Chapter 2: Guns tell no lies
Disclaimer: I don't own Holmes or Watson or any of them.I just like to make their lives as complicated as possible. * Winks*
AN: Thanks to everyone who gave me input in the last chapter. I'll try to do better with my spelling this time. Now I hope everyone enjoys the fic!
It has now been almost two weeks that the young ladies have been with us. They are quiet amusing and full of surprises. I have not been able to write because of a particularly interesting case and making sure that they are settled. About a week ago we got a visit from Lestrade again, this time he had no young ladies with him.
"They almost seem to belong here." Lestrade said as he watched the girls working. Suddenly Julie burned herself and a string of colorful curses and phrases flew from her mouth as Bridget pulled her into the kitchen to try to cool her hand. "Well almost."
"They are very interesting to observe." Holmes said as he sat down. He leaned forward, gray eyes narrowed a bit. "So what brings you here, Inspector. I doubt it is a social visit." Lestrade coughed and nodded. I sat down as well, ready to hear the case.
"It would appear that there has been a murder on the Lower East End, Holmes. An actor was walking home after a performance in which he played Hamlet and never reached home. When he didn't come to rehearsal the next day got called. You see the Company is very new, and very Bohemian. They come from America and while they say they are excellent, though not many people come to see them because of their location and a seedy reputation. So they needed this actor, he seems to have been very good. The case seems to be solved but, well something just doesn't seem to be adding up. All of the actors are very against our suspect." Lestrade then took some tea that Jess had brought in and took a sip of it. "I want you to come down and take a look at it." Jess looked at Holmes and raised an eyebrow. He opened his eyes, for he was sitting in his usual manner when hearing a case, and stood up.
"Sounds interesting enough. Up for a trip to the Lower East End, Watson?" he asked me. I nodded, after so long without a case I was up for anything, just so long as it meant that Holmes could occupy his time outside of the house.
"Are you going on a case?" Jess asked.
"Well yes he is." Lestrade answered before Holmes could. Jess smirked and ran down the stairs as Holmes glared at the Inspector.
"Holmes is going on a case!" We heard Jess cry. I laughed, as Holmes turned almost scarlet.
"At least she didn't fall this time, Holmes." I said; referring to the fact the girls all seemed to fall whenever they ran because of being unaccustomed to the skirts and shoes of our time. Holmes mumbled to himself about not even getting to go out to solve a case without a ruckus. We bundled ourselves in our coats and scarves because it was already getting cold and started downstairs.
"Will you tell us what the case is about?" Amanda asked, her large dark eyes following us.
"Yah, we could help." Maggie said. Bridget stood in the doorway to the kitchen rubbing a cooling cream onto Julie's hand. She still hadn't said more then two words to anyone but the other girls.
"Of course I won't tell you. What do you mean help? I don't need your help. Half of you can't even make biscuits let alone solve a case." Holmes said darkly.
"Hey!" Maggie cried.
"So?" Amanda asked.
"Can YOU make them?" Jess demanded. I looked at Lestrade, who was trying not to laugh as Holmes was attacked by three very put off girls.
"It doesn't matter if I can make a biscuit or not. I'm-"
"A really sad, lonely guy who has nothing better to do but make fun of us." Amanda supplied.
"You know their ability to make biscuits has no real baring whatsoever on solving crime." Julie said. Holmes stood fuming. He then shook his head and walked through the door.
"We'll be back girls, but don't wait up for us." I said as I took my walking stick from Jess.
"Bye, Watson." Julie chimed.
"Be careful!" Jess said as she handed Lestrade his hat.
"If Holmes falls down just leave him, He's a great all-powerful detective, he'll be fine." Maggie said. I laughed and walked out the door, Lestrade trailing me.
"Well that was interesting." He whispered to me.
"I've been watching it for the past week. It's most amusing." I said.
"Hurry up you two!" Holmes cried. We hurried after him to find a handsome cab.
