The poppyblood killer

Chapter 6

- Moriarty is gone, I ask.

- I knew I shouldn't have taken my eyes off of him, John says.

- The fault lies with me. I knew he couldn't be trusted, yet I left him entirely unattended, Sherlock says.

- Isn't it possible he just stepped out for a while, I ask.

- We're speaking of a notorious criminal who's only free from prison on a conditional basis, Sherlock says.

- He probably saw this as his chance to escape. John says.

- But Moriarty has devoted himself to the case. Whenever I saw him, he was meticulously reviewing notes or piercing new leads together, I say in my head.

- Moriarty wouldn't flee now, I say.

- Why do you say that, Sherlock asks.

- He's too invested in catching the Poppyblood Killer. I don't think he'll try to escape until the case is solved. Besides, he knows you'd just go after him, I say.

- Come on, you're being too soft on him. Moriarty enjoys the chase. He'd want nothing more than to distract Sherlock, John says.

- He might see outwitting the Poppyblood Killer as a matter of professional pride. Of course, there's also the possibility that he has a scheme of his own, Sherlock says.

- You mean another crime, I ask.

- He's a master criminal, after all, Sherlock says.

- I've gotten so used to having him around, I almost forgot, I say in my head.

- You mean he might be up to some nefarious business right now, John says.

- Regardless, it won't sit well with the authorities if Moriarty wreaks havoc on our watch, Sherlock says.

- So what are we going to do, John asks.

- We'll simply have to catch him, Sherlock says.

- Catch him. He could be anywhere by now, I say.

- Not true. There are always clues left behind, no matter how clever the plot, Sherlock says.

Sherlock strides over to the desk where Moriarty has been working.

- Here, we'll find a trail leading us to him, Sherlock says.

- I hope you're right, John says.

- Where should we start, I ask.

- Most of these documents pertain to the case, so it would be prudent if, Sherlock says. The front door opens.

- Having a meeting without me. I'm hurt, Moriarty says. We all freeze. Moriarty saunters into the flat as though nothing happened and lets the door swing shut behind him.

- Where were you, John yells.

- Hmm, Moriarty asks.

- This meeting was our attempt to determine your whereabouts, Sherlock says.

- I was just doing a little work on the case, nothing more, Moriarty says.

- So you simply left without alerting me, Sherlock asks.

- Oh, I'm sorry. Did you think that by aiding your investigationI'd be chained to your methods forever. You're a fool if you thought I wouldn't do this my way. It's how I work best. Do you want the case solved or not, Moriarty asks.

- You're a prisoner. You can't just leave on your own accord, John says.

- I don't recall that being a condition of my release, Moriarty says.