Chapter 14 of Whom To Choose.
Pairings: none for this chapter.
Timeline: This investigation takes place right after "Hounds of Baskerville."
Disclaimer: I do not owe Sherlock. It belongs to Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat.
Ages: John (37), Sherlock (34), Mycroft (41).
Author's note: Here's the next chapter! I hope you guys all like it and send me a review, please. This might be my last chapter to update until next weekend or Thursday night. I have to study for a quiz on Tuesday and study for Wednesday's midterm. I do have the next chapter planned out in my head right now, and hopefully I will have some free time to write tomorrow or Monday.
There was a real bidding war against John and James as soon as the auction began. Sherlock had lost the burglar due to the fact that he saw John and James dancing down below so it was up to John to bring up some sort of division to let Sherlock to have more time. James already bought one painting and John bid up his money; that first painting took about ten whole minutes until John received a signal from Mycroft that John should stop bidding and let James have it and to move onto the next painting he was going to bid. John was getting worried about why was Sherlock is taking so long?
When James began to bid on another popular painting, John decided to jump in. It had been almost an hour since he had last seen Sherlock. John was about to bid when there was a commotion coming from upstairs. The auctioneer stopped the bidding as everyone looked up to see what was going on.
"Let me go, you freak!" A voice snarled loudly.
John knew that was his clue to go and help Sherlock, but he looked back at James who was moving silently away from the crowd of bidders. However sensing that someone was staring back at him, James turned around and saw that it was John who was looking right back at him. Knowing that he was caught, James began to move through the crowd, pushing everyone as he goes by.
"Stop him!" John's voice called out to the crowd but no one moved as the onlookers were bewildered about what was going on. As soon as John's voice was heard through the crowd, James decided to run and John sped up with him. John followed him throughout the building until James stupidly tripped over a rug and John was right on top of him, pinning him to the ground.
"I didn't do anything!" James protested.
"Then why'd you run?" John asked as he held both of James wrist tightly in his hands. He saw Mycroft coming to him in a hurry. "Where's Sherlock?" He asked.
"He's with the burglar right now who happens to be an American, Eric Brisling, who happens to be my second right-hand man," Mycroft explained in disappointment.
"Are the police coming?" John asked.
"DI Lestrade should be here in five minutes," Mycroft said nodding.
"Let me go, I didn't do anything! I have two kids!" James explained.
"I know all about you, Mr. Williams. You have no kids. You recently just got married to your wife and now your having an affair with Mr. Brisling. Since Mr. Brisling is my second right-hand man, the motive would be that the two of you wanted to kill me so that Mr. Brisling could become the next one in line when I'm gone. That was your motive, wasn't it? Stealing the paintings, it wasn't. Who put you up to this?" Mycroft asked.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," James replied with a snarl.
"Even if you could get to me, you have to get passed Anthea and she took karate and is a black belt," Mycroft explained.
"The police will uncover your records, James. Why don't you tell us the truth before they do?" John asked.
James was silent before he was speaking again. "James Moriarty was the one who put us in this position. We didn't want any of this. Eric had been always jealous due to the position that Mr. Holmes have. Our motive was to kill Mr. Holmes here and to kidnap Anthea along the way. It was one day when Eric met James Moriarty, everything changes. Moriarty wanted the paintings but he wanted Eric to steal one. If we both succeed, Moriarty would have made us both rich and to get Mr. Holmes here out of the way," James explained.
"How did you meet Moriarty?" Mycroft asked.
"I think it was in a gay club," James replied.
John groaned, he had an inkling feeling that he and Sherlock would be investigating this gay club to get any information about Moriarty.
"When did you last see him?" Mycroft asked.
"At a restaurant called Angelo's not nearly two days ago," James replied making John's eyes go wide.
"Two days ago? We were just coming back from our investigation in Baskerville," John said surprised.
"I have Angelo's in surveillance. I would have been notified if Moriarty was seen in that area," Mycroft said.
"I'm sorry to say this, Mr. Holmes, but you have spies also in your surveillance team," James said.
Mycroft was about to say something else but he was interrupted by the voice of Sherlock. "John, are you alright?" He asked.
"Yea, I'm fine," John replied as he got off of James and Lestrade cuffed him.
"What should we do about the auction? Should we let it continue or disband it for the night?" Lestrade asked.
"Disband it for the night and we will continue tomorrow night," Mycroft replied.
"I do need all three of you down in the station to tell me what happened here," Lestrade said.
"I believe this could wait. I have more important matters to discuss with my secretary and to Sherlock and John here," Mycroft said.
"Of course," Lestrade said nodding and he took James away.
"Did your guy speak?" Sherlock asked.
"Now isn't the time to speak here, Sherlock. We must continue this back at 221B," Mycroft said as he took out his phone and began texting Anthea.
"It must have been something bad," Sherlock said looking both at Mycroft and John. John inkling knew that Sherlock was trying to deduce both of them. "It has to do with Moriarty," he said.
"Yes, but don't say any more Sherlock because there could be spies around us here," John said nervously.
"Mycroft may be the British Government but mostly everyone hates him," Sherlock said amused and John glared at him.
"Anthea is waiting outside, we should get going," Mycroft replied as he put his phone away.
"What a wonderful evening this was," John muttered and Sherlock didn't say anything.
"Do we know this gay club?" Sherlock asked.
John swore as the group was in the car heading towards to Baker Street. "We forgot to ask the name," he said.
"It's the club that you used to go to, Sherlock. It's not even ten minutes away from the flat," Mycroft said.
"You know the club?" John asked both Mycroft and Sherlock.
"I deduced it from him," Mycroft replied.
"I used to go to that club right after I left my parents' home but I wasn't living in our flat yet," Sherlock explained.
"So we have to investigate this and Angelo's," John said.
"Angelo? Why would we investigate Angelo?" Sherlock asked surprised.
"Moriarty was there too," John replied.
Sherlock shook his head, "Angelo would have told me right away. He would not side with the enemy of mine," he said.
"Yea, well, he eventually did," John said.
"Whatever we do, it has to be quick because Moriarty is on the move," Mycroft said.
"He can't be that far. He must be somewhere near our flat," John said.
"That's risky, John. Mr. Holmes has that area under surveillance. Moriarty would have been caught right away," Anthea replied.
"Not unless there's a spy or Moriarty is in disguise," John said worried.
"It must be both, John. Remember when we first met Moriarty? He was being Molly's boyfriend and we didn't know it was him," Sherlock said.
"Now we have to be extra careful nowadays. Moriarty could be living right next door to us," John said and he didn't like the thought one bit.
tbc...
me: here's the next chapter. I'm hoping to get at least 50 reviews for this story and followers because I'm thinking of doing a sequel right after this one. Hmm, maybe I should do a vote on here.
John: What are you up to?
me: Like who do you want John to be with? Sherlock or Mycroft? I already planned the threesome and it would be in the next few chapters or so, but yea...
Sherlock: what's the sequel about?
me: That's still a looong way from now, Sherlock. Spoilers.
Mycroft: See the button below? Review!