"'Ah went to his flat an' he weren't there." I sighed as Sally, who played Gertrude finished her statement. The whole troop was from America and it didn't take me long to figure out that Sally was from the South. It was easy to see why the upper class wouldn't come to see the play. The entire troop had varying American accents, where all fairly poor, and the Theater itself was falling apart. It would appear that the leading man had been their best actor and they where horrified when he died. What had horrified them more was when his understudy was deemed the most likely suspect. He was a young man from New York who had talent but need experience. It turns out that he had no alibi for the night that the murder happened and seemed to be the one with the most to gain from it. The troop insisted that he was innocent though, that he would never do that to his mentor. He also claimed his innocence, but could not ell us where he was that night, except that he had been drinking at the theater and had woken up there. The murder weapon, a gun was found in his jacket and all the evidence seemed to point at him. Holmes took the gun and the bullet from the crime so he could give it to Lestrade when we would see him the next day. As we walked up the street to our house I could see no way to prove the young man innocent but also felt that he was not guilty. After questioning the players further we decided upon going home. I sighed to see that it was nearly nine when we reached the street before ours.
"This is most interesting, Watson." Holmes said. "This young man seems guilty yet why would he want to kill the man who obviously was the best for keeping his little company together so they could find some success?"
"I don't see why Holmes, I think the fellow is innocent but it all seems to led to him." Holmes nodded and was about to speak further when a snowball hit him in the head. I looked around to see no one out, the girls windows where closed and the house was dark. "What on earth?" I asked. Holmes however was running toward the house. He threw the door open and I could hear him running up the stairs. I hurried after him and found his looking threw the girls rooms.
"Holmes, they will wake up." I hissed.
"No they won't Watson." He whispered. "All of them but, Bridget are deep sleepers. Besides, two of them are still awake. Aren't I right Amanda?" He asked. The dark hair girl didn't stir. "Very well, but I will find out who threw that and I will extract revenge. Just so you know that." Suddenly he slipped a small book in his pocket and ushered me to our rooms.
"Holmes, what did you take?" I asked as he shock the snow from his coat.
"A way to find out more about our young charges my good fellow." He said as he opened the book. "Aha, yes it is as I expected." I sighed and sat down to watch him read. I was starting to drift off into sleep when I heard him start to yell.
"What is it Holmes?" I asked groggily.
"Look for yourself Watson. Look at what your girl did." He gave me to the book and started to pace. I sat up to read it and found myself smiling. It was a book that all of the girls where writing their observations in. What made me smile was the fact that Bridget had brought with her copies of Holmes adventures and after many tears and arguing with the others had burned them.
"Withholding what could be critical information, Watson. I ought to have Mrs. Hudson wallop her." He cried as he waved his hands. I smiled a bit more as I reread her words.
"I have never been a big mystery fan, but for Holmes stories I always made an exception. I guess it makes sense since Maggie and I are they're great granddaughters or something. However time is a precious thing and we could really mess up timelines and things if Holmes sees those books. There fore I have no choice but to burn them. I really don't want to but it has to be done. Time has to run it's course without our interference so goodbye to my books." She has written I started to page through the rest then stopped, read, and burst out laughing.
"Holmes." I said after I had regained some control of myself. "Holmes they wanted you to find this."
"What?" Holmes asked as he rushed over to me.
"Look, they have kept it in a hidden yet plain place for you to find it. Good God Holmes they taunt you for not finding it sooner." Tears where now running down my face. He took the book from me and started to read then he smiled a little himself.
"Well maybe they were doing the right thing. She seems sorry enough about losing her books. I would rather not know the further anyway. I know who threw the snowball. It was Jess. I will take care of THAT in the morning. Now let us retire so we can solve the case tomorrow." With that he walked into his room and left me alone with a smile on my face. I chuckled as I stood up.
"Should have let him trip into the wings while he was examining the stage." I muttered and started into my own room.
The next day Jess had been called into our room to receive a stern talking too about throwing snow on Holmes. Amanda then came in with breakfast and took Holmes coat off the floor with a frown.
