
‘You did?’ Mr Holmes was baffled. ‘Why Mycroft, why on earth would you? If he threatened Sherlock?’
‘You said so yourself father. He is our brother after all’
————————————————————————————————————————
Hand over my face
I am related to my enemy
Our house on fire and big brother,
Brother tried to put the blame on me (Pearl Jam-Brother)
Sherlock stood outside the cottage and lit a cigarette. He inhaled the smoke and sighed. He felt that Mycroft came up from behind him.
‘Smoking again are you?’
‘Hmm’ was all Sherlock said back.
‘Don’t mind if I do’ Mycroft answered at the question his brother never asked and he lit his own cigarette.
They were standing there smoking in silence for a while. Then Mycroft said: ‘Look, I guess I have to apologise. If you must blame someone, blame me’
Sherlock turned to face Mycroft. ‘Well, I guess it is you we all should blame. You released him from prison after all, because you felt sorry for him or whatever reason you thought you might have had at the time’
‘You can’t blame me for all of it though’ Mycroft looked surprised Sherlock went along with his apology.
‘Oh yes I can’ Sherlock looked furious. ‘That man is threatening me ever since he’s known apparently; it would have only been fair if I’d know too! Or mother and father, so they’d been prepared for it’
‘Ah, yes, well’ Mycroft inhaled again while thinking what to say. ‘I’m sorry’ he then simply said.
‘Hmm’ Sherlock said again.
‘Your mother would not like you two smoking’ Mr Holmes said at the front door.
‘Yes well, we’re not little children anymore dad’ Sherlock threw down his cigarette and put it out. At that time his phone rang. He reached for it in his coat pocket. When he looked at the number he said; ‘It’s him’ and picked up.
‘James’ he said.
‘Well you know my number, I’m touched’ Moriarty started laughing.
‘How are you Sherlock? And how’s daddy doing? Still a bit shocked?’
‘Where is my mother?’ Sherlock just said.
‘Now, now, little brother, don’t be like that. Don’t you want to play with me? We never do that anymore. I do miss that. Well, that’s what happens if you fake deaths and throw brothers in prisons, you don’t have time to play. So, what do you say, Sherlock? Shall we play?’
‘Oh go on Moriarty, We don’t have time for games. Just tell where mother is. We all know it’s me you really want! Don’t be a bother and just tell us already’ Sherlock shouted.
‘Well if you’re going to shout I may not be going to’ Moriarty sulked. ‘Be nice Sherlock’
Sherlock took a deep breath before answering. ‘Can I talk to her please, to hear if she’s alright? At least do that’
‘Sure I can do that. O mummy…‘
Sherlock heard muffled sounds in the background and then he heard his mother’s voice; ‘Sherlock? Is that you?’
‘Mother, are you alright? Is he treating you okay?’
‘Sherlock, oh I’m so sorry, please tell your father I’m sorry. Don’t worry dear, it’s alright, I think he won’t hurt me. But he will you, I know he will, so don’t mind me please just save yourself Sherlock. Please don’t listen… Ah!’
‘Mother! Mother, what…’
‘I just had to cut her of Sherlock. She can’t tell it all to you that would spoil our game! And what’s the fun in that?’ Moriarty laughed hysterically.
‘I swear if you hurt her, Moriarty’ Sherlock growled.
‘Oh don’t you worry your pretty little head about that brother dear. Just come to the place I will text you about in a minute. And no, you may not bring dr Watson or inspector Lestrade. So don’t spoil it for mummy.’
Sherlock heard the disconnected tone and soon after his incoming text tone. He was expected at an old abandoned factory a few miles from where he was now.
Don’t bring dr Watson, Moriarty had said. Well he had done some stupid things in his life, faking his death being one of them, but he wasn’t going to listen to one more thing Moriarty would say to him. Not anymore. That man was not to be trusted, at all! Who knows what he would be up against once he got there.
They snuck out of the house. Sherlock and John drove away together under protest of Mr Holmes who wouldn’t hear of it. Mycroft finally ensured their safety. ‘Father, it is my fault after all. I will protect them, they won’t be harmed anymore, trust me’
John drove on the quite country roads. As soon as they were nearby the location Moriarty gave Sherlock, John dimed the lights. A few miles before they got there he parked the car at the side of the road.
