Chapter 13
Watson and Tennyson stood, and hovered, in the spot where Wiggins had said he had followed Gregson into a building. There was no building, only an empty lot covered in dirt and trash. Watson scanned the city records to find that this place had always been an empty lot that was owned by some mysterious person. He was willing to bet all his holochips that Moriarty was that person.
Upon further examination of the site, they both found high levels of electrical activity, as well as the presence of certain chemicals used in the cloning process. That further proved his theory that Moriarty was behind this. Now, if they could just find a way to get inside that building Wiggins had been talking about...
Almost as he thought it, the ground began to rumble, not so much that anyone would be alarmed by it. Watson quickly motioned for Tennyson to get out of sight and he did the same. The dirt packed ground in the lot split in the middle, a perfect seam. Then the two halves rose, revealing a large hole. Out of the hole, a small, one story house came up. Soon it looked as though it had been there the entire time.
The compudroid and boy had to duck further in the shadows as Gregson came charging up the street, carrying something over his shoulder. As the rogue cop came closer, Watson was horrified to notice that it was Edith Presbury he was carrying. For a moment he thought she might be dead, but then she began to flail about.
"Hold still," Gregson grunted, to no avail. He proceeded to carry her into the house. Tennyson and Watson immediately followed. Watson tried not think about what had happened to Deidre.
They walked through the parlour and stopped just outside the living room when Gregson walked into it. A silloughette of a woman was thrown on the wall, but that was all they could see.
"Well?" the woman asked, "Did you accomplish the mission?"
"I did, Boss," Gregson stated, "But I was followed. By her."
There was a sound of something thunking to the ground, and Watson surmised that Gregson had just dropped Edith. He was completely confused now. If he was calling this woman boss, then Moriarty most likely hadn't anything to do at all with this. Maybe this woman was a genetist herself, or she had someone in her employ.
"Hmm," the woman said, "I see. You...are one of Inspector Lestrade's friends? It is good that she has at least one who believes in her. It is unfortunate for you, however. I can let nothing interefere you see? But...I don't think you should have to die. James, arrest her for being an accomplice, then have her crypnotized...."
Lestrade stood up and carried Jonathan back to his crib, laying him lovingly inside. She touched his soft cheek and smiled, then looked back over at Holmes who was still sitting on the sofa. He was staring off into the distance, a thoughtful expression on his face. Suddenly he stood up and began to pace the room.
"You said you were adopted, correct?" At her nod he continued, "And yet, the resemblance to the Lestrade family is remarkable, as I believe I have stated before. Did your mother have any relatives, besides your grandfather that is?"
She frowned, and shook her head. "I think I know what you're getting at Holmes, but it won't wash. My grandfather and his daughter are the last of the line, and he died before I was even born. And, Elise could not have been my mother. I asked Professor Presbury to do a DNA scan, because I didn't believe at first that I was really adopted. He said that there was no way that Elise Lestrade could have been my mother."
"He phrased it in exactly that manner?"
She nodded again, then sighed. "Look Holmes, I really don't see what all this has to do with this case."
"Ah, but it has everything to do with this case. You were adopted out with this particular agency. Your sister was murdered, and she was connected with this agency. You were framed for her murder. I am not a large believer in coincidence, but even one who is could not miss the implications."
She sighed again, this time in defeat. "Okay, so it has a lot to do with me. Why?"
"That, Lestrade, is what I intend to find out. I believe I should have a word with Dr. Higgins. Just to make sure we're doing things properly, wouldn't you agree?"
"Yeah." Nothing lasts forever, she thought wistfully. He was acting as though nothing had happened. She turned and walked towards the bedroom. She entered and then flopped down on the bed, ignoring the waving motion. For some reason, she was incredibly tired. More than she had ever been.
She must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew, it was full dark outside. She frowned and sat up, rubbing her eyes. Voices drifted through the closed door of the bedroom, and she decided it would probably be a good idea to join her 'husband'.
To her astonishment, the people who were seated on the sofa and one of the chairs were Wiggins, Derrick and... "Elaine?"
Deidre stared at the ground while Moriarty tried to question her. Fat lot of good that would do. She wasn't going to tell him anything, even though she was pretty sure he had nothing to do with this baby ring scandal thing. He might try to get involved if he knew. After a while, he gave up and turned to the computer.
