Here is the fourth 'adventure' in The Sherlock Revival project.
I feel that this is my most elaborate so far and I put a lot of effort into this longer adventure.
I hope that it is adequate...
In chronicling Holmes's adventures I had some lapses in his profession where he wouldn't work for weeks due to lack of interest in cases. This case is one of Holmes's finest and marks a bright time in an otherwise bleak few months.
For quite some while Holmes hadn't called and I was beginning to fear that his profession was dead in the water. Of late Holmes had began consider his own future and had stated that detective work was becoming less invigorating and more homogenized with other career pursuits.
I of course knew little of such matters and found myself more and more drawn into the world of the practitioner. I had regulars and irregulars and found nearly all of my time consumed by my duties to the public.
After I retired to my home following a long day at the practice my wife asked me if everything was okay.
"I am fine my dear, just tired. I do adore my practice but i'm quite certain that these hours are slowly draining me of life!"
My wife is a kind, loving woman and came to my side to comfort me.
"You look tired John. Maybe you should cut your hours a little. I'm sure the people can stand a few hours less contact with you each day."
She looked me in the eyes and caressed my face.
"I could do with a little more you as it is."
And then a knock came at the door.
I left her embrace and slipped down the darkened stair to the front door for we didn't have a houseboy to assist in such matters.
"Watson" came the greeting from our visitor and I stepped back in surprise to see Holmes already coming into the house. I followed him as he strode through the doorway and through into out living room.
"Holmes! Whatever has gotten into you?" I asked with strength for his behaviour was most out of the ordinary.
He turned to me and looked as alive and healthy as I had ever sen him.
"I've quite the case Watson, quite the case."
He sat down upon one of our armchairs and began the slow process of preparing his pipe whilst I sat down opposite and waited. When he was finally smoking I asked the questions that had been burning my mind.
"Where have you been these last weeks? I've not bee able to contact you for quite some time now."
Holmes waved aside my question and replied quickly "Oh I've been busy out and about. But this case. It really is quite magnificent."
I could see that I wouldn't be getting anywhere unless I asked him more about the case so I invited him to tell me more and so he began to tell the story of the winding stair.
"A little man came to me not two weeks back and seemed in the most agitated state. He was a wealthy bachelor I could see immediately but was running low on funds and had probably been brought up in one of the country's top boy's schools. I supposed Eton."
I had to interrupt Holmes, for his assertions were surely impossible to deduce.
"Ah my dear Watson. You forget how I just use my eyes and analysis a little better than most.
This man wore no ring upon his finger and thus could not be married. His clothing was labelled by a wealthy Taylor named 'P. Woodcock.' but had signs of wear at the elbows and one small patch upon the left inside arm.. And from the slant of his bowler hat I could tell that he had been used to wearing the wide, shallow hats of Eton or perhaps Harrow at some point in his life."
I nodded with awe at his peculiarly astute skills of deduction and asked him to continue.
"After I had managed to get him seated he told me that his name was Mr Harry Spinner and then began to tell me a tale that is quite so far fetched it can only be true. It went something like this.
'My mother was never warm to me, you must understand that first of all. In fact she seemed to despise me and, as her only son, I could only assume she didn't like children.
My father was always kinder and helped me through my childhood but he sadly passed away five years back from a heavy flu and so I have been left to battle with my mother alone.
I live on my own in a large property near Guildford but I tried to visit my mother often even though she appeared to no want me visiting.
She was a wealthy woman I knew for my father had left her the large estate in which she lived as well as his own personal fortune. It was left, I believe, in order than she might share it with me when I needed financial assistance.
Within a year of his death she had turned even colder to me and was bordering upon rude with every day.
The main realization that she no longer had any feeling of kindness towards me was when I ran out of my own small modest funds and asked for help from her.
As you may have guessed she told me that she would not give me a penny as, according to her, I didn't deserve it. Ever since that last visit our relationship has become steadily worse.
It was only last week that I was told of her passing.
It came as a most terrible shock to me for she was the last true member of family I had.
I was more shocked still to discover that she had left me something in her will.
