Dancing with the Devil (part one)

Chapter 17: Boom Boom Boom

We took a taxi back to Scotland yard where Sherlock jumped out like an excited child and practically ran into the building, leaving John to pay the cabbie angrily.

"Every time." John rolled his eyes as he and Astrid got out of the taxi.

"Here." Astrid took out a ten pound note and gave it to the good doctor, "that's for all the taxi journeys you've payed for for me."

"You don't-"

"Please," Astrid insisted, "I owe you a lot more."

"Thank you," he said, hesitantly. The two entered the building to find Sherlock and Lestrade talking.

"So how did he do it?" The inspector asked

"Botox injection." Sherlock replied.

"Botox?" Astrid asked.

"Botox is a diluted form of botulinum. Among other things, Raoul de Santos was employed to give Connie her regular facial injections. My contact at the Home Office gave me the complete records of Raoul's internet purchases." He pointed at a folder, "He's been bulk ordering for months."

John rolled his eyes in anger at Sherlock's cocky-ness.

"Bided his time then upped the dosage to a fatal one." Sherlock continued.

"You sure?" Asked Lestrade.

"I'm sure"

"Alright, my office." Lestrade began to walk to his office followed by Holmes, until john stopped him

"How long have you known, Sherlock?" Watson asked his friend.

"Well, this one is fairly simple, the bomber has repeated himself." he sighed, "big mistake."

"No, but Sherlock... The hostage... the old woman. She's been there all this time!"

"I knew I could save her. I also knew that the bomber had given us twelve hours. I solved the case quickly; that gave me time to get on with other things. Don't you see? We're one up on him!"

The detective sauntered confidently off into the office as John followed him angrily. Astrid felt her phone ping in her pocket. She looked down at her mobile.

Are you at Scotland Yard?

SM

She wrote her reply.

I am, yes.

AH

Sebastian's reply came back instantly.

Ready for a show?

She smirked at the text and wrote.

Never been more ready in my life.

She sent the text and smiled again before heading into the office to find Sherlock typing away at a computer. He sent a message and milliseconds later the phone rang.

"Hello?" Sherlock said cautiously, "tell us where you are. Address"

After a few seconds Sherlock looked a bit more panicked

"No, no, tell me nothing about him, nothing."

His face expression said it all. As the two other men began talking with him about what happened, Astrid's phone chimed again. This time from Jim:

Boom Boom Boom.

JM

She held in a smile and quickly texted back.