Deidre looked around to see if that disgusting scientist, Fenwick, was anywhere around. Not that she really cared or anything, it just took her mind off that scene in Dr. Canton's office. She shivered. She had seen a lot of violence in her short life, but never anything as cruel and insane as that. Why had Gregson, and there was no doubt in her mind that it wasn't him, done that? What could have been the purpose?
The News on Demand newscaster startled her from her thoughts.
"Tonight we have a late-breaking story for you. Just hours ago, New Scotland Yard detectives found Dr. Joseph Canton murdered in his own office. More on Demand."
"More," Moriarty drawled.
The camera angle showed the clinic as it had been when she and Moriarty had made their escape. The flashing lights of the cruisers were almost blinding in their intensity. That was another question on her mind. Why had Moriarty dragged her out of there?
"Dr. Joseph Canton," the newscaster was saying, "A prominant pediatrician was found in his office, brutally cut up. Police say they have no leads, but that it might have something to do with his eldest daughter, Beth Lestrade, who is also suspected of having murdered her sister.
"Elaine Stanhope, Lestrade's siter and Canton's daughter was thought to have drowned accidentally when her boast crashed a few days ago. However, it was soon found out that there had been foul play."
Suddenly the scene changed to show Chief Inspector Grayson walking out, a grim expression on his face. Reporters crowded around him, and he impatiently waved them away. "We've found some DNA that did not belong to Canton. When we have more information you will be told. Now, let me through!"
The screen went black as the criminal mastermind turned it off, and faced Deidre with a crafty smile. "Well well well. The minute I leave the city, it becomes a mad house. Everything gets turned upside down. What would the world be without me?"
"It was a pretty good place for two 'undred years!" She retorted.
Moriarty winced, and then chuckled. "I can see why Holmes keeps you brats around. Now, tell me what is going on. Or I might just have to let slip to the police that you were my accomplice when I murdered Canton. It would do good for people's morale to be more frightened of me, don't you think?"
Go back to 12
Go back to the Fanfic page
Watson and Tennyson stood, and hovered, in the spot where Wiggins had said he had followed Gregson into a building. There was no building, only an empty lot covered in dirt and trash. Watson scanned the city records to find that this place had always been an empty lot that was owned by some mysterious person. He was willing to bet all his holochips that Moriarty was that person.
Upon further examination of the site, they both found high levels of electrical activity, as well as the presence of certain chemicals used in the cloning process. That further proved his theory that Moriarty was behind this. Now, if they could just find a way to get inside that building Wiggins had been talking about...
Almost as he thought it, the ground began to rumble, not so much that anyone would be alarmed by it. Watson quickly motioned for Tennyson to get out of sight and he did the same. The dirt packed ground in the lot split in the middle, a perfect seam. Then the two halves rose, revealing a large hole. Out of the hole, a small, one story house came up. Soon it looked as though it had been there the entire time.
The compudroid and boy had to duck further in the shadows as Gregson came charging up the street, carrying something over his shoulder. As the rogue cop came closer, Watson was horrified to notice that it was Edith Presbury he was carrying. For a moment he thought she might be dead, but then she began to flail about.
"Hold still," Gregson grunted, to no avail. He proceeded to carry her into the house. Tennyson and Watson immediately followed. Watson tried not think about what had happened to Deidre.
They walked through the parlour and stopped just outside the living room when Gregson walked into it. A silloughette of a woman was thrown on the wall, but that was all they could see.
"Well?" the woman asked, "Did you accomplish the mission?"
"I did, Boss," Gregson stated, "But I was followed. By her."
There was a sound of something thunking to the ground, and Watson surmised that Gregson had just dropped Edith. He was completely confused now. If he was calling this woman boss, then Moriarty most likely hadn't anything to do at all with this. Maybe this woman was a genetist herself, or she had someone in her employ.
"Hmm," the woman said, "I see. You...are one of Inspector Lestrade's friends? It is good that she has at least one who believes in her. It is unfortunate for you, however. I can let nothing interefere you see? But...I don't think you should have to die. James, arrest her for being an accomplice, then have her crypnotized...."
