After that afternoon, Molly had thought little of Sherlock. She was much more interested in which stories of the inhabitants would still come to light. Actually, she wasn't the curious type, but her interaction with the residents of the community had changed her.
It was Wednesday afternoon and Molly had just come off her shift at the hospital. She was on her way to Mrs Kelly's library. She was in a hurry to return the books she had borrowed a few days earlier. She also liked to talk to Ida a bit about them. She had quickly taken Ida into her heart. Even though she kept on grilling her about her time in London, and was sometimes a bit tiring in this respect, she was still a very lovable person.
As she was just entering the building, she recognised Ida at the counter, who was talking excitedly to another customer.
"I tell you, it was murder. It wasn't an accident, Mr. Murphy was killed," she heard Mrs. Kelly whisper as she approached the counter.
There was a sad incident here in the parish a few days ago. Mr. Murphy had been taking care of his bees, as he often did. When a poison was sprayed, Mr. Murphy choked on it. The local police soon discovered that he had not put the gas mask on properly and was inhaling the poison. They classified it as an accident.
"What was murder?" asked Molly curiously.
Ida and the customer, who could now identify Molly as Ella Nolan - the owner of the Creaden View (B&B) here in town - looked at her with sceptical looks, but then Ida began to speak.
"What happened to Mr. Murphy I knew Luke. He would never have been so careless. Besides, I saw the mask shortly after. It had tiny little holes in it. The mask had been tampered with. It was murder, Molly. And not just that. I also think someone killed old Mrs. Daly," she then explained, whispering as quietly as she could.
Again and again she glanced carefully into the library rooms to make sure no one heard her.
"Oh you're crazy, Ida. The police said it was an accident. You read too many detective stories," said the customer now.
"No, Ella. I don't believe that. I tell you, it was. Luke was killed. And who knows who's next."
She seemed slightly paranoid and Molly had difficulty believing her. But as her time in London and at the side of a certain detective showed her again and again, anything is possible. Or as Sherlock always says: "When you have ruled out the impossible, what is left is the truth, however improbable it may be".
While Molly thought about it, Ella said goodbye with an annoyed eye roll and then walked out the door.
"Well, if you really believe that, then maybe you should go to the police," Molly then told her.
"Oh, the police. The police. They don't believe me. I've already been to them," she said, slightly disappointed.
"Oh. Well, in that case you'll have to do the detective work now and solve the case yourself," she said with a slight grin and winked at her.
Hold on. Stop. What am I saying? Apparently my time in London and with Sherlock has left its mark on me in many other ways,' Molly thought as she heard what she had said.
Ida's face lit up visibly.
"Good idea, Molly! It's got to start paying off that I read so many crime stories," she beamed now.
Molly wished her good luck and then said goodbye to her. If she had known that this was the last time she would see Ida that evening, she would certainly have stopped her.