Fic: Additional Trouble (ACD, G)
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holmes_gendersTitle: Additional Trouble
Universe: ACD
Rating: G
Characters/Pairing: Holmes, Watson, OC
Word Count: 500
Summary: Holmes and Watson discover a murder suspect's secret in a false bottom of suitcase.
“Now,” said Holmes as he laid the suitcase on its side, “shall we see what all the fuss is about?”
He clicked open the fastenings and lifted the top.
Empty!
“Damn it, Holmes!”
“You are too hasty, my dear Watson. Let’s see if there’s more than meets the eye.”
As Holmes ran his fingers along the case’s interior, I noticed the discrepancy of the exterior bulk and the interior shallowness.
“There’s a false bottom,” I said.
“Yes, here it is.”
Holmes slid a penknife around the edges then lifted a piece out of the case and set it aside.
Holmes raised the topmost garment.
“Fancy dress!” I observed. “It looks like what Diana Ashley is said to have worn to the party."
“Yes. I think this is a case within a case, Watson.”
Holmes dug further and lifted yet another layer out.
“By Jove!”
Holmes raised these items one by one.
Linen. Whale bone.
Things he and I recognised at once.
“So that’s it,” I said.
“I didn’t kill him,” said a voice from the door.
A hand was holding a revolver aimed in our direction.
Holmes and I stood.
“Mister Wolf,” said Holmes.
“Found my sheep’s clothing, did you?”
“You don’t want to shoot me,” said Holmes.
“Don’t I? Why not?”
“Because if you shoot, Watson will jump in front of the bullet, and if you shoot him, I will flay you alive. Richard Haydon discovered your secret. Or did you tell him? I suppose the former.”
“I didn’t kill him.”
“No. His cousin Elliot did.”
“What?! How?!”
“Elliot Haydon left a full written confession with Scotland Yard before scampering away on a ship bound for the South Pole.”
The hand with the gun faltered slightly, but it was enough. I lunged and tore it away.
“None of that,” cautioned Holmes like a seasoned nanny when Wolf made for me. He stepped between us and gave Wolf a solid rap with his stick.
“We don’t want additional trouble. You played with their affections. It was diverting. You didn’t intend for Elliot to take the dagger from his brigand chief costume and stab his cousin because of it.”
“God help me I didn’t! It was pure sport! Richard was coming closer. I told him to stop.”
“He must’ve tripped, and when his cousin went to his side, he could not resist the temptation to remove his rival. Did Elliot know your secret as well?”
“No. Richard hadn’t time to tell him.”
“Elliot Haydon made be found on his southbound vessel and brought to answer for his crime,” said Holmes. “I think it might be wise if Diana Ashely emigrated.”
“Paris in the autumn?”
“Is lovely.”
“Pardon me, Mister Holmes, but you seem a bit too knowledgeable and nonplussed about my lamb’s wool.” Wolf looked from Holmes to me and back and nodded. “Indeed, so it’s like that.”
“It is my business to know what others don’t. You have twenty minutes to catch the next train to Dover. Don’t waste them.”
Universe: ACD
Rating: G
Characters/Pairing: Holmes, Watson, OC
Word Count: 500
Summary: Holmes and Watson discover a murder suspect's secret in a false bottom of suitcase.
“Now,” said Holmes as he laid the suitcase on its side, “shall we see what all the fuss is about?”
He clicked open the fastenings and lifted the top.
Empty!
“Damn it, Holmes!”
“You are too hasty, my dear Watson. Let’s see if there’s more than meets the eye.”
As Holmes ran his fingers along the case’s interior, I noticed the discrepancy of the exterior bulk and the interior shallowness.
“There’s a false bottom,” I said.
“Yes, here it is.”
Holmes slid a penknife around the edges then lifted a piece out of the case and set it aside.
Holmes raised the topmost garment.
“Fancy dress!” I observed. “It looks like what Diana Ashley is said to have worn to the party."
“Yes. I think this is a case within a case, Watson.”
Holmes dug further and lifted yet another layer out.
“By Jove!”
Holmes raised these items one by one.
Linen. Whale bone.
Things he and I recognised at once.
“So that’s it,” I said.
“I didn’t kill him,” said a voice from the door.
A hand was holding a revolver aimed in our direction.
Holmes and I stood.
“Mister Wolf,” said Holmes.
“Found my sheep’s clothing, did you?”
“You don’t want to shoot me,” said Holmes.
“Don’t I? Why not?”
“Because if you shoot, Watson will jump in front of the bullet, and if you shoot him, I will flay you alive. Richard Haydon discovered your secret. Or did you tell him? I suppose the former.”
“I didn’t kill him.”
“No. His cousin Elliot did.”
“What?! How?!”
“Elliot Haydon left a full written confession with Scotland Yard before scampering away on a ship bound for the South Pole.”
The hand with the gun faltered slightly, but it was enough. I lunged and tore it away.
“None of that,” cautioned Holmes like a seasoned nanny when Wolf made for me. He stepped between us and gave Wolf a solid rap with his stick.
“We don’t want additional trouble. You played with their affections. It was diverting. You didn’t intend for Elliot to take the dagger from his brigand chief costume and stab his cousin because of it.”
“God help me I didn’t! It was pure sport! Richard was coming closer. I told him to stop.”
“He must’ve tripped, and when his cousin went to his side, he could not resist the temptation to remove his rival. Did Elliot know your secret as well?”
“No. Richard hadn’t time to tell him.”
“Elliot Haydon made be found on his southbound vessel and brought to answer for his crime,” said Holmes. “I think it might be wise if Diana Ashely emigrated.”
“Paris in the autumn?”
“Is lovely.”
“Pardon me, Mister Holmes, but you seem a bit too knowledgeable and nonplussed about my lamb’s wool.” Wolf looked from Holmes to me and back and nodded. “Indeed, so it’s like that.”
“It is my business to know what others don’t. You have twenty minutes to catch the next train to Dover. Don’t waste them.”
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Date: 2021-09-11 10:10 am (UTC)P.s. could you please follow the posting guidelines for your subject line?
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Date: 2021-09-11 11:14 am (UTC)