smallhobbit | Sherlock Prompt Fic (part 4) (Reply)

Fandom: Sherlock bbc
Rating: G
Characters: Sherlock, Watson
Summary: This is a continuation of my prompt fic, with thanks to

ascendant_angel for suggesting "safe as houses" and

list_of_lists who suggested "Przewalski's horse"

Part 3

When John got up the following morning he wasn’t surprised to find that Sherlock had already gone out. He enjoyed a peaceful breakfast and then headed for the surgery. When he had finished his asthma clinic (not really his thing, but it all helped increase his earnings) he found he had had a text from Mrs Hudson.

Pausing only to send Lestrade a text, John left the surgery and set off back to Baker Street. Once there he spoke to Mrs Hudson, and reassured her as best he could that Sherlock would be alright. He then went up to the flat to see if there was any indication of what had happened.

Shortly afterwards Lestrade arrived. John let him in. “Sorry, I hadn’t meant to drag you over straight away. I just thought I’d let you know there might be a problem.” He looked at his friend, noting that he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt rather than his customary suit. “Oh, it’s your day off as well.”

“That’s okay. Chasing half way across the city after a disappearing consulting detective has to be preferable to cleaning my flat.”

John grinned. “Right. Well, according to Mrs Hudson, Sherlock came back about 10 o’clock (she’d heard him come in as she was listening to the news on the radio). Then some time after two large men called to see him. She showed them up to the flat and they left with Sherlock about five minutes afterwards. She said they appeared to be escorting him and it didn’t look as if he was that keen to go with them. She’d thought they looked a bit dodgy, so she’d kept her door slightly open to keep an eye on them. Then, as soon as they left, she sent me a text, which was at five to eleven.”

“I don’t suppose you have any idea what Sherlock’s doing at the moment?”

“Only that it’s something to do with the case you were investigating at that flat yesterday. We met someone called Pink Martin in the afternoon, but I missed out on the relevant parts of the conversation.”

John walked into the kitchen. “It’s just possible he’s left a message on the fridge door. Although it’ll probably just say ‘need teabags’ or ‘don’t touch the milk’. Ah, there is one. Brilliant.” He passed the note over to Lestrade.

<Przewalski’s Horse>

“Your guess is as good as mine,” the inspector replied.

John opened his laptop. “I’ll Google it, see if it helps. Right: only true wild horse, native of Mongolia.”

“Hmm, I wonder. Narcotics have mentioned a new source of drugs which they suspect may originate in Mongolia. And we think someone is trying to set up a distribution centre. But it’s all very shadowy at the moment. I was talking to Simpson yesterday, after we’d been through the flat, and he said the word was about that one of the top men was coming over, but no-one knew where the meeting was taking place. Can you find out anything more?”

“They have some at Whipsnade.”

“How do you fancy a trip to the zoo this afternoon?”

*****

Sherlock hadn’t been entirely surprised when the two heavies had arrived at the flat. He had hoped that he could pursue his investigations without interruption, but given what he suspected, he knew that his show of interest would have been extremely unwelcome. So when one of the men had announced “The boss wants a word with you” he had gone with them without a struggle.

He had been pushed into what appeared to be nothing more than a large cupboard. He listened as the door was locked and one of the men asked the other whether he should stand guard.

“Nah, ‘e’s not going anyway. ‘E’ll be as safe as ‘ouses for the moment. Won’t be long before the boss comes to talk to ‘im. Let’s grab a cuppa while we wait.”

Sherlock retrieved a small tool from the bottom of his trouser pocket and began to pick the lock.