Family Secrets
An Hope Holmes Adventure Chapter XXXII
Faith Robin
"Is anything missing?" I heard Mycroft say.
"No sir," It looks as if she hasn't been in here," the clerk said. I heard Watson muttering to himself. He moved towards my hiding place. I heard the bed squeak from the weight of someone sitting on the bed.
'Egad! I hope Granger has enough sense to keep quiet,' I thought to myself as I covered my mouth to keep my mouth shut. I heard the footsteps of Watson coming closer. I scarcely dared to breathe. The footsteps moved away.
"Well if she comes back will you please tell her that we wish to have a word with her?" I heard my overprotective uncle ask.
"Of course Mr.…" The clerk said trailing off.
"Mr. Holmes," Mycroft said walking out of the room and Watson followed him down the stairway. The clerk went out of the room, locking the door behind him. I waited until I could not hear any more sounds except the tick of the clock on the mantle. I crept out of my dusty hiding place.
"Russell," I whispered to Granger as I dusted off my dress. She crawled out from under the narrow bed. She was covered in dust bunnies.
"Are you alright Granger?" She asked me while I dusted her off.
"I'm fine," I said stifling a sneeze. 'Confound my allergies,' I thought. "Now its time for you to take my place," I whispered fixing her dyed hair. She took a breath to calm her shaking body.
"I'm ready," she said copying my voice. She opened the hotel door and I followed her out. Granger locked the door behind us. I went down the stairs first.
'Steady girl, steady, you can do this, now, look casual and walk outside.' I commanded myself as I looked at the door ahead. Watson and my uncle were standing at the door, waiting to spirit me away to the Diogenes Club where I would be under lock, key and guard. They took no notice of me as walked past them to the door. Watson held the door open for me.
"Thank you," I said graciously in Grangers' voice. I stepped outside and hailed a cab for myself. Then I sat in the cab and watched as Mycroft and Watson apprehended my double. Granger had her arm looped in my Uncle's; she looked completely crestfallen as if she had failed her mission. Watson Hailed a cab and they rode away. I rode my cab to the park.
Granger had told me that the colonel liked to take strolls in the park at around this time. The perfect time to get caught. I paid the cabbie and strolled thru the park. I sat down on the bench and waited for my soon to be captor to arrive. I saw Moriarty from a distance walking towards me. I ignored him as he came closer. Then he spotted me.
He started to walk towards me. I pretended to just notice him and stood and glided away quickly.
'I have to make it look like a desperate attempt to get away,' I thought as I heard his footsteps come closer. I walked to the other side of the street and tried to lose him sloppily with an alley. He caught me.
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