Moriarty's Musician

Home is Where the Hell is, Part 2

Sebastian helped Annabelle out as the helicopter's blades slowed their spinning.

"Don't move," he said as he gave her the handbag. He grabbed her suitcase, said goodbye to Sam and the pilot, then led the way.

As they walked away from the helicopter, Annabelle's breath caught in her throat as they approached the manor house. So this was the dragon's lair. A massive, aged stone building seemed to rise from the ground, nestled in the arms of giant, ancient trees. She would have thought it an impressive structure if she wasn't so terrified of who it belonged to.

She held the much lighter handbag to her chest and remembered that she didn't have the gun. Damn! Why didn't she hold on to the gun?

Her fear was almost overwhelming. She could feel her heart racing as the next symphony played in her ears. Wait... Annabelle touched Moriarty's phone in her pocket. He forgot his phone! She could text Uncle John to help her! But where were they anyway?

She glanced at Sebastian as he walked beside her. As discreetly as possible, she took the earbuds from her ears and put them in her pocket. Moriarty's man had said MI6 had traced her phone and were coming for her. Surely, they must be able to do the same for his phone. She'd have to work fast. It was just a matter of time before Moriarty came looking for it.

As they got closer to the estate, Annabelle marveled at the meticulously-groomed grounds that surrounded them. Lovely ivy wove its way up and down the stone walls, giving the grand house a rather homey feel. Homey? Annabelle shook her head as the notion seemed absurd. Moriarty was despicable. Homey and James Moriarty could never be associated together!

When they reached the elaborate wood doors, Sebastian opened it and waved his hand for her to enter before him. As they stepped into a huge foyer with a giant chandelier that dangled above their heads, the wonderful smell of bread and a wood-burning fireplace filled Annabelle's nose. Her tummy immediately started to rumble, and she remembered it had been a while since she had eaten, let alone had anything to drink.

Hearing her discomfort, Sebastian chuckled as he looked at Annabelle. She scowled back at him just as a young man walked across the hallway, his arms brimming with wood. On seeing Sebastian, he stopped, and his eyes widened.

"Oh, I'm s-s-sorry, Mister M-M-Moran. I didn't kn-kn-know you were a-also here." The young man's eyes rested on Annabelle, and he inhaled. "I'll g-g-go get Mrs. O-O'Brien."

He hurried through the hall with his load and almost knocked over a little table pressed against one of the dark wood-paneled walls.

Within minutes a plump, older woman appeared from a doorway, smiling as she wiped her hands on her flowered apron. She was followed close behind by a slender, grey-haired man in a finely pressed suit.

As the woman approached, she held out her hands to Sebastian, cupped his face and kissed him soundly on each cheek. "You big baboon, I've missed you! Why didn't he tell me you were with him?" she chastised in her strong Irish brogue, shaking her head at Sebastian.

Sebastian laughed and threw his arms around her in a giant bear hug. "I've missed you, Meg. You know there's no other girl for me." He proceeded to kiss her soundly on the cheek, and she smiled and playfully hit him.

"You'll both be the death of me, as sure as God made little apples."

Annabelle was taking in the scene with complete astonishment. She would never have expected a woman like this to be acting so friendly to a murdering criminal.