Mueller rambled on, referencing the names of departed Grant family members. John felt stupid, examining a clearly malnourished and dehydrated man in a seedy motel room. The creepy ghost thing just made an awkward situation frustrating and confusing.

"Your pulse is elevated," John said. "You'll need intravenous fluids as soon as possible for dehydration and malnutrition. You've got a bit of a rash, but nothing too serious. I'm more concerned about the long-term ramifications. Lie down for a spell, okay?"

Mueller did as asked, and John turned to the baby.

"Sherlock, you can't leave a baby on the bed," John said.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because it's not safe."

"I'm right here, an arm's length away, and can see him," Sherlock pointed out. "And two medical doctors are in the same room. Not sure how much safer it can get."

"Never mind," John said. He started a preliminary exam on the boy. Without better equipment, all John could do was confirm the basics. The child was healthy. Good heart rate, good breath sounds. Skin and eyes clear and healthy.

"He's fine. Perfectly fine," John said. "I'd say he's about five months old."

"That's right," Mueller said.

"You need to tell us everything you know," Sherlock said to Mueller. "Everything."

John shook his head. "He needs some rest and water and a hospital."

"We still haven't found Miss Berwyn. Caroline Kingsley may be in danger right now, we don't have time," Sherlock replied.

"Give us a minute," he said to Mueller. "You rest, okay? Drink that water there. And ther're crackers. Doctor's orders."

Mueller nodded weakly and started with the crackers and water.

John pulled Sherlock aside. "He won't be much good to us if he becomes unconscious," John pointed out. "Hydration. Food. At least some rest after running so much. That, at least, before we interrogate him," he whispered. "All right?"

"What are we doing in the meantime?" Sherlock asked.

"You need to get baby supplies. And I'm calling Lestrade for help," John said. "He might know someone he trusts in this area."

"He can't find out, John," Sherlock said. "You understand? He can't. Not yet."

"Leave that to me," John replied.

"Why do I have to get the baby supplies?" Sherlock asked.

"Because you're the one that's dead, that's why," John replied. "The living person gets to decide things like that. Besides, you're not the only one who's clever."

Sherlock gave him a wry smile. "What do we need?"

John shrugged, "Check the diaper for a size, get more, and formula. Baby monitor, of course. And... whatever else."

"We need a nanny," Sherlock mumbled.

"Just, go," John said. "Go."

Sherlock ducked out.

"Doctor Mueller," John said as he turned. "You need to listen very, very carefully to me. There was no other man."

"What?"

"That man who just left? He doesn't exist. He was never here. Never at the house. You never saw him. I came and got you out, you told me about the baby, and we took him. Do you understand?" John asked.

"Why?"

"That doesn't answer my question," John said. "I saved your life, and now I am asking you to return the favor. Do you understand? There was never any other man. It just me and you."

"Yes, of course," Mueller said. "I can do that. You came and rescued me, and I took the baby with me."

John nodded. "And now you're going to tell me everything, and I do mean everything. Because as you know, other people are at risk right now, like Caroline Kingsley."


Before Sherlock returned to the room, John stopped him just outside the door. "Over here," he said, waving him into the opposite room. "Got us another room."

"Why?"

John stepped in without answer. Sherlock followed.

"Did you get the baby monitor?" John asked.

Sherlock nodded. John took it and quickly set it up. "Good, I'll be right back. Stay here."

Sherlock was confused by the entire situation. Mostly because the baby was, in fact, in this new room. Why would John put a monitor in the other room? Wasn't the point of the thing to watch a baby remotely?

It took less than a minute for John to return. He switched on the monitor and the sound of Mueller's breathing came across.

Before Sherlock could speak, John asked, "You have any idea what the hell is going on?"

"Why is the baby in this room?"

"Because I gave Mueller diphenhydramine," John said. "He's in no state to watch a baby."

"What's the monitor for, then?"

"So he doesn't run off," John replied.

"It's for monitoring babies, John, not grown men."

"And if we had a crib, cradle, or anything we could safely leave an infant in, maybe that would be an option. But we don't. End of discussion."

"If he's asleep, why are we in here? Unconscious people rarely cause trouble."

"Really? Because for a dead man you've caused quit a storm," John said through gritted teeth.

