Sherlock Holmes The Pearl of Death Page #6

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Close the door.

Bolt it.

Turnaround.

Take two steps forward.

Stop.

Wait a moment.

Look around you.

Now look over here.

Wait a minute.

Now run over here.

Pause a moment.

Look at these wet

plaster busts.

Look back to the door.

Take a coin out

of your pocket.

Come on, hurry man hurry.

Now stick your finger

in one of these

wet plaster busts.

Go on, go on,

do it, do it.

Put the coin in.

Put it in, put it in.

Now smooth over

the plaster,

covering up the hole.

Mad.

Both of them.

Fifty-four seconds.

That's close enough.

Conover could have

done it faster.

He acted on his own

while you had to

wait for instructions.

You mean to say that...

Precisely.

Conover stuck

that Borgia Pearl

in one of those six wet

plaster busts of Napoleon.

What?

Gelder?

Gelder what happened

to those six busts?

You are not the first

one asking me that?

No, who was the other?

A woman.

When, was it Wednesday

the day after

the thief was taken?

Yes it was.

Naomi Drake, Watson.

Naomi Drake?

What did you tell her?

The same as

I'm telling you,

they were delivered

all six of them.

Yes, yes but to whom?

To Amos Harder's Art

Shop on Kensington Road.

Amos Harder.

Watson?

Huh?

What an amusing statue.

Most amusing.

Is it, why?

Cause I say it is.

Pretend to be interested.

What?

Oh fine bit of

molding Holmes.

What a most

amusing statue.

Sit down in that chair.

Huh?

Sit down in that chair.

Let no one else in

or out of that door.

Attend to the gentleman

Miss Benzenger.

Yes Mr. Harder.

Oh mercy me.

Here, here what

have you broken now?

I never saw such a

one for breakage.

You aren't even worth

half the wages you earn.

But it's my poor

eyesight Mr. Harder.

I can't help my

eyes now can I?

What have you

broken this time?

One of the

Copenhagen Vases hey?

Well that makes four.

There was a flying

mercury yesterday

and the two Napoleons

the very day you came.

I never broke the

Napoleons I tell you

I found them that way.

Mr. Harder may

I trouble you?

Well I beg your

pardon I'm sure

but this sort of

thing is most trying.

What can I do for you sir?

My name is Holmes,

Sherlock Holmes.

I'm doing a little

private investigating

in connection with some

busts of Napoleon

that you purchased

from George Gelder's

plaster shop.

I understand there were

six busts of Napoleon

here on Wednesday

morning last.

That's correct Mr. Holmes.

Now let me see

I think I heard you say

that two of the

busts of Napoleon

were broken by accident.

Accident.

That clumsy girl,

oh Benzenger,

put the vases

up on the shelf

before you break

the rest of them

and sweep up this

litter will you?

Yes Mr. Harder.

Well don't be too hard on

the poor girl Mr. Harder

accidents will

happen you know.

Now tell me, you say that

two of the busts

were broken here

in the shop,

the third went

to Major Harker,

a fourth to Miss Carey

and a fifth to

Mr. Thomas Sandeford.

Yes sir.

And by the strangest

coincidence

all three of

those persons...

It was not a

coincidence Mr. Harder.

Bless my soul.

Tell me, what happened

to the sixth bust?

I sold it same

as the others.

To whom?

Do you remember?

Some doctor or other.

I have his name in

my account book.

My memory for

names is rather poor.

Now where is the

retched thing?

Awe yes, yes here we are.

Let's see it would be

Wednesday or Thursday.

Any luck?

The best of luck

I think Watson.

Fortunately for us

we arrived here

before Naomi Drake.

Awe here we are sold to

Doctor Joseph Caldecot,

thirteen LaBrennan

Road, Stratham.

Good that's just

what I wanted.

Take down the address

will you Watson?

Got a pencil?

Doctor Joseph Caldecot.

Joseph Caldecot.

C-A-L-D-E-C-O-T.

This name and

address on Harder

that your handwriting?

Look carefully.

Why no the doctor is mine

but the rest is changed.

Quiet.

Oh rest my soul

it's a forgery.

Ink eradicator

has been used

and another

name written in.

Think carefully.

Can you remember

the name of the doctor

that you wrote here?

Oh dear me I'm poor

at names you know?

This is very much like it.

Very much.

Clever devil.

He's made the

names sound alike

to throw you off.

This telephone is there,

is there an

extension in there?

Why yes.

What are you going

to do Holmes?

Quiet.

You were right Giles,

it worked like a charm.

He'll be off to the wrong

end of town presently.

Yes I'm leaving at once.

Thanks my dear

that's what

I wanted to know.

I shall start at once.

Meet me in two hours.

Same place hey?

Why of course he's here.

He's sitting

right behind me.

Then I shan't meet you

not till you've

got rid of him.

Oh nonsense my dear.

His devotion to you

is most touching.

But I tell you

I just can't stand

having him near me.

Giles?

Giles?

Yes my dear?

What is it?

I thought you'd hung up.

Hardly Naomi.

I understand there's

another doctor same name,

not listed in

the directory.

You sure you've given

me the right man?

I'm positive.

Doctor Julian Boncourt,

B-O-N-C-O-U-R-T.

Eighteen Chelsea Place.

Thank you my dear.

Don't worry about

The Creeper.

I'll take care of him.

Watson, telephone

Doctor Julian Boncourt,

B-O-N-C-O-U-R-T,

tell him to take

the bust of Napoleon

that he bought here

and to go the nearest

police station.

Just let go Naomi,

I'm here to catch you.

Think your

clever don't you?

You can't hold me.

Come on.

Come on down.

What charges

are against me?

Peddling matches

without a license.

Constable put the

cuffs on her

she's an accomplice

in three murders

possibly four.

Leave me alone,

you can't do this to me.

No one there.

I can hear it ringing.

Better drive slowly.

I wouldn't like

to get picked up

with our passenger

in the back.

Well he's pretty

quiet back there.

What's he up to?

He's got Naomis'

vanity case.

Stay here till I call you.

Doctor Boncourt.

Yes, yes what'd you want?

Don't you see I'm busy?

I shan't keep

you very long.

I've only come to ask...

How did you get in here?

Who are you?

I'm also a very busy man.

Doctor I understand you

bought a bust of Napoleon

a few days ago.

I should like

to look at it.

What are you

talking about?

Will you get

out of here please

or must I call the police?

Stay away from that

telephone you old fool.

Where's that bust?

Unfortunately

it is broken.

Broken?

Yes you will find the

pieces over there...

in the container.

But you won't

find the Borgia Pearl

there my dear Conover.

Drop that gun.

The bust is still

unbroken and quite safe.

You're still

full of your little

surprises Mr. Holmes.

Back up against that wall.

I don't like your

work Conover.

I've seen

quite a bit of it

both here in London

and elsewhere on

the continent.

Don't like the

smell of you either.

That underground smell,

the sick

sweetness of decay.

You haven't

robbed and killed

merely for gain

like any ordinary,

halfway decent thug.

No you're in love with

cruelty for it's own sake.

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