Hello Detective

The Reichenbach Fall Part 4

We walked down the hall and into a new room, the door creaked as it opened.

"The boy sleeps there every night, gazing at the only light source outside in the corridor. He'd recognize every shape, every outline. The silhouette of everyone who came to the door." Sherlock said, pointing to the door.

"Okay, so?" Lestrade asked.

"So someone approaches the door who he doesn't recognize. An intruder, maybe he can even see the outline of a weapon. What would he do in the precious few seconds before they came into the room? How would he use them if not to cry out?" I spoke, taking the words out of Sherlock's mouth as if I had something to prove.

"This little boy, this particular little boy, who reads all of those spy books. What would he do?" Sherlock said, walking over to the side of the boys bed. He seemed to notice what I was doing, I was showing off, showing him he wasn't the only intelligent one around here, and showing him that I could help.

Sherlock began sniffing around until he found what he was smelling.

"Get Anderson." He said, which surprised everyone. Sherlock was holding an empty glass bottle.

I stepped out of the room to call Anderson, knowing he might respond better to me. Nevertheless the crime scene was an hour away, so he might need some convincing. He also hates working cases with Sherlock, but I didn't blame him for that part.

"Phillip, we need your help." I said into the phone once he answered.

"Where?" He asked.

"Surrey, St. Aldate's Boarding School. Also you're going to need to bring some black lights." I said.

"He's working this one isn't he?" Anderson asked.

"Yup, but he asked for you specifically so you know it's important." I said into the phone.

"Well I better get going, you know Sherlock Holmes doesn't like to be kept waiting." Anderson said, and I laughed as I walked back into the room. Sherlock looked at me suspiciously.

"Thanks Phillip." I said, hanging up.

"Phillip?" Sherlock asked.

"Well that is his name." I argued and Sherlock rolled his eyes.

Once Anderson and his team arrived everyone got to work. The windows were blacked out to keep out the lights and the black lights were switched on.

"Linseed oil." Sherlock said, holding the light up to the wall to reveal a finger drawn message left by the little boy 'HELP US'.

"Not much use. Doesn't lead us to the kidnapper." Anderson said.

"Brilliant, Anderson." Sherlock said.

"Really?" He asked surprised.

"Yes, brilliant impression of an idiot." Sherlock said and I rolled my eyes.

"The floor." I pointed, seeing the illuminated footprints.

"He made a trail for us." John said, and I nodded.

"The boy was made to walk ahead of him." Sherlock said.

"On tiptoe?" John asked.

"Indicates anxiety." Sherlock and I said at the same time, and looked up to each other in surprise. I raised an eyebrow in a sort of 'see I can do it too' way. I looked back down to the footprints.

"Gun held to his head. The girl was pulled beside him, dragged sideways." I said, following the trail out into the hall.

"That's the end of it. We don't know where they went from here. Tells us nothing after all." Anderson said, annoyed.

"You're right Anderson. Nothing. Except his shoe size, his height, his gait, his walking pace." Sherlock said, ripping the shade from the window as Anderson walked away.

Sherlock bent down to the ground, pulling out his tools and a plastic container. He chuckled, like he was enjoying this.

"Having fun?" I asked, kneeling next to him.

"Starting to." Sherlock said.

"Maybe don't do the smiling. Kidnapped children?" I reminded him. He began scraping the floor and collecting it in the container, wanting to figure out whatever he could about where this man had been and what resided in his shoe print.

I knew Sherlock's next stop was the lab at Barts. Lestrade drove everyone back into town.

"How did he get past the CCTV if all the doors were locked?" John asked as we were driving.

"He walked in when they weren't locked." I answered.

"But a stranger can't just walk into a school like that." John argued.

"Anyone can walk in anywhere if they pick the right moment. Yesterday, end of term, parents milling around, chauffeurs, staff. What's one more stranger among that lot." Sherlock said.

"He was waiting for them. All he had to do was find a place to hide." I said, as we were approaching Barts. The three of us entered the building, Lestrade instructing me to keep him updated.

As we were about to enter the lab, we saw Molly leaving, or at least attempting to.

"Molly" Sherlock said cheerfully.

"Oh, hello. I'm just going out." She said, trying to walk past us.

"No you're not." Sherlock said, turning her around and walking towards the lab.

"I've got a lunch date." She protested.

"Cancel it. You're having lunch with us. Need your help." He said.

"What?" She asked surprised.

"It's one of your boyfriends, we're trying to track him down. He's been a bit naughty." I smiled fakely. Molly and I didn't really get along well. She had basically called me a whore, but I understood that Sherlock needed her help.

"Its Moriarty." John asked confused.

"Of course it's Moriarty." Sherlock said.

"Jim actually wasn't even my boyfriend. We went out three times. I ended it." She said proudly.

"Yes, and then he stole the Crown Jewels, broke into the Bank of England, and organized a prison break at Pentonville. For the sake of law and order I suggest you avoid all future attempts at a relationship, Molly." I said, smiling, before turning on my heel and strutting into the lab.