Against the Odds

Chapter 22: Dewer's Hollow

They were almost at Henry's house when John said slowly: "So, the email from Kirsty – the, er, missing luminous rabbit." Sherlock explained for him: "Kirsty Stapleton, whose mother specialises in genetic manipulation." John let that sink in before he said in disbelief: "She made her daughter's rabbit glow in the dark."

Sherlock shrugged as he replied: "Probably a fluorescent gene removed and spliced into the specimen. Simple enough these days." John repeated his question from earlier: "So ..." Sherlock explained: "So we know that Doctor Stapleton performs secret genetic experiments on animals. The question is: has she been working on something deadlier than a rabbit?"

John paused as he let that sink in before he joked: "To be fair, that is quite a wide field." Marie laughed while Sherlock glanced at John puzzled. He then looked at Marie with the same questioning look and she just shook her head so he let it be.

They drove up the lane and turned the corner and they all blinked. A huge house, as big as a mansion really, greeted them.

They walked up to the door, and as Sherlock rang the doorbell, John and Marie looked around in amazement. The door opened fairly quickly and Henry peered out. "Hi." He greeted.

"Hi." John replied while Marie replied more slowly. Henry ushered them in: "Come in, come in." Sherlock walked into the house like he owned the place, examining all the well decorated rooms as he made his way into the living room.

Marie followed, also looking around, giving the place a cursory look-over. John was following much slower and he said slowly to Henry: "This is, uh ... Are you, um ... rich?" He finally asked bluntly and Henry looked a little surprised. He looked around a bit as he replied just as bluntly: "Yeah."

"Right." John muttered as Henry led the way into the kitchen and sitting room.

**********

He gave them each a cup of coffee, Sherlock throwing in several lumps of sugar while John and Marie kept theirs with only milk. Henry was explaining a new discovery in his memories: "It's-it's a couple of words. It's what I keep seeing. 'Liberty'..."

"Liberty." John repeated and Henry nodded. "'Liberty' and ... 'In'. It's just that." He indicated the milk. "Are you finished?" He asked and John just smiled in thanks. As Henry turned to put the milk away, John asked Sherlock and Marie quietly: "Mean anything to you?"

"'Liberty in death' – isn't that the expression? The only true freedom." Sherlock murmured while Marie whispered back: "It's too vague to be sure right now." They went quiet as Henry turned back to them with a deep sigh.

"What now, then?" He asked and John said, almost questioningly: "Sherlock's got a plan." Sherlock smiled as he replied brightly: "Yes." Marie sighed- she knew that smile. Henry looked surprised but relieved as he said: "Right." Sherlock began: "We take you back out onto the moor ..."

John looked up questioningly and Henry said slowly but determinedly: "Okay ..." Marie dropped her head into her hands as Sherlock finished: "... and see if anything attacks you." "I knew it." Marie groaned at the same time John turned and asked incredulously: "What?"

"That should bring things to a head." Sherlock said simply but Henry's face had whitened as he asked: "At night?" His voice and body began to tremble as he asked: "You want me to go out there at night?" Sherlock hummed in agreement and John asked sceptically: "That's your plan?"

He looked at Henry, who looked at him desperately. John muttered sarcastically: "Brilliant." Sherlock turned to him as he asked: "Got any better ideas?" John pointed out: "That's not a plan."

Sherlock snapped: "Listen, if there is a monster out there, John, there's only one thing to do: find out where it lives." He turned back to Henry and gave the man a smile. Henry's face paled even further, if possible, and Marie groaned. I have a really bad feeling about this.