Sherlock Holmes The Pearl of Death Page #5

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and smashed china

around their bodies.

Well things do get smashed

in a struggle you know.

Including the plates

that hang on these

wire racks on the walls?

When a lady

gets hysterical...

She may do many

desperate things

but my dear Lestrade

she does not run around

the walls like a mouse.

Those plates

were taken down

and smashed deliberately

and it was done after she

was killed and not before.

Is that another

one of your little

theories Mr. Holmes?

No it's a fact,

and easily demonstrable.

If you lift up that

body I think you'll find

there's not a vestige of

broken china underneath.

Just to prove your wrong,

here lend a hand

here Becker.

All right sir.

Easy does it.

Light as a

feather ain't she?

What did I tell you?

Look at that Lestrade.

That china was broken

after her dead body was

flung there on the floor?

But why, why was it done?

Well as I see it

we're dealing

with a maniac

and after each and every

one of these murders

he goes into a beastly

fury and smashes things.

But why bric-a-brac

and nothing but

bric-a-brac?

Why should a murderer

who's strong enough to

break Major

Harker's back,

vent his bestial

fury by breaking up

dinky little

cups and saucers

when he could

just as easily

break up a large chair

or smash a big table?

There's no accountings

for the workings

of the criminal mind.

Oh nonsense.

He follows a pattern

and there's purpose in it.

Would you have those

broken fragments

collected and sent to me

at Baker Street please?

Oh what's the use?

You won't find any

fingerprints in them.

Perhaps not.

But broken china

is the one thing these

murders have in common.

We've got to get to the

heart of this mystery

and quickly too.

Don't you realize

there's a monster

at large in the city

bent on destruction?

We don't know why,

we don't know where.

But somewhere

at any moment.

Blast that cat.

I'd swear I put her out.

That's funny.

I'm sure I drew

those library curtains.

I'm afraid I must disagree

with the

newspapers Watson.

The Oxton Creeper,

to the best

of my knowledge,

is not a madman

or if he is

then there's method

in his madness

and that method

I'm convinced

is supplied by

Giles Conover.

Do you think all

this broken china

is just a blind

to make it look like

the work of a madman?

On the contrary

my dear fellow.

The smashed china

shows purpose,

it shows motive.

And purpose and motive

are the last things

a sane man would

wish to imply

if he were

posing as a madman.

Why smash the china?

The killer didn't choose

to smash the china

he had to smash it.

Huh?

Had to what for?

Oh possibly to cover

up something else

that was smashed.

Some object identical

in all three cases.

The clue that

we're looking for.

Why mess about

with the plaster?

You'll find more chance

at finding the clue

you're looking for

in the china cause

there is much more china.

And there's too

much china Watson

and too little plaster,

which leads

me to suspect

that the greater

conceals the less

and if the china

was smashed to cover

up the plaster.

Curious notion.

Bird.

Matter of fact I had

thought of it myself.

Oh did you really?

And it was very tactful

of you not to mention it.

Here what do you

make of this?

Cocked head.

Soldier.

No doubt of it.

Part of a bust,

military hat.

Late 18th century

I should think.

Awe that's funny.

Here we are in

the second house.

Here's a shoulder,

a bit of a chest

and a metal on it.

Looks like it

might have come

from the same bust?

Identical.

Same plaster,

same proportion,

same military subject

and this piece comes from

the house of the

second murder

while these

pieces came from

the house of the first.

We're getting

warmer Watson.

Wait a minute,

wait a minute.

I've got

something over here.

Here's a nose, there's a

mouth and a bit of a chin

from the third house.

Put them under his hat.

The little

corporal himself.

Right Watson, Napoleon.

A single statue

made of fragments

from three

different houses.

Identical busts

in each house huh?

I told you this

china was smashed

to cover up

something else.

But why smash Napoleon?

Think Watson, think.

Something was hidden

in one of those busts

Something that

Conover's looking for.

You don't mean that...

Precisely, the

Borgia Pearl.

But how did it get in the

bust in the first place?

That's what they're

going to find out.

They're going to get

a hold of that guard.

The one that chased

Conover down the street

the day he stole

the Borgia Pearl.

Get your hat,

I'll get a taxi.

Get your hat,

I'll get a taxi.

Borgia Pearl.

The Napoleon bust.

Now we're

driving about London

looking at broken glass.

Here we are sir.

This is where

I nabbed him.

He was along here

like a frightened rabbit

when I come up from

behind and made the pinch.

That isn't true.

Well strike me dead

if it isn't sir.

Isn't it true that

he went in there?

Well he was trying...

he was...

Well out with it man

did he or didn't he?

Well as a matter of fact

he did duck in there,

but I made the pinch

right on this very

spot like I said.

Can you tell us

exactly what happened?

Why yes sir.

He runs in here

in full length

and up to this door.

Was the door open?

Just like it is sir

but when I got here from

the head of the stairs

the door was bolted.

So I started to climb

in this here window.

Was the window open too?

No sir I had to force it.

When suddenly

the door opens,

out he comes and

I made the pinch

right on that very

spot like I told you.

How long was Conover

out of your sight?

I'd should say less than

a minute Mr. Holmes.

That's why I didn't want

to mention it before.

I didn't think

it was important.

Important, Great

heavens man come on.

Oh I beg your pardon?

Gentleman this

is not my sales room

this is my workshop.

What can I...

oh it is you is it?

Catching more

thieves today?

Awe no I was

explaining here

to Mr. Holmes

and Doctor Watson.

Thank you Bates

that will be all.

Thank you sir.

Mr. Gelder our

time is short

and believe me

when I tell you that

lives are at stake...

Lives?

Please answer my questions

as briefly as possible.

Last Tuesday at ten

minutes past twelve

where were the workman

who are usually

employed in this room?

It was their dinner

hour they were out.

On this table over here?

You had some busts

of Napoleon standing

to dry did you not?

Yes I did but

how did you know?

Never mind that now,

how many were there?

Six just like these

busts of Beethoven.

Six busts of

Napoleon Bonaparte.

Six are you sure,

no more no less?

Yes I'm positive.

Watson look

sharp will you?

Go to that

door to the alley

and do exactly

as I tell you.

Huh?

No not huh.

Just do it,

leave your stick.

What do you think

I am an alley cat?

Go outside and

close the door.

Stand over there will you?

Me?

Yes please.

Ready Watson?

Ready Holmes.

All right come in quickly.

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