"Umm, Mr. Holmes?" She asked.
"Not now, Amanda." He said angrily.
"But, Mr. Holmes." Her voice trailed off she walked over to me. "Why is there a gun in his pocket?" She asked.
"Gun?" Jess asked, coming out of her reverie for the first time since Holmes had started his tirade.
"Yes gun, and it is none of your concern." He said as walked toward Amanda.
"Wait, is that from the crime scene? You don't even have it wrapped! Do you know how many figure prints could be on there? What the hell are you thinking simply handling a gun like that?" Jess demanded.
"Jessy, forensics isn't as a big a thing in crime yet." Amanda said as she put a hand on her friend's shoulder and walking away from Holmes.
"True." Jess said as she physically calmed herself down. "What's the case about?" She asked.
"None of your concern." Holmes snapped as I started to tell them. Once I had finished Jess looked at Amanda and they took out the gun.
"It has some of it's bullets in it doesn't it?" Amanda asked.
"Well of course it does. Why?" Holmes asked.
"No real reason. We're just going to do an experiment." Jess said with a smile as she stacked some of the pillows on Holmes chair.
"Experiment? What kind of an experiment?" Holmes asked.
"Oh, you'll see. You might want to come sit over here though." Amanda said as she guided Holmes over to me.
"What-oh dear God, get down Watson!" Holmes cried as Jess cocked the gun and fired. I stood up after some feathers had settled on the floor. Jess and Amanda where crawling around looking for something.
"What on Earth? Mr. Holmes what have you done now?" Mrs. Hudson demanded as she and the other girls rushed upstairs.
"It wasn't me Mrs. Hudson." Holmes said as Jess held up the bullet.
"Here we are." She then ran over to Holmes chemistry table and Amanda pulled over the microscope.
"Make sure it's all lined up properly." Amanda added as she handed Jess the bullet that had been extracted from the deceased actor.
"I know." Jess said.
"What do you think your doing? Get away from my table, you don't even know how to work that!" Holmes cried. He was about to charge over when Bridget grabbed his arm.
"Stop, they're helping." She said. Holmes looked down at her and wrenched his arm free.
"What do you mean help?" He asked, gray eyes ablaze. She sighed and crossed her arms.
"Every gun makes different marks on a bullet when it is fired. Jess and Amanda want to see if the marks on the bullets match up. You simply find a part where the lines are the same and turn it slowly till you reach the starting spot or you reach lines that do not match." Bridget said in a bored manner. I started at Holmes in shock.
"These do not." Jess said excitedly as she handed Amanda the bullets.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"It means that the bullet that was used to kill the actor is not from the same gun that was given to us. Meaning that the gun was planted and that out young friend is innocent." Holmes said with a smile. He then took the bullets, and the gun from the girls. "Come Watson, to Scotland Yard." He said and started out the door. He paused. "Oh, and girls, well done. Now you best start to clean those feathers up being that you made the mess." With that he was gone, leaving the girls staring at the floor.
"That's not fair, you guys helped him!" Julie cried. I laughed and hurried after Holmes. It runs out that the owner of the theater had killed the actor. He had hired the troop because he thought they wouldn't make enough money, have to pay him and then he could close down his theater. Unfortunately they where starting to make a name for themselves and it didn't look as if his plan would work, so he killed the best actor in the troop. He then tried to make it appear as though his understudy had been the murderer by getting him drunk and planting the evidence on him but after he saw the evidence Holmes had he confessed. The real gun from the murder was in his office. The feathers still aren't cleaned up from our room; both Holmes and the girls refuse to clean them. Bridget now talks a bit more, even argues with Holmes about some plays. It seems that it will be a very interesting holidays this year.
AN: Wheeeee chapter two done. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I really appreciated the input and hope this one is better. *Gives out cookies to all who reviewed* the next chapter will be a Christmas chapter but I have to do some research on a Victorian Christmas before I can start to write it. I want what I put up here to be as accurate as possible. Hope everyone liked this now please click the pretty little button that says "review". Come on, ya know ya wanna.
