Dec 10:
From cjnwriter - A bloody handprint, lipstick, and a pair of pliers are discovered at the scene of a crime.
"It's fake," Mr Holmes declared, and swept from the crime scene, which he had only entered thirty seconds ago. Dr Watson, trailing behind him, looked rather startled.
"Holmes?"
From the door there came a very loud sigh. Reluctantly, Holmes re-entered.
"That handprint is too clean," he said, pointing to the bloody outline on the wall. "You would expect some sort of smudging as sign of a struggle. There's nowhere near the right amount of blood surrounding it either."
"Then there's the lipstick," he went on, striding over and picking it up. "The ransom note, written beside the handprint with this woman's lipstick." He turned it over and removed the lid. "Her lipstick, as a matter of fact. Writing the note on the wall will have used up all of it - unusual, don't you think? Lucky that she had it on her - lucky that it was brand new."
"You mean she faked her own kidnapping?" I asked. "But why?!"
Holmes let loose another exasperated sigh. "Please Lestrade, there are any number of reasons. Perhaps she's seeing another man, do some brainwork yourself for once. Although-" he added thoughtfully, "given that the pliers used to cut through the fence of the manor have the initials of her husband carved into them, it seems more likely that they're hoping the police will provide the ransom, given the failing finances of their estate."
A/N These criminals are really stupid, okay. I think the reason their finances are failing is because they spend so much money getting pointless tools such as pliers engraved...