????? ?'? ?? ???? ???? ?? 【?Ｂｅｓｔ Ｆｒｉｅｎｄ】

I JUST GOT MY LAPTOP FIXED! HELLO WORLD! 

OK BACK TO THE CHAPTER

My mind couldn't help but fix itself on the fact that there was a possibility the culprit could commit another crime at this very hour; the yard strongly advised me not to take action so as not to aggravate the public eye. The chime of the grandfather clock only adds fuel to the rage cooking up inside me as I cannot move a muscle on this case.

"You haven't touched your tea cup, Sherly."

My train of thought carefully halts as I glance to see my blond lover with concern in his eyes, paired with a comforting warm smile.

"They could be out there and another life is at stake and yet, I can't make a move?" I scoff. "This is ridiculous!"

My darling gives me a nod of agreement as he turns to the clock slowly chiming, taking a small sip till a sharp breath leaves his body.

"You mentioned how blood was on the floor, correct? The bodies of the nobles were never found in the space the blood trail was on?" William frantically asks me.

"Yes, in fact, there were lots of it and yet not a single clue on where the body could be," I explain.

"Why would they want to refrain London's greatest detective from handling the case if they knew you were going to solve it in the first place without their assistance?" William chuckles, flustering me as he finds out the agenda I had in mind.

My lover points toward the coat rack, I nod as I take our coats and dash for the door with my heart pounding out of my chest and suspense written all over my expression. Every step we took as we ran towards the last crime scene only began to make more sense as to why my lover was deeply concerned.

"Sherlock!" 

We turn to see Lestrade standing by the latest victim's estate gate. A noble who sold wine and was particularly known for gambling and his classist remarks, like every noble present at parties.

"What are you doing here," I was quickly interrupted.

"Something about this case did not make sense, I am here to investigate like both of you are planning to do, correct?" Lestrade states as William nods, taking his cane and breaking the knob to reveal the open entrance.

We make our way to the crime scene, the victim's office with towers of books and an odd eerie atmosphere. William carefully takes a step, and Lestrade takes out his lighter to illuminate the room, we turn to see the puddle of blood which was oddly in that area but the yard never managed to find a body.

"They were all in the same area, detective. The victim's study or office, with a puddle of blood but no body to be traced." Lestrade says as I carefully examine the spot, my knees carefully on the carpet but avoiding the puddle. 

William groans as light hits his face as I dart my attention towards him, he shakes his head to regain focus and keenly squints towards to the corner of the room.

"Are you alright?" I say but his eyes never met mine.

"There are no mirrors in this room, how did a beam of light hit me?" William says, confusing Lestrade and me.

He was correct, how was that possible? What is in the room and where could this devious culprit hide or have taken the corpse? 

"I have a possible theory on where the body could be," William says as his expression of concern changes into certainty. 

I knew he was up to something, and he knew he was correct.

Lestrade's eyes follow Liam's footsteps as he carefully begins to walk towards an expensive, custom-made grandfather clock that chimes would echo across the room as if the culprit mocked us for our foolery. William takes his cane and with a big swing, bashes the glass cover to reveal the rotting corpse.

"WHAT THE," Lestrade choked up before he could finish his sentence and my eyes darted at the corpse's torso hanging out of the grandfather clock's case.

"It was a mirror all along!" I say as William sees the reflective component the "glass" had.

"The culprit placed a mirror behind the glass to make it appear as if the clock never contained the body," William explains as the pieces begin to make sense now.

"Why didn't the body smell at all?" Lestrade asks, walking towards the rotting corpse.

I examine the puddle that pooled on the floor, my curious finger dips onto the liquid of sin as I take it close to my face.

This isn't blood. 

"I didn't want to do this, great detective."

We stop the small investigation as we stare at the man who stands by the door with a revolver in hand. 

"Lieutenant?! What is the meaning of this?" Lestrade exclaims, confused by his presence in the area.

"He had to die, they all had to!" He exclaims, shooting the stack of books on the desk.

William grips his cane as he carefully places himself in front of me, my eyes fixed on the lieutenant in the room. I stand up, leaving the puddle alone as Lestrade freezes; his hand ready to grab a hold of his gun.

"You were far too clever, I thought a good detective like you would know how to listen to instructions!" He barks, pointing the gun at me.

"That isn't blood, there is no use in covering it up now." My voice echoes across the room, my stance infuriating him as I seemed relaxed compared to his panicked state. 

"Cranberry juice with a mix of starch," he chuckles, reloading the gun. 

"How could you do." Lieutenant interrupts Lestrade, pointing the gun towards him. 

"That man and his PATHETIC ROUND OF MEN ARE THE REASON MY DAUGHTER'S DEAD." His voice painfully croaks up, his eyes watery but filled with a burning rage and a sense of vengeance. 

"They gambled and gambled, a stupid challenge on who could pick up a pretty maiden from the streets of London," tears began to leave his eyes, "my little girl was only 16 and knew nothing of this world."

In a vulnerable state, William takes his cane and shoves the dull end towards his knuckles; loosening the grip around his revolver. He drops it and falls to the floor, in an act to retrieve it; Lestrade's gun clicks on his head.

"MY LITTLE GIRL HAS BEEN DEFILED AND RUINED AND I KNEW THE YARD COULD NOT HELP ME ON THIS, I TOOK MATTERS TO MY OWN HANDS!"

William's gaze turns to the rotting corpse on the grandfather clock. My eyes turn back as well, then back towards the man who has gone mad with pain.

"You may all see me as a horrible man with a petty reason to remove men on this earth but can a heart break when it is already in pieces?" His voice laced with pain and anger but not an ounce of regret. 

"Lieutenant, you are underarrest for the murders of Winery Luxioury Club of London." Lestrade says, grabbing his shoulders to get up.

Moments later, the yard appeared outside the estate, we watch the Lieutenant confess to where the rest of the bodies were and swarms of people surrounding the estate who were filled with questions.

"Liam."

My lover turns to me with a small smile, a blanket over his shoulders for comfort. I sit next to him, a long sigh leaving my lips.

"Well, another case solved," I say.

"He won't feel a bit of remorse as soon as he is behind bars." William says, his eyes on the lieutenant with handcuffs. 

He was right, men who seek vengeance and take action will never regret what they have done knowing justice was served the moment they took action. Even if it meant spilling blood of the dirty or innocent. 

"Let's go home," Liam suggests and I nod as a response.