Part 2- The Crime Scene

We took the first train to the suburb that day, and arrived at the house at five o'clock. Annie's family was already waiting at the door, knowing we were to arrive. On our short walk to the house Holmes kept looking at the ground, searching for footprints or other evidence for something that may have happened there. I looked at the ground as well, but couldn't distinguish which is whose. However, by the satisfied look in Holmes' eyes, I could tell he was more successful than I was.

We walked around the house for a few minutes before meeting the family. As the minister told us, they were four- the parents, who both seemed like their world fell apart with the death of their first daughter, the sister fair sister, who seemed saddened by the events even more so than her fiancé, and the cousin, whose face was completely blank. Other than deep grief I could see nothing special in their faces, and so I continued studying them. Next to me, Holmes nodded slightly, and I knew it was meant for me.

The mother, Marie, was tall and slender. Her clothes were messy and she did not wear any jewellery. I could tell she was in grief but was happy to see we have come to help. The father, Edward, looked at them sternly. He was clearly under control, even though I could see he was in pain. Between them stood a young, dark haired woman, whose eyes and nose were red of crying. And moving forward towards us was David, a tall, well-built young man. I had a feeling her did not enjoy seeing us there, though I had no idea why.

"What have you learned?" Holmes asked quietly as we entered the house.

We sat in the living room, waiting for the family to arrive with the tea and food they left to bring. "They're clearly sad," Said I. "I don't know what the cousin thinks, but the sister seems devastated. The mother and the sister haven't done a thing since the daughter was found, but I think the father went out today."

Sherlock nodded. "You're learning, Watson," He said. "Though I disagree. By the dirt on the mother's arm, you can see she has been searching something outside, or perhaps in a dusty room. The father's business suit shows that he has been in the city, but not for long. He probably left to find someone to build a coffin for Ms Airdon. The sister only got out of bed in order to see her sister's room and body, but the creases show you she returned there immediately afterwards. The cousin was awake last night through the whole night, and is a left-handed. He was also a friend of Ms Airdon."

"That's just the beginning, isn't it?" I asked.

Holmes smiled briefly. "It is. Mr and Mrs Airdon," He greeted them as they walked in. They sat down on a sofa in front of us, looking at us quietly. Seeing they would not talk without his guidance, Holmes spoke. "What happened?"

"Well," Marie opened with a shaky voice, "We had trouble at home, so Annie returned home a week ago."

"What kind of trouble?"

She lowered her voice. "It was David. He came back home drunk again and again, and we did not know what to do. Annie always had a good effect on him, and we thought if she comes back, he would calm down."

"But it did not work."

"No. He just turned violent. I warned him to stay away from her, but I think he hit her. He was so scary…" Her husband put his hand around her, trying to calm her down. But instead she burst into tears, leaving the three gentlemen to finish the discussion on their own.

"Mr Holmes… My daughter was never a coward. But the night before she died, she was terrified. I know my girl well, and I know she was, though I do not know what terrified her so much. It was right after she returned home from her women club, and she seemed as if she has seen a demon."

Holmes thought for a moment. "Was there anyone with her during the time between her leaving the club and returning home?"

"Not that I know of."

"Who is part of this club?"

The father thought. "They are four- Annie, Ms Eder, Ms Allen and Nancy. Nancy was her best friend," He explained. "They shared everything."

Seeing Holmes' eyes lit up, I understood he has a theory. But all he said was, "I would like to see the room."

Our host got up immediately. "Of course, Mr Holmes."

He led us to her room, and as we walked I watched Holmes studying the house from the inside. He stopped at some of the rooms, going over the furniture in each room. He looked at book shelves, beds, desks and closets. I did not know what he was looking for, but it was clear to me that he had not found it.

The door to the room was locked, and none of the people in the house wanted to open it, not even the maid. I looked at it curiously while Holmes opened it, wondering what we might find there. Could there really be a ghost in the room?

I was shocked to see there was.

It was in the middle of the room, half invisible. I could tell it was a woman's ghost, and believed it was there to pretend to be Annie's ghost. It did not seem possible that it really was a ghost.

Holmes looked at it curiously, and I could see he reached the same conclusion as I did. Then he stepped into the room, silently telling me to follow him. I followed, and to his request I closed the door behind me, leaving us alone with the ghost in the dead woman's room.

"An interesting little investigation." Holmes remarked as he looked around the room, searching for evidence and ignoring the ghost.

"I can't understand any of it," I admitted, watching him.

He lay down, studying the floor from as close as he could. He checked every single thing in the room, from the bed to the desk to the photographs on it. Finally, with a happy cry, he sat up, holding a small piece of paper in his hand. He moved back towards me, and then showed me the opened piece.

"'Be there at midnight'?" I asked, not understanding. "It is probably about her club. I cannot see how it means anything."

Holmes smiled in delight. "It means everything, my dear Watson. It tells us Ms Airdon was asked to meet someone at midnight. We also know that he has not done so, and as a result someone climbed out to her room in order to hurt her. But if you look closely, you can see there are no tracks on the floor, which would be impossible had someone come from the garden through her window."

"And the ghost?" I asked, pointing at the ghost in the middle of the room.

Holmes' smile was mysterious. "That, Watson, you will see."

My curiosity just grew. I wanted to ask him more about it, but I knew when Holmes wanted to keep something as the dramatic ingredient for the end of the mystery, nothing could change his mind. So I simply followed him downstairs to examine the body, locking the door behind me.

Holmes examined the body slowly. He looked at the weird, whiplash like marks on her body, which were red and swollen. The circled her slender body, each mark is exactly three centimetres from another one. Her brown hair, which was clearly long before, was nearly cut out completely. There was only one ring on her fingers, the simple golden ring the Minister told us he had given her.

Eventually Holmes got up. "Keep the room locked," He ordered. "Watson and I will return to London, but we will be here in the morning," He added, turning to leave.

"Do you have an idea, Mr Holmes?" Edward's voice was desperate.

"I solved the case," was all Holmes said before we left the house, leaving behind us a shocked family.