Hello to you all. Sorry it's been a while, but family etc got in the way a bit...but ho-hum, here it is now...
The Consulting Detective Jones: Chapter 10
'Miss Jones, Can you come and assist me please?' shouted Sherlock from his within earshot position. His mind was working on overdrive, desperately trying to deduce his way out of this situation.
'No. I'm not your assistant. I do not assist. I will however look over the crime scene and see if there's anything you have missed.' returned a still slightly frazzled Scarlet. She wasn't sure who had heard her outburst, but she wanted to, as she didn't mean the things she said. Yet, at the same time, she did. She was beginning to wish she hadn't taken this job. It had become far too complicated, too dangerous.
She smiled at him, and strode confidently towards the cabinet he'd just been examining. Her smile faded, her eyes flashed with a familiar concentration, and she was deducing. He watched her intently as she ran her fingers along the grooves in the glass, down the side of the wood, to the floor, and back up the other side. She drew in her breath quickly when she reached about halfway up the glass with her hands.
'Lestrade! Is there a key to this thing?' Her eyes never left the cabinet.
'Yeah. Here, catch!' The police inspector tossed a small metal key, roughly, towards Scarlet. She whipped about, raised her hand, and caught it perfectly. 'Bloody Hell...how did she do that?'
'Shh.' muttered Sherlock. 'She's on to something.'
He was right. She unlocked the cabinet, reached inside, and gently removed each rock, one by one, until it was empty. The museum fell silent, watching with eager eyes to see her next action.
'Sherlock, hand me something sharp but strong.' She held her hand out behind her, and he passed her a fire poker that was leaning against a nearby wall. 'You might want to stand back.'
She took three steps back, closed her eyes, muttered something under her breath, and ran at the cabinet full pelt. She thrust the poker through the PVC backboard, splitting it in two. She smiled, but only slightly, something barely noticeable, before tearing into the backboard like a woman possessed.
'Oh God.' She turned around and began to walk towards the others. 'I'll see you all...later, I've got...things to do. Important things. Goodbye.' As soon as she was past them, she broke into a run, rushing out the gates and away down the busy street.
'Where the hell is she going?' shouted Lestrade, raising his arms in the air. 'Sherlock? Any idea?'
The detective was silent. He looked into the cabinet, and examined the contents of the backboard comparment. Inside, was a pair of black leather gloves, the stolen items, a small heart locket, and a note, which read,
I know your secret, Scarlet Jones.