SHERLOCK’S ATONEMENT

Prelude
Restore the joy of your salvation to me and
sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.
Psalm 51:12
Open my eyes so that I may contemplate
wondrous things from your instruction.
Psalm 119:18
Chapter One
Dec 31 – Day 366
At twilight on December 31st, at Hawthorne Manor in Ayr, Scotland, the Command Centre control board suddenly lit up. Screens flickered on and scenes from around the world were recorded.
Sherlock Holmes and Anne Farrar sat on the front porch
of the Watsons’ cottage in Cornwall.
Anna Marie Watson and Bunny were asleep on Sherlock’s lap.
Doctor John Watson came out, picked up his daughter
and Bunny fell from her hand to lay on the porch.
He carried Anna Marie inside.
Sherlock rocked on Bunny’s ear.
Mary Watson packed the family suitcases.
Sam, the chauffer, polished the jeep parked behind the beach cottage.
Mrs. Hudson locked the front door of the Watsons’ home in London
and went to bed with a cup of tea, three shortbread biscuits, and a good book.
Mycroft Holmes briefed the Prime Minister on the demise of Professor Moriarty.
The King and Queen watched the telly.
Detective Inspector Lestrade hung up the duty motor keys
on the board in Scotland Yard.
Geoffrey, the butler, turned out the light in the kitchen of Hawthorne-Holmes Manor.
Cliff Hawthorne-Holmes and his fiancée, Millie,
strolled hand in hand through the twilight
to their spot on the hill above the manor.
At midnight, the Command Centre display under the clock began to count down.
366…365…
Moriarty’s Revenge
Be sober minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around
like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.
Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.
1 Peter 5:8-9
Chapter Two
The Countdown Begins
Jan 1 - Day 365
Sherlock sat up in the dark to the sound of the ocean and his mobile phone intoning “three hundred sixty-six, three hundred sixty-five…” He picked up his mobile from the nightstand.
The dark was no surprise as it was always dark in his world these days. His own greed for vengeance against Moriarty had blinded him. The countdown came as a surprise though. It had to be a warning from the Command Centre in the bunker of the Hawthorne-Holmes Manor in Ayr, Scotland, but a warning of what? He couldn’t think what it could be other than a count down from the end of the year to January 1st. Then what?
“John!” Sherlock shouted and then spoke to his mobile phone, “Connect me with Cliff.”
“Connecting,” his mobile replied.
“Happy New Year, brother mine,” Cliff shouted over the background of fireworks and applause.
“Cliff, I’ve received a notification from the Command Centre,” Sherlock shouted back.
“I can’t hear you, but Happy New Year anyway,” Cliff shouted and disconnected.
“Send a text to Cliff,” Sherlock shouted at his mobile.
“Ready to record,” his mobile shouted back.
“Received warning,” Sherlock shouted.
“What’s all the shouting about?” John asked in a sleepy voice from the bedroom door.
“Sorry, what?”
“What are you shouting about?” John’s tone increased, and he began to sound a bit peeved.
Sherlock held up his hand. “One moment, please.” Then he addressed his mobile in a normal tone, “Discard my last text and record this text to Cliff.”
“Last text discarded. Ready to record,” his mobile replied.
RECEIVED WARNING FROM COMMAND
CENTRE. DON’T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS
YET, BUT CUT THE POWER TO THE ESTATE
AND GET EVERYONE OFF THE PROPERTY! S
“Read that back to me.” Sherlock listened and then said, “Send it now.”
“Text sent to Cliff,” his mobile replied.
“Excellent, read me his reply as soon as you receive it.”
“Aye, aye Captain,” his mobile replied.
“What kind of warning?” John asked and sat heavily on the bed next to Sherlock.
“A countdown from 366 to 365,” Sherlock replied.
“What does that mean?”
“It has to be something Moriarty planted in the system before he died. A contingency revenge plan of some sort.”
“Lord have mercy, will he just die already and go to hell?”
“He has, but he’s always wanted the last word.” Sherlock stood up and started to pace. “I should have known the outports were a danger. Connect me with Geoffrey,” he said to his mobile.
“Connecting,” his mobile replied.
“Good evening, sir,” came the butler’s groggy voice.
“Geoffrey, wake up! You’re still covered under the Moriarty duped everyone agreement, but I need to have a straight answer.”
“Yes sir, I’m awake, sir,” Geoffrey’s voice trembled enough to make Sherlock believe he was standing at attention beside his bed in the manor house.
“Did Moriarty have access to the plans for the Command Centre at any time?”
“Oh, sir. I didn’t even think about that.” Geoffrey’s voice became frantic, “I’m so sorry!”
“Calm down,” Sherlock said in a low voice. “Take a deep breath and calm down.”
Geoffrey’s breathing trembled as he tried to obey.
“Now tell me what he did.”
Geoffrey sobbed.
“For evermore!” Sherlock shouted and held out his mobile to John. Then he paced the small room faster, coming close to crashing into the wall before he spun on his heel and paced back.
John used his most soothing bedside manner to reach the terrified butler. “Geoffrey, there’s a good man. Sherlock’s a bit upset right now but he’s really hoping you can help us figure out what’s going on there.”
“Mollycoddling,” Sherlock growled.
Geoffrey drew a deep breath and replied, “Mr. Moriarty had me switch the original plans for his own.”
Sherlock stood stock still, his nose within two centimetres of his bedroom wall and whispered, “Did it give him access to the outports?”
“Yes sir,” Geoffrey’s voice squeaked.
“Remember, he was duped,” John said.
Sherlock paced back to the bed to sink down next to John. “As was everyone else. Present company included.”
John put the mobile phone back into his hand.