A Trail of Treasure - Sherlock Holmes

Chapter Nineteen - A Shocking Reveal

Caroline turned and stormed down the street, hoping to clear her head some. Holmes's - yes, now she was back to referring to him this way; Sherlock had been short-lived - seemingly careless behavior frustrated her beyond measure. 

How could he have been so careless with her pearls? Something he knew was more important to her than anything. He knew this, and yet still he lost them, and he always seemed so careful and calculated. That was what hurt the most. 

But, of course, they were talking about the infamous Irene Adler here, who he clearly wasn't over, so perhaps it came as no surprise he had been distracted enough to lose the pearls and let them fall into her cold grasp.

Still though, despite all these facts, it was frustrating. 

She sighed and stopped for a moment - this wasn't helping at all with clearing her head. Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, she continued along with her brisk stroll. 

The red-haired man who had been watching from across the street turned and continued to follow her at a distance. 

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"What now?"

"He knows who sent Caroline the pearls," John repeated.  "Come, he's waiting outside in the carriage."

Sherlock followed John out of the house to where Thaddeus Sholto was waiting for them.

"Mr. Holmes-"

"No time to stop and chat - either wait here or come along with us!"

"B-but, I must explain-"

"Then walk and talk, man!" Sherlock waved them onwards. All this dilly-dallying of theirs had caused him to lose sight of the mysterious man. 

"What's got you in such a rush?" John asked as he and Sholto tried to match Sherlock's rapid pace.

"I worry Caroline is in danger."

"What? Why?"

"I only pray that I am wrong." 

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She was being followed. Of that she was certain.

She didn't know for how long, but at least for the last few blocks - she could hear his heavy coughing behind her. She gripped the pearls tightly in her hand for some sense of stability. Just keep moving, she told herself, trying not to worry.  Just keep walking.

Perhaps it was nothing and it was just all this work on the case that had gotten her paranoid. Perhaps the man was just headed in the same direction as she was. But she had no destination, she was just walking.  So it seemed unlikely.

No, why deny it? She couldn't: she was being followed. 

Thinking quick, she turned sharply down a narrow path, trying to catch him off-guard. 

It didn't work, however. 

The man now stood directly behind her.

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Meanwhile, Sherlock was still rushing through the streets after her, John and Sholto walking briskly in order to keep up with him.

"So who sent the pearls then?"

"Harold Westin."

"But he's dead."

"Mr. Holmes, Harold Westin cannot be dead - I spoke to him after you left."