Sherlock - The Game Is On!

The Great Game- Four

Chapter Four

"Poison. Clever. Very clever."

"What is?"

"Clostridium botulinum. One of the deadliest poisons on earth!"

"What? Carl Powers was murdered?" John asked. "Remember the shoe-laces? The boy suffered from eczema. It would be the easiest thing in the world to introduce the poison into his medication. A few hours later he came to London for the swimming competition, the poison took effect, paralysed the muscles and he drowned." John was beyond puzzled. "How come the autopsy didn't..."

"Virtually undetectable. No one would've been looking for it, John." I stated. "But there were tiny traces still inside the trainers. From where he'd rubbed the cream into his feet. That's why they had to go!"

"So how do we let the bomber know?"

"We get his attention." Sherlock moves to his laptop, on his webpage 'The Science of Deduction' documenting further information:

'FOUND. Pair of trainers belonging to Carl Powers (1978-1989). Botulinum toxin still present. Apply 221b Baker St'

"Stop the clock."

"The killer's kept the shoes? All these years?"

"Yes. Meaning..." I let John finish. "He's our bomber." The pink iPhone chimes, putting it on loud speaker we listen:

"Well...done you. Come... and get me. Help me! For God's sake, please help me!"

"Where are you? Tell us where you are?"

I arrive to a suburban house with the police crew. I thought it be best to go and take a better view of things. A women was tied to a chair, phone in her hands and what looked to be a pager in the other. She was festooned in explosives, Like a suicide bomber. "Stay back, stay back!" She sobs. Going over to her, I carefully disabled the bomber's jacket and brought her over to the ambulance crew...

Lestrade's office - Day

"She lives in Cornwall. Two men broke in. Wearing masks. Decked her out in enough explosive to take down the house and told her to phone you." Lestrade rambled on. "She had to read from this..." Sherlock stated indicating to the pager on table. "If she'd deviated by one word, the sniper would've set her off."

"Or if you hadn't solved the case."

"Oh! Elegant!"

"Elegant?"

"But what was the point? Why would anyone do this?" Lestrade asked, wanting to know what or whom we were dealing with. "Well, I can't be the only person in the world who gets bored." Sherlock responded by a instant. The pink iPhone chimes.

You have one new message

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

"Four pips!" John exclaims. "it would seem Sherlock passed the first test, Here's the second one." I stated. A picture appears. A flashy sports-car, with all it's doors wide open. "Abandoned, wouldn't you say?"

"Freaks!" Donovan shouts towards us. "It's for you both." I take the phone and put it between myself and Sherlock. "Hello?"

"It's ok... That you've gone to the police..."

"Who is this? Is this you again?" Sherlock asked. "But don't rely on them. Clever you. Guessing about Carl Powers. I never liked him. I had a little theory. About asteroids. Carl laughed at me. So I stopped him laughing."