Sherlock Holmes and the case of the Blind Duchess

Chapter 6

     The grand estate was eerily quiet when under the drape of night, with only faint rustles of wind against the many windows breaking the silence for the men who were on guard. Watson, who had posted himself outside the Duchess' chamber, was unfazed by the atmosphere. He was used to sitting in a trench waiting for hundreds of men to try to kill him, so he was used to the unnerving wait of what was to come. While the wait of this responsibly was still heavy on his mind, he could tell that the men Lestrade left behind were a little more tense than the good doctor was. Watson could hear their heavy sighs of frustration as they moved about like shadows, their boots barely making a sound on the stone floors as they patrolled about. The duchess was exhausted when she retired to her chambers but appeared determined to remain calm and give the men that were there to help her a chance as she locked the door behind her. The tension in the air was intense, as the men waited patiently as the clocks were counting down to the moment they all knew the mysterious intruder would return.

     Watson consulted his pocket watch often, as the hour was well past midnight and despite the heightened security, there was no sign of the intruder who had been threatening the duchess. Watson shared a glance with one of Lestrade's officers, who nodded back at the doctor other side of the hallway. Something gnawed at both men, a gut instinct that Holmes would often dismiss but was something that Watson himself refused to ignore. He had a feeling that something was about to happen. Suddenly, a low creaking sound was caught by Watson's ears, as he sharply turned toward the Duchess's door. It wasn't the sound of footsteps in the corridor, as it came from inside her grace's room. Watson signaled the nearby officer, who took a few steps closer, but stopped when Watson waved him back. There were no other sounds, so Watson determined that there was not enough activity to warrant opening the door to interrupt her grace's sleep.

     Inside the chambers, the dim moonlight filtered through the curtains casting long shadows across the room. The Duchess lay still in her bed, and her breathing steady but surprisingly calm. Yet near the far corner of the room, Watson's instincts were actually correct as something was amiss. A section of the wall was slowly sliding open, revealing a hidden door that led into a dark passageway. A man emerged from the secret entrance, dressed in black from head to toe, his features obscured by the shadows. The intruder moved with careful, deliberate steps toward the bed and then began to speak when he was within a few feet.

     "Your Grace," the intruder started, "You will die in five days."

     Before the man could make another move, there was a sound that caught his attention. The clicking sound was right behind his head, and it was the cocking of a gun that was in the hand of the man standing right behind him.

     "She may only have five days," Sherlock Holmes replied, "But your time is up right now."

     The intruder froze, his surprise evident. He spun around, and there before him stood Holmes who was wearing a skintight body suit, that had a floral design that looked like it belonged on furniture. The intruder took a step back as he was trying to figure out how he might be able to get around the man with the gun and back to secret passage that allowed him in. Holmes was unwilling to let him think for too long as he pointed the gun away from the intruder and fired at one of the windows, aware of commotion it would cause.

     The shot rang out for all to hear, and Watson came storming into the room with Lestrade's men and they were all shocked to see Holmes standing there with the intruder at gunpoint. Rather than question his friend's surprising presence, Watson rushed forward to assist never taking eyes, or his own gun, off the intruder.

     "You won't get away this time!" Watson called out, his voice steady as adrenaline pumped through him. "Hands in the air, right now!"

     The intruder briefly paused before realizing he had been outmaneuvered. Lestrade's officers moved in and immediately took the man into custody.