Lestrade stood up and carried Jonathan back to his crib, laying him lovingly inside. She touched his soft cheek and smiled, then looked back over at Holmes who was still sitting on the sofa. He was staring off into the distance, a thoughtful expression on his face. Suddenly he stood up and began to pace the room.
"You said you were adopted, correct?" At her nod he continued, "And yet, the resemblance to the Lestrade family is remarkable, as I believe I have stated before. Did your mother have any relatives, besides your grandfather that is?"
She frowned, and shook her head. "I think I know what you're getting at Holmes, but it won't wash. My grandfather and his daughter are the last of the line, and he died before I was even born. And, Elise could not have been my mother. I asked Professor Presbury to do a DNA scan, because I didn't believe at first that I was really adopted. He said that there was no way that Elise Lestrade could have been my mother."
"He phrased it in exactly that manner?"
She nodded again, then sighed. "Look Holmes, I really don't see what all this has to do with this case."
"Ah, but it has everything to do with this case. You were adopted out with this particular agency. Your sister was murdered, and she was connected with this agency. You were framed for her murder. I am not a large believer in coincidence, but even one who is could not miss the implications."
She sighed again, this time in defeat. "Okay, so it has a lot to do with me. Why?"
"That, Lestrade, is what I intend to find out. I believe I should have a word with Dr. Higgins. Just to make sure we're doing things properly, wouldn't you agree?"
"Yeah." Nothing lasts forever, she thought wistfully. He was acting as though nothing had happened. She turned and walked towards the bedroom. She entered and then flopped down on the bed, ignoring the waving motion. For some reason, she was incredibly tired. More than she had ever been.
She must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew, it was full dark outside. She frowned and sat up, rubbing her eyes. Voices drifted through the closed door of the bedroom, and she decided it would probably be a good idea to join her 'husband'.
To her astonishment, the people who were seated on the sofa and one of the chairs were Wiggins, Derrick and... "Elaine?"
Deidre stared at the ground while Moriarty tried to question her. Fat lot of good that would do. She wasn't going to tell him anything, even though she was pretty sure he had nothing to do with this baby ring scandal thing. He might try to get involved if he knew. After a while, he gave up and turned to the computer.
Deidre looked around to see if that disgusting scientist, Fenwick, was anywhere around. Not that she really cared or anything, it just took her mind off that scene in Dr. Canton's office. She shivered. She had seen a lot of violence in her short life, but never anything as cruel and insane as that. Why had Gregson, and there was no doubt in her mind that it wasn't him, done that? What could have been the purpose?
The News on Demand newscaster startled her from her thoughts.
"Tonight we have a late-breaking story for you. Just hours ago, New Scotland Yard detectives found Dr. Joseph Canton murdered in his own office. More on Demand."
"More," Moriarty drawled.
The camera angle showed the clinic as it had been when she and Moriarty had made their escape. The flashing lights of the cruisers were almost blinding in their intensity. That was another question on her mind. Why had Moriarty dragged her out of there?
"Dr. Joseph Canton," the newscaster was saying, "A prominant pediatrician was found in his office, brutally cut up. Police say they have no leads, but that it might have something to do with his eldest daughter, Beth Lestrade, who is also suspected of having murdered her sister.
"Elaine Stanhope, Lestrade's siter and Canton's daughter was thought to have drowned accidentally when her boast crashed a few days ago. However, it was soon found out that there had been foul play."
Suddenly the scene changed to show Chief Inspector Grayson walking out, a grim expression on his face. Reporters crowded around him, and he impatiently waved them away. "We've found some DNA that did not belong to Canton. When we have more information you will be told. Now, let me through!"
The screen went black as the criminal mastermind turned it off, and faced Deidre with a crafty smile. "Well well well. The minute I leave the city, it becomes a mad house. Everything gets turned upside down. What would the world be without me?"
"It was a pretty good place for two 'undred years!" She retorted.
Moriarty winced, and then chuckled. "I can see why Holmes keeps you brats around. Now, tell me what is going on. Or I might just have to let slip to the police that you were my accomplice when I murdered Canton. It would do good for people's morale to be more frightened of me, don't you think?"
Go back to 12
Go back to the Fanfic page