Disclaimer: I don't own Holmes or Watson or any of them.I just like to make their lives as complicated as possible. * Winks*
AN: Thanks to everyone who gave me input in the last chapter. I'll try to do better with my spelling this time. Now I hope everyone enjoys the fic!
It has now been almost two weeks that the young ladies have been with us. They are quiet amusing and full of surprises. I have not been able to write because of a particularly interesting case and making sure that they are settled. About a week ago we got a visit from Lestrade again, this time he had no young ladies with him.
"They almost seem to belong here." Lestrade said as he watched the girls working. Suddenly Julie burned herself and a string of colorful curses and phrases flew from her mouth as Bridget pulled her into the kitchen to try to cool her hand. "Well almost."
"They are very interesting to observe." Holmes said as he sat down. He leaned forward, gray eyes narrowed a bit. "So what brings you here, Inspector. I doubt it is a social visit." Lestrade coughed and nodded. I sat down as well, ready to hear the case.
"It would appear that there has been a murder on the Lower East End, Holmes. An actor was walking home after a performance in which he played Hamlet and never reached home. When he didn't come to rehearsal the next day got called. You see the Company is very new, and very Bohemian. They come from America and while they say they are excellent, though not many people come to see them because of their location and a seedy reputation. So they needed this actor, he seems to have been very good. The case seems to be solved but, well something just doesn't seem to be adding up. All of the actors are very against our suspect." Lestrade then took some tea that Jess had brought in and took a sip of it. "I want you to come down and take a look at it." Jess looked at Holmes and raised an eyebrow. He opened his eyes, for he was sitting in his usual manner when hearing a case, and stood up.
"Sounds interesting enough. Up for a trip to the Lower East End, Watson?" he asked me. I nodded, after so long without a case I was up for anything, just so long as it meant that Holmes could occupy his time outside of the house.
"Are you going on a case?" Jess asked.
"Well yes he is." Lestrade answered before Holmes could. Jess smirked and ran down the stairs as Holmes glared at the Inspector.
"Holmes is going on a case!" We heard Jess cry. I laughed, as Holmes turned almost scarlet.
"At least she didn't fall this time, Holmes." I said; referring to the fact the girls all seemed to fall whenever they ran because of being unaccustomed to the skirts and shoes of our time. Holmes mumbled to himself about not even getting to go out to solve a case without a ruckus. We bundled ourselves in our coats and scarves because it was already getting cold and started downstairs.
"Will you tell us what the case is about?" Amanda asked, her large dark eyes following us.
"Yah, we could help." Maggie said. Bridget stood in the doorway to the kitchen rubbing a cooling cream onto Julie's hand. She still hadn't said more then two words to anyone but the other girls.
"Of course I won't tell you. What do you mean help? I don't need your help. Half of you can't even make biscuits let alone solve a case." Holmes said darkly.
"Hey!" Maggie cried.
"So?" Amanda asked.
"Can YOU make them?" Jess demanded. I looked at Lestrade, who was trying not to laugh as Holmes was attacked by three very put off girls.
"It doesn't matter if I can make a biscuit or not. I'm-"
"A really sad, lonely guy who has nothing better to do but make fun of us." Amanda supplied.
"You know their ability to make biscuits has no real baring whatsoever on solving crime." Julie said. Holmes stood fuming. He then shook his head and walked through the door.
"We'll be back girls, but don't wait up for us." I said as I took my walking stick from Jess.
"Bye, Watson." Julie chimed.
"Be careful!" Jess said as she handed Lestrade his hat.
"If Holmes falls down just leave him, He's a great all-powerful detective, he'll be fine." Maggie said. I laughed and walked out the door, Lestrade trailing me.
"Well that was interesting." He whispered to me.
"I've been watching it for the past week. It's most amusing." I said.
"Hurry up you two!" Holmes cried. We hurried after him to find a handsome cab.
