The Holmes Called A [Sherlaide III]

Endurance Run

"... They're our biological parents. Bruce and Alison Cavanagh."

The room was silent for a few moments as the revelation sunk in. Finley blew out a breath. A weight had been lifted from his shoulders now that he had finally shared the information. But a heaviness still hung over the group. They now had to figure out where Adelaide had gone to meet with the suspect parents.

"They legged it soon after you were born, Finley. Why have they tracked you both down over the years if they so obviously wanted nothing to do with you and Adelaide?" Mycroft inquired while putting agents onto pulling up the appropriate records. Sherlock, meanwhile, delved back into his Mind Palace and rewound through the memories of the past few weeks.

It makes more sense now.

But still... Why did she never tell anyone? Even the police?

Finley sighed and drummed his fingers against the table, "I don't know. Adelaide never told me exactly why. I've always supposed it was for money since they never approached our grandparents to gain appropriate access.  Or for favours."

"Did she tell you where she was meeting them this evening?" Greg asked, but Finley shook his head.

"No. Not this time," Sherlock clenched his fists and drew a sharp breath, standing up and speedwalking to the door, "Whoa! Where are you going?!!"

"It is clear that your parents have malintent and as Adelaide has not contacted any of us since she left to meet with them, the balance of probability leans towards her being in trouble. I will not waste any more time sitting around when Adelaide is in danger," He shot back while throwing on his coat, "And if Mycroft's people can't figure out where she went then maybe my Homeless Network will!!"

The Consulting Detective flew out of the flat, flanked by John and Greg: both accustomed to following Sherlock's lead. Mycroft pursed his lips and looked at Finley, "Well then, brother-in-law, I suppose we'll go in the car."

Within ten minutes, Sherlock's Homeless Network began sending in information which ultimately pointed their way to a higher end hotel by the Thames. Greg drove them there in his cruiser and had barely parked before the London Duo jumped out and dashed inside to the reception desk.

"Checking in?" Asked the lady on duty, clearly confused to see two frazzled men running up to the desk without bags.

"No! Have you seen this woman though?" Sherlock replied, showing her a picture of Adelaide as Greg caught up, flashing his badge at the sceptical attendant. She gulped and shook her head.

"No, I'm sorry I haven't. I just started my shift."

"She came in sometime during the past couple of hours. Who might have seen her?" Greg intervened. The woman thought for a few seconds and then called one of her coworkers who was coming off shift, who directed them to the hotel's restaurant. Sherlock was shrivelling into a heap of nerves by the time they got to the Maitre'D, who informed them that Adelaide and her parents had left a half hour before with Teddy in tow.

Back to square one then.

Greg and Mycroft went to look over security camera footage while John pulled his increasingly worried friend aside, "Mate, look. You've got to keep it together! This isn't like when Moran took her. We will find Adelaide! We are very close now!"

"What if they tricked her into a trap though, John? They couldn't have just invited her for High Tea!"

"Sherlock, Adelaide is smarter than that! Just take a few breaths and get your thoughts back in order, alright?"

Greg came around the corner then, "Adelaide left the Hotel with Teddy but was followed by her parents five minutes later. And... Both were in dark, functional clothing."

"Which way did they go?!"

"Adelaide appeared to be heading back home, and her parents followed her path."

Sherlock quickly pulled up his mental map of London, pinpointing the hotel and 221B, connecting them with possible routes. Mycroft appeared and gripped his shoulder, "We'll need to go on foot. But I figured out the route Adelaide took."

"Where?!" The directions had no sooner left Mycroft's lips than the curly haired detective raced out of the hotel. John and Greg, of course, followed suit. The Cabinet Minister exhaled a long breath and exited the hotel, getting into his sedan while dialling for an ambulance to be on call. Best to be on the safe side.

Sherlock, John and Greg ran down the quickly emptying sidewalks of London towards Westminster. About three-quarters of the way there, they had hope that Adelaide and Teddy had safely made it back home before her parents could catch up to them. But they didn't allow that themselves to slow down or stop. Not until they crossed a street and were nearly knocked over by a dog running towards them as fast as they were.

Sherlock immediately recognized him and reached out for the leash, "Teddy?! Teddy, come!!" The Doberman obeyed, coming up close to him and whimpering loudly as his owner checked him for injuries. There were none, luckily, but the detective wasn't appeased, "They've caught up to Adelaide! Come on, Teddy, show us the way!"

He didn't need a second prompting either. Teddy took off, yanking his master behind him. Greg called the Yard for back up and John informed Mycroft, both out of breath but refusing to let Sherlock keep on and confront whatever scenario awaited him alone.

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