Sherlock Prompt Fic (part 6)

[smallhobbit]

Fandom: Sherlock bbc
Rating: PG
Characters:  Sherlock, Watson, Lestrade
Summary: This is a continuation of my prompt fic, with thanks to list_of_lists who suggested "Crannog" and marysutherland who suggested "double"

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

 The three of them left the pub and Sherlock hailed a cab. 

“Paddington Station,” he instructed the cabbie.

“What?” Lestrade was confused.

“I’ll explain later, once we’ve caught our train.”

Sherlock would say no more, but spent the entire journey to the station texting furiously.  Once they reached their destination Sherlock leapt out of the cab and rushed up the stairs.  John, pausing only to pay the cabbie, followed close behind and Lestrade, although puzzled, brought up the rear.

Inside the concourse someone thrust some tickets into Sherlock’s hand, and said “Your train leaves from Platform 5”.  The three of them ran down the platform and hastily boarded the train. 

Once they were seated John looked at Sherlock and said “Would you like to tell us why we are on a train to south Wales?”

“Because it seemed the most efficient way of getting us there.”

John glared at Sherlock who ignored him and opened his laptop.

“Of course,” John sighed.  “Greg, let’s go and see if we can get something to eat from the buffet car before it shuts.  Sherlock, do you want anything?”

“Not while I’m working.”

Having eaten what was left of the half-price sandwiches from the buffet car, both men leaned back in their seats.  John closed his eyes, hoping to grab a quick nap before Sherlock dragged them onto the next part of their journey.  After a while he became aware that Lestrade’s head was on his shoulder.  He realised he was quite pleased about it; he’d enjoyed their trip to Whipsnade and certainly hadn’t objected to the chance to go out for a drink with the inspector.  So instead of shifting around, thus causing Lestrade to move, he sat still and dozed off himself.  Consequently he didn’t see Sherlock looking at them with a slight smile on his lips.

The next thing he knew was Sherlock saying loudly “Wake up you two, we’re almost in Newport.”

They stumbled off the train; to be accurate John and Lestrade stumbled off the train, Sherlock bounced off looking as bright and cheerful as if he had just got up.  Lestrade tried to head for the exit, but Sherlock put an arm out to stop him.

“We have another train to catch.  It should be here in a couple of minutes.”

“It’s ten to one in the morning Sherlock.  Where the hell are you taking me now?”

“We’re heading for the Brecon Beacons.  I’ve arranged for a hire car to be waiting for us when we arrive in Abergavenny.”

Their train drew up and once they had found seats away from the few other passengers Sherlock continued.

“Whilst I was making my enquiries this afternoon one word kept recurring.  My informants took it to be some sort of password; certainly it made no sense to them.  However, it answered the one question I had left.  There are very clear distribution routes, which will lead to what might be termed the retailers, but up to this moment I had been unable to track down where the wholesaler was based.  I suspect it would be impossible to keep secret the location of the drugs if they were in London.”

Lestrade nodded.

“So they had to be somewhere else.  And we are therefore going there.”

“Is there any chance you’re going to tell us what this password is?” John asked.

Sherlock was triumphant.  “Crannog.”

John and Lestrade looked blankly at each other.

Sherlock’s expression was one they were both familiar with, the one that said ‘must I explain everything to you?’  “A crannog is an ancient lake dwelling.  There are a number in Scotland, none in England and only one in Wales.  We are going to Llangorse Lake, where the King of Brycheiniog constructed his crannog in 916AD.  I believe we will find that what would have once been a site safe from marauders remains a site of safety for the storage of drugs.”

“Are you expecting us to row over to this island without anyone challenging us?” John asked.

“No, I have taken the precaution of asking for a local police presence.  It is imperative that no word gets out that the hideout has been found if we are to capture all those involved in the chain.”

“And the local police agreed because you asked for it?”  Lestrade was sceptical.

“I claimed to be you and there was no problem.”

Lestrade contented himself with glaring at Sherlock and the rest of the journey to Abergavenny passed in silence.  There was a Landrover parked at the station and Sherlock felt on top of one of the rear wheels and produced the keys, which he gave to Lestrade.  They reached the lake with only a few minor detours; the map on Sherlock’s phone not tying in with what they could see of the countryside in the dark.  Once they had parked John and Lestrade tried to doze whilst Sherlock watched the island for movement.

A couple of hours later Sherlock exclaimed “I can see movement”.  His companions groaned, John, because he had finally fallen asleep and didn’t want to be woken; Lestrade because Sherlock’s shout had startled him and he’d banged his head on the side of the vehicle.  Through the faint dawn light they could see figures loading bags onto two small boats.  They watched as the boats motored across the lake and then saw a camper van coming to meet them.

Four men leapt out of the boats, grabbed the bags and started to load them into the back of the camper van.  At that moment two police cars drove up.  Two of the men started to run in the direction of the Landrover, one launched one of the boats and the fourth man leapt into the back of the camper van, whilst the van’s driver tried to get it to start.

The chase didn’t last long.  The camper van, surprised at being expected to start quickly refused point blank and the two occupants were swiftly handcuffed.  The man in the boat clearly had less experience of small motorboats than the Welsh policeman who had launched the second boat and having performed two complete circles surrendered to his pursuer.  The final two soon found themselves pinioned to the ground by a detective inspector and an ex-army captain. 

Once the prisoners were safely installed in the police cars Sherlock strolled over.  Lestrade had already introduced himself to his opposite number and they both listened as Sherlock outlined what he expected to happen next.  Then, leaving some of the policeman to begin the task of securing the crime site, Lestrade drove the inspector, John and Sherlock back to the local police station.

Some hours later, when all the arrangements had been made to eliminate the complete supply line, the three of them left the station.

“Since I am aware that you two would probably appreciate some rest before we return to London I have booked two hotel rooms,” Sherlock said.  “There’s a train at 4.30 which will get us back to London at a reasonable time this evening.”

Sherlock led the way to the hotel, signed in and took possession of the keys.  John and Lestrade followed him into the lift and along the corridor to where Sherlock unlocked one of the rooms.

“This is your room,” he said.  “I shall have the other room to myself.  I have a number of matters I wish to deal with and will be able to make better progress if I am not disturbed by snoring.”

They walked into the room and John turned round to face Sherlock who was still in the corridor, watching them.  “This has got a double bed!”

Sherlock smirked.  “I thought you would appreciate it.”