"'Ah went to his flat an' he weren't there." I sighed as Sally, who played Gertrude finished her statement. The whole troop was from America and it didn't take me long to figure out that Sally was from the South. It was easy to see why the upper class wouldn't come to see the play. The entire troop had varying American accents, where all fairly poor, and the Theater itself was falling apart. It would appear that the leading man had been their best actor and they where horrified when he died. What had horrified them more was when his understudy was deemed the most likely suspect. He was a young man from New York who had talent but need experience. It turns out that he had no alibi for the night that the murder happened and seemed to be the one with the most to gain from it. The troop insisted that he was innocent though, that he would never do that to his mentor. He also claimed his innocence, but could not ell us where he was that night, except that he had been drinking at the theater and had woken up there. The murder weapon, a gun was found in his jacket and all the evidence seemed to point at him. Holmes took the gun and the bullet from the crime so he could give it to Lestrade when we would see him the next day. As we walked up the street to our house I could see no way to prove the young man innocent but also felt that he was not guilty. After questioning the players further we decided upon going home. I sighed to see that it was nearly nine when we reached the street before ours.
"This is most interesting, Watson." Holmes said. "This young man seems guilty yet why would he want to kill the man who obviously was the best for keeping his little company together so they could find some success?"
"I don't see why Holmes, I think the fellow is innocent but it all seems to led to him." Holmes nodded and was about to speak further when a snowball hit him in the head. I looked around to see no one out, the girls windows where closed and the house was dark. "What on earth?" I asked. Holmes however was running toward the house. He threw the door open and I could hear him running up the stairs. I hurried after him and found his looking threw the girls rooms.
"Holmes, they will wake up." I hissed.
"No they won't Watson." He whispered. "All of them but, Bridget are deep sleepers. Besides, two of them are still awake. Aren't I right Amanda?" He asked. The dark hair girl didn't stir. "Very well, but I will find out who threw that and I will extract revenge. Just so you know that." Suddenly he slipped a small book in his pocket and ushered me to our rooms.
"Holmes, what did you take?" I asked as he shock the snow from his coat.
"A way to find out more about our young charges my good fellow." He said as he opened the book. "Aha, yes it is as I expected." I sighed and sat down to watch him read. I was starting to drift off into sleep when I heard him start to yell.
"What is it Holmes?" I asked groggily.
"Look for yourself Watson. Look at what your girl did." He gave me to the book and started to pace. I sat up to read it and found myself smiling. It was a book that all of the girls where writing their observations in. What made me smile was the fact that Bridget had brought with her copies of Holmes adventures and after many tears and arguing with the others had burned them.
"Withholding what could be critical information, Watson. I ought to have Mrs. Hudson wallop her." He cried as he waved his hands. I smiled a bit more as I reread her words.
"I have never been a big mystery fan, but for Holmes stories I always made an exception. I guess it makes sense since Maggie and I are they're great granddaughters or something. However time is a precious thing and we could really mess up timelines and things if Holmes sees those books. There fore I have no choice but to burn them. I really don't want to but it has to be done. Time has to run it's course without our interference so goodbye to my books." She has written I started to page through the rest then stopped, read, and burst out laughing.
"Holmes." I said after I had regained some control of myself. "Holmes they wanted you to find this."
"What?" Holmes asked as he rushed over to me.
"Look, they have kept it in a hidden yet plain place for you to find it. Good God Holmes they taunt you for not finding it sooner." Tears where now running down my face. He took the book from me and started to read then he smiled a little himself.
"Well maybe they were doing the right thing. She seems sorry enough about losing her books. I would rather not know the further anyway. I know who threw the snowball. It was Jess. I will take care of THAT in the morning. Now let us retire so we can solve the case tomorrow." With that he walked into his room and left me alone with a smile on my face. I chuckled as I stood up.
"Should have let him trip into the wings while he was examining the stage." I muttered and started into my own room.
The next day Jess had been called into our room to receive a stern talking too about throwing snow on Holmes. Amanda then came in with breakfast and took Holmes coat off the floor with a frown.
"Umm, Mr. Holmes?" She asked.
