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Miss Holmes

An Unwanted Encounter

The day after the ball at Cosgrove Terrace, I was inon a new project Like Uncle Sherlock, I spent a great a treatises On this particular day, I wasnotations for an instructional paper I intended to write regarding the residues of various powders and creams, in particular those found in a woman&039;s boudoir

Unfortunately, I found ; in particular, the brazen actions of ered not only our persons, but our mission I had no inclination to continue to partner with such a capricious person And much as I wanted to speak with Miss Adler about the situation, the lady wouldn&039;t arrive at her offices at the museum until two o&039;clock Thus I had to wait until then to travel across town and apprise her of the events of last night

I was about to set flaeranium-scented Danish facial pohen I was interrupted by a knock on the door I extinguished the flaer-size steaoggles

Mrs Raskill had learned early on not to heedlessly follow these instructions, but to enter the laboratory with care Her hesitation steo when she&039;d walked in during an experiment with bees I was properly protected, but she, alas, was not The s she acquired was one of the reasons she wasn&039;t a particularly attentive chaperone I could be in the laboratory for days, and she wouldn&039;t notice, for she only bothered me if necessary

"A parcel has arrived for you," she said, poking her head around the door as her eyes scanned the chae? I was i some sort of reaction or response fro letter Possibly a package After all, both ularly received such articles, and my uncle had been in perilous situations more than once

"How did it co it in speculation

"It&039;s from the Met," Mrs Raskill told me

My concerns dissipated in a rush of disappoint to deter off the boht be inside However, as the Met was a reference to the Metropolitan Police, my concerns were alleviated There was no reason the police would send me a bomb But nor could I fathoe of any type

Apparently deciding it was safe to breach ray-streaked black hair was pulled into a no-nonsense bun at the back of her head Not one tendril dared escape, even during her most active days I often wondered whether she used soh our housekeeper barely reached ed to convey a sense of disapproval as she handed e about the size of a small book I wasn&039;t certain if today&039;s disapproval was due to the disarray of my lab or the implication that I was involved with the police

I took the parcel, exa it closely

Atop: my name written neatly, but with reat haste Left-handed

No other s were yesterday&039;s newspaper; little clue as to the sender I began to pull the paper off and the object slipped out and clattered to the table

"What in land&039;s end is that?" Mrs Raskill exclaiawk at the sleekof iled as I picked up the device that had lately been in the possession of Mr Dylan Eckhert Why would he send this back toit from my bedchamber?

Or had so like that before," Mrs Raskill said Her tiny, rabbit-like nose was fairly wriggling with curiosity "Is it a fancy mirror? What does it do?"

"It could be an explosive," I suggested, hefting it into appear concerned

She edged away "I&039;d best get back to the kitchen The blooain I&039;ll be havin&039; Ben comin&039; by to take a look at it later Maybe you&039;ll invite him to dinner"

Ben was Mrs Raskill&039;s cloud-headed nephew, and although he was quite co mechanical devices, he was not at all the sort of company I preferred for dinner I didn&039;t actually prefer any company for dinner-or any other meal, for that requiredor experi in favor of inane conversation on topics such as whether it had been foggy, drizzling, or foggy and drizzling today

"Thank you, Mrs Raskill," I said, still staring down at the device Mr Eckhert had said it was a type of telephone, but once again, I couldn&039;t see how

As the housekeeper took herself off, I picked up the newspaper wrapping to see if anything else was enclosed Inside, I found a further e It was short and simple: Please come I&039;m in jail

I considered whether I wanted to have further involvea note in gratitude for my hospitality, and who sneaked into my bedchaot the best of ravation toward Miss Stoker

Imy journey across town, and nofrom a street-lift at the lowest level of Northumberland-avenue The police commissioner and his men entered the offices at Lower Whitehall No 4, but the public cah the rear entrance off Great Scotland Yard, which was how the police headquarters got its familiar name

For all my uncle&039;s complaints about the Met and the incoation Division, the individuals Ime to find Mr Eckhert I&039;m certain my surname was an incentive

Mo, dark staircase to a subterranean cell-lined hall We passed several chay, scented with sweat, blood, and other unpleasant aromas, until at last we reached Mr Eckhert&039;s cell

"Mina!" he said when he saw me He clambered to his feet from where he&039;d been slu over, he grabbed the bars with both hands "Thank God you came!"

I concealed iven nae Instead, I turned to the constable "Thank you," I said, dis hi in here?" I said, turning back to Mr Eckhert "Did you come upon another murder scene?" I noted he&039;d stolen clothes from my father&039;s closet

The trousers were the correct length, and the shoes seemed to fit But the coat and shirtwaist were too ru slender elsewhere, my father has a healthy paunch The prisoner had either lost his gloves and neckcloth or hadn&039;t seen fit to obtain either from ," Mr Eckhert said, pressing his face into the h His nose and a s of blond hair protruded from between the bars "I didn&039;t knoho else to call or what to do Thank you"

"What happened?" I asked again, feeling a twinge of sys Even dirty and a bit pungent, he was still very handsoratitude