17

As soon as Sherlock was out of the flat, Molly followed his suggestion and tried to get some rest. She rolled over in bed several times before being able to fall asleep as Stapleton's death haunted her thoughts and dreams.

Andi it was precisely a dream in which Stapleton screamed at her that both the death of his son and his own was her fault, that woke her up. Molly sat up, gathering her knees to her chest and taking short but deep breaths in an attempt to dispel the strange feeling that had taken over her that something unpleasant was about to happen.

Her thoughts immediately ran to Sherlock and his promise to keep her updated. Was it possible he hadn't done it? What time was it? She looked around for her phone but she remembered almost immediately that Sherlock had slipped it into his dressing gown's pocket and had stayed there even after Lestrade's call had interrupted their foreplay.

Molly hurried out of bed and headed to the front room. Although she was alone, she blushed as she entered the kitchen and looked down at the table where only a few hours earlier she and Sherlock were about to make love.

Smiling to herself Molly wondered if she would ever get used to that new Sherlock. She had dreamed of having a full relationship with him for so long, that now she found it hard to believe he finally had let himself go completely to his feelings, and even more to indulge the needs of his body.

She sighed as she picked up Sherlock's dressing gown off the floor and retrieved her phone. Memories of that short night came rushing back, stretching out as in a dream…his kisses, his hands on her body, his mouth…the sound of their laboured breathings, joyful cries, soft moans…

Molly winced at the unexpected ring of the doorbell. She promptly shook herself from her reverie, put on Sherlock's dressing gown over her t-shirt and pyjama bottoms and rushed downstairs. Mrs Hudson had certainly not heard anything as she drank a full cup of herbal soothers before going to sleep.

She flung open the door, not hiding her surprise at finding Jordan Maddox in front of her, "Good morning" he acknowledged her with a wave and then asked if he could come in, casting a cautious look over her shoulder. Molly stepped aside, pulling the dressing gown's belt around her waist, "Sure. What's going on? Why are you here?".

At the moment she assumed he had come to talk to her about his fiancé's behaviour. Molly figured Jordan was hurt by how blatantly Janine threw herself into Sherlock's arms and wanted to let off steam with her about it. The two of them had always gotten along very well even outside Bart's and several times Jordan had confided in her about his private life and loves.

So when Jordan walked past her and stopped by the stairs as he told her Stamford had called him and asked him to go look for her in Baker Street, Molly frowned and narrowed her eyes on him, "Your phone doesn't work, I think" he explained pointing to the item she was holding, "Oh! Yeah…yeah, it's dead" she stammered.

Jordan made it clear it was Mike who told him to pick her up and that both his friend Sherlock and DI Lestrade were waiting for her at Bart's. Molly's thought immediately went to Stapleton, "Give me time to freshen up and get dressed. Come on upstairs" she invited him climbing the first steps.

It didn't take Molly long to shower and change, and within half an hour she found herself sitting in Jordan's grey sedan heading towards Bart's. For the first time since she knew him, Molly didn't feel comfortable with Jordan and glanced furtively at him a couple of times trying to figure out what was different about him that troubled her but found nothing. Apparently he looked like the usual Jordan, friendly and smiling.

She thought of Sherlock and why he hadn't come to get her. Molly figured he was busy with some important lab tests and, knowing him, he would never entrust them to anyone other than her, not never walk away before he got results. "Did they tell you anything about the corpse?" she asked offhandedly arranging her ponytail. The blonde man looked at her for a few seconds and shook his head, "All I know is that it's a big deal and concerns you", Molly bit her bottom lip pondering his words. It had to be Stapleton, then.

However…however it seemed strange to Molly that Stamford had summoned her to supervise Stapleton's autopsy, being aware of the mess raised by the man himself about the conflict of interest when she had carried out that of his son years back. And even stranger that Sherlock had endorsed her boss's choice. Molly instinctively became wary, continuing to study Jordan from under her lashes as she mentally worked out a plan to get rid of him as soon as they arrived at Bart's.

As they walked past the security guard's desk, Molly slowed her pace as she rummaged through her purse "Jeez! My phone is still dead!" she said playing dumb and telling Jordan she had to go to her office before going to the morgue to put her phone on charge and get a coat. Her plan was to lock herself in and use the landline to call Sherlock and check out Jordan's version.

She gave him a friendly smile and hurriedly walked down the corridor on her left, "Ok. I'll wait for you in the autopsic room" he said aloud, stopping in spite of himself and keeping his eyes fixed and focused on her until he saw her disappear.

Walking down the corridor she tried not to lengthen the rate to much but to keep a pace as natural as possible, despite her heart was beating hard in her chest. Now she was sure things weren't as Jordan had told her, but she didn't understand what his ultimate goal was.

Molly swallowed hard as she turned the corner and walked the last few steps towards her office holding her breath. What the hell did Jordan want with her? Why take her to Bart's through a scam?

When she turned the key in the lock, Molly realized her hands were shaking. She took deep breaths to regain some calm and steadiness before giving the door a gentle push to swing it open.

It was at that moment she sensed there was someone behind her. She barely had time to tilt her head to see, out of corner of her eye, who it was that the woman grabbed her right wrist and swiftly poked the needle of a syringe into the left side of her neck. Molly widened her eyes in surprise and sighed her name "Ja…Janine".

"Wh…what are…" Molly managed to whisper as she tried to grab at her but the drug was already starting to take effect and all her attempts to fight were in vain, "Oh, don't stress yourself, luv" said the brunette through gritted teeth, "Sorry no time for explanations at the moment" Janine added as to Molly horror she felt her body weaken and her knees give away, "I don't un…understand a…any of this" she whispered with furred tongue.

Although her vision was blurring and she was struggling to keep her eyelids open, Molly could catch the sight of a man in the doorway, "Good" he said hastily entering dressed in medical clothes and standing next to Janine, "Let's leave the talk for later, Molly dear, huh?" Jordan's voice reached her ears, muffled and distant.

Molly's brain, more and more confused by the drug she had been injected with, twirled uncomprehending. What had the two of them planned? Why were they kidnapping her? Was it part of Janine's revenge on Sherlock? And how far would the woman go?

Jordan held her as she started to fall, "There are so many things we need to talk about, Molly" he sneered, carefully lowering her to the floor, "Everything will be clear to you". As she lied there, still vaguely conscious but unable to move, Jordan and Janine exchanged a knowing look and completed their medical disguise by wearing surgical masks and scrub hats.

She tried to scream for help but no sound came out of her mouth. Completely helpless and with her eyes now closed, Molly knew she had no way out. Her only hope was Sherlock. How long would it take him to notice her disappearance?

Flinching she recognized the rolling of a stretcher's wheels and as soon as it stopped, she felt herself being lifted and then placed on top of it. She heard the sound of a sheet being unfolded and her being covered by it from head to toe. Her last conscious memory was that of the stretcher starting to move, then everything became pure oblivion.