The Science of Blood, Bombs and Brothers//BOOK ONE

Chapter 21~ Moriarty

Lestrade's P.O.V

I had gotten a phone call an hour ago from Teddy telling me to go to the Hickman Gallery. I was all ready to make an arrest but it turned out that neither Sherlock nor Teddy knew how the picture was a fake.

"So, why am I here?" I asked Teddy as we walked towards the painting.

"To enforce the law when required," Teddy answered.

"Tomorrow morning you'll be able to do the same," I tell her. She looks at me, confusion written on her face but then she grins.

"Nearly forgot that I start officially working tomorrow," she says.

Together we stand just behind Sherlock with John and Miss Wenceslas, the lady who Sherlock seemed to think was behind all of this, as he used his phone to look up information.

"It's a fake. It has to be," he says.

"That painting has been subjected to every test known to science," Miss Wesceslas says.

"It's a very good fake, then," Sherlock replies. He then spins around and glares at her.

"You know about this, don't you? This is you, isn't it?"

With a look of exasperation Miss Wenceslas looks at me.

"Inspector, my time is being wasted. Would you mind showing yourself and your friends out?" she says. Out of the corner of my eyes I can see Teddy stick out a pointed tongue quick as a flash at Miss Wencesles. If this situation wasn't so dire I would've chuckled.

It was then that the pink phone rang.

Sherlock grabs it out from his pocket and turns it onto speaker. Teddy takes a step forward standing right behind her brother.

"The painting is a fake," Sherlock says into the phone. There's no response except for breathing.

"It's a fake. That's why Woodbridge and Cairns were killed," Sherlock continues. Yet again there's no response except for the breathing.

"Oh, come on," Sherlock says, sounding slightly restless. "Proving it's just a detail. The painting is a fake. I've solved it. I've figured it out. It's a fake! That's the answer. That's why they were killed."

After a few more seconds silence Sherlock takes a deep breath.

"OK," he says calmly, "I'll prove it. Give me time. Will you give me time?"

There's a moments silence then-

"Ten..."

Sherlock instantly turns back to the painting but i'm standing there shocked as ever.

"Its a kid," I say and Teddy gives a small, horrified shriek, "Oh God, it's a kid!"

"What did he say?" John asks.

"Ten," Sherlock repeats.

"Nine...." The boy says.

"It's a countdown. He's giving me time," Sherlock says.

"Jesus!" I exclaim. Teddy stands beside her brother and scans the painting, lips moving but no words coming out.

"The painting is a fake, but how can I prove it? How? How?" Sherlock nearly snarls.

"Detail, something small, tiny," Teddy murmurs.

"Eight..." The boy continues. Sherlock turns and stares daggers at Miss Wenceslas.

"This kid will die. Tell me why the painting is a fake! Tell me!"

Miss Wenceslas opens her mouth but Sherlock holds up his hand, stopping her.