‘Sherlock, I am not pleased at the situation. I want to come with’
‘I know John; I appreciate that but let’s just do what we agreed upon. You know he’ll probably have his thugs on the lookout so it has to be done this way’ Sherlock glanced at John. He was worried. He hesitated. Mycroft’s words were still hanging in his head. ‘You have to tell him, Sherlock’ Should he? It never seemed the right time. He might not return tonight. John seemed to feel that too. He looked as nervous as he did. ‘John’ he started. ‘John if I don’t come back; you should know…’ he couldn’t, he didn’t dare to. He saw the look in John’s eyes and something stopped him. What if he made a complete fool of himself? Idiot, he said to himself as he got out of the car. He turned to John; ‘Be careful John’ and walked away.
It was pitch black as he approached the old factory. He couldn’t hear or see anything coming from the inside of the building. The only sounds to be heard were the ones in the country, owls screeching, a dog barking, some geese flying over, the wind through the branches of the trees, but nothing from inside the factory. The moon rose from behind the trees and that was the only light there was. He was thankful for it. He knew John was nearby but still he was anxious.
He entered the factory carefully looking around. Moriarty said to be unarmed but who was he kidding. He had a small gun tucked away under his coat. Just in case he needed it.
‘Moriarty, I’m here!’ he shouted. The sound of his voice echoed around the empty factory. ‘Moriarty where are you? Mother? Are you here?’
Suddenly his phone rang. Sherlock was startled. He grabbed his phone inside his coat pocket and answered.
‘Hello brother, oh I do like the sound of that, it doesn’t get old. Well speaking of that, neither does the cottage, getting old that is. Shuck Sherlock, I thought we agreed. No dr Watson, no Mycroft and what did you do? You should have listened to me. This is your fault, now look what you have done. You burnt down your parent’s cottage. Tsk, Sherlock, you don’t play fair!’
Sherlock heard the disconnected tone and tried to dial the number back but didn’t get an answer. ‘John! John!’ he screamed at the top of his lungs.
John came running, he wasn’t far behind as they agreed upon.
‘Sherlock, where is he? What’s happened?’
Sherlock dialled his parent’s number but didn’t get a connection. He dialled Mycroft’s number, putting it on speaker phone so John could listen in; ‘Mycroft, what’s happened? What did he do?’
‘Oh Sherlock, why; why did you have to do that? For God’s sake, Sherlock, what on earth made you do this. Where are you now? Stay there you are being arrested and I can’t do anything to help you this time’
‘What are you talking about Mycroft?’ Sherlock shouted ‘I am in the factory where I was supposed to meet Moriarty to save mother. He isn’t here and neither is mother. He phoned me and said the cottage was on fire. What happened? Tell me!’
‘Sherlock, we know you lit it before you went to the factory, we saw you do it. Don’t you know we would have planted CCTV there? I have access you know. Everything to protect father after what Moriarty did to our mother. And you were caught Sherlock, setting the place on fire. After which you drove off with dr Watson’
‘Don’t be an idiot Mycroft. Why would I do that? Think will you? You are supposed to be the smart one aren’t you? Think! And if you aren’t capable of doing that, I am most certainly not staying here to get myself arrested for something I did not do!’
Sherlock put his phone back inside his pocket only to take it back again to call Lestrade.
‘Don’t tell me you believe that nonsense too’ he barked at Lestrade.
‘No Sherlock I don’t but I have to believe what my eyes are telling me and they tell me you set your parent’s house on fire’ Lestrade sighed. ‘Those are the facts. As you well know CCTV doesn’t lie’
‘Oh come on Lestrade use your brain for God’s sake! Of course it does don’t you see what is happening here? Am I the only one who does see?’
‘I’m sure you are about to tell me’ Lestrade could barely supress a yawn. It had been a long day.