I was told to meet a man named Findleroy at King's Cross station by 12 O'clock that same day that I received the news of her passing.
You can imagine that I was quite perplexed at this strange instruction but needless to say I couldn't ignore the request for it was the last contact I had with my mother..
I found myself at the station at the allotted time and sure enough a man who introduced himself as Findleroy came forwards to introduce himself to me.
He was peculiarly thin and tall, bespectacled and quite well spoken. Nothing else was remarkable about him.
He begged me to follow him and so I did.
Soon he had lead me into the station proper and then though a maze of corridors until we came to a quite plain meeting room.
Then he proceeded to take off his jacket and shirt until he was standing bare chested in front of me.
I was greatly take aback by this further strange turn of events and I asked what was going on.
He replied by telling me that he had a tattoo impressed upon his back that carried the message of the will.
And as he turned his place, skinny frame until he faced away I saw that he was telling the truth.
Written across his back were the numbers 51 13'28.69" N / 0 31'44.28" W. I made certain that I wrote them down correctly. After a minute or so the thin man turned back to face me.
"That is all I can give you."
I felt shocked at first but then the dull sense of disappointment seeped into my being for I was used to such when visiting my mother.
"So this was all an elaborate trick of some sort I presume" I said.
The man seemed quite surprised at my negativity however.
"Oh no. I understand that these numbers and letters are quite important but they are a riddle and I have not bee given the answer."
As I nodded in realization that perhaps after all something had been left for me by my mother I also smiled for this was exactly like her to try to test my intelligence against hers.
The next thing that happened was quite the most strong event of the day. The tall man had finished re-dressing and without notice her suddenly sprinted with great speed from the room and away down the corridors of the station. I tried to follow but he was soon gone and I made my way out of the station and home with mixed feelings about this extremely odd day.
And ever since that day I have been feeling uneasy. I feel that I have to know what the riddle is and what my mother has left me. It is really quite eating away at me and, whilst I have moderate funds, if she has left me money then it would be of utmost use right now.
And that concludes Mr Spinner's tale for he left soon after with the assurance that his case would be solved.. What do you reckon of it Watson?"
I was left feeling almost breathless by the extraordinary tale that Holmes had come at such a late hour to tell me. "It's quite the case Holmes but how can you possibly solve it? I said, for I saw no way to decipher the strange numbers and letters that the man had noted down.
"Oh the case is rather obvious on the face of it but I feel this could be quite the adventure. A treasure hunt perhaps."
"How could you possibly hazard a guess like that?" I asked, taken aback once more by my friend's certain assertions.
"Well the code is a map reference and quite simple to solve. I've done that part already and have arranged to meet Mr Spinner tomorrow at ten at Waterloo station. The question I want to put to you is will you accompany me on this last great case?"
"Well of course I will!" I ejaculated, for I was so gladdened by Holmes's return to the craft that I could barely wait.
It was only when Holmes had gone and left me to an anxious night's sleep that I considered my wife.
"Don't worry about me, John. I know how much you adore those cases. And it might do you good taking a break for a day from work."
I saw the sense in what she said and thanked her for being such a good wife.
Then I was in bed and soon asleep.
The following day dawned bright and fresh and I joined Holmes at his apartments and we both headed by Taxi to Waterloo station.
We soon met Mr Spinner who proved to be a handsome if short man with a friendly demanour.
It was clear that he was confused also by Holmes's lack of answers and soon Holmes addressed both of us to answer our concerns.
"Today gentlemen, we are heading to Guildford. Mr Spinner, that code you noted down from the thin man's back was a reference to geographic location and I have located where that code points to.
It is a church named St Martha's and sits upon a high hill not far outside of Guildford. I warrant that we may find another clue there."
Mr Spinner looked downhearted.
"What do you mean another clue? Is this not our clue?"
"Oh no" Holmes replied "This looks to me like the beginning of a fine treasure hunt and I deduce so far that your mother was a more than usually astute woman."
The man nodded enthusiastically then and said "She was indeed. A virtue that she turned against me and many others." After a little more discussion we set off on a country train for Guildford, enjoying the increased greenery as we headed further from London.
