The Baker's Detective

| The Bakery and the End |

"That's so exciting, Lil," he says.

"I know. I'm buzzing," she replies as she wipes down her counters. "Now I just need to think of a better title."

"Uriah's Great Mistake."

"Hey, now."

"Alright, alright, I'll leave the titles to you. Have you told Sherlock?"

"Right after you hung up. John read it to Rosie, too, and she loved it. So now I know it's going to work."

"A Rosie stamp of approval is really all you need."

"Exactly."

He chuckles, then asks, through a mouthful of food, "How are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Lily laughs.

"How are you doing?" he repeats. "You know, since the whole... Moran thing."

"You don't have to call it the 'Moran thing.' I'm doing a lot better since I got kidnapped and almost killed. Sherlock's still bruised, though, not that he's complained about it."

"My bad."

"Better bruised than dead."

"Yeah, I know." He pauses, and Lily hears rustling on the other end, then the bell of a shop door. "Listen, I'm proud of you. I don't know if that means much, I guess, but after everything that's happened this summer... I mean, did you ever think you'd be solving crimes with Sherlock Holmes?"

"Not exactly."

"And now you have a boyfriend, and you've wrote another book, and you've faced death, like, multiple times. I've never seen you so brave before in my life. The way you talked to Moran, I couldn't believe it."

"Well, I can assure you, I was terrified."

"But you did it anyway. That's what matters."

She soon has to hang up, as Liam has to return to work. Lily continues cleaning until lunch time, then looks through her fridge for something to eat. But nothing sounds as good as a sandwich.

She walks upstairs to Speedy's. He's put up a sign in the window, advertising that he's selling the place. A price isn't listed, though. He's in the back when Lily orders, but he comes out after she's gotten her food. She leaves it in the bag, chewing on her lip.

"Hey, Lily," Speedy says. "How are you doing? I heard something about you and Sherlock getting into trouble on the news."

"Oh, we're alright. Now, anyway. I wanted to ask you..." She stops. "Sorry. How are you?"

He raises a brow at her. "I'm alright. Are you sure you are?"

She nods, then bites the bullet. "How much are you selling the place for?"

He leans on the counter. "Are you looking to buy it?"

"Possibly. I've been wanting to open a bakery."

Speedy laughs. "Well, that would be perfect on this street."

"The name would write itself."

He thinks a moment, then nods. "I've had a couple offers so far. Have you ever bought a shop before?"

"Never."

"Well, here's a good place to start."

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Can she afford it? Maybe. Possibly. The cost of the building, probably, but then what about the equipment and renovations? As charming as Speedy's is, it doesn't really look like a bakery, and it doesn't have all the equipment Lily will need to make multiple cakes, cookies, icings, and so on. There's also the problem of her job in the fall. Can she really have a bakery and teach at the same time? Sherlock said he and John would help, but he has his own job with a very unpredictable schedule.