‘Moriarty has access to a lot of things with a lot of help. Remember the crown jewels? He got inside there as well and easily too I might add. So why not have someone work at CCTV? Cut and paste or make someone look like me and you have one brother less to worry about. Why would I set my own parent’s house on fire? Why? I have absolutely no reason what so ever!’
‘I know, Sherlock, come to the police station and we’ll sort it here okay?’
‘I most certainly will not!’ Sherlock shouted and threw his phone on the ground.
He paced up and down until John stopped him.
‘Sherlock, stop it. This doesn’t help. Is your dad all right?’
‘Yes he is’ Sherlock stopped and looked at John.
‘John, I don’t know why they say I did it, you were with me the whole time weren’t you? I didn’t do that, and I never would!’
‘Of course you wouldn’t!’ John picked up Sherlock’s phone and gave it back to him. ‘Now stop throwing things around and think for a minute. What are we to do?’
‘I have to see the tape’ Sherlock said ‘and the house. I just can’t believe he did that. I can’t believe I let him use me like that’
‘Well, we’d better be quick about it’ John said.
‘I can hear the police sirens in the distance. They’re coming for us’
- To be continued -
Cause since I’ve come on home
Well, my body’s been a mess
And I’ve missed your ginger hair
And the way you like to dress
Won’t you come on over
Stop makin’ a fool out of me (Amy Whinehouse-Valerie)
The dusk was falling rapidly as they drove through the countryside. Sherlock was sitting next to John who was doing the driving. As John looked to his right he saw his clenched jaw and the fiddling of his fingers. He could understand his nervousness. If it was concerning his parents he would be a mess too. Mycroft had been warned but he didn’t know if he was coming to the house.
‘We’re almost there’ John said to reassure Sherlock, which of course didn’t work. One glimpse at his left and he saw Sherlock biting his nails. ‘Stop doing that’ he said putting his hand on Sherlock’s. Sherlock looked at him with panic in his eyes.
‘Please hurry John’ he whispered. John nodded.
As they approached The Holmes’ cottage they could see that the police were already on site. The emergency vehicle lights were flashing from a great distance. Sherlock shifted in his seat.
‘O dear God’ he mumbled under his breath.
John had almost never seen Sherlock like this. It was as if there was a completely different man sitting beside him. A very unsure person, so unlike the man he knew. For a brief moment John wondered how that could be. How could the man he looked up to, and he made sure he never said that to Sherlock, and admired really, a man so sure of himself, so confident, become such an unsure and self-conscious person? He didn’t understand that. After all this, he knew he had to talk with Sherlock about it. He wasn’t certain how to start that conversation though. One couldn’t just say to ones best friend: ‘Well what the bloody hell is the matter with you all of a sudden? One day you’re up, the next you’re down. If I didn’t know any better I’d say you’re… ‘
Oh fuck… John glanced over at Sherlock. He wasn’t. He couldn’t be. Was he? Why didn’t he think of that before? He should talk about this with Mycroft, maybe he knew. Was Sherlock in love, but in love with whom? John felt uneasy all of a sudden.
He didn’t like the idea that Sherlock was in love actually.
He couldn’t be this upset because it was Moriarty pulling another stunt. Naturally it involved his parents and that would have a lot to do with it, but Sherlock was always so calm and collected, even in cases like this, parents or no parents. No, this was a different matter entirely. He knew Sherlock long enough to know so.
Pondering about it all didn’t help though and they had arrived at the cottage. The car hadn’t stopped yet and Sherlock had already opened the car door and jumped out. He ran to the cottage only to be stopped by inspector Lestrade.
‘Let me through’ Sherlock growled.
‘Sorry Sherlock, I can’t do that’ Lestrade put his hand on Sherlock’s shoulder. ‘Your dad is inside with Anderson to give a statement. You’ll have to wait.’
‘Anderson? Is that the best you can do? My dad you said? What about my mother? Where is she?’
When Lestrade didn’t answer him quickly enough Sherlock looked at him and grabbed Lestrade by his coat collar.
‘Tell me right now where my mother is, Lestrade’
John grabbed Sherlock’s arm; ‘Calm down Sherlock, I’m sure she’s alright, isn’t she, Greg?’ John looked hopeful at Greg Lestrade who was shaking his head.
