When they knocked on the door, Irene opened wearing just a loose golden silk robe with a crimson rose painted on the side.
"Sherlock. What a pleasant surprise." She said seductively. When she saw John she raised her eyebrows with surprise. "And John, hmm, this should be more interesting then I anticipated." she said, winking at the doctor.
John felt his face hot and knew he was blushing.
"We're not here to indulge your deviations." Sherlock said harsh, entering the room without waiting for her invitation and seeing two open bags almost full of clothes. He smiled with the confirmation that he had just prevented her escape.
"Pity." She said closing the door after John entered the room. "That would be much more fun for sure. Some coffee? Tea?" She said, offering from the cart full of food.
"I'll be brief since I'm late for another appointment. I'll have the diamond, please." He said offering his open palm.
Irene sat on the couch sipping some coffee she had poured for herself and with a puzzled expression. "I'm sorry?"
Sherlock sighed. "Don't waste my time with lies. I know it was you."
"Oh, and you're always right, aren't you?" She said amused. "But I really don't know what you're talking about. What diamond?"
"The Blue Diamond." John said. "It's been stolen and Baron Crozon hired Sherlock to retrieve it. We were on our way to see the Baron but we stopped here instead."
"Yes, so we can take the diamond back to his rightful owner."
Irene expression hardened a little and she looked worried, which Sherlock assumed was as good as a confession.
"And why do you think I have anything to do with this?" she asked.
Sherlock smiled again. "You had tried to steal the Diamond twice before. In Paris, two years ago, the Baron's mother, who were wearing the ring at an opening night at the opera, was drugged and moved from her box by an oriental employee who tried to remove the ring from her and was stopped by the sudden appearance of the family doctor who unexpectedly was also at the opera. He entered the room before the thief could manage her misfit, but she was able to escape. Coincidentally, you were in Paris at that same night, attending an American theater festival.
"Second time it was in Nice, last year. A man named Harry Gale broke into the Baron's summer house in an attempt to steal the Diamond, that had been moved from Paris by the Baron's second wife without his knowledge. He underestimated the summer house's security and was caught in sight. He claimed he act alone, but his previous employment was as an actor, in a company that you were also part of."
Irene grinned and looked almost proud.
"You cannot prove my involvement in any of theses events." She said playful.
Sherlock approached the couch and spoke smoothly to her.
"I know it was you."
"I didn't even set foot in Nice last year."
"No, but at the time of the robbery you were in Greece. And when he was caught, Harry Gale had a ticket for a flight to Greece at that same night."
"I'm really flattered that you've been so interested in my life, but still, no evidence."
"It's not a coincidence that you decided to drop by for a visit at the same day the Blue Diamond is moved from Paris to London, very poorly guarded. Unfortunately the Baron requested me not to involve the police. So I guess I'll have to wait for another mistake to put you to jail. But I'll accept the fact that I outwitted you this time."
"Oh, did you?" Irene asked now in midst of laughter.
"Enough with this game." Sherlock screamed loosing his patient. "Now, give me the diamond."
"Sorry. Don't have it."
"I don't believe you." Sherlock stated.
"Well, too bad. Now, since we don't seem to be getting anywhere with this conversation, and you're not going to call the police. Would you please leave, so I can finish packing. I have a plane to catch."
Sherlock sat on the four-posted bed and crossed his arms and legs.
Irene sighed with impatience.
"Maybe if you told us what you've done since you left Baker Street yesterday, we could establish if you're telling the truth." said John.
"She's not." Sherlock just said.
Irene walked to the bed and sat by Sherlock's side. The sweet and exotic perfume hit him and brought with it memories of sensations from the previous night. A shiver ran through his spine and he breathed to control it. He looked at John and felt safe. Good thing John was there.
"I know you don't trust me, Sherlock." She said smoothly running her long fingers through the collar of his shirt. Another shiver he ignored. "But I'm telling the truth this time. I've got nothing to do with the stealing of the Blue Diamond." Her hand began to move down to his chest, tracing his collar bone. "You're being paranoid." she whispered leaning closer to him.
The sound of a click and the feeling of cold metal against her wrist made her pull back quickly, but not enough to prevent Sherlock from cuffing her other hand. "Oh, you and these damn handcuffs." she snapped.
"So you don't mind if we look around, do you?" Sherlock said standing up from the bed and leaving her arms tied around the bedpost.
She struggled for a while, until she took a deep breath and relaxed. "No, of course not, be my guest."
One hour later, all Irene's belongings were on the floor, the room's furniture was upside down and there was no sign of the diamond. Sherlock has broken into Irene's computer and was going through her files. Lots of interesting information for the file he had on her, but no evidence of anything illegal, nor any clues on the diamond's whereabouts.
John sat on the bed by Irene's side. "Maybe, we should consider the possibility that she's telling the truth." he said.
Sherlock ignored him and kept typing on the computer. Then his phone rang and he picked up.
"Yes, Baron, this is Sherlock Holmes. I'm sorry for my delay but I had to make a stop on the way to your office. I expected to have developments to show you. I'll explain when I arrive."
He ended the conversation, closed the lid of the laptop and stood up walking in the direction of the bed.
"The diamond isn't here."
"I recall telling you that an hour ago." Irene said sarcastically.
"So, you have it stashed somewhere else. No keys to safety deposit boxes nor tickets to external lockers. So, I have to assume it's being held in a place between here and the airport, possibly by an accomplice or someone who doesn't even know it's guarding it for you. You didn't have time to sell it and it's not a commissioned job. The diamond is personal to you."
John opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Sherlock.
"Yes, John, you think she's innocent, I got that." Sherlock said harsh. He turned back to Irene. "Either way, if you don't show up to pick up the ring, someone will contact you about it and I'll have a lead. So, I'm not letting you out of my sight until then."
Irene snapped. "Oh, why won't you listen to me? I didn't steal the diamond. Period."
"Maybe we should believe her, Sherlock." Said John.
"Why?" Sherlock asked him. "Why should I believe she didn't do it? All the facts point to her." Sherlock said slowly, controlling his voice. "She had motive and opportunity. The diamond had fled her hands two previous times and she's proud enough to see that as a personal challenge. The diamond was away from his usually unbreakable security in the same country, in the same city that she was. She is a highly skilled thief and could easily arrange all evidences so she didn't get implicate directly. She has done so numerous times before."
"Except I didn't this time." She said.
"Why?" Sherlock asked her. "Tell me why would you not try to steal something you had tried to steal two times before when it was so easy for you?"
"Because stealing is wrong." Irene said with a smirk.
Sherlock remained coldly staring at her and her smile subsided. He knew her as well as she knew him. In essence they were very alike. She was as incapable of walking away from an easy con as Sherlock was incapable of ignoring an interesting case or a riddle, and that was where his certainty lay.
She sighed and looked away, knowing she could not give him the answer that would get him off her back. It was a lot riskier for both of them.
Sherlock looked at John as to settle the argument with him. John nodded and didn't say another word to support Irene's version, although he still felt there was something strangely off about the stubbornness of both of them.
"You should ask the Baron about the buyer and if there was any one else interested." Irene said.
"You decided to help now?" Sherlock asked sarcastically. John just looked surprised.
"I decided I don't care if you believe me or not. The sooner you get this diamond, the sooner you'll be off my back, so let's find the fucking diamond." she said resilient.
"It would be easier if you just told us where it is." Sherlock said.
Irene smiled with the corner of her mouth. "Since when do you like it easy?" she asked teasingly.
Sherlock smiled back at her, accepting happily the challenge. "Fair enough." he freed her and threw her some clothes. "Get dressed. We're going to see the Baron."