Here is the updated second installment of my short stories in 'The Sherlock Revival' series.
I realized that it needed closure and I hope the result is acceptable.
I hope you enjoy reading it!
It was a bright spring morning when this most interesting case came to Holmes and my interest.
The knock at the door that morning seemed most sudden and intrusive for we were both enjoying a classical radio station to accompany our breakfast.
As I cleared the plates away, Holmes sat and watched the door with rapt attention.
Shortly our butler entered into our sunlit main room, followed by a dramatically dressed person.
I say person because it was at first difficult to define the gender of said being.
Dressed head to toe in the most gaudy of womanly clothing and with thick make-up upon their face my instant understanding was that this was a woman.
Yet after a few second it was obvious that this was not the case.
With a large stature and slightly manly facial shape, my realization was proved when the bold man spoke.
"Good morning gents" He purred with a slight cockney twang.
I looked to Holmes and saw the usual look of indifference set upon his face.
"How might we be of assistance sir?" Holmes asked.
The brightly adorned man stepped back in mock offence with a hand upon his chest.
"Sir? I would have you know that I am known to my friends as Lady Gladys and I feel that you both can only be friends."
Holmes raised his hands and replied "Of course. Do accept my most gracious apology. Lady Gladys, may I enquire as to why you came to our apartments this fine morn?"
And so the story came out.
With a theatrical wave, Lady Gladys began to recount his most dramatic story.
"I am from Brighton's sunny streets. Born and bred in fact.
My profession is obvious I imagine - I am an entertainer in Brighton's clubs and bars. I fine myself most at home at The China Convention - my most popular bar to perform at.
In fact me and the rest of the staff can all speak some basic level of Chinese. We are a close knit group there and often trip to London's oriental district. Whatever.
It's a job that I fell into and never left. Usually my appearance draws looks, cameras and sometimes aggression.
Normally I can laugh off any insult for it's part of the act really. Every man in drag knows that.
Yet one night just over a week ago I found myself threatened by a young man. It was as I was leaving my home club 'The China Convention' that the drunk youth decided to try to hassle me.
Now I'm no push over and I can fight like any man but this lad was angry and filled with the fire.
He insulted me with the usual words, all of which are too vulgar to use in these posh apartments.
And then he attacked me, with both fists and a knife.
I tried to fight back but my clothing wasn't ideal and I soon felt the sting of his blade in my side.
As blood stained my white dress he seemed to lose focus and fled. I fell to the floor in pain and one of my colleagues - a co-performer at the club - screamed and came to my aid. She had seen the end of the attack, you see.
I was taken to hospital and bandaged up. The damage was by no means lethal but I will have a scar.
First in my mind was to prosecute the bastard."
Her eyes widened then and a hand clapped to the mouth in shock
"Sorry for that! I'm not sued to keeping my tongue under control.
I want to see him in prison or with a fine at least. Maybe he will be seen as an example in the eye of the law. Anyway, the court hearing was lined up for the police found the man soon after the attack.
My single witness was prepared to talk and I needed her to prove my case. The court hearing is set for three days from now and suddenly I cannot seem to find Michelle. The witness. We spent a day on Brighton's sea front before she went missing and that is the only reason I can think of for her disappearance."
The dramatic figure stopped momentarily, breathing heavily.
Holmes waved a hand. "Please, do tell us why you feel the seafront trip could have lead to her disappearance."
"Well it was the tarot card. She had been sent it in the post for free and she's one of those believers in the mysterious. Not for me but some go in for it all.
We went to the place listed on the card, close to the pier it was. She went in and after fifteen minutes or so came out looking pale and scared. I tried asking her what was wrong but she wouldn't say.
The rest of the day was a bit odd as she wouldn't talk much and we went our separate ways early."
"And do you know what went on in the tarot booth?" Holmes asked
She shook her head
"I know nothing of what went on, only that she seemed a different woman when she came out."
"And you haven't seen her since?" Holmes responded with.
"No. Can't get hold of her either. It's as if she's been wiped off the face of the planet!"
Holmes paused then in tough before looking back to the drag queen.
I felt shocked by this latest case. It was violent and filed with mystery and I couldn't see how Holmes could solve this one.
Yet he looked to bold woman and said "Very well. I will see what I can do. If you can write your details, the details of Michelle, and of the Tarot booth. Anything else too on this paper then I will endeavour to find out what has gone on and also locate Michelle before your case."