‘I’m sorry, Sherlock, I really am. We were too late, I mean, he took her, I’m sure she is alright though. He wouldn’t hurt her, it’s his mother too!’
Sherlock looked shocked at those last words; ‘Don’t even mention that’ he shook his head ‘Where is Mycroft?’ He looked round.
‘Mycroft is on his way. Ah, speak of the devil… ‘
A helicopter was hovering above them and landed not far on the meadow nearby. Mycroft got out and walked towards them.
‘Lestrade, John, Sherlock’ he nodded. ‘Any news?’
Lestrade walked with Mycroft towards the cottage and filled him in with the latest. Sherlock just stood there looking a little lost John thought. ‘Sherlock? Let’s go to your dad shall we?’ Sherlock nodded and followed John to the house.
When they came inside they saw Mr Holmes sitting on the sofa holding a glass of water. ‘Oh you came’ he said with a faint smile.
‘Of course we did dad’ Sherlock collected himself and awkwardly hugged his father. Mycroft just shook his hand.
‘How are you father? Did Moriarty hurt you in any way?’
‘No, but I still cannot believe he came here or that the boy is even alive actually, it was quite a shock for your mother and me and then to see him here!’
‘What did he say, dad?’ Sherlock sat himself down next to his father and put his hand on his father’s shoulder to calm him down. John noticed this rather nice and soft gesture of Sherlock and couldn’t help but smile at the sight of it.
‘Like I just explained to detective Anderson over here, I really can’t remember much he said but he came bursting in the door all of a sudden, with a gun mind you! And your mother ran towards him, she was so glad to see him you know. After all, it is our long lost son. We mustn’t forget that, boys.’ He now turned to Mycroft and Sherlock. ‘We mustn’t you know. And your mother didn’t even see the gun I gather. She just saw James. Who could blame her for that? I couldn’t. Her boy had come home. Her lost boy had finally come home.’ The tears welled up in his eyes. ‘I wanted to go to them but he pointed the gun at her, threatening to shoot her if I’d move. Then he took his phone and called someone.’
‘That was me’ Sherlock said with clenched jaw.
‘Oh? Why would he do that, Sherlock? I just don’t understand. He made a phone call and took your mother with him, saying only that I couldn’t call the police, just you or Mycroft.’
‘Which is basically the same as the police mind you’ Mycroft said sneering.
‘Not now Mycroft’ Sherlock sighed. ‘You did the right thing dad, you don’t want to provoke him, believe me.’
‘Why would he want take only your mother, Sherlock? Why would he call you? What’s the point of doing all this?’
Sherlock took a deep breath and closed his eyes. ‘He hates me dad, I don’t know why. I… perhaps this is all to get back at me, to get even. I am after all the son who got everything he didn’t get. Maybe that’s it, maybe that’s why he hates me and I didn’t even know that, and he did.’
Sherlock opened his eyes and looked at Mycroft. ‘You knew. You knew he was alive and let him go.
‘Yes, I did’ was all Mycroft said.
‘You did?’ Mr Holmes was baffled. ‘Why Mycroft, why on earth would you? If he threatened Sherlock?’
‘You said so yourself father. He is our brother after all’
————————————————————————————————————————
Hand over my face
I am related to my enemy
Our house on fire and big brother,
Brother tried to put the blame on me (Pearl Jam-Brother)
Sherlock stood outside the cottage and lit a cigarette. He inhaled the smoke and sighed. He felt that Mycroft came up from behind him.
‘Smoking again are you?’
‘Hmm’ was all Sherlock said back.
‘Don’t mind if I do’ Mycroft answered at the question his brother never asked and he lit his own cigarette.
They were standing there smoking in silence for a while. Then Mycroft said: ‘Look, I guess I have to apologise. If you must blame someone, blame me’
Sherlock turned to face Mycroft. ‘Well, I guess it is you we all should blame. You released him from prison after all, because you felt sorry for him or whatever reason you thought you might have had at the time’
‘You can’t blame me for all of it though’ Mycroft looked surprised Sherlock went along with his apology.