In under an hour we stepped out of Guildford station and followed Holmes on a beautiful country walk.
The first quarter of an hour meant walking through streets not unlike London's richer boroughs but soon we began to climb a steep hill and found ourselves upon a large grassy common with fine views stretching for miles.
Holmes seemed always to know the way and pace quicker than I might normally, resulting in Mr Spinner and I having to stride rapidly after him.
The walk was nice however and we all enjoyed the peace of the countryside that we traveled through.
After half an hour we had made our way over several more hills, past the outskirts of a dark forest and then up a long rough hill before we finally arrived at a modest, ancient looking church.
"Here we are" Holmes stated to us both. "This is St Matha's Upon the Hill and this is where I believe we will find the next clue in Mrs Spinner's puzzle.
"Follow me" He told us once more and we headed to the small entrance of the church, all the while enjoying the great, sweeping views over many miles of rural landscape.
Soon we were in the dimly lit interior of the church.
Holmes told us to look for anything out of the ordinary and so we all set about searching the church.
The large space appeared empty fortunately for I felt slightly bad for rummaging through the church's furniture and interior. Suddenly I saw a small scrap of paper poking out underneath the cross on the great altar and I quickly stepped across and removed it before stepping back across the roped cordon.
"Holmes!" I exclaimed excitedly.
"I think I've got it!" I said as I hurriedly unfolded the piece of paper.
As I laid it flat upon the low pulpit nearby we all read the words written in a neat hand upon the paper.
It looked like this:
'Dear Harry,
If you are reading this then I have now left this mortal coil and my plans have been set in place.
Congratulations so far if this was indeed your own work in finding this place.
I do not like you. You know that of course.
Yet I cannot see all of my worldly possession go t the state so I have left you something of great importance. Far more that you are worth in fact.
But it is upon your head to be able to find it.
I won't hope for your good luck because I care not at all. If you do not decipher the following words then all left to you will be shipped to an incinerator within three days.
Good bye and I daresay you are happy to see no more of me.
Lady Spinner.
Below this cold and wretched letter were three short rhymes which after reading twice I realized were riddles:
1. Nonces may consider this fate
The euphemistic bucket and a separate state
Rhyming with that which allows us sight
This term represents the given-up fight.
2. The first is in mind and the second in rage
On one count marbles lost and the other steel cage
A condition internal of letters just three
Meaning mental and hard mentality
3. The repetitive drumming in a cage of bone
The constant pulsing keeps the lights shining at home
We're not talking something bought from a shop
When it's the end days our thing will stop
Regards, Yours
And then followed her signature.'
And that was all.
All three of us stood in silence after reading that sheet, thinking about what could possibly be meant by it all.
Harry Spinner broke the silence by stating "Not very warm, was she? I'm sorry to have involved you in such personal matters but it is worse than I feared. It seems that out of bitterness she has set a timer on the items of her will."
Holmes nodded slowly and his eyes appeared so droopy that he might be asleep.
He seemed lost in thought and I made my own small assumptions whilst I waited.
Sure enough after a few minutes Holmes was as alive as he had ever been and theorized this thoughts to us.
"The first is obvious and I think that was done on purpose. She described someone passing away but rhyming with 'eye' this can only be 'Die'.
For the second riddle she mentions three letters ans writes of rage and mental illness so I can guess quite certainly at 'Mad'."
He paused after this extraordinary assessment and looked at me and then Mr Spinner,
"Any suggestions for the last riddle?"
I had been thinking the last one over and over but I hadn't a strong idea.
I hesitate and replied "Music made by a travelling band perhaps. The bone age could be a sort of snare drum. The music pays their way and keeps their electricity on and if the music that they make stops then they can't afford to live as they might."
I thought at first that I had guessed correctly but Holmes soon dismissed my idea.
"Good thought Watson but you neglected to consider the last line describing the subject as a 'thing'."
I nodded but didn't fully understand what his answer meant in terms of the riddle's hidden answer.
Harry piped up then.
"I would guess at Heart if I may. I think that she is using euphemism and the theme of life and death seems familiar with the other two parts."
