The Baker's Detective

| The Clue and the Trap |

"It's about time... Lily" and "M" are underlined in pink glitter pen. The pen itself is on the floor. Sherlock wracks his brain — it's about time, Lily. Where has he heard that before?

"It's about time, Lily," he whispers, then closes his eyes. It's in here somewhere. What is that from?

"They talked again?" John asks, looking at the paper. "Does she know him? Sherlock-"

"It's about time, Lily," he repeats.

"Is she underlining those parts to say it isn't true? I can't imagine her being involved with Moriarty-"

"It's about time, Lily." The line echoes in his head, and then he remembers the melody. A small wave of relief hits him. "The song," he says. "The song she likes."

"What song?"

"It's, um-" he closes his eyes again, remembers her singing it -"Rock a Little. Stevie Nicks. That's the chorus. But why would he write it on the note, and why would she underline it? And why 'M'? We already know-"

Another set of footsteps come running down the stairs. It's Liam, fire burning in his eyes. "Where is my sister?!"

Sherlock's eye widen. He's in a tailspin. "I-"

"Where is she?!" Liam insists. "She texts me earlier, says her book is done and she's going to call me, she never does! I call her ten times, no answer!"

"Her phone," Sherlock says. Her keys and purse are here. Where's her phone? John digs in her purse and finds it. Ten missed calls from Liam, multiple unanswered texts. No hope of tracking her.

"Where is she?!" Liam asks again.

"I don't..." Sherlock fights back tears. "I don't know."

"I'm going to kill you."

John steps forward. "Liam-"

"I am so stupid! This is so- I cannot believe I pushed her into this." He paces, rants, raves, leaves no room for anyone to say anything. "I encouraged her to pursue this, to pursue you, and look where that got her! She was right. She didn't want to, she was afraid she would get hurt — not this, but still. I should've listened to her, I should've known she was right, but I was too busy worried about her being happy right now instead of her being alive! She's always right about these things, about people."

"I know," Sherlock whispers.

Liam glares at him. "You don't know anything. When I was fifteen, I brought my new girlfriend to meet my family, and after she left, Lily told me I shouldn't be with her. And you know what I did? I told her to get lost. She didn't have any proof that it wasn't going to work out, and she tried to tell me, but I didn't listen. Guess who l found out was cheating on me our entire relationship a year and a half later?! And yet telling Lily to date you is the stupidest thing l've ever done."

"I... I'm sorry."

"Great, but that's not bringing her back, is it?!"

"I know-"

"You sure know a lot but apparently not where my sister is, so why don't you do your stupid job and find her!"

"Liam, he's trying-" John starts.

"Whose side are you on?!"

"The side that wants Lily found safe. And we're not going to do that with the two of you arguing. Let's get to work."

Liam sighs but stops arguing, so Sherlock grabs the note and hands it to him as Lestrade comes down the stairs.

"What happened?" he asks.