‘Oh yes I can’ Sherlock looked furious. ‘That man is threatening me ever since he’s known apparently; it would have only been fair if I’d know too! Or mother and father, so they’d been prepared for it’
‘Ah, yes, well’ Mycroft inhaled again while thinking what to say. ‘I’m sorry’ he then simply said.
‘Hmm’ Sherlock said again.
‘Your mother would not like you two smoking’ Mr Holmes said at the front door.
‘Yes well, we’re not little children anymore dad’ Sherlock threw down his cigarette and put it out. At that time his phone rang. He reached for it in his coat pocket. When he looked at the number he said; ‘It’s him’ and picked up.
‘James’ he said.
‘Well you know my number, I’m touched’ Moriarty started laughing.
‘How are you Sherlock? And how’s daddy doing? Still a bit shocked?’
‘Where is my mother?’ Sherlock just said.
‘Now, now, little brother, don’t be like that. Don’t you want to play with me? We never do that anymore. I do miss that. Well, that’s what happens if you fake deaths and throw brothers in prisons, you don’t have time to play. So, what do you say, Sherlock? Shall we play?’
‘Oh go on Moriarty, We don’t have time for games. Just tell where mother is. We all know it’s me you really want! Don’t be a bother and just tell us already’ Sherlock shouted.
‘Well if you’re going to shout I may not be going to’ Moriarty sulked. ‘Be nice Sherlock’
Sherlock took a deep breath before answering. ‘Can I talk to her please, to hear if she’s alright? At least do that’
‘Sure I can do that. O mummy…‘
Sherlock heard muffled sounds in the background and then he heard his mother’s voice; ‘Sherlock? Is that you?’
‘Mother, are you alright? Is he treating you okay?’
‘Sherlock, oh I’m so sorry, please tell your father I’m sorry. Don’t worry dear, it’s alright, I think he won’t hurt me. But he will you, I know he will, so don’t mind me please just save yourself Sherlock. Please don’t listen… Ah!’
‘Mother! Mother, what…’
‘I just had to cut her of Sherlock. She can’t tell it all to you that would spoil our game! And what’s the fun in that?’ Moriarty laughed hysterically.
‘I swear if you hurt her, Moriarty’ Sherlock growled.
‘Oh don’t you worry your pretty little head about that brother dear. Just come to the place I will text you about in a minute. And no, you may not bring dr Watson or inspector Lestrade. So don’t spoil it for mummy.’
Sherlock heard the disconnected tone and soon after his incoming text tone. He was expected at an old abandoned factory a few miles from where he was now.
Don’t bring dr Watson, Moriarty had said. Well he had done some stupid things in his life, faking his death being one of them, but he wasn’t going to listen to one more thing Moriarty would say to him. Not anymore. That man was not to be trusted, at all! Who knows what he would be up against once he got there.
They snuck out of the house. Sherlock and John drove away together under protest of Mr Holmes who wouldn’t hear of it. Mycroft finally ensured their safety. ‘Father, it is my fault after all. I will protect them, they won’t be harmed anymore, trust me’
John drove on the quite country roads. As soon as they were nearby the location Moriarty gave Sherlock, John dimed the lights. A few miles before they got there he parked the car at the side of the road.
‘Sherlock, I am not pleased at the situation. I want to come with’
‘I know John; I appreciate that but let’s just do what we agreed upon. You know he’ll probably have his thugs on the lookout so it has to be done this way’ Sherlock glanced at John. He was worried. He hesitated. Mycroft’s words were still hanging in his head. ‘You have to tell him, Sherlock’ Should he? It never seemed the right time. He might not return tonight. John seemed to feel that too. He looked as nervous as he did. ‘John’ he started. ‘John if I don’t come back; you should know…’ he couldn’t, he didn’t dare to. He saw the look in John’s eyes and something stopped him. What if he made a complete fool of himself? Idiot, he said to himself as he got out of the car. He turned to John; ‘Be careful John’ and walked away.