Lady Gladys seemed visibly shocked then and her voice trembled as she spoke in thanks.
"That's more than I could have hoped for Mr Holmes! Oh thank you so much." She went to the table and wrote hat details she had before turning once more and thanking us both.
Holmes said goodbye and then Lady Gladys was gone in a bustle of pink and perfume.
When the front door closed with an audible thump, Holmes and I sat in silence for a moment, contemplating the strange turn of the morning. I was the first to talk.
"What do you make of that then Holmes? Is it possible to solve?"
Holmes sat silent for a minute more before replying.
"I imagine so. In fact I already have a fair idea of what happened but to find details will help my reasoning."
"But how?" I asked
Holmes turned to look at me with his too intense gaze.
"Watson. I want you to learn how to reason. How to calculate the case. What opinion do you have so far?"
As usual I didn't have much of an idea but I replied with my best answer.
"Well I would say that maybe Michelle was told something she didn't like in the tarot booth. Give a death card perhaps. And so she fled for no better reason than to escape the fear."
Sherlock nodded and sighed a little.
"A very plain analysis Watson. I think we need to take a trip to Brighton to discover more details."
I felt disappointment that I hadn't managed to please Holmes but agreed.
* * *
Later that day we found ourselves leaving Brighton's grand London inspired station in a black cab.
The streets were busy with tourists and had a feeling of holiday but I noted with interest that the town felt almost similar to some of London's streets.
Soon we were at the sea front. Holmes had the address out and within minutes of passing bustling bars and funfair rides we found ourselves at the tarot booth that Lady Glady's witness had gone to.
"It looks rather shabby" Holmes remarked and indeed he was correct.
Located close to the pier and dingy with shadow, the Tarot booth looked dilapidated and faded, with rust staining the front signage.
'The Wondrous Wilma' a banner proclaimed.
Holmes strode forward briskly and knocked on the wooden door.
"Come in" a voice called out, inflected with a foreign accent.
We entered into a dimly-lit cosy room.
In front of us sat a woman dressed in ethnic clothing with a number of scarves wrapped around her person.
"Reading or head massage?" she enquired.
I stuttered, unsure of how to reply but Holmes replied for the both of us.
"The name's Holmes. I am here on business I'm afraid. Can I ask if you recall meeting a lady named Michelle recently?"
The woman nodded and said "I do. Yes. She came last week with a free card and left with news of the worst kind."
Holmes appeared slightly agitated as he replied.
"You speak as if the news was not constructed by yourself. What news was this?"
Wilma shook her head this time.
"I can't say Mr Holmes. Privacy is important in my trade."
Holmes thought for a second and then asked "Can I questions where the free card might have come from please?"
"Well it would have been bought by someone, from my website" She tapped the wall to her side where a poster was position with her website name upon.
"And posted to Michelle?" Holmes prompted.
"Yes yes. By post. I would have printed it and then the post delivered it to her address."
"So you can find out who bought it?"
The mysterious woman paused for a moment before nodding.
"I suppose that I can. But what's it to you?"
Her suspicion irked me for she was obviously a fraud and if she chose not to divulge information then the case could prove impossible to solve.
Fortunately Holmes was highly persuasive.
"It is a matter of utmost importance my dear lady" he began. "I am working on behalf of a client who was attacked in this town. They are to appear in court against their attacker but their single witness, Michelle, has disappeared and the only link we have is her tarot reading."
Almost instantly the lady's face softened.
"Oh."
She looked visibly weaker I thought and Holmes took the opportunity to sit down in the chair opposite her.
"I shall help you then, because I trust you. You understand that?"
Holmes nodded.
"It was a man who bought the ticket. I remember because it was the first one bought in a month."
She spread her arms and motioned to the room about her.
"Business hasn't been great exactly. This is my home - the corner holds my bed."
I looked over and saw a recess where bedding could be faintly seen.
It is quite incredibly how quickly the human spirit can change. My opinion had reversed and I recall feeling sorry for this woman who was so trapped in her booth.
"He was called Steven Burcroft and his payment address was-" she paused and looked down to table. After a few moments of scrabbling through paper she found what she was looking for and continued.
"- 23 Tidy Street, Brighton".