"Not now, Amanda." He said angrily.
"But, Mr. Holmes." Her voice trailed off she walked over to me. "Why is there a gun in his pocket?" She asked.
"Gun?" Jess asked, coming out of her reverie for the first time since Holmes had started his tirade.
"Yes gun, and it is none of your concern." He said as walked toward Amanda.
"Wait, is that from the crime scene? You don't even have it wrapped! Do you know how many figure prints could be on there? What the hell are you thinking simply handling a gun like that?" Jess demanded.
"Jessy, forensics isn't as a big a thing in crime yet." Amanda said as she put a hand on her friend's shoulder and walking away from Holmes.
"True." Jess said as she physically calmed herself down. "What's the case about?" She asked.
"None of your concern." Holmes snapped as I started to tell them. Once I had finished Jess looked at Amanda and they took out the gun.
"It has some of it's bullets in it doesn't it?" Amanda asked.
"Well of course it does. Why?" Holmes asked.
"No real reason. We're just going to do an experiment." Jess said with a smile as she stacked some of the pillows on Holmes chair.
"Experiment? What kind of an experiment?" Holmes asked.
"Oh, you'll see. You might want to come sit over here though." Amanda said as she guided Holmes over to me.
"What-oh dear God, get down Watson!" Holmes cried as Jess cocked the gun and fired. I stood up after some feathers had settled on the floor. Jess and Amanda where crawling around looking for something.
"What on Earth? Mr. Holmes what have you done now?" Mrs. Hudson demanded as she and the other girls rushed upstairs.
"It wasn't me Mrs. Hudson." Holmes said as Jess held up the bullet.
"Here we are." She then ran over to Holmes chemistry table and Amanda pulled over the microscope.
"Make sure it's all lined up properly." Amanda added as she handed Jess the bullet that had been extracted from the deceased actor.
"I know." Jess said.
"What do you think your doing? Get away from my table, you don't even know how to work that!" Holmes cried. He was about to charge over when Bridget grabbed his arm.
"Stop, they're helping." She said. Holmes looked down at her and wrenched his arm free.
"What do you mean help?" He asked, gray eyes ablaze. She sighed and crossed her arms.
"Every gun makes different marks on a bullet when it is fired. Jess and Amanda want to see if the marks on the bullets match up. You simply find a part where the lines are the same and turn it slowly till you reach the starting spot or you reach lines that do not match." Bridget said in a bored manner. I started at Holmes in shock.
"These do not." Jess said excitedly as she handed Amanda the bullets.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"It means that the bullet that was used to kill the actor is not from the same gun that was given to us. Meaning that the gun was planted and that out young friend is innocent." Holmes said with a smile. He then took the bullets, and the gun from the girls. "Come Watson, to Scotland Yard." He said and started out the door. He paused. "Oh, and girls, well done. Now you best start to clean those feathers up being that you made the mess." With that he was gone, leaving the girls staring at the floor.
"That's not fair, you guys helped him!" Julie cried. I laughed and hurried after Holmes. It runs out that the owner of the theater had killed the actor. He had hired the troop because he thought they wouldn't make enough money, have to pay him and then he could close down his theater. Unfortunately they where starting to make a name for themselves and it didn't look as if his plan would work, so he killed the best actor in the troop. He then tried to make it appear as though his understudy had been the murderer by getting him drunk and planting the evidence on him but after he saw the evidence Holmes had he confessed. The real gun from the murder was in his office. The feathers still aren't cleaned up from our room; both Holmes and the girls refuse to clean them. Bridget now talks a bit more, even argues with Holmes about some plays. It seems that it will be a very interesting holidays this year.
AN: Wheeeee chapter two done. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I really appreciated the input and hope this one is better. *Gives out cookies to all who reviewed* the next chapter will be a Christmas chapter but I have to do some research on a Victorian Christmas before I can start to write it. I want what I put up here to be as accurate as possible. Hope everyone liked this now please click the pretty little button that says "review". Come on, ya know ya wanna.