It was pitch black as he approached the old factory. He couldn’t hear or see anything coming from the inside of the building. The only sounds to be heard were the ones in the country, owls screeching, a dog barking, some geese flying over, the wind through the branches of the trees, but nothing from inside the factory. The moon rose from behind the trees and that was the only light there was. He was thankful for it. He knew John was nearby but still he was anxious.
He entered the factory carefully looking around. Moriarty said to be unarmed but who was he kidding. He had a small gun tucked away under his coat. Just in case he needed it.
‘Moriarty, I’m here!’ he shouted. The sound of his voice echoed around the empty factory. ‘Moriarty where are you? Mother? Are you here?’
Suddenly his phone rang. Sherlock was startled. He grabbed his phone inside his coat pocket and answered.
‘Hello brother, oh I do like the sound of that, it doesn’t get old. Well speaking of that, neither does the cottage, getting old that is. Shuck Sherlock, I thought we agreed. No dr Watson, no Mycroft and what did you do? You should have listened to me. This is your fault, now look what you have done. You burnt down your parent’s cottage. Tsk, Sherlock, you don’t play fair!’
Sherlock heard the disconnected tone and tried to dial the number back but didn’t get an answer. ‘John! John!’ he screamed at the top of his lungs.
John came running, he wasn’t far behind as they agreed upon.
‘Sherlock, where is he? What’s happened?’
Sherlock dialled his parent’s number but didn’t get a connection. He dialled Mycroft’s number, putting it on speaker phone so John could listen in; ‘Mycroft, what’s happened? What did he do?’
‘Oh Sherlock, why; why did you have to do that? For God’s sake, Sherlock, what on earth made you do this. Where are you now? Stay there you are being arrested and I can’t do anything to help you this time’
‘What are you talking about Mycroft?’ Sherlock shouted ‘I am in the factory where I was supposed to meet Moriarty to save mother. He isn’t here and neither is mother. He phoned me and said the cottage was on fire. What happened? Tell me!’
‘Sherlock, we know you lit it before you went to the factory, we saw you do it. Don’t you know we would have planted CCTV there? I have access you know. Everything to protect father after what Moriarty did to our mother. And you were caught Sherlock, setting the place on fire. After which you drove off with dr Watson’
‘Don’t be an idiot Mycroft. Why would I do that? Think will you? You are supposed to be the smart one aren’t you? Think! And if you aren’t capable of doing that, I am most certainly not staying here to get myself arrested for something I did not do!’
Sherlock put his phone back inside his pocket only to take it back again to call Lestrade.
‘Don’t tell me you believe that nonsense too’ he barked at Lestrade.
‘No Sherlock I don’t but I have to believe what my eyes are telling me and they tell me you set your parent’s house on fire’ Lestrade sighed. ‘Those are the facts. As you well know CCTV doesn’t lie’
‘Oh come on Lestrade use your brain for God’s sake! Of course it does don’t you see what is happening here? Am I the only one who does see?’
‘I’m sure you are about to tell me’ Lestrade could barely supress a yawn. It had been a long day.
‘Moriarty has access to a lot of things with a lot of help. Remember the crown jewels? He got inside there as well and easily too I might add. So why not have someone work at CCTV? Cut and paste or make someone look like me and you have one brother less to worry about. Why would I set my own parent’s house on fire? Why? I have absolutely no reason what so ever!’
‘I know, Sherlock, come to the police station and we’ll sort it here okay?’
‘I most certainly will not!’ Sherlock shouted and threw his phone on the ground.
He paced up and down until John stopped him.
‘Sherlock, stop it. This doesn’t help. Is your dad all right?’
‘Yes he is’ Sherlock stopped and looked at John.
‘John, I don’t know why they say I did it, you were with me the whole time weren’t you? I didn’t do that, and I never would!’
‘Of course you wouldn’t!’ John picked up Sherlock’s phone and gave it back to him. ‘Now stop throwing things around and think for a minute. What are we to do?’
‘I have to see the tape’ Sherlock said ‘and the house. I just can’t believe he did that. I can’t believe I let him use me like that’
‘Well, we’d better be quick about it’ John said.
‘I can hear the police sirens in the distance. They’re coming for us’
- To be continued -
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