As I re-read the riddle I realized that he was of course correct.
"We ll done!" I exclaimed and Holmes looked mildly impressed also.
I felt a little ashamed that I hadn't managed to help Holmes but glad too that the answer had been discovered.
Holmes looked at the paper again and considered the riddle.
"We have the three answers being 'Die', 'Mad' and 'Heart' but they make little sense in terms of an answer.
What is irritating me is the last line before her signature. The 'Regards, Yours' doesn't work as she is using two words that might normally sufficiently finish a letter."
He paused again and I tried to consider what it might all mean.
"Maybe it could be that we need to rearrange the letters of the three words?"
I felt a sudden thrill when I saw the glint in Holmes's eye and realized that I had actually impressed him.
"Of course! Quite excellent Watson. I think we have all we need except time so perhaps we might leave and head back to our apartments to figure this one through."
And so we left that high, austere place and made our way slowly home.
We left Harry Spinner at Waterloo with the promise of a meeting tomorrow at twelve and headed back to Holmes's apartments.
The mood was high but also quite subdued for we were both still trying to work out the answer to Mrs Spinner's riddles. A we entered we both made ready our pipes and sat in thought once again.
I had all of the relevant letters of 'Die', 'Mad' and 'Heart' written down and was trying to make some sensible words from it whilst Homes was re-reading the sheet.
Suddenly, after a good while thinking he stood up and said aloud "A-Ha! I have it Watson. At last I have it!"
I was greatly excited by this statement and followed Homes to the table to look over the piece of paper containing the riddles.
He withdrew a pen and began to circle letters down the sheet, narrating his reasoning whilst doing so.
"It had to spell out something. I knew there was more to the riddles than just their face value but it took a lot longer than I anticipated.
Each line has a valuable letter, marked by the beginning of a word and they together spell out a continuous word. Or two words in fact" he said as he finished circling the sheet with a flourish.
He presented the paper and it looked as below:
I peered at it and tried to make out the underlined letters.
As I read downwards, sure enough they slept out two words and as I spoke them aloud Holmes did too.
"Natural History."
I clapped my friend on the back.
"Quite brilliant Holmes. But what does it mean?"
"Well it obviously refers to the museum nearby - the Natural History museum. Perhaps there is hidden what Mr Spinner is entitled to."
Then he turned back to the paper. "But what about the three riddle's answers? Any progress?"
I looked back at my notes and nodded for I had a few words. "Could it be 'Hide made art"? I asked but felt instantly foolish for I saw that this made little sense either. "Watson this is not an art gallery. Good thinking though." He peered at my notes and then looked at me. "I do believe I finally have it! The complete answer indeed."
"Well, what is it Holmes?" I inquired excitedly.
He took out his pen once more and wrote two simple words on the original piece of paper.
"Diadem Heart" he breathed out and retired suddenly to his chair.
"Wonderful!" I cried out for Holmes had really outdone himself in this case.
"We have to search the place tomorrow then" I said aloud and Holmes nodded.
"That woman must have been a sharp wit to meet" Holmes said as I too sat down wit a sigh.
"A sharp wit indeed."
I only nodded and wondered at the next stage of this great treasure hunt.
The following day we met again with Harry Spinner and this time headed towards the Natural History Museum in a cab as we told him of our findings.
He listened on with amazement and by the end of our update he was laughing with joy.
"I knew I had contacted the right men!" he told us kindly and it was with high spirits that we entered the great front door of the Natural History Museum.
At the help desk Holmes inquired about the Diadem Heart and immediately we were lead away from the bustling, tourist-filled halls to clinical white corridors that smelt of soap and chlorine.
The woman leading us was brisk and looked back once only to make sure we were following before streaming away down the many corridors of the museum.
After a few minutes of this we finally came to a stop outside of a polished metal door.
Our guide began to enter a code into the door's elaborate entry system and soon we were inside a cold, pristine room with metal walls and no furniture except for a strong looking safe in the centre of the room.
She turned and said to Holmes "Here we are - you need to figure it out from here i'm afraid".
