Facades

Chapter Seventeen

Not long afterwards, a recording of a documentary is playing on the TV. Sherlock has taken off his dressing gown and exchanged it for a jacket and is sitting in his chair. John has relocated to the dining table chair near Sherlock's, Luna is sat on the armrest of Sherlock's chair and a man is sitting in John's chair.

The documentary footage shows scenes of Dartmoor and Sherlock instantly looks bored.

"Dartmoor. It's always been a place of myth and legend, but is there something else lurking out here – something very real?" the presenter's voice plays over footage of 'Keep Out' signs and the woman appears walking along a long narrow road "Because Dartmoor's also home to one of the government's most secret of operations ..."

Sherlock's eyes flick repeatedly between the screen and the man in John's chair as the footage shows a large sign saying:

'AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY

YOU ARE NOW ENTERING A RESTRICTED AREA

BASKERVILLE'

By this time Sherlock's eyes are permanently fixed on the newcomer, who's watching the documentary with an anxious look all three notice. Luna crosses her legs in boredom and decides to follow what Sherlock was doing and she watches the client.

"... the chemical and biological weapons research centre which is said to be even more sensitive than Porton Down. Since the end of the Second World War, there've been persistent stories about the Baskerville experiments: genetic mutations, animals grown for the battlefield. There are many who believe that within this compound, in the heart of this ancient wilderness, there are horrors beyond imagining. But the real question is: are all of them still inside?"

The footage switches to an indoor scene where the client is sitting in front of the camera talking to an offscreen interviewer. A caption at the bottom of the screen shows him as 'Henry Knight, Grimpen resident'.

"I was just a kid. It-it was on the moor," There's a cut-away to a child's drawing of a huge snarling dog with red eyes. The caption says, 'Henry's drawing (aged 9)'.

"It was dark, but I know what I saw. I know what killed my father,"

Sighing dramatically, Sherlock picks up the remote control and switches off the footage "What did you see?"

"I ... I was just about to say, Henry points to the TV screen.

"Yes, in a TV interview. I prefer to do my own editing.

"Yes. Sorry, yes, of course. 'Scuse me," He reaches into his jacket pocket, pulls out a paper napkin and wipes his nose on it. Luna griminess in disgust before sharing a look with Sherlock.

"In your own time," John smiles kindly

"But quite quickly," Luna snorts and looks away at Sherlock's prompt while Henry lowers the napkin, slowly starting to talk.

"Do you know Dartmoor, Mr Holmes?"

"No."

"It's an amazing place. It's like nowhere else. It's sort of ... bleak but beautiful,"

"Mmm, not interested. Moving on.," Luna raises an eyebrow at Sherlock, a sign for him to be more sensitive, he ignores her.

"We used to go for walks, after my mum died, my dad and me. Every evening we'd go out onto the moor,"

"Yes, good. Skipping to the night that your dad was violently killed,"

"Jesus Christ," Luna has to look away, strangely finding the situation ever so slightly amusing while John's eyes raise skywards at Sherlock's lack of sensitivity.