Read The Devil's Grin - a Crime Novel Featuring Anna Kronberg and Sherlock Holmes for Free Online Page A

that any other man,’ I leaned forward now and lowered my voice, ‘would have at least felt awkward saying that very same sentence straight into a woman’s face.’
    ‘ As what shall I treat you then, man or woman?’ He said sharply which resulted in full attention of our fellow passengers now turned towards our peculiar conversation.
    ‘ I want to be treated with respect and you did that. Thank you.’ I said it earnestly and with a hint of a bow. There was a long moment of silence, both of us measuring the other until some kind of common ground seemed to be reached.
    ‘ The fact that this one victim was not enough, that he needed to kill more, also tells us a lot about the murderer,’ I added quietly.
    ‘ He craves power,’ noted Holmes
    ‘ He has none otherwise.’
    ‘ Indeed!’ he expelled, ‘everyone searches for the bird of prey when the mouse is the culprit!’
    His excitement transformed into thoughtfulness as he commenced staring out the window. The long silent stretches interrupting our conversation did not feel uncomfortable. Neither of us liked small talk.

    ~~~

    We reached Chertsey and walked down to the meads while the sun painted flicker ing lights on the tips of the grass.
    ‘ Ah!’ exhaled Holmes, disappointed as we reached the cobblestone street flanking the large wetland. We had expected to find perfect footprints on the paths here, as the ground was always moist. But no man would ever be heavy enough as to leave his traces on the many stones wedged next to each other.
    Bent low over the sides of the small street, Holmes strained his eyes to identify potential traces of the Hampton man’s activities. Occasionally, he was on all fours, almost touching the dirt with his nose, the magnifying glass at the ready.
    I scanned the meadow. There were the faintest crisscrossing patterns of small animals’ tramplings, discernible only when observing the movement of the tall grass in the wind. I bent down and investigated the base of the grass, where animals had shaped little tunnels to trace their pawprints back and forth while foraging for food. Our progress was depressingly slow and so far without results.
    After about a half an hour I got impatient and excused myself. Holmes only grunted in response.
    I walked to a nearby willow, took my shoes and socks off, rolled up my trousers and sleeves and climbed the tree. A gap in the foliage allowed a grand view of the whole of Chertsey Meads. I saw Holmes, who was yet again on all fours. The man was quite assertive, I thought. Larks were blaring and a harrier flapped its long black-tipped wings, swaying across the river.
    Then I saw it: among the faint animal tracks was one that had several broken grass blades further up. Only a large animal could have produced that. I stuck two fingers into my mouth and blew hard.
    Holmes stood erect and looked around. It seemed as if he had just noticed my disappearance. I whistled again and he spotted me.
    ‘ Another twenty-five yards , Mr Holmes!’ I yelled through the funnel of my hands. Instantly Holmes turned and walked the recommended distance. He inspected the ground and the grass for a short moment, cried out in surprise, and darted off towards the Thames.
    I climbed down, grabbed my shoes and socks and took a shortcut to the other end of the trail.
    The quiet clucking of the river was occasionally drowned out by reed warblers ranting at each other. I was careful not to tread on the trail, but could already see that someone with big boots had walked here. Right next to the river, grass and reed were bent across an area of about two by four yards. He must have rested here. Suddenly I remembered the Hampton man’s shoes. Holmes had shown them to me. But the prints were not identical to the soles I had seen.
    ‘ Wait!’ barked Holmes when he saw me taking a step towards the river’s edge.
    He examined the trodden place for only a minute or so and then said : ‘As I had expected.’
    ‘ And what did you