A Study in Chicanery

Chapter 9 A Quite Curious Encounter

And that chaps, is how I left her. With my grainy black and white movie still playing out in my mind. She just was standing there puzzled, a wealthy lady in fancy dress, unknowingly watching the dashing stranger leave with the "fortune" in jewels she thought she still was wearing. She innocently watched me as I left the room with her "diamonds" in my scoundrel's possession!

However, it was my turn to look puzzled as I went out, Ginny was nowhere to be seen! I quickly looked around, then headed to the elevator and rode down in it, alone at this early morning hour, to the lobby.

I arrived there, and at first, the lobby appeared deserted, 'cept for a lonely desk clerk with her head buried in a novel. Then breathed a sigh of relief, there, around a corner, Ginny stood talking to some older lady wearing a garish grey pantsuit, with this blue-tinted helmet of curly hair covered by a large silk headscarf, and carrying an overlarge purse. I suddenly realized that now my anxiety had gone, another urge had taken its place. Ginny looked up and smiles happily at me, and I smiled back, indicated that I had to go for a minute, and headed meself to the loo.

Coming out after I finished, I saw that the lobby was actually now really empty, not even the desk clerk was visible. Thinking Ginny may have gone back upstairs, I first went to the hotels' double doors to chance a look outside onto the street below. I just caught sight of a wisp of black gown moving just out of sight past the stairs, on the now smoggy sidewalk below.

I headed out, and there was Ginny!  She was swishingly walking with the Blue haired stranger! Apparently, they were looking for something on the ground.

I started wondering if Ginny had invited this stranger to go on out walk with us? But no, apparently the blue-haired lady in the unfortunate grey pantsuit had discovered her keys were missing and thought they had dropped somewhere after getting out of a taxi just around the corner. And Ginny, bless her kind heated soul, had offered to help the distressed lady look for them.

As Ginny was telling me all this after I had caught up, the blue-haired older lady, her cheerful face now stern, had started rummaging in her large shoulder bag, I sneaked a peek over her shoulder and saw that is contained quite an amazing assortment of items, ( no wonder it had to be so big). Suddenly she uttered an exclamation, found them she said, triumphantly pulling out an interesting assortment of skeleton type keys on a small ring. Happily smiling at Ginny, she pulled her into an enveloping hug for her efforts, before quickly leaving, but not without first giving me a sidelong glance with a disapproving look from her now pursed–lipped mouth as she passed. But I at the time put it down as her just being stressed out from believing she had misplaced her keys.

I am so glad she found her keys remarked Ginny, taking up my hand. That lady was ever so nice, she wanted to know where I had been dressed up all pretty like I am, and when I told her about the wedding, she said it must have been lovely. Then she admired me dress and rhinestones. Then I asked if me the ruby ring was a gift from the bride.

"Liked your ring huh?" , I asked Ginny, my mind clearing up a little. " Oh yes!" she said, lifted my hand," looked closely at it an everything!"

Then the poor dear missed her keys and asked if I could be a dear and help her look outside, and that was that until you showed up. (Looking outside for keys at 2:30 in the morning? I thought to myself) As I said ti Ginny, it is a pretty ring, and taking her arm, we started down the block together.

My mind, now somewhat attuned to the reality of things, went back to the blue-haired lady and her large shoulder bag. Among some of the various items, I had seen had been a penknife, a length of old silk sash cord, a small bundle of lacy handkerchiefs, and a small torch! Then add in the odd assortment of keys on her "misplaced" keyring, and put it all together, it all began to sum up to a new, slightly more sinister meaning of her intentions, was my take on the episode.

Up Next

The Final Chapter

Chapter 10

Thieves Den