Sherlock Holmes and the Queen of Diamonds by Steve Hayes, David Whitehead

himself?’ asked Holmes.
    ‘He gave his name as Smith, but I fear it was an alias.’
    ‘Was he a large man?’
    ‘Yes, sir. Do you know him?’
    ‘I know the prints he leaves beside riverbanks.’
    ‘Well, he said that he’d heard how I once worked for the circus and was still quite a competent aerialist despite my injury. Hoping he might be from another circus, I said yes and invited him in. But he quickly dashed my hopes. He explained that he knew I was in financial difficulties, and might be able to help. But I had to be discreet, because his proposition was shady at best.
    ‘I should have shown him the door at once, of course. I realize that now. But at the time, with Manny so sick and me at my wits end, I told myself that it would do no harm to at least hear his proposition.’
    ‘Which was…?’
    ‘He said he was interested in a pair of earrings. He knew where they were kept but could not get to them, which is where I came in. He would take me to the property, I would gain access, steal the item and in return he would give me ten pounds.
    ‘Well, it was a miraculous sum of money, and when I thought of all the good it could do my husband – I can make no excuses for what I did. I was simply desperate. So I embarked upon a series of robberies, the fourth and most recent of which was committed two nights ago.’
    ‘This man Smith,’ Holmes said, ‘does he always take you to the scene of the robberies?’ 
    ‘Yes, sir. He’d arrive unannounced with a sketch of the item he wanted me to steal and a five-pound note. I would receive the same amount again when I delivered the item to him.’
    ‘And he never gave any indication as to the identity of his employer? Where he came from?’
    ‘Never, sir. We rarely spoke of anything but the job at hand. He said it was better that way, for both our sakes.’
    ‘Did he have a foreign accent?’
    ‘No, sir. He was a Londoner through and through.’ She dug out a soiled handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. ‘I have been a fool, sirs, and for that I will be eternally sorry. But the money has made Manny’s suffering a little easier to bear, and though it may sound inappropriate, for that reason I don’t regret my actions.’
    Holmes frowned and pondered a moment. ‘You have played a very dangerous game, Mrs Kidd,’ he then said. ‘Had you been caught, had you fallen and injured or killed yourself in the commission of the crimes, you would have left your husband in an even less enviable position than the one he already occupies. However, I understand why you embarked upon the course you did. But I suggest that you do not submit to this man Smith again, no matter how sorely you need the money.’
    ‘He is an unpleasant man, Mr Holmes, and will not take kindly to a refusal.’
    ‘Then tell him this, Mrs Kidd – that you received a visit from Sherlock Holmes, who warned you in no uncertain terms that the next time you committed a crime, he would turn you over to the authorities. Tell him that I am on to him and if he has any sense he will keep a very low profile from now on.’
    ‘I will do that, sir.’
    Holmes rose. ‘You have been a very foolish woman, Mrs Kidd, and I hope that from now on you will consider this a lesson learned.’
    ‘I will, sir. And I thank you for understanding.’
    ‘How is your husband at present, Mrs Kidd?’ asked Watson, hearing another prolonged coughing fit.
    ‘I fear he will not live to see out the summer,’ she replied tearfully.
    ‘Then clearly he needs more care than you can give him. It may be possible to remove him to an infirmary where—’
    ‘Infirmaries cost money, Doctor.’
    ‘Nevertheless, he needs rest, fresh air and nutrition if he is to stand any chance at all.’ Watson hesitated before adding: ‘It may be possible for me to arrange it, and in such a way that it will cost you little if anything.’
    ‘Charity?’ she asked disdainfully.
    ‘Not charity, Mrs Kidd,’ Holmes said. ‘Let us call it payment