Sherlock Holmes in 2012: LORD OF DARKNESS RISING by Mohammad Bahareth Read Free Book Online Page B

window. “This time you’re staying right here – unless you want to find yourself jailed for planting a bomb at the Majestic.”
    “But I didn’t – how could I?”
    “You know very well the answer to that question, Sherlock. You were there all night, which would have given you ample time to install a device anywhere in the theatre and detonate it moments ago. If you go out there, the FBI will find a way to detain you…”
    “How could they do such a thing? I’ve only given them all the facts they needed to find Adnan and his darn bomb.”
    “Listen to me, Sherlock, this is not 1890 or even 1990 – this is the 21 st century and the FBI is on the alert day and night for any terrorist activities…”
    “I know that…”
    “ Let me finish! ” Mycroft shouted, “Will you?” Sherlock bowed his head and said nothing. “Alright… , as I was saying, the FBI is on your tail because they can’t pin Adnan down and you’re the perfect scapegoat. You had all the answers from the beginning of this affair. Who’s to say that you were not conspiring with Adnan to plant the device for him – the same as he engaged the services of David Penny – tell me?”
    Sherlock was, and perhaps for the first time in his life, at his wits’ end. He knew Mycroft was right. He lifted his eyes to him. “All right, I can see your point, but wouldn’t they do the same with Irene since they saw her with me this morning at the theatre?”
    “Probably. However, her Bohemian antecedent and feminine intuition will possibly make her wise and careful about what could befall her if she isn’t careful.”
    As if on cue, a knock at the door, and Mycroft going to open it, gave way to Irene’s precipitated steps into Sherlock’s room. “Thank God you’re still here,” she said in a breath, going to Sherlock directly. “I thought you might have gone down to the theatre when I didn’t find you”—she turned her face to Mycroft—“in your suite. Have you looked at the television report?” she asked, her gaze travelling from one brother to the other. Distracted by “the woman”, who was now only clad of a terry-cloth robe and barefoot, Sherlock and Mycroft were staring as if mesmerized by her stunning beauty.
    Without a word of reply, Mycroft grabbed the remote from atop the television cabinet, opened its doors and clicked on the news channel.
    The reports were clear and precise – a small nitro-glycerine device had been detonated in one of the dressing rooms of the Majestic Theatre. The damage had been quickly contained to the downstairs floors beneath the stage, and the fire department had already extinguished all remnant embers in the room. The police and other officers on site were not making any comments at this time, but a complete report was expected by the next scheduled newscast.
    “I thought he would do something like that,” Sherlock remarked, regaining his seat by the window. “He had to satisfy the chase, to divert attention, and distract the authorities once again.”
    “That nitro-glycerine bomb was not the device he intended to plant at the theatre initially, was it?” Irene asked Sherlock.
    “Obviously not, Miss Adler…”
    “Will you do me the favour of addressing me by my given name?” Irene cut-in with a teasing smile crossing her lips.
    “Alright – Irene – it is obvious that Adnan was not engaged to plant such a small device in that theatre or have it detonated in the middle of the night.”
    “ If not at the Majestic and not a benign device, then what and where ?” Mycroft shouted, visibly annoyed to say the least. “This man is starting to irritate me,” he added superfluously.
    Sherlock and Irene looked up at the big man and smiled. Mycroft was nothing like his brother. Sherlock was tall and slender, whereas Mycroft was large and muscular. However, both had the same attitude toward many things in life. Honesty was perhaps the brothers’ main trait of character. Abruptness