THE BAKER STREET TRIO (SHERLOCK X READER)

Chapter 42: His Last Vow

Sherlock's jaw clenched, and he spoke in a low, barely contained voice. "Mr. Magnussen, am I acceptable to you as an intermediary?"

"She's English with a spine." Magnussen pushed the coffee table with his foot before standing. "Best thing about the English, you're so domesticated."

Magnussen stood in front of them, smirking. "Always standing around, apologizing. Keeping your little heads down."

Magnussen passed between Sherlock and Y/N, standing before the fireplace. Y/N heard him unzip his trousers.

"You can do what you like here. No one's ever going to stop you." Magnussen began to urinate. "A nation of herbivores. I've interests all over the world but, uh, everything starts in England. If it works here..." Magnussen zipped his pants back up. "I'd try it in a real country."

Magnussen accepted a disinfecting wipe from a bodyguard. "The United Kingdom, eh? Petri dish to the Western world. Tell Lady Elizabeth that I might need those for later, so I'm keeping them." He dropped the cloth on the floor. "Goodbye."

Magnussen chuckled, letting the letters peak out of his suit pocket. "Anyway, they're funny."

The newspaper mogul left the flat, followed by his security team. John let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Jesus!"

Y/N's hands shook. She bent over with her hands on her knees, trying not to hyperventilate. Sherlock steadied her, guiding Y/N gently to a chair. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Alright?" He whispered.

Y/N nodded and squeezed his hand. She could see the gears turning in his mind and didn't want to hinder the case.

"Did you notice the one extraordinary thing he did?" Sherlock asked.

"There was a moment that kind of stuck in the mind, yeah." John said.

"When he showed us the letters." Y/N breathed.

John sighed. "Okay."

"So, he's brought the letters to London." Sherlock began to deduce. "So no matter what he says, he's ready to make a deal. Now, Magnussen only makes a deal once he's established a person's weaknesses, the 'pressure point,' he calls it. So, he clearly believes I'm a drug addict and no serious threat." Sherlock watched as Magnussen got into his car on the street below.

"He's in town tonight, which means the letters will be in his London office, safely tucked away in his safe while he's at dinner with the Marketing Group of Great Britain form 7:00 until 10:00." Y/N said.

"How do you know his schedule?" John asked.

"I have my ways." Y/N said. "Oh no, speaking of which..."

She checked the time.

"I have a brunch date with Janine. I'll see you both tonight." She said, getting up and fetching her coat.

"You're just assuming I'm coming along?" John asked.

"It's time you got out of the house, John." Sherlock said. "You've put on seven pounds since you got married and the cycling isn't doing it."

"It's actually four pounds." John said.

"Mary and I think seven." Sherlock said.

Y/N cracked a smile. "Don't kill each other while I'm gone."

"I can only agree to that because they took my tire lever!" John called after her.

~

John arrived at CM Global News at seven. He didn't have long to look around before Sherlock and Y/N appeared at his shoulder.