"Not that again."

"Fine. This infant is five months old. According to Mueller, Alexandra had premature labor at six months and gave birth to a stillborn baby girl three months ago. Her kidneys have started to fail."

"Her prognosis?"

"According to Mueller, it's very poor, but I can't be sure without seeing her myself," John replied. "My concern is that this infant is five months old. They're clearly trying to pretend that Alexandra carried her child to term and gave birth three months ago. So, Sherlock, what the hell is going on?"

"You've discovered most of it," Sherlock replied. "What else did Mueller say?"

John pulled out one of Sherlock's recorders and hit play.

"Listen. I swear. I swear I didn't know. I was asked to lie about a child's age and birth, that's all. I swear. I was told the baby was adopted from an orphanage. It wasn't until that woman came round that I discovered the baby was stolen. That's when I was locked up. Because I was going to report everything," Mueller said.

"What woman?" John asked.

"She said her name was Kendall," Mueller replied. "And she told me that she had proof the child was stolen."

"When?" John asked. "When did you last see this woman?"

"It's hard to know. Without the sun. Hard to mark the days... I wrote prescriptions the day before she came to me. The fifteenth of December. That was before I was imprisoned in that house."

"When did that happen?"

"Five days after," Mueller replied. "What's the date?"

"You've been missing since before Christmas? And no one noticed?"

"I have a special practice," Mueller replied. "I only treat Alexandra, sometimes Old Man Grant, have been for two years now. I have a room in the house. As far as anyone knew, I moved in full-time to help Alexandra with her pregnancy."

"That was after she lost her baby," John pointed out. "You expect me to believe you thought that this was some kind of legitimate adoption? Why would anyone hide that?"

"Because the child has to be a Grant!" Mueller spat. "Old Man Grant had very specific rules for inheritance of the estate. His daughter-in-law, Miranda, has no claim. Her husband left her with his pension, but Old Man Grant cut her out of everything else. He wanted everything for his two daughters."

"So Edward convinced you to lie about the adoption so his grandfather wouldn't cut him out of the will?" John asked. "I've been told that Old Man Grant has Alzheimer's Disease. Would he even be able to change his will?"

"I'm not a lawyer, but I do know that Old Man Grant has lucid days. Irrefutably."

"Doctor Mueller, you need to tell me everything. Everything you know. You understand?"

"The timing was perfect," Mueller said. "That's what he told me. Said it was like fate that she should be so close to term so soon after he lost his own son. I told him he was mad. He'd fail a paternity test, obviously, so what was the point? That was when he locked me up."

"She was so close to term?" John asked. "Who?"

Sherlock spoke over the tape. "Georgia Grant, his aunt."

John paused it. "How did you know that?"

"Georgia is nearly two decades younger than her siblings," Sherlock added. "She was born only two years before her nephew Edward. The family refused to accept her partner, Amber Riley, so she moved away. Still, any child Georgia gave birth to would remain a direct descendant of Jonathan Grant. His grandchild. And therefore in direct competition with Edward. And he couldn't have that."

John shook his head. "You want to hear the rest?" he asked.

"There's more?" Sherlock asked. "What are you waiting for?"

"So, to sum up," John said. "Edward Miles asked you to hide his wife's stillbirth and pretend she was still pregnant so that he could make the world believe that his adopted son was his biological son."

"Just his grandfather," Mueller replied. "Just as long as he was alive."

"And you believed that?" John asked. "Why?"

"Because I know what happened to Miranda. She should have gotten a third of the estate, but she was completely removed from the will after her husband died. Days after the funeral, actually. I know it sounds mad, but Edward came to me, desperate that his child would inherit his family estate, and I helped him. But I swear, swear, I thought it was an adoption. The lie need only survive as long as Old Man Grant."

The tape ended.

"That's it?" Sherlock asked.

"Isn't that enough?"

"No, not at all. We still don't know what happened to Miss Berwyn or how this infant was kidnapped."

Sherlock started to pace, so John sat down and waited. At least he didn't have his damn violin.

"He was wrong," Sherlock began. "Edward said the timing was perfect, but it wasn't. Georgia's child is five months old. That would be like Alexandra giving birth at seven months."

"That happens," John said. "Welcome to the twenty-first century."

