chapter three! Edited by the lovely Dr Kitten,

Chapter three

Note: this story takes place after the Reichenbach case but before Moriarty breaks into the tower of London.

Flashback...

He reluctantly put the hat on and smiled through gritted teeth as cameras,flashed everywhere. John smiled and stood beside him for the photos, and in the background, Donovan clapped slowly, laughing at him from across the room.

At the rear of the press and photographers, a small dark-haired man wearing sunglasses and dressed with impeccable attire stood where he was unobservable by the main characters in the room and smiled to himself. He was formulating a plan and the painting had given him an idea. "I owe you a fall!" He whispered as he looked at the foaming waters cascading into the depths below. Then he slowly and unobtrusively slipped out of the building.

…. 'End of Flashback'

Sherlock stood looking at the notice on the playhouse, his mind racing with a possible theory. Then he shot round to the back of the building with John at his heels." Aren't we going into the theatre?" John panted.

"Stage door," said Sherlock, skidding to a halt outside the side door. "We won't be allowed in the front after the play has started and it's nearly finished now"

He tried the handle and found the door unlocked. There was a booth in the entrance with a burly man behind the desk reading a variety magazine as they entered.

"Whoa boys, you can't be coming in here now, artists only it is," he said in a thick Dublin accent. Sherlock looked at him and at the other bouncer leaning nonchalantly against the wall. "I need to get a message to Richard Brook," he stated calmly."It's very important."

The Dubliner slid out a notepad which Sherlock scribbled on. Then he looked at the bouncer leaning against the wall. No point trying to get through the both of them

"Here, this is important so you will give this directly to Mr. Brook won`t you?" John saw though Sherlock's manner he was being unusually polite , probably acting himself. The man reluctantly looked up not at all convinced "We are working with the Garda and it concerns the kidnapping. By the way, your wife is having an affair and your son is gay. He isn't going to tell you until you ask him, but he wants you to know."

"What? My wife you … how did you know that when I've only just found out about it meself - The Jezebel! I'm leaving her tonight I've had enough!" His fury was evident at his wife. Slowly he calmed down a bit, glancing at his fellow bouncer with distain. Sherlock caught the look and deduced the other bouncer was the guilty party. "So do you know my son? He lives in London, and if I am not mistaken you are coming from there yourself. How is Moonstone, as he is calling himself in that band?"

Sherlock looked at John, who as always was fascinated by Sherlock's deductions and certainly appeared more interested than the bewildered doorman.

"I was reading his letter to you, you have it open on your excuse for a desk and the subtext was obvious. I don't know him, I wish I did. You need to have a talk with him, get to know him better. As for your wife- look at your shirt cuffs and the grey stains on your trousers you gave her to wash, she hasn't of course. I also saw your wedding ring that you have taken off on the desk."

John smiled as the doorman snatched the note and bid them goodnight.

Back at the seedy hotel, John felt tiredness overcome him. It had been a long day. He was glad to get into bed but Sherlock was pacing about the room in deep thought.

"Tomorrow, you will go to the station with the policeman in the morning. I have a certain meeting and I will not require your presence" he stated.

"What? Sherlock you can't go meeting that actor on your own, he may be responsible for the kidnapping!" John said with a note of rising panic."Or at least he may be in league with the kidnappers."

Sherlock looked over at his companion. "I will be in no immediate danger, John, but how brilliant of you to have worked it out yourself!" He smiled dangerously and John had the feeling that he had missed something really important. A common feeling as far as Sherlock was concerned.

"Any update on the substance in the Teddy?" he asked sleepily.

"Yes, but I was wrong. It was not an air pressure sensitive explosive at all," said Sherlock through gritted teeth. John laughed.

"Just drugs then?"

"Synthetic MDNA, the explosives were located by Mycroft's men in Berlin. This was apparently a test run, close thing though, and our discovery helped to locate the people who had a hold over the boy's uncle in Europe."

"what people?" asked John

"Keep up John, the group responsible for the last explosion in Japan!" John shook his head. It was too much to think about at this time of night. He looked sleepily at the pacing Sherlock.

"Don't get yourself kidnapped tomorrow or I'll have to kill this Richard Brook and I wasn't even allowed to bring my revolver on the plane," John murmured, turning his head onto the pillow as he drifted off. He was still just awake enough to hear Sherlock gently whispering to him. "Goodnight Jojo."