Chapter 13 - Sherlock Holmes

When Becca and the animals reached the right destination, the girl knocked on the door. A few seconds later, the door was opened by an elderly man who had a bald head white white sideburns and mustache, and was wearing a black and white suit. "Good morning," he said, "How may I help you lot?"
"Are you Dr. Watson?" asked Mystery.
"Why, yes!" replied the doctor, "What brings you here to Baker Street?"
"We're looking for Sherlock Holmes," said Becca, "Is he around?"
"As a matter of fact, he is," said Dr. Watson, "Allow me to lead you inside to me him!" The doctor took the friends inside the apartment, where they saw a young man sitting in an armchair and smoking a pipe while reading a newspaper. "My dear Watson," said the young man, "It appears to me that we have unexpected company."
"Of course," said Dr. Watson, "Allow me to introduce you to uh, er-" he looked at Becca and asked, "What is your name, miss?"
"Becca Ridges," the girl replied, "My friends and I were wondering if you could help us." The young man sat up from his chair and stepped forward toward Becca, introducing himself as Sherlock Holmes. Mystery cleared his throat and said, "Well if it isn't my dear friend Mr. Holmes!" he cried, rushing into the detective's arms to hug him. Sherlock immediately recognized the fisher as his friend. "My dear Mystery!" said the detective, "What brings you and your friends here onto Baker Street?"
"Well, sir," said Mystery, "Becca is on a special quest, and I was wondering if you and Dr. Watson may be able to help us for a little while."
"Elementary, my dear," Sherlock said to Becca, "I, too, am on a quest. Well, if you would call it a quest, but it's more of a mystery involving a carbuncle."
"Ewww!" said Becca, but then she remembered her manners, "Excuse me. It's just that-"
"I know what you mean," said Holmes, "Tis not that kind of carbuncle. It is a kind of diamond that is supposed to be owned by the Countess of Morcar; however, I have received news that it has been stolen! So Dr. Watson and I were just getting ready to set out when you came knocking on my door. Are you on the same mission, too?"

Becca thought for a while, but she was still thinking about getting home. The girl missed her mother's smile and her father's cheerful laugh already; however, her look of worry turned to determination when she said, "It's kind of a long story, but I was on a trip with my class from school when something odd happened and I ended up here. I'm trying to get home, but maybe I could spare a little time to try and help you."
"Splendid!" said Dr. Watson, "Starting this minute, we should all head out to the hotel where the carbuncle was stolen!" So Watson and Holmes put on their coats and grabbed their detective kit, with Becca and the animals following. Sci Fi wasn't so sure if Becca should be tagging along on something that seemed dangerous, so she whispered to Mystery, "Are you sure you want this girl to be solving mysteries right now? I saw that she was looking a little worried about her other quest."
"Not to worry," Mystery whispered back, "Something inside me is saying that Becca needs to pass a test here in my section." Sci Fi just shrugged her shoulders and kept on walking with the others.

Meanwhile, Holmes signaled a cabby coachman driving a horse and carriage to stop by the street. When the coachman arrived and opened his carriage door, Holmes and Watson signaled to Becca to step in. "Ladies first!" said Dr. Watson.
"Why thank you," Becca said, curtseying a little bit. When she sat down inside, she wondered why she curtseyed to the men. Have I done this before, she thought. Her thoughts were interrupted when her new friends hopped into the carriage beside her. The coach then started moving, and the horse trotted a snappy pace to the hotel where the carbuncle was stolen.