Snowflakes and Semtex

Chapter Seven

We left the hospital with no more knowledge than when we entered. The other two victims hadn't seen anyone in their flat who could have planted the bombs. Sherlock was in an even worse mood and we were all getting tired of running around to no conclusion. "Come on, let's go see if Lestrade's found anything." Sherlock grumbled. "I doubt it." he added coldly. We all walked to Scotland Yard in silence. Peggy was sulking behind us as she'd sensed we were annoyed and tired.

"We still haven't got anything. There's nothing on the records. It appears that the messages were never sent. It's almost as though the phone doesn't exist." Lestrade commented.
"Useless." Sherlock uttered. "We need to go back to the flats. We must have missed something. We must have!"

We spent the next three hours running around London and reinspecting the flats. "Nothing." Sherlock solemnly mumbled. "Let's go." he added defeatedly. We walked home in silence again. I checked my phone.
"Twenty to midnight! It's almost Christmas." I noted. John opened the door and Peggy threw herself inside. I assumed she was just eager to get in so I took off her lead and hung it up. Within seconds she had bolted up the stairs into the living room. I chased after her, knowing something wasn't right. She began to bark continuously as I got into the living room. I saw someone running down the corridor into Sherlock and John's room Peggy sprinted after them. The person fumbled trying to open the window, Peggy leaped and bit them on the arm making them scream in agony.
John had barged past to detain the person. I ran back into the living room. Sherlock was frantically searching around the Christmas tree. "That person is our bomber but where's the bomb? They wouldn't be here if there was no bomb!" he shouted. I hurriedly looked at the presents and noticed one that was different from the rest. I pointed it out to Sherlock. He grabbed it and it began to beep. I ran towards the window and opened it wide. Sherlock threw it away with all his might. BOOOMM! It exploded in the air. It broke some windows on the flats opposite to us, but luckily, nothing to major. My heart was beating out of my chest. Once I had slightly emotionally recovered, I went over to John to see what had happened. He had managed to get the bomber sat with his back to the wall. Peggy sat in front of him, snarling and John had his gun raised and aimed at him. The bomber was a man who looked around twenty five. He looked ill kept and sly. "Identify yourself." Sherlock ordered from behind me. "Alex Hardgreves. Pleasure to meet you." he answered smugly, holding out his hand. He rolled his eyes and put his hand back in his lap when he realised no one was going to shake his hand. "Oh and before you bother asking, I killed all those people because I was bored. Also I'd managed to get my hands in a bit of Semtex, y'know, black market and all that. Anyway, I was saving it for you lot but ,me being me, I wasted it all before I got the chance. So I made myself a little bomb, wrapped it up for you as well. I know! You don't have to tell me! I'm too kind! Half a pound of roofing nails in that one, you should be grateful you lobbed it out the window in time. I had a really good viewpoint from here! Although . . . you might want to check on those people next door. . . can't imagine glass and nail are very good for your skull. Y'know, shrapnel an all that!" he babbled.
"Alright. We get the point. Close your gob." I groaned.

Twenty minutes later, Lestrade turned up, arrested Hargreaves as Sherlock explained what had happened, he mentioned to check on the people in the flat opposite to make sure they were okay. Greg then took Hargreaves away. I sat down on the sofa and checked my phone again. "Ten past midnight. It's Christmas!" I squealed.
"Huh. Merry Christmas." said Sherlock, half destracted.
"Merry Christmas, Zander." John smiled.
I replied, "Merry bloody Christmas!!"

The End