Holmes nodded and I made myself remember the address for later.
"The woman had bad news - that is all that I can say." She stopped and seemed slightly distressed.
Suddenly Holmes was on his feet, towering over her in the small room.
"You're holding something from us!" he exclaimed.
The Wilma cowered and then asked "What makes you think so?"
Holmes replied quickly, quietly and without pause.
"Your business is doing badly yet still you are here. Your jewelry is a modern expensive style and so I assume that you have had money recently.
The table has many notes, some of which you pushed to the floor earlier when I asked about Michelle.
To top it off you are happy to divulge Mr Burcroft's information but will not talk about Michelle's tarot reading. My theory is that this man bought a ticket and asked specifically for an ill reading for Michelle. You complied after receiving a handsome amount of money. Tell me, is this true?"
And as simply as that she crumbled.
With an expressive wail she laid her head on the table and wept.
After several minutes had passed she seemed to compose herself enough to converse with us once more.
"B-but how did you know?" she asked weakly.
"It is all to see quite plainly but many don't use their eyes well enough." Holmes replied, glancing I thought at me for the briefest of moments.
I wondered at the ease with which Holmes could get his answers then. It was truly remarkable.
"Very well. You are clearly of a higher calling yourself. It is all true. Mr Burcroft offered me three thousand pounds simply to give this woman a bad reading and I couldn't turn it down. I needed it desperately just to pay rent. And so I made her reading the worst possible. I told her she would soon fall ill and lose her life if she didn't move country."
As she spoke Holmes's face contorted with rarely shown emotion and I too felt great sadness at the news.
"Thank you for the information Ms Wilma. It may well be too late but I have a feeling we can still save this case" and with that he turned and left, forcing me out in front simply with his fierce manner.
He questioned me as we walked briskly from the unfortunate Tarot booth.
"Where would this woman have gone to I wonder? Tell me Watson, where was it that Lady Gladys told us her club was themed to?"
The answer came immediately to me.
"Why, it was China!"
"Then do you suppose that this woman may be heading there?" he asked
"I don't suppose her wage could afford it. The club scene isn't one known for wealth"
"Then do you have a suggestion?" Holmes prompted
"Not that I can think of" I replied.
He nodded as if accepting me for a fool and answered his own question.
"I believe she has gone to China Town in London!"
My mind was brought back to the meeting this morning and I recalled her saying something about the Chinese scene in London.
"By Jove Holmes! I think you have it! But how can we find her?"
"I don't think a drag queen will be hard to spot in all honesty". Holmes replied with a wry grin.
"I never thought that Michelle could have been a man but of course you are quite right!" I replied with shock.
"Of course I am my dear Watson" He replied.
And so we set off once more, this time for closer to home.
China Town.
* * *
The day was getting late and already bright, colourful lights were turned on in the streets of China Town.
After stopping at a few bars, hotels and shops we had a lead.
"She was seen heading for a hotel named The Happy Lantern" Holmes informed me once he had left the Chinese supermarket. I looked about myself and saw the place almost instantly.
"Over there Holmes!" I remarked, pointing to the Asian style building built into a standard high rise.
We headed over and entered to find a warm atmosphere, little by red lanterns.
The reception area was simply a large bar but it was was quiet and so we had plenty of time to ask for signs of Michelle. After a quick discussion with a smart looking man we got what we wanted.
"She is staying in the Opera Suite tonight only. Working tomorrow here." he told us in Chinese accented English.
"She's here!" I exclaimed with joy at the news and quickly me and Holmes were climbing the communal staircase of the hotel, heading for her room. We found it on the sixth floor and, after a few knocks we were face to face with a grey haired tired looking man.
"Yes? What is it?" he growled.
I was too taken aback to reply for I have once again expected to meet someone different.
Holmes however was unfased.
"Are you known as Michelle please? It is of great importance that we find her."
The man stepped back and shouted with fear:
"Who are you? What do you want?"
He started to close the door but Holmes had a foot in the gap left and then I helped him push it open.
With a shout the man fell back onto a bed in the small Orientally-decorated room.
"Help! Help!" he shouted with a high scared voice but soon Holmes had a hand over his mouth and I stood by, horrified by the turn of events.
"Please" I tried to say "We aren't here to hurt you. We are here on behalf of Lady Gladys."
