The Chief Superintendent's phone rang seven times before he groggily answered, groping the nightstand for his glasses. The alarm clock read 4:27AM. He sighed into the phone, alerting the caller to his presence.
"Chief Superintendent, are you there?"
"Hmm? Yes, who is this?"
"I'm sorry, sir, this is Sergeant Moran down at the Yard. There's been another kidnapping. Detective Inspector Lestrade has been taken, sir."
The Chief Superintendent was wide awake now, hopping from one foot to the other in an attempt to put on pants while clenching the phone between his head and shoulder. "How do we know this? Do you have any leads?"
"Yes, we were called to the scene by a neighbor who heard a scuffle in the street. When officers arrived to investigate they found a mobile."
"Do I have to guess what was special about this mobile, or are you going to tell me?"
"It contained a text message to DI Lestrade directing him to come to an address on that street. It also contained two additional texts that included the last known location of the other missing officers."
"Sounds like our kidnapper. Do we know whose phone it is?"
"John Watson's, sir." There was a pause on the other end of the line.
"You mean that fellow who was always running about with that Holmes weirdo?"
"Yes, the same one. And there's more. From the content of Watson's text messages, we have reason to believe that Holmes may not be dead. He and John Watson may be working together to fulfill some sort of vendetta they have against the officers that outed Holmes as a fraud. Donovan, Anderson, and Lestrade."
"Find John Watson immediately and bring him in for questioning. You are now lead investigator on this case, Sergeant Moran."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," Moran stammered, before hanging up the phone. He looked up at the building he was standing in front of: 221B Baker Street.
It was just too easy.
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