Category: Tom

“I’ve arranged passage on the Sloop Noval Joe. She sails in the morn …. But first.”

“The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards is up to some unsavory business. What do you know brother?”

“That the King’s protection is with them

so tread lightly, where we can not tread.

“So you need information?

“And you need a 12 knot vessel

to make the channel crossing.”

“I promise little and most likely will deliver less”

“Humility suites you ill.

“What suit would?”

“Spades”

“Tell the boys in back this is not going to go well.”

“It never does. Goodbye Sherlock”

From pinprick of light to steam belching leviathan the train came to a rest just before the detective. A door opened, the two travelers entered. Down the tracks a switch pulled to the hard left. Slowly the train followed a course through a valley few eyes had seen. Within two miles the train was moving at an alarming speed, but this was unnoticeable to the occupants, who were already is deep discussion with Mycroft himself.

“You live brother, is this your seventh of eight?”

“I’ve lost track sometime ago. I need to be in Paris before the Easter bureaucratic ellipses.”

Watson thought a moment. He knew he had seen that number while tramping about in the woods for quail. But it hadn’t seemed very important.

“10DS it returns to Dorshire Summers.”

“Think Watson 10 D S the single more important place in the Umpire.

“Downing Street, are you telling me the PM has a private train that runs at his pleasure four times a day?”

“Money well spent, more that a war and revolution has been curtailed because of that train. Now it will serve both our needs and the Umpire, for this affair is like a dark curtain descending.

“The cottage we abide was once Mycroft’s”

“But Mycroft never leaves his club.”

“Not noticed. He came often to meet with a close ring of men who have like cottages through out this village. These men were called the Shadows of the Crown. They maintained a direct route to London.”

At that moment the hackney arrived at the crossing, a distance whistle sounded, Holmes jumped from the carriage, pulled a heavy iron lever buried in the under brush.

Nearly a mile down the tracks a 20 foot red star appeared.

“Haven’t you wondered at the number designation of the train?”

“This is troubling Holmes, how did you know I was dipping into your …. Never mind I hear Mr. Zackman horses.”

“And I have both our day bags. Ready to the crossroads.”

The doctor had always wondered why Holmes had moved to such a seemingly remote part of the midlands. Oddly his friend always found the statement amusing and the slightest curve at the corner of this mouth would betray to only the most intimate of his acquaintances this fact.

“It is time dear friend to let you in on state secrets.”

This is not good thought the doctor.

Mycroft

Holmes pocketed the ribbon, bent to observer the Turk’s index finger. A noticeable stain of tobacco, a mix well known to the detective, his. Straight as an arrow Holmes flew through the door to the oak at the fence. At its base was the remains of the Turkish cigarette.

Carefully lifting it with tweezers one gentle sniff told the tale of the Turk. His end was for lack of knowledge for his employers failed to reveal that the tobacco to be place in the home of the beekeeper was laced with poison

“One gram of tobacco would hardly be missed.”

The doctor laid his mask over the Turk’s head and his glove rather indecorously on the man’s upper pants. After all he was dead and propriety was beyond his reach. Reaching under his waistcoat Watson felt the edge of a dangling fabric. Deftly unbuttoning the waistcoat a red and white ribbon appeared.

“How on earth did you know it was there?”

“Note the shade of the fez.”

“Its red.”

“No, chartered liver red.”

“One of the Worshipfuls?”

“Under the hat in white thread will be

the following Corde Recto Elati Omnes”

“It seems this fellow was sent to kill us.”

“What about the bees and body”

“I’ve called for Hobbs.”

“The farmer is an Idiot.”

“But not the son all will be in good hands.

Further I have hired Zachman’s Hackneys to take us to the train.”

“The station is 40 miles away, Holmes.

“I doubt the horse or driver would make it.”

“We are not going to the station;

“We head for the crossroads at 12:00.”

“Holmes the train doesn’t stop on the crossroad,

its building speed to make the grade.”

“Leave the train to my concern good doctor.

“Kindly remove the red and white ribbon from the body.”

“I note Holme’s shallow, but rhythmic breathing. I thanked god for Richard Spruce’s The Hepaticae of the Amazon. The 27% solution of Yage most likely has saved my friend’s life.” As an errant bee flowed by the Doctor he remembered his secondary position, Apprentice Bee keeper. “Time to smoke you my lovelies,” said Watson donning his gloves and mask. He knew Holmes would be unresponsive for the better part of the day. No sooner than had he set the pots, a roar emerged from cottage window along with a disheveled Detective. “Watson we leave for Paris on the Hour.”

Case of the Amber Rose of the Amazon

“Watson mind the body draped over the ottoman.”
“But Homes where am I to sit?”
“There is a sinister force afoot.
What does a tuck on an ottoman tell you?”
“I have no place to rest my feet”
“No, we must parse the subtle relationships of
the terms and arrive at their precise meaning.”
“Well, a tuck is a tuck is a tuck.”
“Just as a rose is a rose is a rose.”

“Clearly Miss Stein is at the center of this affair
but my mind fails me, a 27% solution is in order.”

“Quick Watson the needle!”