As if the name was magic he stopped wriggling and Holmes lifted his hand from the man's mouth and stood up once again.
"What?" he stuttered whilst breathing heavily.
"We are here on behalf of Lady Gladys who needs you as a witness in court to help her prosecute an attacker." I continued as Holmes looked on now with interest.
"No! I won't. I can't. It's dangerous for me at the moment. That's why you see me without my costume or make-up."
His voice was warm and rich and it was clear that he was a man of high education or upbringing from his language.
Holmes reasoned with him.
"We know of your Tarot reading and can say with the utmost credibility that it was a fix. Wilma had been paid to give you a bad reading."
Michelle looked hopeful then but was obviously still suspicious.
"How do you know about the reading? What makes you say that it was a fix?" he asked with composure.
"We spoke to her this morning. Listen" I said and produced a small Dictaphone that I had used this morning during the meeting.
For several minutes we listened to the exchange and then Michelle nodded.
"Thank you. I am most relieved to hear this! I was worried sick that I might be in danger and more so that I might not be able to help Gladys."
"So you will come to court in a few days?" Holmes asked.
"I will" he replied with strength.
"Michelle-" I started.
"-Please, call me Michael at the moment." he replied with a small smile.
"Michael. Thank you for trusting us. We will let Lady Gladys know as soon as we get back to our Apartments" I said.
"That is fine. I will help her win this case don't you worry!"
"Very well" Holmes said and we made our exit from the small room in China Town.
After several minutes in the taxi cab back home I realized that we were heading in the wrong direction for our apartments.
"Holmes! Where are we heading?" I asked with slight annoyance. "I need to be getting back to my work soon".
Holmes nodded and replied "Of course you do Watson. But this too is important. Trust me on this one, for I feel the case isn't quite finished yet.".
Already the taxi cab was accelerating onto a busier, faster road and so I nodded also for I felt as he did.
"Very well. I hope you have a good reason for this extra little adventure."
A great deal later we reached Brighton once more and I had a suspicion where we were headed.
When we pulled up in Tidy Road I knew that Holmes had need for closure as did I.
We both got out and I followed Holmes to a small terraced house with a white front and a blue front door.
He knocked and a thug of a man opened the door.
"Mr Steven Burcroft?" Holmes asked.
"Yeah" He replied gruffly. "Whaddya want?".
His accent was coarse and his manner extremely repulsive.
Holmes replied quickly and I could tell from his tone that he was angry.
"I have a message for you if you could spare me several seconds more of your time?"
The brute nodded. "Go on then, and quick with it."
"I have a message from a Lady Gladys and I feel that you ought to know that I'm one of her friends."
As sudden realization hit home he snarled in anger and began to close the door but Holmes was quicker.
He had a foot placed strongly inside the frame in an instant and suddenly he pulled back his fist and punched the man square on the nose.
Burcroft fell back and hit the carpeted floor inside with a thump.
"Holmes! My what has gotten into you?" I exclaimed in fear as I looked around to see if anyone outside had noticed. They hadn't.
"The brute has to learn, Watson. Now all I need to do is write a swift letter with a veiled threat, anonymous of course, and then Lady Gladys should be safe from him."
I laughed then with slight hysteria before clapping Holmes on the back,
"My Holmes! That was a fine old punch you threw!"
Holmes nodded and laughed quietly. "I suppose it was."
After Holmes had done his duty, we headed back to London with the elation of a case well closed.
* * *
Later that evening, back in our residence I spoke to Holmes about the case.
"I am quite shocked by how today has played out. What with all the gender confusion I feel like I've completed a real challenge."
Holmes sat quietly in his arm chair before replying.
"Yes. It is quite extraordinary how our notions can be fixed. I think today's case was eye opening despite being relatively simply to solve."
He looked at me once again with that intense gaze that I knew to worry about.
"That voice recorder. It was a spot of genius I must say" he commented.
I smiled and felt glad that I had at last impressed Holmes.
"I just thought it could be useful at some point Holmes".
"It was more than useful. I think that It persuaded Michael where conversation would not. We ought to use it in every case from now on".
"Indeed?" I questioned.
"Indeed" he affirmed.
I realized at that point that I was improving in my investigative skills. Whilst Holmes still won the day with his brilliant mind I had at least helped.
That case was a turning point for the two of us I feel.
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