The Devil's Grin - a Crime Novel Featuring Anna Kronberg and Sherlock Holmes by Annelie Wendeberg Page A

my presence.
    ‘ My pleasure. A lthough at the end it got a bit laborious.’ Holmes’s flushed face wore a wild expression and his hair was rather ruffled.
    ‘ The way you play - it must be! I loved it!’ Startled by my own words I looked away and changed the topic. ‘The raid was a disaster?’
    ‘ Broadmoor is clean,’ he said, setting his violin on the desk, or rather, on top off all the papers. Then he fetched a Persian slipper that turned out to be his tobacco pouch. In a different situation, I would have laughed. Now I could only frown. He stuffed and lit his pipe and settled down to smoke.
    ‘ So what now?’ I enquired.
    ‘ Nothing; I dropped the case,’ he replied, producing a cloud of blue smoke with each word.
    I watched him for a moment and could not believe his words. He was angry, not bored, nor disappointed. ‘Tell me, Mr Holmes, did you play Vivaldi because you did not know how to produce the lie so that I would believe it, or because you had a problem lying to me? Forget the latter, it was a stupid assumption.’
    Slowly he tore his gaze off the ceiling and glued it onto my face.
    ‘ That is a strong accusation!’
    ‘ You tell me I a m mistaken?’
    ‘ Certainly!’
    ‘ Be careful , Mr Holmes, I may end up throwing your possessions out the window.’ I was joking, but it didn’t have the desired effect. All he did was to narrow his eyes and lean forward.
    ‘ I thi nk it is time to go home now, Miss Kronberg.’
    I noticed the omission of my title.
    ‘ I think it is time to go to Broadmoor , Holmes.’
    ‘ Do what you see fit,’ he said casually, leaning back and looking at the ceiling again.
    ‘ I usually do. See you in the Berkshire,’ I said, opening the door a crack. Suddenly he leaped off his armchair and a second later slammed the door shut. I was trapped inside.
    ‘ You are hindering my investigation and I must insist you leave Broadmoor to me.’ It was as if he had opened another door to let me see the danger lurking behind his calm façade. I had just poked a stick into the jaguar’s cage.
    ‘ How do I hinder your investigation? So far I helped in bringing it forward.’
    ‘ You didn’t. Any suggestion, clue, or deduction you made, I had made earlier. I let you believe you had anything to add to the case.’
    ‘ Why?’
    ‘ It amused me,’ he said coldly and I could feel my fingertips tingle.
    ‘ And now you are tired of the clown?’
    ‘ Quite so.’
    He didn’t move.
    ‘ Should I scream for the police?’ I said bored.
    ‘ Please do that. I may reveal interesting details about you.’
    ‘ I don’t believe you,’ I whispered.
    ‘ It is about time you get to know me.’ He stood there unmoving with superiority seeping out every pore. He was a good actor.
    ‘ How curious,’ I said softly, gazing into his face. There were only inches between us now. ‘I had the impression I knew you inside and out. I thought I could touch your soul.’ I dipped my fingertips into his shirt, there where the heartbeat was. His gaze flickered, his hand released the door, and I slipped away.

    ~~~

    At home I had a quick snack, dressed in my rough wear, sturdy boots, packed a little provision plus a blanket for the night, and was off to catch the last train to Crowthorne. But not before paying a quick visit to Garret to fetch a rope. He was rather puzzled when I told him I needed it to climb a tree.
    It was close to midnight when I reached the Berkshire. Clouds covered a moonless sky, making it the perfect night for a burglary. I had noticed Holmes as I got off the train in Crowthorne and his presence didn’t surprise me. He kept his distance and left me in peace, neither of us acknowledging the other.
    It took me fifteen minutes to reach the edge of the pitch dark forest. I slipped into the woods, took cover behind a large tree, and listened. Quiet footfall announced Holmes. Quickly, I took my shoes and socks off and stuffed them into the rucksack, which I now strapped tight