With a small smile she was gone and the door shut behind us.
The silence after her departure seemed extraordinarily heavy and we all appeared perplexed .
"Let's look about then" Holmes prompted and we all began searching once more. I examined the safe but didn't try anything more than pulling the door in case I set an alarm off. It wouldn't open so I moved on.
Soon Holmes gave a shout and we discovered that he had found a small rectangle of car with a few words upon it.
It read:
'The last hurdle is to find a four digit code
The calculation for which is a dangerous road
Involving a sum with a date (4) plus a year
Multiplied after being divided by numerical fear
The number of hell to give you a clue
Then multiply this by the year used before
And you should be able to open the door.
Guess the code wrong and the door will be locked
If you get past this I shall be shocked.'
I groaned inwardly at the sight of the riddle and after reading it I felt even more upset. To have come so far it seemed that this last stage was too hard for any of us to crack.
Holmes as ever was alert, like a dog on a trail.
"Mr Spinner. Pray tell me what you make of this".
The man looked confused however and shrugged before saying "I can only guess that she wants an answer to a sum. I think one part of the sum could be her age."
Holmes nodded.
"Quite simple really. But what to multiply this with?"
He began to pace across the room and I knew this was a good sign, He narrated his thoughts as he walked.
"The number of hell can only be six hundred and sixty six. But what is the sum involving a date and a year?
If the year is her age, which was?"
"Sixty three" Harry replied when prompted.
"Sixty three and the date was that of her death so they total to..."
I felt an urge to speak then for I felt Holmes could be wrong.
"Holmes. Please, I think you may have neglected one small consideration."
His eyes sparkled and he nodded for me to continue, which I did with more certainty.
"I'm not sure she could have known the exact date of her death. It was quite sudden, wasn't it?" I asked Harry and he nodded emphatically.
"Could it be the date of her birth instead?" I stated.
Sherlock Holmes stood still and seemed to be considering my suggestion before he began pacing again.
"Watson my dear boy! I think you could well be right. But then how could she know her age at death if the couldn't know the year? Ah of course. The age is something that she could update on an annual basis I imagine whereas a date of death is far too precise. Let me begin again with my calculations."
"Harry, what is the date of your other's birth please?" Holmes asked Mr Spinner.
"It was the ninth day in April, 1950" he said with strength.
"And I imagine the four after date means that the format of this number will be the day, the month and the last two digits of the year."
He paused briefly and removed his pocket book and a pen.
"Nine thousand six hundred and fifty divided by six hundred and sixty six is..." he started writing for a few moments, before looking up an answering his own question "Fourteen point four eight. And this is multiplied by sixty three which makes..."
He paused again and started writing in his notebook, continuing the sum.
After a few minutes he spoke again.
"Nine hundred and twelve point two four. So our number I am almost certain must be nine thousand one hundred and twenty two. To the safe!"
All three of us rushed over to the squat, black safe and stood nervously by as Holmes entered the code into the safe's digital panel. After four electronic beeps the door popped open and we all cheered aloud. "At last!" I exclaimed.
Holmes stepped back and let Harry remove what lay inside.
He put an arm in eagerly and withdrew and great glittering crown with a vast heart-shaped ruby placed close to the front.
"By Jove!" he uttered with feeling as we all admired the crown.
"The Diadem Heart after all these years" Holmes muttered and I turned to him, leaving Harry to revel n his gift.
"What do you mean?"
He replied "This crown has vanished from public knowledge for at least ten years. It contains the most valuable ruby ever discovered and makes a nearly priceless article our of the diadem."
Harry turned at that and looked concerned, saying "But does that mean it's mine or is it stolen?"
Holmes laughed and replied "Oh no. I'll warrant that she spent all of your father's fortune on this single article. You are a wealthy young man now!"
And that closed the extraordinary case of the Diadem Heart.
Holmes and I never did see Mr Harry Spinner again but we have received a very bountiful hamper each Christmas after that event which continues now five years later.
Thanks for reading and please share, comment or +1 if you enjoyed reading it.
I put a lot of work and effort into this story and I hope that it was a worthy read.