"It does happen, but it attracts questions. Medical questions. Intensive care. If the timing was perfect, Georgia would've had baby three months ago, not five."

"Okay, what are you getting at?" John asked.

Sherlock looked at the baby, curiosity cascading over his face. "And of course there's the simple fact that none of this makes sense. Edward is a direct descendant. Even without a child, he stands to inherit everything."

"I suppose," John said. "But then again, maybe not. You said Georgia left. That's not the same thing as being disowned. I'm guessing her dad still loves her, his youngest daughter. Probably his favorite. There's every chance that she's still in the will. And I'm guessing any grandchild she had would also be favored by the old man with all the money."

Sherlock's eyes lit up. "Of course. Of course!"

"Of course, what?" John asked.

"Edward knows all about Georgia's life," Sherlock replied. "Because he's had people watching her. He planned all along to prevent her from having direct descendants. She became pregnant around the same time as Alexandra. Maybe all the medical problems at home distracted him, or maybe he wanted to punish his aunt, I don't know. Either way, I'm guessing her pregnancy was tumultuous. By someone else's design."

John felt sick to his stomach, but Sherlock continued. "But Georgia? She kept fighting because she wanted that baby. Imagine what Edward must have thought when he realized the only remaining way to stop his aunt from having a child would be to fake a stillbirth. Right around that time, his wife has an early labor and his child dies. Suddenly, suddenly, his aunt's pregnancy has a new reason to be. That's what he meant about the timing being perfect."

"Sherlock, you're suggesting a conspiracy," John said. "Not just people watching Georgia, but actively trying to induce miscarriage - "

"And premature birth," Sherlock added casually. "And then somehow staging a stillbirth."

"That would take tremendous resources," John replied. "Not to mention it's sick on so many levels."

"But it's entirely possible," Sherlock said. "Did Mueller say anything else?"

"Just that Kendall was the one who figured out the child was stolen," John replied. "Oh, and he insisted that Edward isn't a person anymore. He's a ghost that doesn't know it yet."

"But he hasn't seen Miss Berwyn since he was trapped in the house," Sherlock said. "And that was before she disappeared."

"How did you know about Georgia?" John asked.

"Among the forensic evidence collected by Miss Berwyn, there were swabs, possibly from clothing or the child's carrier, that traced back to Northumberland County. Georgia and Amber moved away to Blyth. Hardly a difficult step to take," Sherlock replied idly.

"Look, I've called Lestrade, and he doesn't know anyone out here. But he's coming out. Won't be here for a few more hours. That'll give you time to get out of here. I've already called Mycroft – "

"You what?" Sherlock tried to interrupt, but John continued anyway.

"He's going to take care of our rooms, make sure no one knows you were there. That way, you're still dead. Or whatever. That being said, you need to get out of here."

"I'm not leaving."

"What?"

"I came here to find out what happened to Miss Berwyn," Sherlock replied. "And I'll be staying here until I do."

"We can't wait," John said. "We've basically kidnapped this baby. We need to report things and get police involved. And you being dead means you can't be here."

"Won't you be in trouble?" Sherlock asked.

"Don't worry about that."

"But – "

"The longer I wait, the more difficult it becomes."

"Aren't you waiting for Lestrade?" Sherlock asked.

"No," John replied. "I'm waiting on you."

"But you can't take the fall – "

"Sherlock," John interrupted. "If you're going to look for Kendall, I can't stop you. But if you need to remain legally dead, get out of here."

Sherlock considered his options. John had already made up his mind. "Why?" Sherlock asked. "You could just as easily leverage Mueller's guilty conscience for confession."

"I won't leave an infant with that man, not after what he's done," John replied. "Besides, if you're right about this whole thing, which you probably are, then that baby is a miracle child. Survived through all that just to come into this world. You can't expect me to walk away."

"You like children," Sherlock stately blandly.

John rolled his eyes. "Go on, Sherlock. I won't hold it against you. Not as much as being dead, anyway. Oh, and take this," he offered Sherlock the other recorder. "Dunno if this'll help you. When I was examining him, he rambled on. I taped it."

"I was there," Sherlock dismissed. "I remember what he said. Nonsense."

But he took the recording anyway.