2nd Dec Prompt 2022 from goodpenmanship: magnifying glass.
Magnifying Glass
She glanced around, and held her breath and tiptoed through the room;
A noiseless shift of curtains, shafts of light dispelled the gloom.
And there it was, upon the parlour table, as she'd thought.
A handkerchief served well, no fingerprints on what she sought
A Bradshaws' train time circled meant she had two hours or more
To clarify the culprits, put things back just as before.
She headed back downstairs ( no need to count…still seventeen)
And entered her domain, beloved kitchen; now crime scene.
She sighed, reviewed the evidence, took out a little list,
And ticked off every item, was there anything she'd missed?
A tray of tarts intended for her neighbours…eight not ten;
A baker's dozen gingerbread small figures… lacked two men;
A fruit cake, iced and ready, had been turned to hide a slice,
Now marring its circumference, a blade had pierced it…twice!
Her pudding looked untouched…but closer scrutiny revealed
The hollow space, a reconstructed crumb-based wall concealed.
~0~
She held the purloined item, raised it slowly to her eye;
It helped to have a handy tool to scan and magnify
Her well- scrubbed kitchen table, and identify each clue.
Conclusions must be watertight, although she thought she knew
Which criminals had raided her first batch of festive fare.
An envelope, in which she placed each broken thread, stray hair
Was sealed and thus made ready for the errant knaves' return.
They thought they'd got away with it! Perhaps, one day, they'd learn.
A likely knife was dusted for a set of fingerprints;
(She'd picked up, from her tenants, many handy little hints.)
Then off to check the coat hooks and to borrow what was there,
For threads and hairs…some samples she could contrast and compare.
She put two files together, neatly labelled, found some glue,
Stuck down her tiny samples and her coat hook findings, too.
She checked the magnifying glass for prints and wiped it clean,
Then put in back from whence it came; they'd never guess she'd been.
~0~
Feet clattered in the hall , she greeted both; a frosty smile;
Then, as they reached the kitchen door, she handed each a file…
Ten minutes passed, before her sheepish tenants came to call;
They looked down at her freshly polished tiles, confessed it all.
They offered her an evening out, at Simpsons in the Strand,
Apologised profusely that their greed got out of hand.
Ingredients were purchased to replace the goods she'd lost;
(Temptation, not resisted, tends to have a higher cost.)
Holmes knew she must have somehow used his magnifying glass;
Declaring her deductions as impeccable, first class.
She solemnly accepted all they offered, just this time.
( But, secretly, was thrilled with her success in solving crime.)
~0~