Watson licked custard from his lips. “Do yourealize we had the wanted man here and we just let him go?”
“Wanted by whom?” I asked. “As Parton said alittle while ago, we’re not the police, and, at least according tothe news, they don’t have a suspect on their radar.”
“My friend, Mr. Kostitch,” Tessa said, “gavethat backpack to the police. If they have it, they could learn whatwe did.”
Holmes spoke up then, and I repeated hiswords to the others. “If they’re clever enough to work it out, thelocal police, like my old friend Lestrade, will claim all the gloryfor themselves.” A sly grin spread across his features. “However, Ihave a feeling Mr. Parton is safe from prosecution.”
“I hope he is, poor man,” Tessa said. “I’mgoing to be Dr. Watson to Sherry’s ‘Holmes’ and write a story aboutthe case.”
Watson laughed and said at least he didn’thave to do it.
Holmes, the only one of us without a custardmustache, looked smug. He turned to me.“I do believe you have wonour wager. We do not know what the police think, but in my opinion,you solved the case of the amber necklace.”
“The Case of the Amber Necklace?” Irepeated.
Tessa squealed. “Oh, that will be the titleof my story.”
“What did I win?”
“Now that I think of it,” Holmes said, “wenever mentioned a prize. What would you like as a reward?”
“I’d like an amber cat.”
“I’ll buy one for you tomorrow,” Watsonsaid.
Holmes held up a hand. “Not a real one.Unless being dead for a hundred years has changed me even more, Ibelieve I am allergic to cat hair.”
“So you’re going to continue to live here inSan Francisco? In my apartment?”
He looked around the room for a moment. “Itwould appear I do not have a choice.”
THE END
Other titles byPhyllis Humphrey
Holmes and HolmesSeries
Book 2– THE SIGN OFFIVE
Book 3 –THE RED HERRING
Romance Novels
COLDAPRIL - A love story set on the Titanic
THEITALIAN JOB - An Italian backdrop for a novel of romance, jealousy, and old questions thatneed to be resolved.
NORTH BYNORTHEAST – On a sightseeing train trip, a jewel heist and akidnapping give a schoolteacher and a mysterious passenger moreexcitement than they bargained for.
ONCE MOREWITH FEELING – A female San Francisco stock broker deals with ahandsome new client, his eccentric twin aunts and an insidertrading scandal.
SOUTHERNSTAR – Written with co-author Carolann Camillo, the novel takes thereader on a yacht trip in the Bahamas, where anything can happen.And does.
STRANGERIN PARADISE – The manager of a Hawaiian hotel is about to lose herjob because of a handsome stranger. And then a tsunami strikes theisland.
FREE FALL – Can a woman who’s afraid ofheights fall in love with a skydiver?
FINDING AMY – Romantic suspense in London andParis
Dear Readers,
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Thanks much,
Phyllis Humphrey, aka P. J. Humphrey andPhyll Ashworth
